Kuching walking tour & city guide

The waterfront

The Kuching Waterfront runs along the Sarawak River, facing the golden-roofed State Legislative Building. Small boats called tambang cross the river. The Main Bazaar has antique and craft shops.

Nature

At Semenggoh Nature Reserve, semi-wild orangutans come to feeding platforms. Bako National Park has proboscis monkeys and sea stacks.

A day in Kuching

Walk along the Kuching Waterfront, then take a small boat called a tambang across the Sarawak River to Fort Margherita and the Astana palace. The old Chinese shophouses of Carpenter Street and Main Bazaar are full of crafts.

Visit the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre to see semi-wild orangutans at feeding time, about 30 minutes from the city.

Good to know

Kuching means 'cat' in Malay, and the city has cat statues and a cat museum. Bako National Park, with proboscis monkeys, is a great day trip.

Try Sarawak laksa, a famous breakfast dish.

Gateway to Borneo

Kuching is the capital of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo, and it has a gentle, friendly pace. The waterfront promenade is lively at sunset, when food stalls open and the new Sarawak State Legislative Assembly building, with its golden roof, glows across the river. The Sarawak Cultural Village, near Damai Beach, displays traditional longhouses of the region's many ethnic groups.

Kuching is the perfect base for nature trips. In Bako National Park, boat rides lead to beaches backed by rainforest, where proboscis monkeys, bearded pigs and pitcher plants are easy to see. In July, the Rainforest World Music Festival brings musicians from around the world to the jungle.