Housed in the century-old Chinese Court building, this museum provides an excellent introduction to the nine major Chinese communities – each with its own…
Must see attractions in Kuching
- Top ChoiceChinese History Museum
- FTop ChoiceFort Margherita
Built by Charles Brooke in 1879 and named after his wife, Ranee Margaret, this hilltop fortress long protected Kuching against surprise attack by pirates…
- STop ChoiceSarawak Museum
Closed at the time of writing and scheduled to reopen in mid-2020 after extensive conservation work, the Sarawak Museum was established in 1891 by Charles…
- OTop ChoiceOld Court House Complex
The Old Court House was built in the late 19th century to serve as the city’s administrative centre. It now houses a cafe and bar, the excellent Ranee…
- DTop ChoiceDarul Hana Bridge
Linking the northern and southern parts of Kuching, the city's spectacular pedestrian bridge (335m) is constructed to resemble the letter 'S' (for Sarawak…
- ATop ChoiceArt Museum
Closed at the time of writing and scheduled to reopen in mid-2020. This museum featured an exhibit called Urang Sarawak, which deftly and succinctly…
- Astana
Built by Charles Brooke in 1869, the Astana (a local word meaning 'palace’) – conveniently labelled in giant white letters – and its manicured gardens…
- WWaterfront Promenade
The south bank of Sungai Sarawak along Main Bazaar and Jln Gambier is a lovely tree-shaded promenade, with walkways, lawns and food stalls. It's a fine…
- Hong San Si Temple
Thought to date to around 1840, this fine Hokkien Chinese temple with intricate rooftop dragons was fully restored in 2004. There's a big celebration here…
- MMedan Niaga Satok
Kuching’s biggest and liveliest market is 9km west of the city centre. It's open every day, but the main event is the larger weekend market that begins…
- IIslamic Heritage Museum
Offers a pretty good introduction to Malay-Muslim culture and its long ties with the Muslim heartland far to the west. Displays range from Bornean-Malay…
- SSarawak Textile Museum
Housed in a ‘colonial Baroque’–style building constructed in 1909, this museum displays some superb examples of traditional Sarawakian textiles, including…
- SSarawak Museum Campus
Scheduled to open in mid-2020, the modern and innovative Sarawak Museum Campus incorporates several floors of interactive and hands-on exhibitions…
- SSt Thomas’s Cathedral
Facing Padang Merdeka (Independence Sq) and its monumental kapok tree, Kuching’s Anglican cathedral (1954) has a mid-20th-century look and, inside, a…
- OOrchid Garden
Sarawak's state flower, the Normah orchid, is just one of the 82 species growing in these peaceful gardens and greenhouse nursery. Other Borneo orchids to…
- SSarawak State Assembly
Inaugurated in 2009, the iconic home of the State Assembly on the north bank of Sungai Sarawak is an imposing structure whose soaring golden roof is said…
- RRanee Museum
Opened in 2018, this excellent museum focuses on the colourful and exciting times of Ranee Margaret of Sarawak. Born Margaret Alice Lili de Windt in Paris…
- SSquare Tower
Along with Fort Margherita, the Square Tower, built in 1879, once guarded the river against marauders. Over the past century the structure – still…
- NNatural History Museum
This building, built in 1908 and adorned with Rajah Brooke's birdwing butterfly, so named by famous naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, is currently being…
- KKampung Boyan
This sedate, old-time Malay kampung (village), filled with joyously colourful houses and a profusion of flowering plants, is a world away from the glitz…