15 Best Places to Visit in Kuching

The capital city of Swarak in Malaysia keeps you fascinated and captured in its Magnetizing beauty. The small city is a holiday destination. Although, there are many places to be visited, but there are some great places to visit in Kuching.

It is a beautiful landscape along the Swarak where there are many entertainment areas and restaurants that you will fall in love with. The sculptures, the historical buildings and many other mesmerizing glimpses add value to the enchanting beauty of the place.

The flora and fauna and the rare species of the lush rainforests are the major attractions for visiting this landscape. The longboats bring you to this peninsula where your eyes with get a soothing glimpse of the distinct rainforest ecosystems. This place is an eye candy in itself that makes the city of Kuching worth visiting surely.

Here are some of the best places to visit in Kuching:

01

Bako National Park, Kuching

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Covering an area of 2727 hecters, Bako National Park is the oldest national in Sarawak. The destination is almost around 37km away from Kuching with stunning natural beauty and wide collection of wildlife. The destination can be reached by travelling through Petra Jaya Bus No 6 to Kampung Bako from where it’s a boat ride of 20 minutes to Boko National Park.

The park holds seven distinctive rainforests eco system. Then it’s a lovely jungle trek exploring the remarkable diversity of wildlife based here and reaching a secluded beach.

From this beach one can hire a local boat to watch sea stacks. Langurs (leaf monkeys), wild boar, flying squirrels long-tailed macaque monkeys, and monitor lizards as well as hundreds of different bird species all are available here.

There is a cafeteria serving snacks and camping area within the park for overnight stay. Location: banks of Tabo River Price: 10RM per person. Timings: 8:00am to 5:00pm

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2 Days Tour to Bako National Park in Malaysia from Kuching

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Kuching

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02

Sarawak Cultural Village

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Stretched over an area of 17 acres of land at the foot hills of Mount Santubong around 40 mins outside Kuching, this is a living museum and a fascinating cultural display, the charismatic Sarawak cultural village. The place is a display of the multiple cultural styles of the region along with a showcase of their houses and living style and conditions. One can experience the essence of each culture and explore the style of the interiors at own leisure. There s a varied collection of handicrafts available here ranging from Kain Songket (cloth of Malay with gold inlay), Iban parang (swords), Bidayuh tambok (basket), Melanau Terendak (sunhat), Pua Kumbu (housewives textiles), Orang Ulu wood carving and others.

Highlights: The cultural dance programs by various races showcasing their talents and giving a glimpse of their rich heritage.

Timings: 9:00 am to 5:15pm and open on all days

Location: Pantai Damai Price: 60RM for adults and 30RM for children

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03

Visit the Cat Museum

Image Credit : Thomas Hawk

One of the fun oriented exciting places to visit is the Cat Museum which is the first one of its kind in the whole world. Kuching in Malay means Cat and that is one can find quite a few cat statues at prominent places within the city. But what attracts more is the elaborate museum in Petra Jaya in North city hall of Kuching. For the cat lovers this is a complete whole new world with more than 4000 pictures and souvenirs, feline art of various types cats found. Covering an area of 1035 sq meter it is a one of the entertaining destinations especially for the kids.

Location: North City Hall on the top of hill called “Bukit Siol”, Kuching

Timings: 9 am to 5 pm daily (close Public Holiday)

Price: Entry is free for all visitors however there is a charge of RM3 for Camera and RM5 for video camera

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04

KUCHING WATERFRONT

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One of the most peaceful yet refreshing zones in Kuching is the fascinating Waterfront. This waterfront previously was just a riverbank with old warehouses and dilapidated buildings but later with the decision of city council it was beautified with a paved pathway of 1km to facilitate leisure walking and making it so popular for both locals and tourists. With innumerable light bulbs, cool refreshing air and some refreshments café this is transformed into one of the preferred romantic destination in Kuching. The nighttime is especially attractive in this place. Apart from scenic beauty the gigantic heritage buildings like The Sarawak Steamship Company and the Square tower also add up to the charm of the location

Highlights: Boat or cruise ride to capture some photos of the beautiful place

Location: Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuching

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05

Kuching Wetlands National Park

Covering an area of 6610 hectares, the Kuching Wetlands National Park is approximately 15 km away from Kuching. Mostly filled with saline mangrove system, the greatest benefit of the park is its rich marine network with creeks and waterways connecting the major Sibu Laut and Salak rivers bordering the park. The best way to explore the park is by arranging a river cruise through the park where one can enjoy the dense vegetation and luscious greenery. The cruise usually takes half a day tour through the Salak River and entering the smaller creeks thus passing through Malay fishing village, coming up close with wild animals like money , crocodiles etc. All through it’s a fabulous and entertaining experience

Highlights: spotting Irrawaddy dolphins

Timings: Best during low tide, as crocodiles come to bask in sunlight.

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06

THE GREAT ORANGUTAN PROJECT

Image Credit : Smithsonian's National Zoo

The Great Orangutan Project is a initiative where people can work as volunteers and spend 2 to 4 weeks time aiding in the conservation project of Orangutan in the beautiful Kubah National Park. It is a pleasant experience where one can extend a helpful hand under the guidance of an expert volunteer. It is also a experience to cherish taking care of the beautiful animals and learning about ways on how they are fed, bathed and taken care of. The volunteers in the project are extremely friendly and it is for them that the project becomes more comfortable, knowledgeable and much interesting. For the travelers it is an excellent chance to be up close to nature and photograph some of the best actions of the native birds and animals.

Highlights: feeding the orangutans

Location: Jalan- Landu Sampadi, 20km west of Kuching

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07

Mount Santubong

Mount Santubong offers a breathtaking view to the visitors with its natural attractions. The green rainforest touches the aquamarine water of the sea, to offer the most magnificent sites. The mangrove forests are excellent place to experience a range of wildlife from close. The Santubong area also provides an opportunity to experience the exotic sea life, where you can spot the rare Irrawaddy dolphin, humpback dolphins and porpoises. It is a must place to visit if you love being close to nature.

Highlights: A 2-hours trek will take you to the magnificent waterfall, which is an ideal place for picnic.A more difficult trek will take you to the peak of Mount Santubong and you will be rewarded with the beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding peninsular area.

Location: Mount Santubong is located in the state of Sarwak, around 35 Km from Kuching, the capital city.

Timing: N/A

Price: N/A

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08

Sarawak Orchid Garden

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A major tourist attraction, Sarawak Orchid Garden is home to around eighty two species of orchids including the Sarawak state’s flower Normah Orchid. The garden was open for visit since 2009, and is a place of visual delight to the visitors. Apart from the native species, it also contains a wide assortment of epiphytic orchids from worldwide. There are two parts of the garden, a nursery and a display area where the vibrant flowers blooming throughout the year are put on display for the visitors.

Highlights: A fun way to reach the park is on a 5 minutes jetty ride across the Sarawak River. Reach early in the morning as soon as the park opens and enjoy a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Location: The garden is located next to Astana, opposite the Sarawak River in Kuching.

Timing: 09:30 am - 06:00 pm, from Tuesday to Sunday

Price: N/A

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09

Fairy Caves

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The Fairy Cave in Kuching is a massive cavern located about thirty meters above the ground, adorned with abundant plant life mainly ferns and moss covered rock formations, which gives it a mystical aura. To reach the cave you need to climb a five story concrete staircase. Outside the cave you can see huge trees jutting out of the rocks in different angles. Inside the huge and wide chamber you will find crisscross stairways and beautiful rock formations.

Highlights: One of the stalactites here resembles Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, which have drawn many local Chinese people to come here to offer prayers. For rock climbers, the cliffs near Fairy Caves, offer you an excellent rock climbing opportunity with difficulty range of 5-8 as per the French Grading.

Location: The cave is located 50 Km from Kuching and 8 km from Bau.

Timing: 8.30 am – 4:00 pm

Price: N/A

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10

Wind Caves

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Wind Cave is a major tourist attraction in Kuching. The cave is just a few minutes’ drive from the Fairy Cave. The cave consists of three tubes like passages which are completely enveloped in dark, and therefore, bringing a torch is a must. There are millions of bats living inside the cave. A number of notice boards can inform you about the different species of bats. There are many underground streams running inside the cave and for this reason, the caves are usually closed during the rainy months.

Highlights: At the end of the cave passage, a passageway leads down to a small sandy beach next to the bank of Sungai Sarawak Kanan, where you can swim and enjoy snacks and drinks, after visiting to the cave.

Location: Located about 5 Km from Bau.

Timing: 8.30 am - 4.30 pm

Price: RM 5 for Adults and RM 2 for children.

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11

Fort Margherita

Standing atop a hill and overlooking the Sarawak River, the imposing three story structure of Fort Margherita, with medieval European architecture and white washed walls, is a magnificent reminder of times gone by. The fort was built in 1879 by Sir Charles Brooke and was christened after his wife Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. For long, the fort protected the city from the attacks by pirates. Brooke was the second Rajah of Sarawak, and during his time, the castle functioned as a defensive building, a prison, a weapon store and a place for central control. For some time, the castle also functioned as a Police Museum.

Highlights: The journey to the fort becomes more interesting if you take a Tambang to cross the river Sarawak.

Location: The Fort is located across the Sarawak River near The Astana in Kuching.

Timing: 9:00 am – 4:45 pm.

Price: Free Admission.

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12

KUCHING MAIN BAZAAR

Located at the heart of Kuching, the Kuching Main Bazaar is the best place in Kuching to shop for antiques, handicrafts and souvenirs of your trip to this city, which is a perfect blend of nature, culture, craft, tradition and cuisine. The market is full of shops selling ethnic handicrafts and antiques. The area is an excellent example of the shop house culture of China where the two storey shop houses sit in a long row. It is best to shop around a bit and explore the shops before buying.

Highlights: Parallel to Main Bazaar is Jalan Carpenter, a similar row of shop houses. Both the areas are excellent for handicraft shopping, enjoying drinks and meals at old fashioned cafes and enjoy the view of Sarawak River.

Location: The Main Baazar is located opposite to the Kuching Waterfront near the Sarawak Tourism Complex.

Timing: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.

Price: N/A

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13

Imperial Hotel Kuching

Located ideally at the centre of Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, Imperial Hotel is a 4-star business class hotel with 339 rooms and suits with each room equipped with modern amenities and sophisticated furnishing, to ensure visitor’s delight. The Imperial Garden Restaurant is an all day dining option offering you a wide range of a la carte menu of both local and international cuisines as well as extensive buffet breakfast. The in-room dining service is also operation 24 hours a day.

You can also relax at the lobby-lounge with your favourite drinks and an assortment of cakes, pastries and other snacks. The hotel also offers conference rooms, gym, sauna and steam room and an outdoor pool.

Location: The hotel is comfortably located just 5 minutes drive from Kuching International Airport, and close to a number of other tourist attractions.

Price: The price ranges from RM 169 to RM 565.

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14

Hilton Kuching

Overlooking the quaint Sarawak River, the Hilton Kuching is located near some of the famous attractions of Kuching City. The hotel offers you opulence and comfort with meticulously designed spacious rooms and suits featuring elegant décor and luxury amenities. With five dining option including cafés and restaurants, you can enjoy the sumptuous meals. Enjoy a drink or two with your family, friends and colleagues at the Senso bar.

Unwind at the hotel gym with state of the art equipments or rejuvenate with a swimming session in the sparkling outdoor pool. Or just visit the nearby local attractions like Kuching Main Bazaar, Kuching Waterfront and many more.

Location: The Hilton Hotel is located at the centre of Kuching at 25 minutes drive from Kuching International Airport.

Price: The price of the rooms and suits in the hotel ranges from RM 375 for King Guestroom to RM 7,825 for Governor Suite.

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15

Permai Rainforest Resort

A perfect getaway for those who want to spend some time close to the nature, Permai Rainforest Resort offers a blend of natural abundance and luxury. Nestled on the South China Sea Shore overlooking the foothill of flourishing rainforest of Mount Santubong, the hotel offers you world class adventure, experience and luxury. From amazing tree houses that offer you space to live under the canopy for forests, to double story cabin which can house large group, the resort offers you interesting accommodation amidst the undisturbed natural beauty.

For those, who want to live more closely amidst the natural surroundings, the resort also offers campsite. The resort also offers plethora of recreational activities including water sports, jungle trekking and dolphin watching.

Location: The resort is 30 minutes drive from Kuching city and 50 minutes drive from Kuching International Airport.

Price: The accommodation price ranges from RM 300 to RM 460.

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Sarawak Cultural Village

Stretched over an area of 17 acres of land at the foot hills of Mount Santubong around 40 mins outside Kuching, this is a living museum and a fascinating cultural display, the charismatic Sarawak cultural village. The place is a display of the multiple cultural styles of the region along with a showcase of their houses and living style and conditions. One can experience the essence of each culture and explore the style of the interiors at own leisure. There s a varied collection of handicrafts available here ranging from Kain Songket (cloth of Malay with gold inlay), Iban parang (swords), Bidayuh tambok (basket), Melanau Terendak (sunhat), Pua Kumbu (housewives textiles), Orang Ulu wood carving and others. Highlights: The cultural dance programs by various races showcasing their talents and giving a glimpse of their rich heritage. Timings: 9:00 am to 5:15pm and open on all daysLocation: Pantai Damai Price: 60RM for adults and 30RM for children