The capital of Sarawak, Kuching City is a city boasting of rich history, culture, and natural beauty. Kuching is a melting pot for various cultures, where it is known for housing a significant number of the Malay population alongside with Chinese, Iban, and other communities where these diversities can be seen throughout the city’s architecture, cuisine, and festivals held throughout the year.

Kuching City is also known as the city of cats. Even now, it has lived up to its name where visitors can experience numerous cat-related attractions and landmarks including the cat statues that are scattered throughout the city. Not only that, but Kuching city itself is also surrounded by lush rainforests, rivers, and serene mountains where visitors would be able to have a relaxing holiday away from the bustling city and get immersed in the natural beauty of the vegetation of the surrounding mountains.

Here are 20 fun and exciting things to do in Kuching:

Join the Rainforest World Music Festivals which is annually held every year for three days straight showcasing the rich variety of music. It is a celebration of the diversity of world music, featuring artists from all over the world. The festival is annually held at the Sarawak Cultural Village, an open-air venue nestled amidst the lush rainforest, adding a unique atmosphere to the event.

The Great British Circus was formerly a circus company based in the United Kingdom. It was a well-known circus featuring wild animals like tigers, camels, and lions in its acts which is quite uncommon among circus companies in the UK today. This circus currently touring Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia. Now, The circus itself is more focuses more on a blend of traditional circus performers, acrobats, musical acts, and dance that looks like more to a live theatrical show.

Embark on a captivating journey through the rich ecosystem of the Santubong Wetland that offers you a wide diversity of flora and fauna that you can see along the way. Keep your eyes on the sea where you might get a glimpse of the marine life coming out from the sea including the Irrawaddy dolphins which is one of the rare dolphin species found in Southeast Asian waters and the stunning fireflies that would light up under the starry skies accompany you throughout your cruise experience.

Stroll around landmarks and the most popular tourist spot in Kuching by following the Kuching Heritage Trail which will bring you to various historical sites on a half-day tour. The attractions covered by the Kuching Heritage Trail include the iconic Kuching Waterfront, Tia Pek Kong Temple, Chinese History Museum, Colonial Buildings, an Open Air Market to the Sarawak Museum. By following this trail, you will be able to learn more about the culture and history of each historical attraction mentioned before.

Sarawak Living Museum, Sarawak Cultural Village is one of the best destinations for those of you who want to learn and know more about the diverse communities and cultures in Sarawak. Discover the stories of 7 of Malayia’s ethnic tribes and admire the replicas of each tribe’s traditional home that are designed and built as close as possible to the real one as well as the traditional dances and performances that are being held throughout the day.

Boast on having the title of being one of the biggest captive crocodile breeding farms in the country, Jong’s Crocodile Farm houses over a thousand crocodiles including various species like the estuarine crocodile, the saltwater crocodile, and the Borneo crocodile. Grab your chance to witness for yourself the thrilling crocodile feeding session and learn more about crocodile's life cycle.

Exploring Semenggoh Nature Reserve is a fantastic way to experience the beauty of Sarawak's rainforest and encounter some of the fascinating wildlife, especially orangutans. This wildlife rehabilitation primarily focuses on rehabilitating orphaned or injured orangutans and reintroducing them back into the wild. It is a great place where you get to learn and know more about orangutans' natural behaviors by walking through the designated trail surrounded by lush rainforest environments.

A call out for food lovers! Take on an exclusive food tour,s troll, and relax around the city where you get to savor various traditional delicacies of Kuching including Laksa, Kolo Mee, to Rojak. If you are not sure where to take your first step, consider participating in a food tour where the local guide is more than ready to take you on a tour of the city center where you get to enjoy feasting to your heart's contents and discovering more about Malaysia’s traditional street foods.

Sail through the enchanting journey to Satang Island with an exclusive cruise along with a snorkeling package. Get on board and drive to the mangrove swamps and take a glimpse into the Satunbong fishing villages immersing yourself in the natural beauty of Sarawak.

Once you arrive at Satang Island, it is time for you to relax on the pristine white sand beach and dive into the crystal-clear waters to snorkel amongst the vibrant coral reefs and colorful marine life.

If you are talking about Kuching, then Cat Museum is a must-visit attraction especially if you are a cat lover. This unique museum boasts a massive collection of over 4,000 cat-related artifacts from cat sculptures and paintings to historical goods about cats and even mummies. Besides, the museum also offers various interactive displays that allow you to learn interesting facts about cats or different breeds in a fun way.

Bako National Park offers a network of trails that cater to all fitness levels and interests. You can either choose the short nature walk to a challenging hike that will lead you to breathtaking viewpoints.

The park provides you with several options of trail including the Lintang Loop which is the most popular semi-circular loop trail that takes you through most of the park’s vegetation zones, Telok Pandan Besar where it will send you to a clifftop with stunning beach views and Muller’s trail that will take you through lowland rainforest with a chance to spot many wild primates.

Another worth-to-visit museum nestled in Kuching boasts of housing numerous fascinating glimpses into the rich history and culture of Sarawak’s Chinese community. Chinese History Museum showcases various exhibits that tell the story of Chinese immigration to Sarawak as well as their contribution to the region’s development. You can get to know more about their unique customs and traditions. Don’t forget to explore a collection of artifacts like traditional clothing, tools, utensils, and furniture that provide insight into the daily lives of early Chinese immigrants.

Fort Margherita is a historic and iconic fort that was built in 1879 and has been used as a military base for over 100 years. Having a long history, Nowadays Margherita has become one of the most popular tourist destinations, especially for people who love to know more about the history of Sarawak.

This exceptional fort also houses a museum that offers the opportunity for visitors to learn more about the fort’s history located on the ground floor. Other than that, you could also take a small break from your exploration journey in the fort’s garden and enjoy the lush greenery around.

One of the popular landmarks and tourist attractions in Kuching that offers a delightful blend of scenic beauty, and cultural immersion along with the local charm. Kuching Waterfront stretches for around 900 meters along the south bank of the Sarawak River where you get to enjoy the breathtaking views of the river with the city skyline in the backdrop and enjoy the cool breeze and the vibrant atmosphere, especially during the evening.

A museum that has been mentioned before is located on the third floor of Fort Margherita where it tells the stories about the Brooke family who built that massive-iconic fort that still stands strong until now. The gallery showcases numerous exhibitors including artifacts, photographs, and documents that would give you detailed information about Brooke’s family rule as well as the history and culture of Sarawak during those periods.

Get to know Kuching’s historical street which is located in the heart of Kuching’s Chinatown that boasts of having a vibrant atmosphere and rich cultural heritage. This iconic street is well-known for its Chinese Shophouse along with its authentic architectural style, Gold Shop which makes the utmost of this massive shopping district, Food Paradise where you get to find a bunch of Chinese foods and Temples that add to the cultural significance.

Kubah National Park is a small national park that is home to various rainforest fauna and flora with more than 93 species of palms, 500 species of butterflies, and several endangered species such as the bearded pig and the black hornbill nestling inside this lovely park.

The park offers other activities and attractions that you should visit from hiking through the designated hiking trail, getting a glimpse into the park’s waterfalls including the Kubah Waterfall, and taking a dip into the refreshing bathing pool.

A must-visit tourist destination for those of you who are bird enthusiasts! Gunung Gading National Park is home to over 500 species of birds including many rare and endangered species that can be found flying freely throughout the park. It is considered to be the best place for birdwatching in Kuching. With numerous caves that can be found inside the park, you will get to see a large number of birds including hawks and eagles living out their lives in the area,

Embark on a thrilling adventure in Kuching and explore the wonders of the Santubong Peninsula on this special cruise that allows visitors to do Dolphin sightseeing. This tour combines the combines and excitement of spotting the adorable dolphins in their natural habitat with a captivating exploration of the rich biodiversity of the mangrove ecosystem.

The specific dolphin that you can witness here such as the Irrawaddy dolphin which can be found in Southeast Asian rivers, and shallow coastal waters.

Fairy Caves, which is also known s Gua Pari is a fun and exciting activity that now has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kuching, especially for nature lovers. The cave itself is easily accessible with a wide entrance and a series of pathways making it suitable for visitors of all levels.

Once you step inside this stunning cave, you will be welcomed by beautiful limestone formations including stalactites and stalagmites that have been created for over a million years.

Here are all the fun and exciting activities that you might want to add to your list during your visit to Kuching. Starting from exploring various iconic landmarks and popular tourist destinations such as the Fort Margherita, and the Cat Museum, to enjoying fitness activities such as hiking, kayaking to snorkeling can be experienced in this paradise-like island of Kuching.

If you plan to visit Kuching soon, Traveloka is more than happy to help you book the flight tickets, accommodation, and various activities and attractions mentioned above. Besides giving the best price, Traveloka often gives discounts, and combos to enhance your travel experience. What are you waiting for? Grab your Fast while the promo lasts!