Kuching, Malaysia: Paradise Found

Kuching is a fabulous place often overlooked by destinations such as the flashier Kuala Lumpur or the tourist-trap Bali. The nice thing about Kuching is that you don’t have to deal with the over-pasteurized atmosphere you get in many of the more popular areas in Southeast Asia, but it is still very safe.

A few great tings to see are also right at your doorstep. A must-see is the Sarawak Cultural Village. This place is amazing. It is filled with full-size replicas of all the tribal longhouses of Malaysia. There are also several people there from each group, and they give live performances of dance and martial arts.

A nice little spot is the botanical garden on the other side of the riverfront. Take a sampan across the river for 50 sen Malaysian and it’s a 2-minute walk to the garden. There is a small entrance fee, but it is well worth it. The place is well-maintained and has a good representation of many of the tropical flowers found in Malaysia.

Another place to see is the night market, Pasar Malam, on India Street in downtown. It’s like any other night market in Asia, but it doesn’t have so much touristy junk like fake Rolexes. You can find great deals here on local art and fabrics or even basic supplies. Check this out on the weekend.

There are several high-quality museums in town and you really must go. Walking around the waterfront, you will see stores and interesting shops that you can spend hours in.

Kuching is also the jumping off point for several of the best national parks in Asia, such as Bako, Gunung Gading, and Mulu. Bako is filled with monkeys and wildlife. Gunung Gading has the world’s largest flower and wonderful swimming in mountain streams. Mulu has some of the world’s largest caves and wonderful rock structures.

If you are an upscale traveler, you can try the Damai Beach resort area. It is close to the cultural center and has world-class beach-resort hotels.

Quick Tips:

Try and check out one of the large festivals, such as Chinese New Year, Gawai, or Ramadan.

The dates for Chinese New Year vary, but it is usually in January or February and there are amazingly beautiful and interesting celebrations everywhere.

Gawai is the local Dyak (Iban, Orang Ulu, etc.) harvest celebration. The Dyaks in Malaysia really know how to throw a party; just be careful of the Tuak or Langkau. They are strong homemade rice wines, and with a little too much, you will be out. Expect Gawai in a real Iban village to last for at least a weekend and most of that spent drinking.

Ramadan is at the end of the year and is a wonderful occasion. If you know a few people, you can go from house to house trying wonderful Malay foods. They do what is called an open house, and its common for friends to go from place to place visiting and eating.

Also, don’t pass up the Chinese barbecue pork (char siu)at Hong Kong Noodle in the Wisma Seberkas mall in downtown Kuching. It’s a must-eat for me in Kuching, but don’t go too late, as they sell out by 6 or 7pm sometimes.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around the city itself is by taxi or bus. Taxis in general are cheap and honest. Most destinations will be under RM5. You can rake a bus or join a tour group for some of the farther places and expect to pay no more than RM40. Car rentals can be had in Kuching for a reasonable price but aren’t needed unless you want to drive to some of the national parks or local villages on your own. There are some great deserted beaches that make a car rental worth it if you can read a map.

I had a wonderful stay with the nice people at the Penview Inn. They have done a wonderful job trying to attract the traveler who wants a nice place but doesn’t want to have to pay too much. The rooms are clean, better than any budget hotels in the US, and the cost is fantastic. Expect to pay anywhere from RM40 to RM80 for a room. That’s about $12 to $25 a night.

The lobby of the hotel is actually quite grand. There are marble slabs and marble-esque tile everywhere. The elevators have a nice gold finish. The rooms are fully air-conditioned and the hotel has hot water. You may laugh at the last one, but more than a few hotels in Asia don’t have hot water. The linens were clean and the maids do a nice job.

Since Kuching is a small town, and a safe one, location of a hotel isn’t really a big deal. It’s in a decent area with several local eateries around. There is a grocery store that has most snacks and toiletries within a 5-minute walk.

The Penview also has a wonderful restaurant and excellent banquet facilities. There were several local weddings happening there, and they really seemed to do a nice job. It seems to be a very popular place for the locals to have weddings, as there were five separate wedding going on the weekend I was there. The restaurant is reasonable, and they make a roasted chicken dish that is fabulous.

Getting from the hotel to most destinations in town is only a RM5 taxi ride away, and the hotel staff is only too happy to help you. It may not be the Hilton, but it’s not Motel 6 either, and the rates just can’t be beat.

This little gem of Chinese cooking is in the Wisma Saberkas shopping center in downtown Kuching. Their specialty is Char Siew, which is the Chinese barbecue red pork. To say that this place serves good Char Siew is like calling the pope a Catholic. It is simply a little bit of heaven on a plate.

They roast it, along with some duck and another type of pork, in a window that you can view from the mall. Every time I go there, it is packed with people, mostly local Chinese, which bodes well for the quality of the food. Be sure and go there early enough to try some, though, as they often sell out by 7 or 8pm, sometimes earlier. The other dishes are also very good, so if they don’t have the pork you are okay, but it would really be a shame to miss it.

The restaurant itself is a nice place, with ceramic dishes and actual waitresses in cute pink outfits. It’s a regular sit-down, air-conditioned place, not a café that you typically see in Asia. There is always someone on staff who speaks English, so there are no worries there. They offer a wide variety of beverages, like soda, beer, wine, and tea.

The prices are also fantastic. It’s not hard to get full on RM6 or less, which, at a 3.8Rm to $1, makes for a really good value. If you go to Kuching and pass this place up, it's your own fault.

One gem of a place I like to eat in Kuching is Hornbill Corner. It’s a steamboat-style restaurant, and the seating is open-air. They allow you to choose a wide variety of marinated meats and vegetables and bring them back to your table. Under the table is a gas cylinder, and in the center of the table is a burner with a large cooking plate on it, with a bowl in the center. You cook your own meat around the edge and make soup in the center. They give you a pot of water for the soup, and you add all the ingredients you want.

The meats are marinated quite nicely, and they always have a good variety. They had at least five different flavors of chicken when I was there along with beef, lamb, and the specialty is seafood. They also have a few other more exotic items. They also had a wide variety of vegetables for you vegetarians, although it might be a waste to go here and not get the meat.

It’s all-you-can-eat, and the price, although expensive for Malaysia, is quite good. It’s about RM15 per person, which is only $4, but considering I seldom spend more than RM5 on a meal, it is pricey for me. It’s certainly well worth it, though, and it isn’t too expensive for a Western tourist.

The seating is open-air and in plastic chairs and at plastic tables, but don’t let that discourage you. You will find yourself dining this way at many a fine Malaysian restaurant. You see lots of families here, and it's one of the few places besides the waterfront where you will see Western tourists in Kuching. It’s a fun kind of atmosphere and good for all ages.

Sugar Bun is a Malaysian-owned and -operated fast-food chain. It was started in Kuching, but now I believe you can find them in west Malaysia and Brunei. I don’t usually eat fast food, but since it was country-specific and my wife, who is Malaysian, wanted to go, I gave it a shot.

It’s quite interesting, really. It’s like a mix of a McDonalds, a KFC, and local Malaysian food all in one. The menu ranges from burgers to Malaysian nasi lemak to Italian, claypot soups, and fried chicken. There are many items that you wouldn’t really consider "fast food" on the menu. The place looks like a typical fast-food joint, though. It’s obviously been inspired by more than one American burger joint. The food overall is pretty decent; one big surprise was mashed potatoes and gravy. My wife said that they were excellent and that she always used to get them as a child. I figured, what the heck, at least I can share a memory. Well, she was right--these little gems were awesome, much better than KFC’s counterpart.

For those interested in other fast-food joints, Kuching has a wide variety. You can find all your typical Western places, like KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc. An interesting note is that their menus reflect a bit of the local tastes. For example, McDonalds carries fried chicken and a few Asian-style soups. KFC even has a sandwich with Malaysian satay sauce on it.

Fast-food joints are a bit more expensive than eating at a Malaysian place, though. Expect to spend about RM8 for a meal per person. It’s still much cheaper than their counterparts in the U.S., though, and if you have kids that are unadventurous, then it's an option. The McDonalds fries and burgers taste the same.

What exactly goes into a good laksa? Well, ingredients may vary slightly, but basically, it's fresh-made noodles, bean sprouts, prawns, and chicken in a spicy soup broth. The broth is made up of chicken broth, coconut milk, a bit of curry, lemongrass, and lots of other spices. It’s interesting to note that the noodles aren’t cooked in the soup. The noodles are freshly cooked and are added to the broth when someone orders it. That way, they don’t get too soft and are much easier to eat with chopsticks. The laksa in Kuching typically isn’t as spicy as laksa found in other areas, but it has a far richer taste. Also, for those of you who don’t like seafood, you can get them to leave out the prawns, although it’s almost a crime to do so.

To eat laksa, you will use chopsticks and a Chinese soup spoon. Many Malaysians will spoon steamed rice into the soup to soak up some of the broth. This makes for a hearty meal and actually goes very well together.

There are several places to get it, but one of the best is the Chong Choon Café on Abell Road. If you want some, though, you'd better get there early. Most good laksa stalls are sold out by noon and don’t make any more. Many locals consider it a breakfast food, but it’s a bit too much for me early in the morning, so I tend to hit them about 10am.

Expect to spend only about RM 2.50-4 for a bowl of laksa at any local restaurant in Kuching.

The Sarawak cultural village is an amazing site. It’s a hands-on history lesson covering all the major cultures of Sarawak. To get there is about a 40-minute drive from Kuching, and you can either drive yourself or take one of the many tours available in downtown Kuching. If you are staying at the Damai resort area, it’s just a short walk from the major resorts.

Ticket prices are very expensive for Malaysia: RM45 for adults and RM22.50 for kids 6-12. Kids under 6 are free. I was a bit put off by the price, as I am a budget traveler used to paying no more than RM10 for most things in Malaysia. But all that went away when I arrived at this great place.

First of all, this place is world-class. The maintenance is flawless, and the setup is very professional. It looks like the government put a lot of money into this place, and the people take pride in maintaining it.

The village itself has full-sized and accurate replicas of all the native houses. You will see longhouses from all the Dyak tribes some on a huge scale. The Melanau Tall House, for example, looks to be somewhere around 20,000+ square feet, two stories tall, and on stilts 15 feet in the air. Inside there are decorations specific to each tribe and race. They have people at each exhibit representing each group, and they will show you something like a native dance or way of making something.

It's very interactive, also. For example, you can go by the Penan hut, and one of the young men there will give you the chance to use a real blowpipe.

They also give an excellent show in their air-conditioned theater. The show consists of each tribe performing some kind of stunt, play, or weapon demonstration. They even have a few audience participation bits. The shows start at 11:30am and 4:30pm every day and last for 45 minutes.

They have a small, but nice gift shop on the premises but are slightly more expensive than in Kuching town. There is also an excellent little restaurant, which is a nice way to end your walking tour.

All the walkways are nicely maintained and should be handicapped-accessible, although getting into some of the houses could be difficult. The grounds themselves are a little bit of paradise. You will see beautiful gardens a stream, and nice-looking exhibits. There is nothing strenuous about this activity, so it should be great for all ages and physical abilities.

It’s a fantastic exhibit and really a must. It is a touristy place, but done in such an accurate and nice way. Kids will love the shows and interactivity, and adults will love the sights and history.

The website is at Sarawak Cultural Village.

First of all, Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is not a zoo or a place to interact with animals, so you zoo lovers may be disappointed. It is an excellent place to learn about animal rehab and its place in Borneo, though. This is an actual working, and much needed, wildlife rehabilitation center that is helping sick and domesticated wildlife return to the jungle. Semenggoh specializes in Orangutan rehab, but there are also other animals, like crocodiles, monkeys, and birds, here. Conservation is a relatively new thing in Southeast Asia, but with places like this, you can really see that they are starting to take it seriously. Some studies show that the Orangutan population has decreased by as much as 50% in the past 10 years due to hunting and deforestation, and it’s nice to see a place doing something about it.

The orangutans run semi-wild throughout the park, although they can be photographed easily at feeding time (call ahead to figure out feeding time). Most of them are partway through the rehab and rely on the humans for only part of their food. The nice aspect of this place is that you won’t see them caged up, but in their natural environment. You will often see them swinging gracefully through the trees or resting on a branch, although a few that have been domesticated for a long time get pretty close to the people. Remember that these are still wild animals, though, and massively powerful.

Some of the other animals, like crocodiles and birds, are caged up, but in natural-type environments. All of them are working their way into reintroduction into the ecosystem.

There is also a small set of jungle trails to hike through. While they aren’t as extensive as many of the other areas in Borneo, you can still get a decent taste of the jungle. The trails are all of an "improved" quality, and most people won’t have trouble with them.

There are no refreshments available in the area, so you would be advised to bring your own. Be careful about bringing anything that may attract the animals, though, as they are trying to reduce the dependence on humans here. They also didn’t allow cameras with the flash on, as it can excite the animals, so take extra caution to turn yours off.

It is a short drive outside of Kuching, and many tour operators or tourist information places will be able to get you there. There is no entrance fee, but calling ahead is advised. They are also closed between noon and 2pm, so take that into consideration. You can call the tourist info center at 082 – 248088 for more info.

The Sarawak Museum (they call this the old building as there are two "Sarawak Museums") is a well put together and interesting place. It is housed in a Victorian-style building that was built in 1891. The building itself shows the history and influence that the English once had in this area. An interesting note - this building has always been a museum housing local arts and crafts, even during the Japanese occupation in WWII it managed to stay a museum.

The museum itself couldn’t be located any better. It is within a RM2 cab ride of most major hotels and 5-minute walk to the Merdeka Palace, one of the nicest hotels in town. The place is very easy to spot, as it is well-placed on a small hill and without large buildings surrounding it. The museum itself is surrounded by some beautiful and well-maintained gardens, which are an attraction themselves.

You will find the inside of the museum packed with native arts and crafts from all time periods. On some special occasions they will even have exhibits from other areas on display. One area that I found most fascinating was the area with the photos from the past showing how many of the tribes lived and realizing it wasn’t that long ago. There were reports of some isolated tribes practicing headhunting even into the 1950s.

The museum walls themselves are often decorated with murals and native designs. You will see many displays of traditional weapons, tools, clothes, and dioramas of living spaces. You can walk through a recreation of an Iban longhouse complete with human skulls hanging from the ceiling.

While the museum itself isn’t huge, only two floors, it is fairly packed with displays. There is more than enough to keep you busy here for at least 1 hour but not so long as to bore you. There is plenty for kids to see and lots to keep adults interested. The great thing is that admission is FREE! They open everyday at 9am and close at 6 pm. Cameras are not allowed, so take that into consideration. I didn’t realize this and got reprimanded for taking a photo of a mural (photo below). The gardens around the museum are open all the time and can make for a nice walk at night, as they are quite pretty.

You can find their excellent website here. There are even panoramic views of the museums.

A trip to Kuching is incomplete without a tour to the countryside. There are numerous attractions and unspoiled beaches around waiting to be discovered.

I recommend taking a journey to the small town of Lundu. It's about a 90-minute drive from Kuching on fairly decent roads. There is a bus that goes here, also, and it takes around 2+ hours. There are a couple budget-style hotels in Lundu, and I don’t think you would need a reservation. I expect the rates to be RM30.

You will pass several pepper plantations on the way there--black and white table pepper--and see a plethora of native flora. There are also several stalls, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, selling native fruits. I highly recommend taking time to stop at one of these places. They almost always carry the small local bananas, and chances are, they were picked the same day. Don’t pass up rambutans, which are a fruit that is red on the outside, but the inside has the taste and texture of a green grape. Some people love durian, "the king of all fruits," but I never learned to like them. They are VERY, VERY sweet and VERY, VERY smelly. Expect prices to only be a few RM for each of these items, and the people will be very friendly but may not speak English.

You will then come to a small river crossing. You have to take a ferry across there; it adds to the fun of the experience and only takes a few minutes. If the wait is longer, there are also food and beverage stalls on each side and bathroom facilities. The river itself is only around 100 feet wide, and they are working on putting a bridge up. On the Kuching side of the bridge, there is also an Anglican church up on the hill for those interested.

Once you cross the bridge, you are almost there. The town of Lundu itself is fairly small but still is divided up into ethnic areas. You will see a typical Malay village and a typical Iban village. I spend a lot of time in the Iban side, as I have in-laws who live there.

The town itself has a few shopping areas, and on the weekend, they have a market selling vegetables, meats, and various other items. If you come here, expect to be the only Westerner in the village. Don’t let that scare you, though, as the people are very nice. They will all stare, and many will want to talk to you, but it’s only out of curiosity. Feel free to strike up a conversation with some of them, and expect many of the people around the 40-year-old mark to speak at least some English.

Lundu is the gateway to some great attractions. The most popular destination is Gunung Gading National Park, home of the Rafflesia, the world's largest flower. Blooms of this flower can reach diameters of over one meter. There is a small entrance fee, but I believe it is free after 5pm or so. The park also has facilities you can rent to stay in and is generally well-maintained. There are hiking trails that go up a small mountain, and hiking them gives you a chance to do some jungle trekking in a relatively easy way. There is nothing really hard about the trails, but the elderly or those in poor health should avoid them. I have seen overweight 65-year-olds do the trails without problems, though. Just remember that it is very hot and humid, so you will be quite sweaty by the end. That’s not as big of a problem as it sounds because at the bottom of the trail is a natural-spring swimming area. You can play in the stream of a large, deep pool at the end. The water is quite cool and refreshing. It's still good to pack an extra shirt and some deodorant in a small backpack for the end of the trail and after the stream.

There are also two nice, almost always deserted beaches by Lundu, Pandan, and Siar beaches. Since most tourists don’t come this way and beaches aren’t that special to the locals, you can get some real privacy here. You can access them by bus from Lundu, or if you have a car, driving there is a simple matter. There are a few chalets for rent there, but I am not sure of the prices. They are simple structures and have good locations right on the beaches. I have never seen anyone in them, though, and wouldn’t know who to contact. I’m sure someone in Lundu could tell you.

A little further away, about 30 minutes, you will find my favorite beach, Sematan. This is an awesome little beach. There is a nice little protected swimming area between two large rock formations, so the undertow isn’t bad at all. This place, too, is always deserted.

There is also a nice little locally owned drink and snack bar that sells things at very reasonable prices. Expect to pay about $0.25 for a can of Coke. You can also get fresh coconuts to drink for just a few RM and ice cream treats for the same price. They will allow you to sit under the covered back or front awning for as long as you want, also. The beach itself is a nice, smooth coral sand. You can walk quite a ways before you come to any kind of house or settlement. You can park within 10 feet of the actual beach, and there are bathroom facilities right there, although they are locked sometimes.

Overall, if your idea of fun is exploring nature and unspoiled beaches, this may be a journey for you.

About a 30- to 40-minute drive from Kuching, there is a place called Jong’s Crocodile Farm. To be honest, I’ve never been impressed with animal attractions before, but I had a day with nothing else to do, so I figured I might as well go. We loaded up in the car and took a nice drive through the Sarawak countryside, passing rubber farms, palms, pepper plantations, and other neat sites before arriving at the farm.

It looked very touristy on the outside, kind of like something out of 1960s America, but it actually turned out to be pretty nice. There were more than just crocodiles; he had a wide variety of birds, monkeys, and other indigenous animals. But make no mistake--the crocodiles are the main attraction. He had some specimens about 15 feet long or so, and there looked to be thousands of crocs total on the place. They are in a natural-looking environment consisting of a stream and several large ponds. There is a breeding facility and nursery where you can view baby crocs. There are many different trails that give you a nice taste of the jungle and benches placed here and there for those who want to rest.

There is nothing particularly strenuous about this activity, and I think it should be good for all ages and most physical conditions. There is a little store on-hand selling drinks, ice cream, and snacks, and the prices seemed reasonable. The admission to the park was RM 8 for adults and RM 4 for children.

The place wasn't too busy, either, although we came rather late in the afternoon. I would say there were maybe 10 to 15 others there at the same time. Considering the park is many, many acres, you felt like you had it all to yourself.

It’s not the greatest attraction, but it's fun and would be good if you had children with you.