Kuching is the capital of the state of Sarawak and the largest city in East Malaysia. Kuching is small enough to walk around but interesting enough to keep you there for several days, and a good base for exploring Sarawak.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Once the capital of the White Rajahs of Sarawak, it has a population of some 642,000 (2023). It's safe and relatively clean. The name of the city, Kuching, is thought to be derived from the Malay word kucing, meaning cat. Many of the locals refer to Kuching as the "Cat City" but it more likely comes from the Chinese word for port ("cochin") coupled with the Malay name mata kucing (cat's-eye) for the longan fruit, a popular trade item.
Local bus fares are RM1 under RM1 Flat Rate Bus Fare Programme. Meanwhile, Sarawak Metro and Kuching Metro are free of charge. The stage buses between Kuching and its outskirts like Petra Jaya, Serian, Bau and so forth, have not been replaced with new buses. The main bus terminal for local bus in Kuching is Boulevard for CPL and Electra House for BusAsia. However, there is another bus terminal for inter-state departure which is at 3rd Mile Bus Terminal. You should take your bus to Sibu, Bintulu and Miri from this terminal.
In Kuching, you can enjoy various sightseeing activities. What is unique of Kuching city in sightseers' eyes is how the skycrapers were built in the vicinity of lush green jungles. Kuching is quite the sunset spot, often regarded as "one of the most memorable". Take your shots, and enjoy the sunsets from the Waterfront, Santubong Peninsula or Bako Peninsula. 1 Kuching City Mosque (near the open air market). Formerly the Sarawak State Mosque, Kuching's main mosque. Later it was re-designated as the Kuching Divisional Mosque. It was built in 1968 on a site that had been used for a wooden mosque as early as 1852.
Kuching is a great home-base for jungle trekking and exploring Borneo. Bidayuh Longhouse Adventure (at Annah Rais village near Borneo Highland Resort). They offer overnight packages for you to experience the traditional Bidayuh longhouse communal life. You get to try out all sort of local dishes, home-brewed rice wine, and also lots of activities to keep you occupied, such as tropical rainforest jungle trekking, bamboo rafting, visit to natural hotspring & etc. Kuching Kayaking.
Eating out is the major pastime, with a huge variety of eateries and food available. Most places are pretty cheap with excellent service but the more "local", the less English spoken. Be sure to sample some Sarawak laksa, but beware - it's considered a breakfast dish here and the popular places sell out fast. For the local Chinese, kolo mee, a noodle dish served with slices of roasted pork, is also a daily staple. Although most places are quite clean, there are some which are not. A rule of thumb is if you're not comfortable with it, then walk somewhere else.
Be sure to try Sarawak coffee - it is delicious and can be found in any local 'Kopi-tiam' (coffee shop). Also, try a drink called "White Lady". It usually consists of evaporated milk and a syrup base with fruit and a slice of lemon within. The colours vary from yellow to pink. The local favourite of "White Lady" is made by Ah Meng's stall at Hui Sing Hawker Centre at Hui Sing Garden. Another of the stall's signature drink is "Metahorn", made with jellies, syrup and local fruits.
The most common crime in Kuching are bag snatches by motorbike riders. When walking nearby the road or in open parking lots, keep handbags and non-strapped items far from the side of the road, holding them firmly. Jalan Main Bazaar is particularly notorious for bag snatches; it can be avoided by walking in the waterfront instead. Other than that, Kuching is a quite safe city. Armed robberies with knives are known to happen, but much less frequently than in other large Malaysian cities such as Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur. Kuching is practically safe from natural disasters: no earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes or volcanoes.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Kuching typically sees ~34°C daytime highs and 11 rainy days.
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