Rattan-based silicon carbide (R-SiC) ceramics, R-SiC SiO2 and R-SiC Si , were successfully prepared from silica (SiO 2 ) sol and silicon (Si) powder, respectively. The rattan powder was impregnated, respectively, with SiO 2 sol at ambient temperature and liquid melt-Si at high temperature. This was followed by one-step direct pyrolysis at 1500°C under an argon (Ar) atmosphere. The final SiC samples were analyzed using mass analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), and nitrogen (N 2 ) physisorption techniques. Experimental results showed that the mass residual of R-SiC Si (42.56 wt%) was almost equal to R-SiC SiO2 (42.45 wt%). However, R-SiC SiO2 had a higher yield of SiC, a higher specific surface area and a more intact porous morphology preserved from the rattan biomass. In addition, some rod-like SiC whiskers and tablet-like SiC particles were found in R-SiC SiO2 . By comparison, R-SiC Si had a large amount of unreacted Si, as well as certain amount of SiC and unreacted C. Thus, it can be concluded that SiO 2 sols are more appropriate for use in preparation of SiC from rattan, whatever the porous microstructure, yield, and purity of SiC.