KUCHING: The 2023 angpao packet design by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) features the rare sea bunny or Jorunna Parva, a kind of soft-bodied marine slug to highlight the state’s priceless biodiversity.
The angpao packet is also to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.
Bearing an uncanny resemblance to a rabbit due to the little flaps on its head and fluffy-looking coat, the 1-cm long rare sea bunny can be found at the Miri-Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park in Miri.
The sea bunny angpao design, according to STB CEO Sharzede Sallen Askor, will be the sixth edition of STB’s angpao series, which features flora and fauna unique to Sarawak.
“Every year, we look forward to creating new and uniquely Sarawakian angpao designs to make it a collectible while promoting Sarawak’s priceless biodiversity and wildlife to the rest of the world.
“With Sarawak’s natural beauty and sustainable outlook, the rise of ecotourism has seen a surge in demand for eco-retreats,” she said in a press release today (Jan 3).
Welcoming another year of great discovery, she invited visitors to explore Sarawak’s unique culture, adventure, nature, food and festival offerings of exciting green tourism activities such as deep-sea diving, caving, biking, hiking and many more.
The Miri-Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park is Sarawak’s second largest offshore national park, with 33 dive sites identified.
It is a popular dive destination due to its abundance of pristine patch reefs, incredible marine life, and as a breeding ground for 800 species of hard and soft corals.
Divers can encounter a variety of underwater species such as Gorgonian sea fans, bubble corals, barracudas, Napoleon wrasse, and butterfly fish at depths ranging from seven to 30 metres with an average visibility of 10 to 30 metres.
Eve’s Garden, Belais, Sunday Reef, Anemone Garden, Siwa Reef, and the Kenyalang Wreck are all popular dive sites.
The best times to dive here are from March to October.
From tomorrow (Jan 4) onwards, the limited 2023 angpao packets will be available for collection at STB’s visitor information centres in Kuching, Sibu, and Miri, while supplies last.
