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KUCHING VISITORS’ GUIDE 2009-2010 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 2 CITY ATTRACTIONS The

KUCHING VISITORS’ GUIDE 2009-2010 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 2 CITY ATTRACTIONS The City Centre 5 Historic Buildings & the Brooke Legacy 6 Museums 8 Streetlife 10 DAMAI & SANTUBONG 12 NATIONAL PARKS Bako 18 Gunung Gading 20 Kubah and Matang Wildlife Centre 22 Kuching Wetlands 24 Talang-Satang 26 Semenggoh Nature Reserve 28 AROUND KUCHING AND SOUTHWEST SARAWAK 28 LONGHOUSE TOURS 30 MAPS 32 ONWARD DESTINATIONS 35 TOURIST INFORMATION 36 TRAVEL CONNECTIONS 37 MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES & EXHIBITIONS 43 ACCOMMODATION 44 EATING OUT 51 ENTERTAINMENT 58 SHOPPING 59 SPORT AND RECREATION 62 USEFUL INFORMATION 63 Written & Researched by Wayne Tarman & Mike Reed Photos by Sarawak Tourism Board (except where credited) Whilst every care is taken in the preparation of this guide, the authors and publisher can not be held responsible for any inaccuracy, omission or alteration that may occur, or for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person using this guidebook. The Kuching Visitors’ Guide 2009/10 (formerly the Official Kuching Guide) is published by the Sarawak Tourism Board. All Rights Reserved. © Copyright 2009 by Sarawak Tourism Board. Reproduction in whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, is strictly forbidden without the prior written permission of the publisher. This guide focuses on Kuching and the surrounding area. In order to provide as much local detail as possible, we have not included information on immigration requirements, exchange rates, climate, etc. These details are readily available from popular guidebooks. All information is correct at the time of printing, but is subject to change without notice. Front cover: Cat Statue, view of the Astana, Orang Utan at Semenggoh and Orang Ulu Longhouse at Sarawak Cultural Village 1 2 INTRODUCTION First Impressions Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, Malaysia’s largest state, is simply unique. No other city in Malaysia has such a romantic and unlikely history. And no other city in Malaysia displays its charms with such an easy grace. The residents of Kuching (pop. 600,000 approx.) enjoy living here, and take great pride in their fascinating city, a pride that is reflected in their attitude to visitors. Kuching welcomes visitors warmly, but it does not put on an act for them. Instead it goes about its own business in a relaxed manner that hasn’t changed in 150 years. It is impossible to really enjoy Kuching from the air conditioned comfort of a tour bus. To make the most of your visit you must put on your walking shoes, take to the streets (and the water), and join in. Like all towns and cities in Borneo, the focal point of Kuching, and the reason for its existence, is the river. Hiring a sampan to meander slowly up and down the Sarawak River is the best way to get your first impression of Kuching, and a real bargain. It’s good during the day, bliss at sunset and a truly one-off experience at night. From the river you will see picturesque Malay villages (kampungs), a golden-domed mosque, a Victorian fort, a whole street of 19th century Chinese shophouses and an imposing wooden-roofed palace, all set against a background of distant mountains. Kuching’s city centre is well preserved and very compact; virtually everything that is worth seeing can be reached on foot or by sampan. The narrow, bustling streets are crammed with shops selling all manner of goods, from the mundane to the exotic. There are ornate Chinese temples, many fine examples of colonial-style architecture, a beautiful waterfront and a number of interesting museums, including the historic Sarawak Museum. There is an excellent range of accommodation, from luxury to budget, good restaurants, and nightlife to suit every taste and pocket. You can try local delicacies such as deer meat and jungle fern, drink a glass or two of tuak (local rice wine), or feast on a vast array of seafood dishes. © C & D Design Advertising Kuching has an unusual name - the word means "cat" in Malay. There are a number of stories as to how this name came about, but it is unlikely that it has anything to do with cats. The two more likely explanations are that it derives from the Chinese word kochin, meaning "harbour," or that it is named after the mata kuching or "cat’s eye" fruit, a close relative of the lychee that grows widely here. Sarawak is a unique and enjoyable tourism destination, and Kuching is the ideal base from which to go exploring. There are a number of national parks nearby including the famous Bako, home of the rare proboscis monkey, Gunung Gading, where giant rafflesia flowers bloom, the Kuching Wetlands, which protects a fascinating mangrove ecosystem, Kubah, with its rare palms and orchids, and the Matang Wildlife Centre. Literally hundreds of Iban and Bidayuh longhouses are within easy travelling distance. Damai, on the nearby Santubong Peninsula is Sarawak’s main resort area, and many travel agents offer "two-centre" packages allowing you to explore Kuching, go on a longhouse trip, visit Bako and the rainforest and then relax on the beach after the rigours of jungle trekking. See the Damai and Santubong section for details. The People Kuching is a cosmopolitan city, and this is reflected in the faces on the streets. Whilst the population is predominantly Chinese and Malay, Kuching is home to people from virtually all of Sarawak’s 26-plus ethnic groups. As well as Bidayuhs (formerly known as Land Dayaks) and Ibans (Sea Dayaks), you are sure to encounter Melanaus from the coastal areas and Orang Ulu (literally "upriver people"), the collective name given to the smaller indigenous societies, including Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Berawan, Lun Bawang, Penan, etc. All are thoroughly modern Malaysians nowadays, but many of the rural people still live in longhouse communities. This rich and varied cultural heritage makes Kuching a great place to buy native handicrafts, as all of Sarawak’s ethnic groups produce excellent craftsmen and women. The variety of goods on offer is simply enormous (see Shopping section). Kuching is also the ideal base for visiting longhouses (see Longhouse Tours section). Local travel agents have a variety of tours, ranging from half-day trips to nearby Bidayuh longhouses, to week-long safaris to Iban longhouses on the Skrang, Lemanak, Batang Ai and Rejang rivers. Longhouse visits are always interesting and invariably great fun. 3 4 History - The White Rajahs Kuching’s history is also Sarawak’s; the kind of adventure story that would be unbelievable if it were not true. Local bookshops are crammed with volumes old and new describing the reign of the White Rajahs in great detail. What follows is a brief summary. At the beginning of the 19th century, Sarawak was a typical Malay principality, under the control of the Sultan of Brunei. Apart from occasional piracy on the coast and headhunting in the interior, Sarawak was peaceful. All of this changed when the Sultan of Brunei appointed a hugely unpopular Governor. The Malays and Bidayuhs of the Sarawak River revolted in 1836 and declared independence. An ugly guerrilla war ensued, which continued until 1839, when James Brooke, a young, wealthy Englishman arrived on the scene in his well-armed yacht, The Royalist. Brooke set himself up as a freelance adventurer and the Sultan’s uncle immediately asked him to help put down the rebellion. Brooke readily agreed. The spears and muskets of the rebels were no match for a modern warship, and the conflict soon ended. As a reward, the grateful Sultan made Brooke the Rajah of Sarawak in 1841. Brooke was not content to rule over a small riverside town, and set out to pacify his new kingdom, with the help of the British Navy. At the time of his death in 1868, Sarawak was a relatively peaceful territory covering the area between Tanjung Datu (which is now the Indonesian border) and Kuching. James Brooke’s nephew Charles, who succeeded him, was no adventurer like his uncle, but an excellent administrator and politician. He set up a proper system of government, gradually expanding his area of control until it formed the present day Sarawak. His legacy is everywhere in Kuching. It was he who built the Astana, Fort Margherita, the Courthouse, the Sarawak Museum and many other fine buildings. Charles Brooke died in 1917, and was succeeded by his son, Charles Vyner Brooke, who built on his father’s achievements and improved the general administration of the state. In 1941 he set up a State Council to oversee the passing of new laws, bringing the first stirrings of democracy to Sarawak. The rule of the State Council was short-lived, as the Japanese invaded at the end of the same year. When the Japanese surrendered in September 1945, Sarawak came under Australian military administration. Vyner Brooke felt the state would be better off as a colony and ceded it to Britain. This move was very unpopular and resulted in the assassination of the Governor, Duncan Stewart, in 1949. Order was eventually restored and the colonial administration concentrated on preparing Sarawak for independence. In 1963, Sarawak and Sabah gained independence by joining with Malaya to uploads/Geographie/ ekuching-guide-book.pdf