Kuching, the state capital, is one of the most surprising andinteresting cities in Southeast Asia. With its romantic and unlikelyhistory, its rich and varied architectural heritage, and the relaxedhospitality of its charming citizens, Kuching is far more thanjust a jumping-off point for Sarawak's interior.
The Sarawak River is Kuching's main artery and the reason forthe city's existence. In days gone by its banks were a hive oftrading activity, watched over by the White Rajah from his riversidepalace. Today, the river remains the focal point of city life.The beautifully landscaped Kuching Waterfront is popularwith foreign visitors and locals alike, and provides an excellentstarting point for a tour of the city.
As Kuching's city centre is compact, visitors will find that mostof the main attractions are a short distance away from the Waterfront.The best way to really appreciate the city is to take a stroll,soaking up the sights and sounds and the atmosphere. It is easyto cover the city centre on foot and by taking one of the smallferries, or sampan, that ply across the river.
The old town consists of row upon row of 19th century Chineseshophouses. The narrow, bustling streets are crammed full of restaurants,food stalls and a variety of shops. The art and curio shops alongMain Bazaar, fronting the waterfront, have perhaps the best selectionof indigenous arts and crafts in the whole of Borneo.
Churches, mosques and temples abound, a testament to Sarawak'sreligious diversity. Amongst the shophouses of the Main Bazaararea are three Chinese temples. The ornately decorated TuaPek Kong Temple is the oldest temple in Kuching. The Kuching Mosque is one of the city's most striking landmarks, especiallyat sunset when its gilded cupolas provide a silhouette againstthe tropical red of the early night sky.
With Sarawak's ethnic diversity and unique history it is not surprisingthat Kuching has some excellent museums, including the Sarawak Museum, one of the best in Southeast Asia and amust on any visitor's itinerary. Other 'not-to-be-missed' attractionsare the numerous historic buildings scattered all overthe city centre, a clear reminder of the White Rajah's rule.
Kuching's range of attractions are complemented by its facilitiesand services. The city has an excellent range of accommodation,from 5-star hotels to budget inns and backpacker hostels. Forshopping, Kuching has modern malls, a host of traditional shophouses,selling everything from the mundane to the exotic, and some colourfulstreet markets. For exotic jungle produce and superb photo opportunities,the weekend market takes some beating.
The city has a range of sports and recreation facilities,including swimming pools, tennis and squash courts, watersports,bowling centres and four golf courses. Evening entertainment iscatered for by a host of cinemas, laserdisc centres (mini-cinemas),pubs, hotel bars, discotheques and karaokes. Eating outis one of Kuching's main attractions, with superb seafood as thehighlight, as well as a wide range of local and internationalcuisine.
Kuching has enough unusual attractions to keep the visitor busyfor days, if not weeks. There are a number of national parks nearby including Bako, home of the rare Proboscis monkey, andGunung Gading, where the world's largest flower is found. TheSantubong Peninsula, Sarawak's main beach resort area,is only 40 minutes away, and the longhouses of the Skrang, Lemanakand Batang Ai rivers are all accessible from Kuching. Many travelagents offer "multi centre" packages designed to enablevisitors to get the most out of their stay in Sarawak. These traveloptions allow visitors to enjoy Kuching, go on a longhousetrip, visit a national park and then relax on a beach aftera trek in the Borneo rainforest. In short, the best of all possibleworlds.