Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, is a must-visit because it is a great mix of tradition and modern, on top of the various ethnic groups with their distinct customs and cultures that make this city intriguing. It is also surrounded by pristine nature. As you start exploring the city, you will find that the city offers so many things to visit, buy, and even eat!
Songket & Keringkam Gallery
This gallery is a must for lovers of fashion, crafts, culture, and heritage. Songket is a woven fabric that belongs to the brocade family of textiles found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, while keringkam is a traditional type of headscarf traditionally worn by women in Sarawak. The displayed songket and keringkam were woven by various organisations and communities in Sarawak, including the Centre of Technical Excellence (CENTEXS). Among the types of songket exhibited in this gallery are songket peranakan, songket berturus, songket belatak, and songket bertabur. There is also a shop selling products based on songket and keringkam. The gallery is open daily from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Darul Hana Bridge
Darul Hana Bridge links the Kuching Waterfront to the Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak (Sarawak State Legislative Assembly). This pedestrian bridge is 400 metres long and suspended 12 metres above the Sarawak River. Travellers can traverse the bridge and enjoy the 360-degree view of parts of Kuching from the middle of Sarawak River. The view is even better if you came at night when both the Kuching Waterfront and the Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak beautifully light up. This bridge was officially opened in 2017 to commemorate Kuching city’s 32nd anniversary.
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The Brooke Gallery: Fort Margherita
Sarawak is known for its White Rajahs who came from the Brooke family. This gallery presents information concerning Sarawak during the times of Rajah Brooke, including historical artefacts were found in Sarawak such as old letters, swords, and human skulls! The admission fee is only MYR10 per adult and MYR5 for per child.
Ranee Margaret of Sarawak Gallery
If you have dropped by at Fort Margherita, you should complete the visit by stepping into the Ranee Margaret of Sarawak Gallery at the Old Court House in Kuching, which exhibits the unique collectionlike songket and attire belonging to the spouse of the second Rajah Brooke, Margaret de Windt, who was addressed as ‘Mem Ranee’ by the locals, referring her as the first queen of The Raj of Sarawak. The gallery also explains about her experience in Sarawak, where she found her identity and purpose.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre
Located in the South of Kuching, this wildlife centre was established since 1975 in the Semenggoh Reserve. The size of this pristine and breezy site is around 653 hectares, and it is recognised as the oldest forest in Sarawak. Visitors can watch closely how the rangers feed the orangutan, which live freely in the forest. Besides orangutan, this is also the habitat of rare flora and fauna, including the giant squirrel, pigmy squirrel, gibbons, and a splendid variety of birds. There is a buggy service just in case you are tired of walking. The admission fee is MYR5 per adult, while children under 6 years old enter free.
Annah Rais Longhouse Homestay
Sarawak boasts many longhouses, and Annah Rais Longhouse is one that travellers should visit. Most of the house owners are descendants from the Bidayuh community. Despite the current times, the residents of Annah Rais Longhouse still celebrate and practice the time-honoured traditions. Travellers can experience the longhouse lifestyle by renting it as homestay. The community also sells traditionally handmade accessories, food, and drinks to visitors.
Jong’s Crocodile Farm
Jong’s Crocodile Farm is perfect for travellers to learn about the different species of crocodiles. Established in 1963, the original goal of this place was to sell crocodile skin. However, this farm is now the biggest breeding and conservation centre for crocodiles in Malaysia where visitors can admire the crocodiles and catch a crocodile feeding show. Other animals that can be spotted here are hedgehogs, beavers, peacocks, and snakes. The admission fee is MYR20 per adult, and MYR10 per child aged 3 to 11 years old.
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Heritage Central Café
Located on Jalan Masjid, this roadside café serves the best traditional Sarawak fare, among them kerabu midin (salad from local fern), manok masak merah (chicken cooked in red gravy), daging masak hitam (beef cooked in sweet black sauce), and pajeri terung (eggplant with sweet gravy). The food not only looks delicious but tastes good, and the price is affordable too! You can enjoy your food while witnessing the beautiful scenery of Kuching city from within the café, creating a relaxing ambiance.
Top Spot Seafood Food Court
You cannot come to Kuching and not try the seafood at Top Spot Seafood Food Court, which is abound with fresh food galore prepared by the various seafood restaurants. Some of the popular dishes that you should order are buttermilk prawn, black pepper crab, tom yum, and fried local fern called midin. The ambiance is relaxing and suitable for a convivial dinner.
Sunny Hill Ice Cream
This old ice cream shop is already 60 years old and still sells delicious ice cream to this day. Travellers must visit this ice cream shop for the shop’s signature handmade ice cream. Some of the ice cream flavours worth trying are vanilla and chocolate topped with nuts. The price is low compared to the generous ice cream portion. You can either take your ice cream home or eat it there.
Kek Lapis Warisan
This kek lapis (Sarawak layered cake) shop offers over 20 flavours of kek lapis, among them are belacan (cake with texture that is soft as shrimp paste but made from cocoa, Horlicks malted powder and Milo powder), lumut (pandan-flavoured cake that is as green as moss), strawberry, and cheese! Besides purchasing, customers can witness how the kek lapis is made and even try their hand at making their own kek lapis with the help of the staff. The shop sells other traditional food and handicrafts too.
Sarawakian Specialties at Satok Market
One of the famous markets in Kuching, Satok Market is a must-visit spot if you want to go shopping. The locals come to this market for their daily needs. You can find interesting fruits and vegetables that are only available in this market such as halia lokal (local ginger), buah asam bang (wild mango), terung Dayak (local sour eggplant), and engkalak (butter fruit). Other items are also being sold, but the travellers’ attention normally goes straight to the much sought after salted toli shad. Other items such as traditional handbags, souvenirs, and shirts are also available.
Salted Toli Shad at Usahawan Ikan Terubuk Masin (Salted Toli Shad Entrepreneur)
Ikan terubuk masin or salted toli shad is a popular Sarawak delicacy. Many who come to Sarawak are sure to eye on purchasing the salted toli shad to bring back home. When you come to Kuching, you might want to stop by at the shop called Usahawan Ikan Terubuk Masin for fresh salted toli shad at reasonable prices. Besides salted toli shad, the shop also carries crispy salted toli shad, crispy small bitter gourd, and more.
