A complete guide about visiting Kuching, Sarawak
Kuching is located in East Malaysia and the city happens to be an administrative division of Sarawak. This city is also a home to an extensive range of amusing festivals, buzzing markets, nature parks, several shopping malls as well as other landmarks. The division located in the northern most part of Sarawak is considered to be the most populous division, having over 40 ethnic groups living in the area.
Kuching has a reputation of being an administrative capital of the state, however, this doesn’t make it any lesser of an attractive tourist place to be in. The city has successfully maintained its charm among all the tourists who keep on visiting the city for a holiday.
Kuching is also very close to the equator, hence the climatic activities like tropical rain is a common affair here. The average temperature of the city is 37 degree Celsius and thus the city demands a comfortable sweat absorbent clothing to travel around.
Phone and internet coverage:
The coverage of internet within the city is very good, however, if the same is compared with the other areas of Sarawak, it becomes a little patchy outside of the urban areas. Maxis (Hotlink) is considered as the fastest network which is pretty stable in all the urban areas. Celcom (Xpax) provides for the widest coverage in the city.
Getting around the city:
Kuching has a lot to offer to all the tourists from all rounds of world. Public transportation, especially buses are an unreliable offer, but the same tend to connect most parts of the city which also include the sub-urbs of the city.
Most locals within the city prefer either driving themselves with the taxis. Some of them also share ride services like Uber and Grab which is considered to be a major preference here. The tourists are always encouraged to check the car rental services in order to book a car or motorcycle to roam around the city.
Hotels in the city:
Kuching always makes sure that all the tourists have the time of their life while spending their holidays within the city. Thus, the city provides for a fine accommodation service. The best thing about the hotels in the city is that they are available in different budgets, suiting all the needs of the tourists and hence being a tourist, you are merely required to pick the choicest one. There are a number of budget hotels in Kuching where you can stay back with all the ease and comfort. On the other side, if you are okay with spending a little more, you can always look up to the beach hotels and various other luxury hotels that the city has to offer. All the hotels are very hospitable.
Places to visit in the city:
Kuching offers a great variety of places to visit and hence there are many places as per your preference. If you are a connoisseur of architecture and colonial era buildings, you can enjoy sightseeing a number of places having the same composition. There are amazing buildings exhibiting the ancient architecture. The Astana, Fort Margherita and the Grand Post Office Building are a few of them.
If you are a hardcore nature lover, then Kuching has the best offerings for you. There are beautiful national parks as well as many forest reserves in the city which are worth visiting. These parks retain the natural flora and fauna. The Gunung Gading National Park is a must visit. Being a nature lover, you can also enjoy a number of trekking opportunities that include trekking places like Jangkar Waterfalls, Mount Singai, etc. which offer great views from above.
If you fancy sea and animals, you must visit the places such as Sarawak Sea Turtle Adoption Program as well as Talang-Satang National Park which offer everything that you have been long looking for.
You can capture some of the most amazing and magnificent photos at various landmarks such as the Square Fort, Kuching Waterfront, Warriors Monument as well as the Golden Bridge.
Food to eat in the city:
Kuching is surely a food paradise for all the food lovers as the city has got a lot of offering from them. Sarawak Laksa is considered to be the most popular dish of the city. Other dishes which make it to the list of the most sought-after vegetarian dishes in the city include veg Mee Kolok. The options of lunch and dinner in the city vary as per your preference. The locals mainly indulge in the great food here. However, you are always at the choice to try the exotic menu that many cafes and restaurants have to offer here. The food offered in the city is relatively cheap.
Apart from it, Kuching is very famous for its Dayak food which is also considered to be a signature dish of the city. Other recommended dishes offered by the restaurants here include Babi Pansuh, Ayan Pansuh, Babi cooked with temporak and cucumber leaves fried with young corn. If you are a sweet tooth, you are always at the option of visiting the best places for desserts such as Swee Kang Ice Kacang, Lok Ann and Mimi Cendol.
Shopping in the city:
Kuching is undoubtedly an amazing destination for shopping as the city houses some of the biggest shopping malls. At the same time, it is also a home to various colorful and busy market places. Thus, shopping experience at Kuching is always very cheerful and unique. Markets and smaller shops usually accept cash while selling goods.
Nightlife in the city:
The city serves a decent atmosphere for the night lovers and there are many places within the city where you can enjoy a good experience of nightlife. The places mostly include an entertaining atmosphere where there are DJs, live band performances and musical shows going on for all the audience. The places such as Bistro 21, The Library, Terminal One as well as Lido Star are considered to be the very famous places serving you an amazing nightlife experience.