Have you ever heard of Sarawak? Have you ever been to Sarawak or also known as the Bumi Kenyalang? What is it like there? How are the experiences there? Let me share you what is it like there. Sarawak, a Malaysian state of Borneo, stretches along the islands’ northwest coast, including many beaches on the South China Sea. It is just a simply unique and beautiful state. The capital city of Sarawak is Kuching, which is the largest city in this Borneo Island. Known as the Land of Hornbill, Kuching is also known as the “City of Unity” due to its unity and diversity of the people there. Kuching is home to a diverse population made up of Malays, Chinese and Indians. The Kuching city is a city that is full of natural wonders, diverse culture, and unique food. The Kuching residents takes great pride of their city. Everyone might have realised that Kuching is similar to kucing, which is cat in Malay language and yes indeed, Kuching is also well known as the “City of Cats”, and you will even see few cat statues when you come here. Do not forget to snap a few pictures with the cat statues when you come across it! One of the cat statues actually changes into different costumes depending on what season it is, which I found very creative. The city is an endless and confusing warren of deeply engrossing neighbourhoods and hidden gems that you will not want to miss.
When it comes to travelling, or, visiting, the place which would come out on people’s mind would be the main attraction there. Here, in Kuching, the first place people would want to visit is the Kuching Waterfront. Kuching Waterfront, located along the Sarawak River, is the main place to go to the nearby attractions, the Astana, Fort Margherita, Chinese History Museum, Sarawak Steamship Building, and the Square Tower. Other than that, the Kuching Waterfront at night is where it comes alive, colourful lights all over the river, just perfect for a night walk. You do not need to worry about how it feels dangerous to stroll at night, since the Kuching Waterfront have police office that keep is safe because their police station is just nearby. Or even on the day, it is very nice as well, just talking a leisure walk is already perfect. On the north of the river located the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly building which attracts the attention of tourists as well due to its unique design. Not to forget, you should go on the local Penambang boats to go across the river, where you will come upon few of Sarawak’s famous delicacies! The Penambang boats, also known as ‘sampan’ for the locals, is only RM1 which is very cheap for the locals and even foreigners. Hence, it is easy for the people to reach their destination and enjoy Sarawak’s famous delicacies. For example, the very famous Sarawak layer cake or better known as kek lapis by the locals that you can found at the very well-known Mira Cake House at the north of the river. While you are at it, the other famous delicacies includes Sarawak laksa, kolo mee and belacan midin, to name a few, which you should definitely try, and not to forget the ikan terubuk masin which is a type of fish that is very famous here in Sarawak that have been salted. Back to the attractions at the Kuching Waterfront, the recently opened Darul Hana Bridge or also known as the Golden S Bridge is one the newest attraction here at the Kuching Waterfront be it among locals or tourists. The Darul Hana Bridge connects the waterfront to the north side of the river. Best time to visit the bridge would be during the golden hour as it has a very mesmerizing picturesque view where you can go on the bridge, pose, smile, and snap a picture! Or you can just take a picture of the picturesque view during the golden hour. But the most recently new attraction at the Kuching Waterfront would be the musical fountain which was just officially launched on the 14th October 2018, in conjunction with the 82nd birthday celebration of Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. The musical fountain is set right in front of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly building and facing the Kuching Waterfront. The Darul Hana Musical Fountain runs daily at 8:30pm and 10pm, which lasts for 15 minutes. At the waterfront too, located the Sarawak River Cruise where you can go on board especially during the golden hour to experience the sunset when the cruise moves while you are sipping your orange juice and enjoying the magnificent view, or just plainly taking a moment to appreciate the view overall. There are also people selling foods and souvenirs around the waterfront walkway that you can buy. You can find many cool stalls or what youngsters might call nowadays which is ‘hipster’ stalls, that selling varieties of foods especially fried chicken which have a taste of it owns. Nearby the Kuching Waterfront is the Main Bazaar which is very popular for souvenirs and even ethnic handicrafts here. It the best place to shop for souvenirs. Not only that but you can also enjoy at the many small café and restaurants located there. Have I mentioned that the Chinatown is just very near as well? All in all, Kuching Waterfront would be a great place to visit due to the other nearby attractions there that is just by walking distance.
Have I mentioned to you about Fort Margherita when I was talking about the Kuching Waterfront just now? Now let’s get into more details about it. What it is actually about? Where is it actually located at? Sarawak has many historical sites, and one of them are the Fort Margherita. Fort Margherita is one of the attractions be it for locals or tourists. Fort Margherita is actually an old fort building constructed in 1879, build in the year 1878 which is situated on the north bank opposite of the Kuching Waterfront, which is part of the landmark along the Sarawak River. The fort holds a valuable history behind it. A very historic, iconic, strategic and beautiful building. The name “Fort Margherita” is actually named after Brooke’s wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt, the Ranee of Sarawak. The fort design was inspired by medieval English castle architecture, which was designed to protect Kuching from being attacked by the indigenous pirates. What is the main attraction of the Fort Margherita now then? The fort now is being used as a gallery as the Brooke Gallery, which showcases the history of the Brooke Dynasty as well as artefacts from the war back then during their time as the White Rajahs and also historical documents. The gallery has 3 floors where you can roam around and take in all the information there. An hour here will not be enough to take it all in. You can also go on the most top floor which is the roof, where you can witness the amazing panoramic view of Kuching city and the riverfront. Worry not, you can always take a break and then continue back to the gallery to take in more information of the Brooke Dynasty.
Now, escaping the busy bustling city of Kuching, let’s get into the calming nature side. The relief that comes from a long walk in the woods, a climb into the mountain, or a stroll on the beach, just in order to escape busy bustling city, or even just to escape from work. Here is the right place, the Bako National Park is national park in Kuching and is the oldest and smallest national park in Sarawak. It was established in the year 1957. However, despite its small size, the park contains almost every type of flora found in Borneo, so does the fauna which includes proboscis monkeys that can only be found in Borneo and a must see you go to the national park, long-tailed macaque, silvered langur, plantain squirrel, bearded pig, monitor lizards and more different types of fauna. Bako National park is located just 37 kilometres away (45-minute drive) from Kuching, but once you have arrived at the park HQ, does not mean you have arrived at the national park. You have to go on a boat to the Bako National Park and only then you have arrived. The Bako National Park is definitely the best place to experience wildlife in Sarawak due to its various type of wildlife that exists there and due to those reasons too, it has made Bako National Park one of the most popular parks in Sarawak and you definitely will not regret choosing to go here. The best times to see wildlife at the park are just after dawn and just before dusk, where the animals are most active at those hours. Apart from that, Bako National Park is also an interesting place for birdwatching with over 150 species of birds that have been found there. Another “must see” at the park is the “Serpent Rock” or also known as a “cobra’s head” due to its shaped which is formed after wave erosions of the rocky headlands. The rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra are the only places on earth where orangutans can be found in the wild. There are over 16 treks and trails at the Bako National Park which includes Tanjung Sapi, Telok Paku, Ulu Assam, Telok Delima (one the best trail to spot the proboscis monkeys!), Serait, Telok Pandan Kecil & Telok Pandan Besar, Lintang, Tajor, Tanjung Rhu, Ulu Serait, Paya Jelutong, Bukit Keruing, Telok Sibur, Telok Limau, Telok Keruin and lastly Pulau Lakei. Each of the treks and trails contains its own distances, benefits, and others. From easy forest strolls to full-day jungle treks, you might want to consult with the park wardens first before choosing which trail to go for depends on your hiking ability. Those who are fit and adventurous might want to go for a longer distance trail. Although the park is often visited as a day-trip, accommodations are still available there for those who wish to stay overnight as there are few benefits too when you stay overnight such as more animals to see during night time. Staying there instead of day trip would be the better choice. The Bako National Park is basically a paradise for a nature and wildlife lover, and also avid trekkers. Interesting fact, Bako National Park was the final pit stop of The Amazing Race Asia 1.
“Adventure is path. Real adventure, self-determined, self-motivated, often risky, forces you to have first-hand encounters with the world” said by Mark Jenkins. Making Kuching as a destination for you to visit for holiday will be one of the best decision you have ever make and decision that you will never regret. You can trust me on this one, especially if you are a nature lover or generally loves sight-seeing buildings which has historical backgrounds. Wanting to escape from your own bustling city, loves to explore and experience different culture, then Kuching is definitely the right destination for you to go for. So what are you waiting for now? Go ahead and book your air tickets to Kuching! If you are from Australia and been swimming in the sea with sharks since your childhoods, however it is different from the kids especially in rural area have experienced. They have been swimming in the river with the crocodiles. We might be different, but that that is what makes us special! Hence, what are you waiting for? A holiday in Kuching will be like no other, it will be different from your other holidays. You will gain a lot of different unexpected experiences from going there, that will definitely be the highlight of your trip. Kuching has a lot of attractions starting from the busy city to the quiet rural area, every places is worth your penny spent, and it is 100% worth the trip. Smaller crowds, sunny skies, and the hidden gems are the few of the many reasons why Kuching should be on your travel bucket list.
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