Mount Santubong is a mountain in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is located about 35 km north of the state capital Kuching.On a clear day, it can be seen from Kuching. The mountain and its surrounding area is a popular tourist attraction.According to the Encyclopaedia of Iban Studies the original inhabitants of Santubong are Ibans the sea Dyak.Si-antu-ubong means 'the spirit boat'in the Iban language.Antu is hantu in Malay which means spirit or ghost.Santubong are boat like coffins made from a single hollow log designed to represent the vesell in which a dead person will travel from this world to afterlife. The name Santubong is derived from "san choo bong" in the Hakka Chinese dialect, meaning "wild pig king" or "king of wild pig".
A legend often associated with the mountain is of two beautiful princesses, Santubong and Sejinjang. Santubong was an expert weaver while Sejinjang was an excellent rice tresher. One day, they had a quarrel and exchanged blows. Sejinjang swung her tresher which hit Santubong's cheek. Santubong threw her weaver at Sejinjang, hitting her in the head. Putting an end to the quarrel, the King of Heaven cursed both of them into mountains. Santubong turned into Mount Santubong while Sejinjang was turned into Mount Sejinjang. It is said that Mount Santubong resembles a woman lying on her back.
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