Kuching, Sarawak (Borneo)
I was actually going to Borneo! A vast, remote, exotic island full of adventure stories with headhunting tribes and blow darts…hey, wake me up I must be dreaming! Borneo pertains, as if it’s sliced across the middle lengthwise, to two nations – Malaysia and Indonesia. The Malaysian section is divided yet again into Sabah, and Sarawak where we were staying in the Southwestern colonial town of Kuching. To be exact, near Kuching Waterfront one of the top places to see.
The Air Asia plane soared over the blue South China Sea, dipping its wings as it headed for Kuching International Airport. Eagerly waiting to glimpse the first signs of land, the fascinating coastline of Sarawak came into sight, deep green jungles, crisscrossed by a myriad of silvery rivers.
Arriving in Kuching
Immigration control at the airport was fast and super-efficient – we were photographed and fingerprinted by a friendly, English-speaking official who creased himself laughing when my Spanish partner innocently stuck two fingers in the air when required to place both index fingers on the scanner! He gave us the victory sign back, stamped our passports and wished us a pleasant stay… and this was how we found the people of Borneo – polite, smiling, amusing and swift.
Where to Stay in Kuching
It was simple to get a taxi for the short journey to the hotel, no haggling, just set prices (presumably one for the tourists and one for the locals) which were still pretty reasonable.
We were staying in Kuching for five nights at a great boutique hotel and craft centre, Sarakraf Pavilion, that also hosts ‘homestays’ for students (mainly from neighbouring Singapore) who learn about the local culture.
Cat City Statue
No one quite knows where the nickname of Cat City comes from, as there aren’t many domestic or feral cats around, just the famous statues and a cat museum, evidently an added attraction for tourists.
I loved the vibrant but laidback atmosphere of Kuching, the mixture of cultures, the lovely people, the fascinating monuments, the lively riverfront, the delicious cuisine… but most of all I loved the boat trips to see the natural parks, the marine reserves and unique wildlife. I fell in love with Sarawak.
Kuching Waterfront Historic Landmarks
That evening we strolled, hand-in-hand along Kuching Waterfront soaking in the atmosphere. Stretching alongside Sarawak River, the busy promenade, with its walkways and gardens, stalls and cafés, is the heart of this fascinating old trading town.
Not only a magnet for visitors – a few ‘Westerners’ though mainly Asians, tourists from other parts of Malaysia, and from Singapore and Korea chiefly, I believe – the waterfront esplanade is a meeting place for the local people, especially at sunset when the heat of the day is dying.
Across the street there’s a row of typical old, narrow buildings with little shops selling local crafts and souvenirs.
The Square Tower, is a historic landmark on the western end of the waterfront – a small white fort dating back to colonial days, opposite the old courthouse square, clock tower and Charles Brooke’s Memorial.
On the opposite banks of the river, we could see the unmistakable Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building with its monumental gold ‘umbrella’, the Astana Palace and also Fort Margherita, which was built in 1879 by James Brookes, in honour of his wife, during the colonial era.
James Brookes was a British explorer who became governor of the Sarawak Region, settling disputes between the various tribes and etnas.
We discovered a modern shopping mall a couple of streets back from Kuching waterfront with brand-name stores, which was useful for buying phone cards, camera batteries and changing currency.
Food in Kuching
The pavement terraces were filled with local people eating out at the tables, so it seemed a good place to try dinner. The idea is to choose the fish and the sauce you want it cooked with.
By chance, we came across an open air market, closed now in the early evening, except for a row of eatery stalls with marvellous fresh fish and seafood on display. We decided on a couple of large crab, some clams and nice big pink fish -similar to a red snapper- plus some stir-fried greens and a bowl of rice.
The crabs were wonderful, but we must have looked like the ‘walking dead’ devouring a victim as we picked legs off and sucked, chilli sauce dripping off our chins…the tasty clams weren’t much easier to eat! We recovered with some refreshing Chinese lager. The fish was served on a platter with a traditional sauce made of Sarawak black pepper and it was delicious.
Kuching Waterfront at Night
The waterfront esplanade really comes alive in the evening. Local teenagers are encouraged to keep up the Sarawak traditions. If was fascinating watching the groups of friends – some were playing the Sape and Digeridoo, tribal musical instruments, others were singing, or chanting to mark the beat, and passers-by stopped to join in or dance. There were ‘trendier bands’ playing songs in English, with extremely off-key voices, but it just added to the atmosphere.
One guy in full Sarawak costume was busking, we saw him every evening playing haunting Sape music on the traditional lute instrument. Every year in July, Kuching holds the famous international Rainforest World Music Festival an amazing 3-day event.
Top Places to See In Borneo & Malaysia
Northern Bank of Sarawak River, Kuching
Next morning we caught a small, colourful wooden ferry boat over to the northern bank of the Sarawak River. The boatman punts off when the ‘tambang’ riverboat has enough passengers, mainly locals, school children and families. This side of the river was totally different from Kuching main town…
BORNEO – Santubong Sunset Cruise, Sarawak
A wildlife cruise in Borneo.
The wide Santubong river is calm, the meandering mangrove swamps awesome, and the scenery magical. I listened to the mythical legend of Mount Santubong as we slid by the mysterious mountain on our journey towards the estuary.
BORNEO – Bako National Park, Sarawak
The highlight of my Borneo adventure was a day out in Bako National Park. A short trip along the Sarawak taking in the scenery and we arrived at Bako, Borneo’s oldest national park (2,727 hectares); it’s the most fascinating rainforest nature reserve, jutting into the China Sea on the Muara Tebas peninsula.
BORNEO – Bau, Fairy Caves & Blue Lake, Sarawak
Hearing that we wanted to explore beyond the tourists spots in Kuching, local girls Lucy and Jennifer drove us to rural Sarawak – to Bau fresh food market, on to explore the eerie Wind Caves, to a secret beach by the Kanan River, to the sacred Fairy Cave, and finally to Tasik Biru (Blue Lake).
BORNEO – Kuching ‘Cat City’ & Sarawak Cruise
Kuching (Cat City) is an important trading port with a colourful history. People from very different cultures have come to live in Borneo’s capital city over the centuries; the original Sarawak tribesmen have been joined by mainland Malays, Indonesian Muslims, Chinese miners, Indian Sikhs and British colonial…
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