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FireFlyz | 25
The River
Kuching is located on the banks of the
Sarawak River in the north-western part
of Borneo Island. Until today, the river
still serves as a connection to other urban
centres and nearby housing areas with
the use of river taxi called ‘tambang’.
‘Tambang’ refers to a traditional wooden
boat with a roof that takes you from
Kuching Waterfront to the other side of
the river for just 50 cents.
The Chinese shop houses that sell
souvenirs and local crafts like beaded
accessories, pua kumbu fabrics, woven
baskets and Sarawak pepper located
along the Kuching Waterfront have been
at the exact same location since the 19th
century. While I was there, I made a quick
stop at the Chinese History Museum
located just nearby. The building used
to be the courthouse for the Sarawakian
Chinese but now housed a smal l
permanent exhibition of Kuching’s many
Chinese groups, consisting of artifacts
like ceramics, jade, old rickshaws and
photographs, among others.
An evening stroll along Kuching
Waterfront offers great serenity with the
soft breeze and buskers playing local
pop songs to keep you entertained while
overlooking the view of The Astana, Fort
Margherita and themajestic NewSarawak
State Legislative Assembly Building. If
your travel budget allows you for a little
bit of luxury, get on the Sarawak River
Cruise. For less than RM100, you get to
experience the beautiful view at night
with a proper sit down dinner.
Sarawak Laksa
Sarawak Laksa is a must try when in
Kuching. Kuching is known to be the
hub for local delicacies available in its
highest level of authenticity. I tried the
Sarawak Laksa at James Brooke’s Café &
Bistro at the KuchingWaterfront. It comes
in a big bowl with a generous serving of
shrimp and vegetables with a side of chili
paste. Kolok Mee is another local food so
popular that it has been tried and tested
by many but so far none have even come
close to the authentic ones available
in Kuching. Upon a quick search with
Google, Teresa Laksa located behind Tune
Hotel comes on top as the best place to
try the Kolok Mee. The review could not
be more accurate. I ordered a second and
came back the next day.
Sarawak Cultural Village
No Kuching visit would be complete
without a visit to the popular Sarawak
Cultural Village. It is located 35km away
from the city centre. Transportation was
conveniently available via request from
the hotel that I was staying in. After
a 30-minute car ride to Pantai Damai,
Santubong, I arrived just time for the
cultural show at 11.30 am. The show
features dance and performances by
local Sarawak natives like Iban, Bidayuh,
Orang Ulu and Melanau I was given a
passport to stamp at each house visited.
There were people inside all of the houses
showing craft and cooking demonstration.
The tour of the 14 acre area with it’s seven
houses took several hours to complete
but it was a very satisfying cultural
experience that I will never forget. It was
definitely the highlight of my first ever
trip to Kuching.
Waterfront view
Kuching town: Amix of old and new
Local pottery