By Marlynda Meraw
“A thousand per cent coming back.”
These were the words Maxwell Carver said as he reluctantly closed the chapter on his Sarawak adventure, a sentiment expressed in his TikTok video titled “Goodbye, Sarawak!” posted on August 4, 2025.
For three weeks, the American traveller had traversed the length and breadth of Sarawak, journeying from south to north through Bau, Kuching, Serian, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, and Miri, as well venturing deep into the interior to Song and Kapit.
What he discovered wasn’t just destination. It was a revelation.
“It’s a lovely place. It’s a modern place. It’s a wealthy place. It’s a very wealthy State.
“Three weeks of (travelling), I drastically overestimated my ability to get around,” he said in his video.
Maxwell isn’t your typical tourist who’s contented with scripted itineraries, but a traveller who immerses himself completely, one who seeks the authentic pulse of a place.
In Sarikei, he didn’t simply observe the fruit markets from afar. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves and joined the local fruit vendor in promoting their durian stall, engaging with customers and embracing the hustle of daily life.
While many tourists, and indeed some locals recoil at the pungent aroma of the king of fruits, Maxwell harbours no such reservations. In his goodbye video, he made a promise that speaks volumes about his experience.
“I am definitely going to be aligning these trips based off the durian seasons in the respective regions in Malaysia. That’s a certainty.”
Maxwell admitted that Sarawak defied his expectations, having initially envisioned vast, wild rainforests; and while parts of the State fulfilled that image, with untouched areas he’s eager to explore on his next visit, the coastal regions surprised him
“Along the coast, it’s a super developed, wealthy place,” he said, adding that he believes many Malaysians and foreigners alike don’t truly grasp this reality. The exotic idea of wild Borneo exists, but Sarawak, he discovered, is far more nuanced than the stereotype suggests.
Throughout his journey, Maxwell constantly engaged with locals, and they in turn, embraced him wholeheartedly. He was welcomed into homes, pampered with hospitality, and shown kindness that far exceeded anything he had anticipated when he first set foot in Sarawak.
“I expected a high level of hospitality just because it is Malaysia. But Sarawak, you guys were exceptionally welcoming. No one lets me pay for anything,” said Maxwell.
The warmth Maxwell experienced wasn’t limited to formal hospitality. In fact, he experienced them in everyday encounters. Whenever he found himself somewhere with what he called as a “lost puppy look”, people would approach him asking if he needed help or directions.
Most of the time, he was simply exploring on his own, hiking out and seeing what was good as usual. Yet what struck him wasn’t just the offers of assistance, but the genuine concern behind them.
“But just the fact that people cared enough to kinda check in and make sure that all is well. I really appreciate it and continuously appreciate it.”
Maxwell possesses a gift that immediately endeared him to those he met—he speaks Chinese and some Bahasa Malaysia. This linguistic ability fascinated locals and further bridged cultural divides, though in truth, most Sarawakians were already comfortable conversing in English.
He even picked up fragments of the Iban language during his travels, adding another layer to his cultural understanding.
“I just want to say thank you, xie xie, terima kasih,” he said, expressing his thanks in a few languages and dialects that he knows. “I cannot pull out a few other hundred languages you guys speak here, but thank you. Thank you so much.”
Yet perhaps the most profound connections transcend language entirely. Some gestures of kindness, some expressions of warmth, exist beyond words.
In Serian, Maxwell discovered a found family; people who welcomed him not merely with open arms, but with open hearts. They didn’t just show him around; they showed him what Sarawak truly represents: a place where strangers become friends, where differences dissolve in the face of genuine human connection, and where the spirit of hospitality isn’t a tourist attraction. It’s a way of life.
“Sarawak is (an) extremely unique place. When I got the stamp upon entering Sarawak, I was confused as to why. Now it kinda made sense. It feels like a different country.”
He confessed he arrived in Sarawak woefully unprepared; a last-minute trip which he didn’t even know he’d be embarking on such an extended journey. To bridge the gap, he gathered information on the ground as he went along.
“I was very surprised with a lot of stuff I learned.”
Maxwell has spent seven years travelling the world. After graduating from university, he began working and studying online. Since then, he has called numerous places home: Medellín in Colombia, Tainan and Taipei in Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur, Bali in Indonesia, and most recently, Shanghai. —DayakDaily
