Kuching travel blog — The fullest Kuching travel guide & what to do in Kuching

Located on the tropical island of Borneo, Miri and Kuching are two cities in the state of Sarawak. In recent years, Kuching has become an attractive destination for many tourists. Especially for those who love to explore the diverse culture of Eastern Malaysia. Kuching cleanest green “cat” city, also the capital of Sarawak. Kuching is located peacefully by the river Sarawak, lush green plants, trees and natural forests that cover the city. So, is Kuching worth visiting, what to do in Kuching and how to plan a perfect budget trip to Kuching, Sarawak for the first-time? Let’s check out our Kuching travel blog (Kuching blog) with the fullest Kuching travel guide (Kuching city guide, Kuching guide, Kuching tourist guide) from how to get to Kuching, best time to come, where to stay, best places to visit, what to eat and things to do in Kuching to find out the answer!

Many famous landmarks, sites, attractions in Kuching today are also named after cats such as i-CATS University College or local radio station Cats FM, etc. Local people also sculpt a lot of cat statues and place them everywhere in the city, they present every corner from the streets, the parks to the inside of the shopping centers and malls. If you are a cat lover, then Kuching will definitely be a great destination.

At intersections or roundabouts, many cat statues are placed not only to attract the attention of tourists but also to be considered amulets of the city. Right in front of the central entrance gate to the city is a giant white cat statue named Big Cat (Great Cat), built in 1988, a symbol of respect and pride of each resident here.

Kuching travel blog: Overview of Kuching

Kuching is a beautiful city located on the banks of the gentle and poetic Sarawak River, in the northwest part of the island of Borneo. With an area of ​​more than 450 square kilometers, a population of nearly 650,000 people, this is currently the third largest city in Sarawak state. However, during the period under the rule of the Kingdom of Brunei, Kuching was the capital of Sarawak.

The crowds of Kuching are concentrated on the south bank of the Sarawak River, which is also where overseas Chinese live together, with important structures all painted in blue. The less busy north bank, featuring green architecture, is home to mainly Malaysians and Bumi tribe people. You can take sampan (river taxi) for a panoramic view of the city. The highlight is the 330m-long Golden Anniversary Bridge. The bridge has opened in 2017, is considered as a new symbol of Kuching with unique winding lines spanning the Sarawak River.

The name Kuching is said to be derived from the Malay word “Kucing”, which means “cat”. Locals refer to this place as the “City of Cats”. However, it is more likely that the name comes from the Chinese word for “port”. As it is pronounced “cochin”, it goes hand in hand with the name mata kucing (cat’s eye) of the Malaysian people when naming the left longan which is a local commercial product. Cats also become the symbol of this place. Almost every home raise a cat, with the belief that this animal will bring good luck.

Another anecdote about the name Kuching concerns the Chinese who immigrated here. The word Ku means Old, Ching means Well. It refers to an old well that was once the main source of water in the area. This well is currently located in Chinatown in Kuching.
Around the 1950s, Kuching was devastated by rats. To exterminate rats, the British released about 14,000 cats into this city. And since then, the image of cats has been deeply ingrained in the minds of the people of Kuching.

Some interesting things in the cat city of Kuching

The center of Kuching is divided by a tributary of the Sarawak River. Standing on one side, looking across the big river, you can see the stand out architectural works of the city. The most prominent and largest is the state legislative assembly building. Designed with a pointed roof and typical Islamic architectural features.

To the right is the fortress Margherita of the Brooke empire that once ruled the region. To the left is the Astana building, which was originally a palace that Mr. Brooke built for his wife. When traveling to Kuching Sarawak, you should not miss this place.

Cats statues everywhere: As mentioned above, Kuching is also known as the city of cats. So you can easily see cat statues everywhere in the city. The cat statues also have many styles, shapes such as cute cats, cool cats, robot cats, cat families, etc.

Kuching blog: What is the best season and month to coming to Kuching?

The city of Kuching is influenced by a tropical rainforest climate, with hot and humid weather and abundant rainfall all year round. The average temperature usually ranges from 27 to 32 degrees Celsius. The best time to visit Kuching is from April to September every year. During this period, the weather is dry, with little rain, so it will be very convenient for your journey to explore the city and surroundings.

The most ideal time to visit Kuching is from about April to September every year. This is the time when Kuching has more sunny days than rainy days and loads of exciting entertainment activities such as:

• Gawai Carnival Redeems: This festival takes place at the end of June, held at the REDEEMS Center in Singai, Bau. The Gawai Carnival Redeems is organized to promote the traditions of the Bidayuh tribe to visitors.
• Rainforest World Music Festival: Takes place on the 2nd week of July at Sarawak Cultural VIllage, Santubong. As one of the major festivals in Asia, inviting many famous singers from all over the world, extremely epic.
• Bhr Padawan Nature Challenge: It is a hiking and climbing competition that takes place in July at Borneo Highland Resort
• Rainforest World Craft Bazaar: This fair, specializing in the sale of sophisticated and diverse handicrafts, is held on the 2nd week of July at Sarawak Cultural Village, Santubong.
• Kuching Festival: Kuching festival takes place throughout August across the city of Kuching. This festival will feature street marches, food fairs, and special performances.

However, April – September is also the peak tourist season in Kuching. If you intend to come here, you should carefully planning a trip in advance to be able to book tickets and hotels early to saving costs.

Besides, December to February is also an ideal time for those who want to have a cheap Kuching trip.

Kuching travel guide: How to get to Kuching?

The fastest and simplest way to getting to Kuching is by air. In the capital Kuala Lumpur, there are direct flights to Kuching. It will take 2 hours to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching International Airport which is located only about 7 kilometers from the city center, then travel another 22km to reach the city center. Note that tourists need a separate visa to enter Sarawak state.

To find the best flight routes as well as cheap airfares based on your departure point or the city where you are, you can access Google Flights, Skyscanner, ok Kayak to find.

In addition, if you move from other Malaysian cities to Kuching such as Kuala Lumpur, Miri, Sibu, you can go by waterway or highway.

Kuching guide: Getting around Kuching

After landing at the Kuching airport, you can use public transport there to move to the center. One of the means that you should use is taxi. You will move quickly to the center without having to jostle with anyone.

Or one of the best way to getting to the center is book a transfer service from Klook, it will saving you a lot if you travel with a large group to share the cost, refer to its service here.

To getting around in the city, you can rent bicycles and motorbikes on the spot. Or there are shops that specialize in rental services. Kuching also has Uber and Grab, so it will be convenient and economical if you go in a group by booking through their apps.

If you want to explore the peaceful and calm Sarawak River. Then a boat will help you make this exciting experience. You can buy a ticket to board a boat to explore the two banks of the Sarawak River. And admire the beautiful scenery slowly. With the boat, you will have a very different perspective of Sarawak state. And of course, you will also feel more fully on this boat floating on the water.

Kuching travel blog: Where to stay?

Hotels in Kuching are concentrated mainly on the banks of the Sarawak River and near Kuching Airport. One of the good ones is The Village House (Agoda, Booking). Rooms here are clean, the common area is nicely decorated and classic style. On the rooftop is a bar area that sells drinks and serves free breakfast. Besides the tables and chairs to sit and eat, there are also hammocks to relax. With a relatively cheap price (more than 30RM for a night), this place is a great choice when visiting Kuching.

The following will be suggestions for hotels in Kuching with good location, good price with nice and comfortable rooms that you should choose.

• Pullman Kuching (Agoda, Booking)
• The LimeTree Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• The Ranee Boutique Suites (Agoda, Booking)
• Citadines Uplands Kuching (Agoda, Booking)
• The Waterfront Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• The Culvert Hotel Resort Kuching (Agoda, Booking)
• Hilton Kuching (Agoda, Booking)

Check out more top & best hotels in Kuching on Agoda.com or Booking.com

Kuching travel blog: Where to go, what to do in Kuching and top things to do in Kuching

Kuching Waterfront

One of the most likely tourist attractions in this capital is the Kuching Waterfront. With a walking path stretching about 900m along the south bank of the Sarawak River and a stunning pedestrian suspension bridge where you can across the river as well as admire the scenery around, boats back and forth, this place is sure to bring you extremely relaxing moments and the most unique photos. Especially when night falls, entire area will be illuminated creating a magnificent and vibrant nightlife.

Kuching travel blog: Cat Museum

Address: Bangunan DBKU, Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Hours: 9AM–5PM

Cat museum is also considered as one of the tourist attractions in Kuching. Inside the museum, visitors will learn about the legend between Buddha and cats or see everything related to cats, including Hello Kitty or Cat Woman. From beautiful wooden and jade cat figurines, or paintings and oil paintings, the main characters are lovely cats. It can be said that this is a paradise for cat lovers.

It has an area of ​​​​more than 1000 square meters, found in 1987. Going to this museum, you will have the opportunity to admire more than 2000 different artifacts related to cats.

Orchid garden

Address: Kampung Istana, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Hours: 9:30AM–6PM/Monday: Closed

You will see this Orchid Garden when crossing the river Sarawak. There is no entry fee here, but you must write down your name, and some information in the notebook at the guard. Orchid garden is very large and has many different types of orchids. Besides the outdoor flower garden, there are also flower gardens inside the air-conditioned greenhouses to control the temperature. When going in and out of these greenhouses, visitors should remember to close the door so as not to lose heat.

Sarawak Art Museum

Address: Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Taman Budaya, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Hours: 9AM–4:45PM/Saturday, Sunday: Monday: 10AM–4PM

Kuching is not too large, so you definitely can’t help but visit Sarawak Museum, a museum opened since 1891 located in the heart of the city. A lot of rare and featured animal models that are very realistic and vivid are found here.

In particular, the most impressive collection of Sarawak museum is about the native flora and fauna as well as the culture of the tribes of the rainforests of Borneo and you will also find out why Sarawak is called the land of hornbills at the Sarawak museum.

The highlight outside the museum precinct Sarawak Museum are two large wooden pillars carved with typical motifs of ethnic minorities. Inside the museum are artifacts about the culture and art of indigenous ethnic minorities. A place to store a lot of artifacts and documents related to the formation and development of Kuching.

Tua Pek Kong Temple

Address: Jalan Pasir Panjang, 32000 Sitiawan, Perak, Malaysia
Hours: 7AM–10:30PM

Tua Pek Kong Temple built in 1843 is also considered one of the famous attractions in Kuching that you should not miss. As soon as you set foot in the temple gate, you will surely have to admire a magnificent and colorful gate. Stepping inside, Tua Pek Kong’s unique architecture and intricate carvings make you even more surprised.

Tua Pek Kong is perhaps the most remarkable Chinese temple. The temple is located at a corner of the street from which you can see directly the Sarawak river. The blue wall that curves along the way is carved with colorful dragons. Small lanterns are also lit at night, making the temple even more outstanding. It is said that this temple has a very good feng shui location. And it also survived a great fire in Kuching in 1884.

Siniawan Old Town

The Old Quarter is more bustling and vibrant on weekends, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, operating until 11pm. Not only can you see the bustling streets, there are also many restaurants with many attractive snacks such as steamed fish, chicken wings, noodles and vegetables… rich in the flavor of Malaysian cuisine. The streets decorated with beautiful high hanging red lanterns, enjoying delicious food in that warm romantic space will surely leave you with many interesting experiences you will never forget.

Semenggoh Nature Reserve

Address: KM 20, Jalan Puncak Borneo, 93250 Siburan, Sarawak, Malaysia

At Semenggoh Nature Reserve, tourists can encounter funny and friendly orangutans. The orangutans here are often injured, sick or orphaned ones. They are taken care of by the shelter and then released back into the wild. However, they still have the habit of returning twice a day to beg for food.

Orangutans will be fed between 9AM-10Am and 3PM-3:30PM (or earlier if orangutans appear early). Your best chance is to visit in the morning, because this time they appear a lot. Entrance fee is 10RM for foreigners.

Semenggoh is closed at noon, so you should only come here for half a day. You can travel by bus from Kuching to Semenggoh. In the morning, you can take bus number 6 at Masjid Road. The bus leaves at 7:15 am (you should come early to catch the bus because it can go a few minutes earlier), the price is 4RM. The bus takes about 1 hour to get there. From the bus stop at Semenggoh you need to walk about 1.5km more. The bus returned at 11am. If you go in the afternoon, the departure time is at 1pm and the return is at 4pm.

Total cost: 18RM/person (4 USD).

Astana Palace

Astana is a beautiful quaint palace located right on the banks of the Sarawak River. It was built in 1870 and was formerly the residence of King White Rajahs. Unfortunately, today this place is no longer open to the public to visit. You can just take a boat on the river, stop at the palace gate and take pictures from the outside.

Chinese History Museum

Address: Chinese History Museum, Jalan Bazar, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Hours: 9AM–4:45PM/Saturday, Sunday: 10AM–4PM

The Chinese History Museum located right on the banks of the Sarawak River, in the city center. Although small, it covers full information about the immigration, living and working of Chinese people since the first days. And it also displays the growth of Chinese community in Sarawak. Based on a map of the migration of the Chinese, it can be seen that they came from the land near the East Sea of ​​the Mainland. Then take the boat to Singapore and then to Sarawak, others go around to Thailand.

Chinatown

China Town is a trading and residential place for people of Chinese descent in Kuching, located right inside the city center. And it is no different from the Chinatowns in Saigon, in London, because they sell everything from fabrics and clothes to furniture or gold and silver.

However, when coming to the chinatown, visitors will admire a very real view of life more than 20 years ago next to small, beautiful stalls with the first floor being used as a store and the second floor 2 for living.

Indian mosque lane

It is a colorful pedestrian walkway, from houses on both sides to traditional Indian clothes studded with garnets. Next to it is the roof with hexagonal glass panes like a honeycomb. There are only a few shops selling snacks here, but it will be a place to buy souvenirs or fashion.

Explore the Sarawak River

One activity that can bring you truly relaxing and chilling moments is boating and cruising along the Sarawak River. You just need to buy a ticket to get on the boat, then admire the scenery, breathe in the air, take pictures to check-in and let your soul follow this immense space. This is also one of the experiences that if you miss it, you will regret it.

Pink Mosque

Malaysia is a country with the largest Muslim population of all religions, so wherever you go in Malaysia, you will have the opportunity to admire the unique architecture of mosques. And in Kuching, there is a mosque that you must not miss, which is the Pink Mosque.

This pink mosque is sure to give you photos you can’t help but like. Moreover, there is one thing that has a particularly important meaning that you can pray for good things to your family, loved ones and everyone at the extremely important religious place for the people here.

Sarawak Cultural Village (Kampung Budaya Sarawak)

Address: Pantai Damai Santubong, Kampung Budaya Sarawak, 93752 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Hours: 9AM–5PM/Monday: 10AM–4PM

Sarawak Cultural Village in Sanbutong, located about 45 km from Kuching, has a very beautiful position because the back is leaning against the mountain and the face is facing the sea.

It is known that in Sarawak there are 27 ethnic groups living together and the cultural village is a living museum so you can enjoy your foreign travel infused with your cultural identity while learning about the unique features of each ethnic group living in Sarawak.

In particular, the most prominent is the Iban house or the house of the Bidayuh ethnic group with a life in long houses, where successive generations of Iban people live. Visitors can learn about the practices and traditions of the Iban and Bidayuh people right inside their living space.

Damai beach

Damai in Malay means peace. Coming to Damai beach, in addition to admiring a beautiful sunset scene with a sandy shimmering beach at low tide, tourists can also listen to romantic love stories about a princess who fell for blind love but and sent to an isolated island, day by day looking at the prince she loves.

Moreover, when coming to this beautiful beach, you can choose for yourself a chill way that is walking on the fine sand along the winding Sarawak river. With a great view like this, don’t forget to save lots of beautiful photos at this famous Damai beach.

To get to Damai beach and Cultural Village, the easiest and cheapest way is to take a shuttle bus to several major hotels in Kuching, including the Grand Margherita Hotel. The latest information is that the bus departs from Grand Margherita Hotel at 9:15am, 10:20am, 12:20 and 2:20pm, then returns at 1:15, 3:15 and 5: 15 pm. Bus cost is RM12 for one way.

About 40km from the city center is Damai Beach. Here in addition to the windy beach rich in accompanying services, you can visit the traditional cultural village of Sarawak. Located at the foot of Mount Santubong, this is the site of World Thanksgiving and the Rainforest World Music Festival every July. Sarawak Cultural Village displays traditional costumes, handicrafts, lifestyles and houses of the communities of Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Melanau…

Bako National Park

There are many national parks in Kuching, of which Bako is the oldest park in Sarawak, located 37km from Kuching. Bako is home to many of Borneo’s rich flora and fauna, such as proboscis monkeys, bearded pigs, silver-cheeked monkeys, carnivorous plants and wild orchids. Bako also has many beautiful scenes with pristine beaches, few tourists.

From Kuching, you take bus number 1 leaving Masjid Street and you can go to Bako National Park. The cost is RM3.5 one way and the travel time is only about 1 hour. You get off at the last stop at Bako market, next to the pier.

At the pier, you need to buy two tickets: National park entrance fee (RM20) and round trip ticket on the shuttle boat to and from the national park (RM40).

The shuttle takes about 20 minutes and drops off at a small pier, a short distance from the national park office.

Total cost: RM67 per person (USD 15)

Tattoo

For those of you who like to tattoo, in Kuching, in Chinatown, there is a tattoo shop called Borneoheadhunters Tattoo & Piercing Studio (Address: 1st floor, No. 47, Wayang St, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia) which is very famous. Here is still the traditional form of tattooing of the Iban people, they will tattoo manually with a needle dotted with ink, then use another wooden tree to tap the needle to tattoo on your skin.

Kuching travel guide: What and where to eat?

Kuching Sarawak is a paradise for those who love food. Especially the street food for only 4-5 ringgit. Let’s start from Chinatown with delicious dishes such as fish ball soup, grilled pork skewers, salted duck egg porridge and pickled vegetables… In the evening, stop by Top Spot with dishes from only 6 ringgit and stalls seafood for you to freely choose such as crab, shrimp, squid, fish…

But, arguably the most interesting thing about food in Sarawak, that is, you will have the opportunity to discover the culinary culture of the indigenous people such as Lepau or Dyak. The dishes are bold with typical culinary colors. Specifically: Manok, lulun, umai and vegetables such as: Cangkuk, manis, midin, etc. are equally attractive dishes. In addition, you should not miss enjoying the famous noodle dish in Kuching called Chong Choon Poh Lam Laksa!

• Noodle Descendants (No. 188 Padungan Road) where the delicious dry char siu noodles are irresistible.
• Lepau (No. 395 Ban Hock Road) or the Dyak (No. 29 Simpang Tiga Road) serves signature dishes manok lulun (steamed chicken in a bamboo tube with assorted leaves and spices), umai (sliced ​​fish salad) and vegetables like midin (wild fern tops) and cangkuk manis (a bit like spinach).
• In the evening, usually people will visit Top Spot (Dishes from 6 ringgit, Bukit Mata street), the restaurant is located on the rooftop with more than 500 tables, rich food with a wide selection of shrimp, crab, squid…

Drinks

Try to choose James Brooke Bistro & Cafe (Address: Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia) to enjoy afternoon tea and watch the sunset. The locals here often drink freshly roasted Sarawak coffee at Black Bean Coffee (Address: No.87, Ewe Hai St, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia). And if it’s late at night, you can choose Drunk Monkey Old Street Bar (Address: 68, Carpenter St, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia) or Monkee Bar Bistro (Address: 12 padungan arcade , jalan song than cheok, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia), or if you like a little rock, you can go to The Canteen. In addition, 21 Bistro (Address: 64, Jln Padungan, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia) is also an interesting place with a band from the Philippines and also a place where visitors should try a few glasses of tuak, indigenous sticky wine.

Kuching guide: Shopping

Buying gifts is also an indispensable thing for this trip. And you can go to Plaza Merdeka, Sunday Market, Kuching Waterfront Bazaar, Tun Jugah Shopping Center to choose the most meaningful gifts for your loved ones.

You should not miss the cute handicrafts of the mountainous people. You can find the street called Main Bazaar on the banks of the Kuching River to find these items. Along the way, you can go for a walk while looking at various and beautiful souvenir items.

Another notable spot to come is the Tanoti Crafts store. The store was opened by a local designer named Jacqueline Fong. This place specializes in producing silks, brocades, clothes, shawls and bags at affordable prices. This is an ideal shopping place in Kuching.

Note that, in Kuching, people are mainly Christian, so some shops will be closed on Sundays.

In addition, there are many things for you to buy in Kuching such as pottery, handicrafts, clothes, shoes, jewelry. If you don’t know where to buy it, here are the famous markets and shopping spots in Kuching that you can choose from:

• Plaza Merdeka: 88, Jalan Pearl, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
• Sunday Market at Medan Niaga Satok, District 309, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
• Kuching Waterfront Bazaar: Jalan Main Bazaar, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
• Tun Jugah Shopping Center: 18, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Kuching blog: Some notes before you go

• You should bring sunscreen, hats, coats, etc. These are items that help you limit ultraviolet rays to the lowest level.
• If you go in the rainy season, remember to bring umbrellas, raincoats, umbrella jackets, quick-drying clothes, etc. to avoid annoying rains. You should also check the weather carefully before going to make sure you don’t get caught in the rain.
• You should book all transfer service, accommodation, tickets and other services in advance. To avoid service outages or travel delays.
• If you want to participate in outdoor experiences, you should contact tour operators to get the best support from tour guides.
• If your schedule includes visiting sacred places of worship, do not forget to dress modestly and neatly.
• You should also bring a plastic bag because there are some places where shoes and sandals are not allowed inside.
• There are some places that do not allow photography or video recording, so you need to pay attention to observe before doing so.
• Please protect your belongings as well as money when going sightseeing in crowded places or going on festivals.
• Laundry: In Malaysia, there are often public drying places in residential areas. You just need to exchange money into coins to use for the washing machine and then put the clothes in the machine, insert the coins, press the laundry button and you’re done. After washing, you can use a hot dryer to dry the clothes. This is a very convenient type if you are traveling for a long time.
• Sightseeing tours: In Kuching, there are many sightseeing tours and are very diverse in form. In addition to bus tours, there are also bicycle tours to walk around the city, or you can go to more remote tourist areas. If you are healthy, there are also very interesting hiking routes in the forest, day trips and overnight trips.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Kuching you can refer to

• Private Kuching International Airport Transfers (KCH) for Kuching City
• Semenggoh Wildlife Centre Half Day Trip from Kuching
• Sarawak Cultural Village Half Day Tour from Kuching
• Bako National Park with Sea Stack Formation Day Tour in Kuching
• Kuching City and Sarawak River Half Day Tour
• Kidzooona Ticket in Sarawak
• Sarawak Santubong Wetland Wildlife Cruise with Fireflies Watching
• Cycling Tour in Kuching
• Kuching Chinese Heritage Trail Day Tour
• Gunung Gading National Park Day Tour in Sarawak
• Signature Sunset Cruise Experience in Kuching
• [SALE] 4G Prepaid SIM Card (MY Airports Pick Up) for Malaysia
• 4G WiFi (MY Airport Pick Up) for Malaysia

Read more Malaysia guide here.