Matang Family Park
Matang Family Park is located 22 km from Kuching and covers an area of 87.50 acres of largely undisturbed rainforest.Situated at the foothills of the gradual valley of Gunung Serapi, with refreshing cold mountain water of Sungai Cina (Cina River) cutting across it and with the abundance of untouched natural fauna and flora decorating the landscape.
Matang Family Park offers itself as one of the best rendezvous for day picnickers/visitors.The Park is characterised by its great natural beauty, combining tropical rainforest with a stream of water flowing over rock ledges and boulders of infinite variety. It is opened to the public every day throughout the year and is popular with the locals, especially families, schools and organisations because of its well-planned recreation and picnic areas.
How to get there?
20 ~ 40 minutes - using rental car or taxi from city centre, depend on the traffic condition.
The Cats Museum
The Cat Museum, along with dozens of cat statues around Kuching were erected in celebration of the city’s name, and the important role cats play in the every day life of the locals. It was inaugurated in 1993, and has since then become a favorite destination of cat lovers all over the world.The Cat Museum of Kuching features over 2,000 feline related items, but it’s much more than just a collection of artifacts – it’s also a research center that focuses on the history and various beliefs surrounding cats.
Among the most impressive displays are a mummified Egyptian cat dating back to 3500 BC, and the only stuffed specimen of the world’s rarest cat, Felis badia, which lives in the jungles of Borneo. There are also plenty of cat statues made by various cultures, cat photos, posters and even stamps for cat loving philatelists or morbid cat burial scenes.Believed to be the only one of its kind in the world, the Kuching Cat Museum offers plenty of valuable information into the history of cats and their part in human life, and is a must-visit attraction for cat enthusiasts everywhere.
How to get there?
10 ~ 30 minutes - using rental car or taxi from city centre, depend on the traffic condition.
Chinese History Museum
The museum aims at portraying the rich and fascinating history of Sarawak’s diverse Chinese groups. Most significantly it endeavors to educate the present generation to appreciate the struggles and values as encountered and instilled by the early pioneers.Visitors will acquire in-depth historical knowledge relating to the origin of each Chinese dialect group, their respective traditional skills and cultural heritage, and progress achieved throughout the years.
It is situated at the Kuching Water Front and serves as one of the spots for tourist attractions.
How to get there?
5 ~ 10 minutes - going on foot is better from city centre.
Sarawak Museum [ Dewan Tun Abdul Razak ]
Dewan Tun Abdul Razak is another gallery of Sarawak Museum. It was named after the Second Prime Minister of Malaysia. It has two floors and was previously used as a Legislative Assembly Hall from the year 1973 to the year 1975. In 1982 it was converted into a museum exhibition gallery and was officially opened in 1983.
The ground floor has been converted into a temporary exhibition hall. This floor also accommodates theMuseum Shoppe, which sells a wide variety of perfect souvenirs ranging from traditional arts materials, as well as T-shirts, books and more.The first floor is housing two temporary exhibitions which displayed mostly items related to pre-historical era, such as the colorful jars, brasswares, Chinese furniture, longhouse gallery and others.Substantial amount of archaeological materials excavated in Sarawak is also being displayed on this floor.
How to get there?
15~30 minutes - going on foot is better from city centre.
15~30 minutes - going on foot is better from city centre.
Sarawak Museum [ Old Building ]
The Sarawak Museum Old Building was built in 1891 and was extended to its present form in 1911. The building was especially built to permanently house and display local native arts andcrafts and collections of local animals as mainly encouraged by the famous naturalist, Alfred Wallace, who was then collecting specimens in the country.
Since its inception, the building has undergone several renovations and alterations. It is rectangular, 44’ x 160’ with walls and pillars of bricks and roof of belian and concrete. It has European architecture of imposing edifice in Queen Anne style (Victorian period). The galleries are lighted by dormer windows on the roof which thus allow a great area of wall space.
During the Japanese Occupation, the museum was put under the direction of a sympathetic Japanese Officer. As a result, the museum suffered very little damage and remarkably little looting.
Today, with carefully planned renovation and proper maintenance, this old building is used as the centre to exhibit collections on the natural history of Sarawak. The ground floor of the museum holds the natural history collection and specimens of Sarawak fauna – reptiles, mammals, birds, etc, all expertly prepared and mounted for display. The west wing of the museum houses Shell exhibition - petroleum industries of Sarawak.
The first floor displays exhibits of ethnographic artifacts such as models of longhouses of the various ethnic groups in Sarawak, musical instruments, various kinds of fish and animal traps, handicrafts, models of boats and others.
How to get there?
15 ~ 30 minutes - going on foot is better from city centre.
Since its inception, the building has undergone several renovations and alterations. It is rectangular, 44’ x 160’ with walls and pillars of bricks and roof of belian and concrete. It has European architecture of imposing edifice in Queen Anne style (Victorian period). The galleries are lighted by dormer windows on the roof which thus allow a great area of wall space.
During the Japanese Occupation, the museum was put under the direction of a sympathetic Japanese Officer. As a result, the museum suffered very little damage and remarkably little looting.
Today, with carefully planned renovation and proper maintenance, this old building is used as the centre to exhibit collections on the natural history of Sarawak. The ground floor of the museum holds the natural history collection and specimens of Sarawak fauna – reptiles, mammals, birds, etc, all expertly prepared and mounted for display. The west wing of the museum houses Shell exhibition - petroleum industries of Sarawak.
The first floor displays exhibits of ethnographic artifacts such as models of longhouses of the various ethnic groups in Sarawak, musical instruments, various kinds of fish and animal traps, handicrafts, models of boats and others.
How to get there?
15 ~ 30 minutes - going on foot is better from city centre.
Tua Pek Khong Temple
Tua Pek Kong Temple is one of the oldest (or the earliest known) Chinese temple in Sarawak; it is also one of the most famous and mentioned tourist destination in Sarawak.The temple was believed to be built around the year 1800, more than two centuries; the earliest known official land title issued by Charles Brooke was 29 August 1871.
Like many of the earlier Chinese temple in Sarawak, it was a small & simple hut; the first known renovation was done in the year 1856, and subsequently it was upgraded with ceramic roofing & partial brick walls in 1863.
By the year 1880 when cement was introduced into Sarawak, major parts of the temple were then concreted as to existing look.
The earlier management of the temple before the Japanese occupation was elected informally by yearly cast lots of getting one representative with two ‘taukey’ to assist the required periodic ceremonial & religious occasions.
After the war, the temple was managed by five Chinese Associations from respective major dialects in Kuching. The temple was then transferred officially to Kuching Chinese Community Charitable Trust Board in 1951 until now.
How to get there?
10 ~ 15 minutes - going on foot is better from city centre.
Sarawak Orchid Garden
The Kuching Orchid Garden, located next to the Governor’s Astana, opposite the Kuching Waterfront, makes part of the city banks bloom with beauty. Located in a park, the Orchid Garden serves as one of the city’s major tourist attraction offering both horticultural and botanical interests. The orchid garden boasts a magnificent collection of 79,000 mother plants comprising 112 species and hybrids of orchid.The park is developed and managed by Kuching North City Hall.The Kuching City Orchid Garden project is made up of Nursery and Garden displays. Most of the collections here are an exquisite variety of Borneo species consisting of epiphytic and terrestrial orchids, planted in the open, shaded or semi -shaded areas.
Among the famous Borneo Orchids found in the garden were the Lady’s Slipper (Paphiopedilum Sanderianum), Caelogyne Pandurata (a unique green and black-flowered orchid), Bulbophyllum Beccari (a species which releases an unfavourable smell), Vanda dearej (fragrant flower) and the Phalaenopsis Violacea commonly known as ‘Orchid Normah,’ which was declared the state flower of Sarawak on Aug 28, 1983. Orchid Normah – light green in colour and flushed with bright purple towards the base –is commonly used to produce many colourful star-shaped “novelty” hybrids.
How to get there?
5 ~ 10 minutes - going on foot and using sampan (water taxi) is better from city centre.
Semengoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre was established in 1975 for the rehabilitation of confiscated and surrendered wild animals. It is located about 20 km south of Kuching and is situated within the beautiful Semengoh Nature Reserve.
This is a temporary home for various endangered wildlife of Sarawak, especially orang utans that were rescued from captivity and hornbills.Semengoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre has received 915 animals up to 1999.At the Centre, the animals are trained and conditioned to live independently in the natural environment.
However, some are too old for release, and are kept for educational purposes.This Centre is part of the Semengoh Nature Study Centre that also includes the Botanical Research Centre and an Arboretum. The former comprises of Mixed Planting Garden and 6 Specialised Gardens.Semengoh is half an hour drive from Kuching. Visitors are encouraged to follow nature trails to reach the Wildlife Centre. A permit is required for entry.
How to get there?
1 ~ 1 hour 50 minutes- using rental car or taxi from city centre, depend on the traffic condition.
Jong's Crocodile Farm
Situated at 18½ Miles (29km) Kuching/ Serian Highway, a 20 minute leisure drive from Kuching Town, the capital of Sarawak, Land of Hornbills, boasts one of the largest and the only crocodile breeding farm in the country.
Set amidst the charming backdrop of tall tropical trees, lush vegetation and local fruit trees lies this unique farm with over a thousand crocodiles bred in captivity. The farm provides a perfect sanctuary for the reptiles, saving the species from extinction. There are huge and deep concrete ponds and natural breeding grounds for the crocodiles to mate and multiply.
Visitors are able to gaze at the snapping jaws, cold menacing eyes, sharp pointed teeth and powerful lashing tails of the crocs within short distance yet safe because of the metal fence.
Apart from crocodiles there are also numerous rare species of birds and animals found only in the Borneo Island. Visitors can have the enchanting experience of walking freely among the monkeys, leopard-cats, sunbears, bearcats, pheasants, civets, barking deers, sambar deers, turtles, fruit bats, monitor lizards, pythons and even hornbills.
How to get there?
1 ~ 1 hour 30 minutes- using rental car or taxi from city centre, depend on the traffic condition.
Fort Margherita
Fort Margherita, Completed in 1879, Fort Margherita resides at a breathtaking and strategic position at the riverside of Sarawak. It was once a defensive structure to protect Kuching from possible attack. At present, Fort Margherita has been converted into a Police Museum and many of it's old cannons, cannon balls, guns, pistols, swords and other vestiges of its armoury and armaments can still be seen. It can be accessed by road from the other side of the river, which is Petra Jaya, or by 'tambang' boat from Kuching Waterfront.
How to get there?
5 ~ 10 minutes - going on foot and using sampan (water taxi) is better from city centre
How to get there?
5 ~ 10 minutes - going on foot and using sampan (water taxi) is better from city centre
Sarawak Cultural Village
Tucked away at the foothills of legendary Mount Santubong, 35 km from Kuching is Sarawak's fascinating cultural showcase, the award winning "Sarawak Cultural Village" which is also the venue for the World Harvest Festival and the Rainforest World Music Festival, an internationally renowned festival.
This living museum is wholly owned by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) depicts the heritage of the major racial groups in Sarawak and conveniently portrays their respective lifestyle amidst 14 acres of tropical vegetation.
Here, it is possible to see Sarawak's ethnic diversity at a glance. The handicraft is both bewildering and tempting, including the Kain Songket (Malay cloth with gold inlay), Pua Kumbu (Iban housewives textiles), Melanau Terendak (sunhat), Bidayuh tambok (basket), Iban parang (swords), Orang Ulu wood carving and Chinese ceramics.
The 45-minute cultural performance of songs, dances and entertainment is something you will not want to miss during your visit to Sarawak.
How to get there?
45 minutes ~ 1 hour- using rental car or taxi from city centre, depend on the traffic condition.
This living museum is wholly owned by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) depicts the heritage of the major racial groups in Sarawak and conveniently portrays their respective lifestyle amidst 14 acres of tropical vegetation.
Here, it is possible to see Sarawak's ethnic diversity at a glance. The handicraft is both bewildering and tempting, including the Kain Songket (Malay cloth with gold inlay), Pua Kumbu (Iban housewives textiles), Melanau Terendak (sunhat), Bidayuh tambok (basket), Iban parang (swords), Orang Ulu wood carving and Chinese ceramics.
The 45-minute cultural performance of songs, dances and entertainment is something you will not want to miss during your visit to Sarawak.
How to get there?
45 minutes ~ 1 hour- using rental car or taxi from city centre, depend on the traffic condition.
Kuching Waterfront
Aptly called The People Place, Kuching Waterfront was built for the people of Sarawak and visitors alike. It is their place to enjoy, to entertain and be entertained. A heritage to be proud of, and a legacy to pass on to generations to come. Stretching approximately 1 km, with a riverside walk linking the hotel precinct with downtown Kuching, the Waterfront is 'self-contained' with facilities for entertainment, refreshment, relaxation, cultural enjoyment and arts appreciation. It is also a great place for family gatherings, corporate outings and school and community projects.
Coolies bustling over berthed junks. Hawking of wares, Indian chettiars haggling. Natives selling jungle produce. That was Sarawak River to Kuching. Then time intervened. Sarawak River was not what it used to be. Quietness settled in. The godowns deserted, the merchants shifted.
Thus, Kuching Waterfront was rebuilt to return the frontage to the people. Officially opened in 1993, it spans 890 metres, each step rich in local history and culture.
Structures are preserved. The frame of the amphitheatre was originally part of a godown built in 1929. Other testimonies of this endeavour are the buildings of Sarawak Steamship Company and Chinese Museum.Tradition radiates from the Chinese Pavillion. Each step of the way is paved with mosaic panels depicting ethnic motifs.
Kuching of by-gone days is revealed on plaques along the promenade floor. Trace the White Rajah’s reign. Read about rebellions. And piracy.
Come evening, see the abstract Hornbill Fountains, and try some of the wide variety of food there.
How to get there?
going on foot is better from city centre.
