We joined a complimentary half-day city tour on our last day in Sarawak. The weather was not cooperative that day and had poured heavily for much of the afternoon. It was the monsoon season, we were told. Our guide, a cheerful young gentleman, gave us an abbreviated version of the history of Sarawak, and of Santubong enroute into the city.
Our first stop was the famous Cat museum, the only museum in the world devoted to all things/exhibits feline. The exhibits are divided into various sections that include a variety of stuffed cats, pictures, and carvings depicting cats in various activities like sleeping, playing, etc. There is a small fee of RM5 (US$1) charged on camaras. The museum offers a b
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We joined a complimentary half-day city tour on our last day in Sarawak. The weather was not cooperative that day and had poured heavily for much of the afternoon. It was the monsoon season, we were told. Our guide, a cheerful young gentleman, gave us an abbreviated version of the history of Sarawak, and of Santubong enroute into the city.
Our first stop was the famous Cat museum, the only museum in the world devoted to all things/exhibits feline. The exhibits are divided into various sections that include a variety of stuffed cats, pictures, and carvings depicting cats in various activities like sleeping, playing, etc. There is a small fee of RM5 (US$1) charged on camaras. The museum offers a beautiful panaromic view of the city - alas, it was raining too heavily for any photos to be taken.
Our guide drove us down towards the city, first bypassing the Astana and the Orchid garden before looping through the Malay Kampungs. There are six Malay villages all together, with a mosque as a boundary dividing each village.
We proceeded next to the most popular meeting place in the city: the Waterfront. This beautiful esplanade offers a variety of shopping, eateries, and of course, excellent views of the Astana, Fort Margherita, and the Malay villages - the former two (Brooke's legacy) were not open to public during our visit there.
Opposite the Waterfront is the Main Bazaar, the oldest street in the city and the heart of old Kuching. Here, we shopped for local arts and crafts as well as souvenirs.
Walking down the main road, we eventually reached the oldest Chinese temple in Kuching: Tua Pek Kong. Built in 1843, it is a small little temple set atop a small hill overlooking the Waterfront.
The national museum was next. Entry is free for all visitors. It houses one of S.E. Asia's best ethnographic collection, traditional wood carvings, and a replica of a longhouse complete with head-hunted skulls.
The rain had stopped by that time and our guide brought us to the Civic center for a truly panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area, including views of Mount Santubong, Mount Serapi, and even Kalimantan.
The tour ended by the Waterfront where we shopped again at leisure and had a wonderfully cheap, delicious dinner before we headed for the airport.
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