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Traveloka MY

25 Oct 2021 - 5 min read

Travel to Kuching: Get Lost in Sarawak's Precious Jem

Kuching is one of the cities in Malaysia that is very well known for its many attractions and cultural diversities. Isn’t that cat-astic?It is definitely purr-fect for domestic travel after a long lockdown. All our paw-sitivity makes this special getaway a paw-sibility.

Okay, I’m going to stop now.

This is hiss-terical.

Okay, I’m really going to stop, please don’t leave.

Kuching is a part of Borneo Island towards the northwest and home to the magnificent Mount Santubong. There are up to 26 ethnic groups in Kuching including Iban, Bidayuh, Dayak, Melanau and Orang Ulu, thus, making it one of the most culturally diverse, together with its neighbouring state, Sabah.

How to Get to Kuching?

Kuching is unfortunately not part of the Malaysian Peninsular, but East Malaysia. Therefore, anyone from the Peninsular would need to take a flight to the city. However, due to it being one of the famous destinations among Malaysians, there is always an available flight to depart to the city of Kuching.

Kuching’s primary airport is the Kuching International Airport that receives both domestic and international flights. The Kuching International Airport is less than 10 km away from the city, and travellers can opt for various types of public transportation to take them to the city once they land. Some of the major airlines that operate in Kuching International Airport are Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia, Firefly, Malindo Air, Scoot, Royal Brunei Airlines and many more.

Best Places to Visit in Kuching

Kuching has many places to be explored and each one of them is unique in its own way. Regardless if you are a solo traveller or if you are travelling with family members, Kuching has everything for you to enjoy. Here are the top three places you can visit in the capital of Sarawak Bumi Kenyalang.

Sarawak Cultural Village

The Sarawak Cultural Village is only a 35-minute drive outside of Kuching and the best attraction to start your holiday. Why? This is where you can learn more about Sarawak and its culture. This 17 acres of land is an award-winning Living Museum that can take your breath away with their ‘Experience Sarawak in Half-A-Day’ experience.

They showcase replica buildings of every major ethnic group in Sarawak such as Bidayuh, Iban, Orang Ulu, Penan and Melanau, plus other exciting displays that bring you closer to the people of Sarawak. There is also a multi-cultural performance in the Village Theatre you can enjoy at 11:30 am and 4 pm.

The adult ticket price to enter the village is RM 54 and RM 76.50 if it includes lunch. The children’s ticket is half the price of the adult ticket. The village is open between 9.00 am – 5.00 pm every Tuesday to Sunday. The village will be closed to the public every Monday for sanitization and maintenance.

Kuching Waterfront

Kuching Waterfront is an iconic part of Kuching. It may be the most scenic location in the whole city. The waterfront is a beautiful walking path overseeing the Sarawak River. From here you will be able to see the sights of the town such as Astana and the magnificent Fort Margherita.

There is also a Sarawak River Cruise open for the public to enjoy the whole scenic route of the river. The cruise operates between 5.30 pm – 7 pm daily. The perfect time to catch that beautiful sunset view, don’t you think? The price of the cruise is MYR 65 for those aged 13 and above and MYR 32 for the children. Visitors will also be served a beverage on top of the sky deck of a double-storey boat. What better way to enjoy the view with some beverages along the way?

Gunung Gading National Park

Calling all nature-lovers, this is a site worth visiting. Gunung Gading National Park is home to the largest flower in the world, Rafflesia. This flower is very unique as it can only be found in Southeast Asia; especially Sabah and Sarawak.

If you haven’t heard of Rafflesia before, this is a parasitic flower that obtains its nutrients and water from a host. The flower can grow up to 3 feet and weigh up to 15 pounds. It is also known as a corpse plant as it has a smell of dead flesh. As morbid as that sounds, trust me, it’s a beauty.

While trekking the park, you should also be able to discover other types of plants and maybe catch some small animals living their lives. It lets you get in touch with nature every once in a while.

For those who are more adventurous, you can opt to hike the Gunung Gading Mountain and get some of that adrenaline rush for the day. The cost to enter the park is only MYR 20 for non-Malaysians and MYR 10 for Malaysians. However, the park is 2 hours away from Kuching city centre. Therefore, the transportation there will incur additional costs.

Travel Tips to Kuching

Since we haven’t been travelling for quite some time, it’s going to be a bit weird to get back on it. We have some tips to help make your next trip a lil’ bit smooth.

Travellers must always follow the SOPs implemented by the government in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 before turning into another wave of outbreak. This includes having to maintain a 1-meter social distance between yourself and others, always wearing a mask except during dining and self-observing to ensure the temperature does not exceed 37 degrees. MySejahtera is an app used in Malaysia used for contact tracing. It is compulsory to download the app so that you may scan the code each time you enter a premise.
Public transportation is your best friend. Kuching may not be too big of a city, but still, getting around by foot may not be the best way to enjoy your trip if you don’t want to end up with sore feet at the end of the day. There are buses and taxis around to make the trip more convenient, or better yet, Grab away!
Always remember to take safety precautions when travelling. This is like the number one rule when travelling. Never assume everywhere is safe. People are unpredictable, especially bad ones. When travelling, blend in with the locals, don’t make it look like you are a tourist. Be aware of your surroundings, don’t get too overwhelmed with excitement that you let your guard down.
It’s always good to bring extra cash/credit or ATM card with you when you travel. Cash might pose a bigger risk than the other two, but however you prefer, it’s good to have extra with you for emergency use. Not to mention, you can buy more souvenirs for the people back home as well.

Now that borders are slowly reopening and we are finally able to leave the house, be sure to follow us on our journey to take you there. Check out the latest travel requirements to your favourite places like Kuching and follow our social channels for more exciting news on travel!

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