Learn the history of Miri’s first oil well and enjoy the sunset at Canada Hill
Road To Canada Hill and Grand Old Lady
Usually people would drive up to the top to the Canada Hill but a few would walk along the road just like how I did it. I walked from Coco Cabana to the town and then to Canada Hill. It takes around 20 minutes to walk up to the top from the road below.
Walking up
Looking back down
When you are reaching near the peak at a T-junction, you can see the opposite side of the hill which is pretty amazing. You can see a far and wide view of Borneo. Turn right to head to the Grand Old Lady and Canada Hill.
You’ll find the oil well and Petroleum Muzuem at the highest point.
Grand Old Lady
This is the Grand Old Lady we are talking about. It is the first ever cable-tool oil well built in Malaysia. This oil well transformed Miri from a small fishing village to a prosperous town. To learn more about the history, you are welcomed to visit the Petroleum Museum, right next to the Grand Old Lady.
Petroleum Museum
Petroleum Museum visiting hours:
Tuesday – Friday (9am – 4.45pm)
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday (10am – 4pm)
Close on Monday
Free Admission
It is a good place to gain knowledge on the history and science of oil drilling. Many other scientific and engineering facts and experimental tools are available in the museum. There was even a car acting as the earthquake simulator.
At the back of the museum, you get a nice wide view of the city and the sea. You don’t need to hike to view this.
Canada Hill
4.53pm: From the museum, walk back to the direction of the road you came from, you’ll see a broken wooden platform at the side. Further up a couple of meters is one of the entrances to hike Canada Hill.
(+3)4.56pm: The path started with a little series of downhill, and then a little bit of uphill before a bigger one.
(+2)4.58pm: Next, it is the longer steeper way up.
(+1)4.59pm: Immediately you’ll reach a high group with a steep path down straight ahead, and a flat path to the right.
(+4)5.03pm: I was unsure about which way to go but luckily there was a small group of local hikers coming up. They mentioned that the path to the right goes a very long way in a big loop. A very friendly lady suggested me to follow her path so that I don’t get lost or go to the very long paths.
(+3)5.06pm: I’m sorry I can’t provide useful information on the trails because I encountered so many split paths along the way while following the lady. Most of the paths are connected close together like a web, as for a few times I saw some hikers took a different turn and we ended up meeting them again at another points a few minutes later.
In general, take more of the paths to the left, toward the top where the museum and the Grand Old Lady are, occasionally you can take the paths to the right as long as you don’t stray too far away from the top. While it is recommended to hike with someone who knows the paths, it is okay to try to explore the paths by yourself. You can always backtrack for another turning if you feel like the path ahead strays further on.
According to the lady, there is a long path where the ending takes you to the bottom of the hill, back to the road heading to town.
Since I am unable to provide further guide on the paths, let’s just look at the photos below taken during my hike so that you can get an idea of how it’s like.
There were quite a lot of steep uphill and downhill along the trails but they weren’t too difficult to maneuver. The constant up and down would make you breath heavily and sweat a lot though.
(+33)5.39pm: In total we hiked for around 40-45minutes including a 10 minutes resting and chatting at a large pitstop near the end of the hike. We exited the trail at the top, where the museum is further away at the left side.
(+2)5.41pm: We walked through some pretty beautiful wide grassland toward the tarmac road.
(+1)5.42pm: At the road, turn left toward the museum to end your hike.
Sidetrack
I was walking back to where I came from to head back to town. Just further down the Canada Hill trail starting point, before the T-junction, there was an opening along the tall grass so I went in to take a look. Looked like someone had set up an archery range here.
Epilogue
The Canada Hill is considered as the most common hiking place in Miri for the locals to get their healthy dose of exercise. I saw many parked their cars near the museum to do their hiking. A number of groups of friends and couples would also come up to the back of the museum with some benches to enjoy the sunset with the city and coast views.
While I don’t oppose you to hike alone, it is best to follow someone who is familiar with the trails so you wouldn’t get stuck walking in circles or straying into the long trail to the bottom of the hill.
Have this guide helped you? Tag @meowtainpeople in your hiking stories & posts!
*Captain Planet passing by* Remember, please take care of our environment, and please don’t destroy the Nature. Leave no trash behind and take back only photos and memories (and also some trash if you can). Walk on the designated path and stay in the middle as much as you can, so that the exposed soil doesn’t spread/corrode further. BE ONE WITH NATURE *flies away*
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