The capital city of Sarawak is Kuching, the largest city in Borneo which the locals here call it the Cat City because “Kuching” means cat in Malay. The climate here is hot and very humid most of the time.
Kuching has many attractions that attracts tourist to visit this city. Firstly is the Sarawak Cultural Village where you can see and experience the local tribe in their authentic homes. It is atleast 35-45 minute drive by car from Kuching.There is a shuttle from Kuching town or you can use taxi to go to Sarawak Cultural Village.You could also their culture by participating in one of the many workshops. This village is a living museum of the local tribes. Tourist can learn about the many different tribes in Borneo such as the Orang Ulu, Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh and many more. In this village you can see the tribal longhouses. A highlight of a visit to Sarawak Cultural Village is the dance performance whereby the dancers illustrate several of traditional dances originated from different tribes. The show would last for 45-50 minutes. After the performance, you could walk through the village of different tribes. You could walk along the bamboo bridge. The Sarawak Cultural Village is also popular for an event which is the Rainforest World Music Festival where foreign artist comes down to Kuching to perform their tradition music. Entrance fee for Sarawak Cultural Village is Rm60 for adults and RM30 for children.
The next attraction is Fort Margherita which is now open as the Brooke Gallery. You can go for a short river cruise from Kuching Waterfront to the other side of the river to get to Fort Margherita. The Brooke Gallery was named after James Brooke’s wife, Rani Margherita which is where they keep and showcases the belongings of the Brooke family, irreplaceable historical documents, artifacts and arts from the White Rajah’s era. The gallery also includes new portrait painting of Rentap, an Iban warrior, as the man who was a hero to some and a villain to others. The gallery is a collaboration between the State Museum Department, the Brooke Trust, Tourism Culture and the Heritage Sarawak. The Fort Margherita was built on a hill overlooking the Sarawak River. The Fort is a three-story tower with a watchpoint on top, a courtyard surrounded by high walls and set into the walls itself are wooden windows from where the cannons are fired. Executions of prisoners were carried out in the courtyard where you can still see a room that has a scull sign on the door.
Besides that, there is an Upside Down House which is located in the city center. The Upside Down House Kuching is a gallery where all interiors set are build upside down and the purpose of this place is to have fun and unique environment which is suitable for all ages which make it an attraction for locals, students, families and foreign tourist.
Another tourist attraction is Serikin which is a small Bidayuh town located 15km from Bau town and 80km from Kuching town. It takes 1 and a half our drive by car to reach Serikin. Serikin is very hot so make sure to bring an umbrella and water to stay hydrated. Serikin is located on the boarder of Indonesia and Malaysia. Serikin is well known by locals for their weekend market. The market attracts many who come to buy goods from Indonesian sellers which you could bargain for a much cheaper price. They sell “batik” Sarawak and Indonesia and also Sarawak native costumes. If you are into jungle products such as honey, woods, traditional medicine and even gemstones then the place will be interesting for you. Not far from this market you could visit the caves nearby such as the Fairy Cave and the Wind cave. Bau town is in the area and so is the unique Siniawan Night Market. Siniawan Night Market is an old and once forgotten town 21km away from Kuching. It has been made to revive the traditions and cultures as well as the night market of this old town. Siniawan Night market is a food market where all the non-halal food is sold for the locals and foreign tourist to enjoy.
A must visit place is the Kuching Waterfront which offers a scenic view of the Astana, Fort Margherita and the Malay village across the river. Kuching Waterfront today is the most popular meeting place in the city. It is landscaped with wooden benches, food stalls, restaurants and entertainment facilities. A number of building has been preserved such as the Chinese History Museum, the Sarawak Steamship Building, an open-air theater and the Square Tower. Modern additions to the Waterfront includes colourful musical fountains and a number of modern sculptures. The Darul Hana Bridge was open almost a year ago became one of the popular places of attractions among the locals and tourist. The bridge has a link from Kuching Waterfront to the north side of the river and makes it easier to make a visit to the Astana Building and Orchid Garden.
Other than that is the Bako National Park which is one of the oldest national park in Sarawak. It is 37km from Kuching and is known for its extraordinary natural scenery, habitats, plants and wild life. Boat trip from the jetty to the national park is arranged on the spot. You would probably see more wild life animals if you have a tour guide. If you are lucky you will see bearded pigs and Proboscis monkey at the park. The best time to see the animals is just after and before dusk because that is when the animals are at their most active. Bako contains an incredible variety of plant species and vegetables.
Ann's Travel Blog 