Things to Do in Kuching: Sarawak's Riverside Capital

Kuching is the most relaxed state capital in Malaysia: a low-rise city on the Sarawak River where tambang boats still ferry people across the water and the old shophouses of Main Bazaar face a long riverside promenade. The list of things to do in Kuching runs from museums and Chinese temples to semi-wild orangutans and proboscis monkeys, all within an hour of the centre. It is also one of the country’s great food cities, recognised by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy in 2021.

Most visitors use Kuching as a base for day trips and come back each evening for dinner by the river. This guide covers the city itself, the best excursions, where to stay and how to time your visit.

Top things to do in Kuching city

Walk the waterfront

The Kuching Waterfront is a 2km promenade along the south bank of the Sarawak River, lined with food stalls, gardens and benches facing the water. From here you look across to the white Astana, built in 1869 by the second White Rajah, Charles Brooke, Fort Margherita and the gold-roofed Sarawak State Legislative Assembly building. Come in the late afternoon and stay for sunset, when the Assembly building lights up across the river.

Cross the river

The Darul Hana Bridge, a pedestrian bridge with an S-shaped curve, links the waterfront with the north bank. Walk across for views of the city, visit Fort Margherita, then return by tambang, the small wooden boats that have shuttled passengers across the river for generations. The north bank also has the Malay kampung areas, where you can find kek lapis and local snacks.

Explore Main Bazaar, Carpenter Street and India Street

Main Bazaar is Kuching’s oldest street, a row of 19th-century Chinese shophouses selling handicrafts, rattan, pua kumbu textiles and antiques. Behind it, Carpenter Street has small temples, coffee shops and old trades, while India Street is a pedestrian lane of fabric and spice shops leading to the Indian Mosque. Allow a slow morning, with breakfast along the way.

Visit the Borneo Cultures Museum

Opened in 2022 opposite the original Sarawak Museum, the Borneo Cultures Museum is one of the largest museums in Malaysia and the best introduction to the peoples of Sarawak, from Iban and Bidayuh to Orang Ulu communities. Give it at least two hours. Nearby, the small Chinese History Museum on the waterfront and the Tua Pek Kong Temple fill in the story of the city’s Chinese settlers.

Find the cats

Kuching’s name is often linked to “kucing”, the Malay word for cat, and the city has leaned into it with cat statues around the centre. They are a light-hearted extra on any walk rather than a reason to visit, but children enjoy finding them.

Day trips from Kuching

Semenggoh Nature Reserve

Semenggoh Nature Reserve, south of the city, is home to semi-wild orangutans that were rehabilitated here and now live in the surrounding forest. Rangers put out fruit at feeding times in the morning and afternoon, and the orangutans come in when they choose. Sightings are not guaranteed, especially in the fruiting season when there is plenty of food in the forest.

Bako National Park

Bako National Park is Sarawak’s oldest national park, reached by a short boat ride from the jetty at Kampung Bako. Trails lead through mangroves, heath forest and sandstone cliffs to quiet beaches, and Bako is one of the best places in Borneo to see proboscis monkeys. Start early: boats depend on the tide and afternoon storms can roll in.

Sarawak Cultural Village

The Sarawak Cultural Village at the foot of Gunung Santubong is a living museum with traditional houses of Sarawak’s main ethnic groups, craft demonstrations and a daily cultural performance. It pairs well with an afternoon on Damai beach. The Rainforest World Music Festival is held here each year, usually around the middle of the year.

Kuching’s neighbourhoods at a glance

The waterfront and Main Bazaar are the historic core and the easiest place to stay without a car. Carpenter Street and the lanes around it hold the old Chinese quarter, with cheaper guesthouses. East of the centre, Jalan Padungan has the bigger hotels, the Top Spot seafood court nearby and many of the city’s bars. North of the river, the Petra Jaya side is mainly government buildings and Malay kampung, best visited by boat or on foot over the bridge.

Practical tips

• Breakfast is the main event. Sarawak laksa and kolo mee are morning dishes, and many of the best stalls sell out or close by early afternoon.
• Use Grab for excursions. Grab is reliable in Kuching and cheaper than taxis for trips to Semenggoh, Bako jetty and Santubong.
• Plan around the rain. Showers often arrive in the afternoon, so do outdoor trips in the morning and save museums for later.
• Carry cash for small purchases. Coffee shops, tambang boats and market stalls usually take cash only.
• Dress modestly at religious sites. Cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples; robes are often available at mosque entrances.

How long to stay in Kuching

Three days covers the city, the Borneo Cultures Museum, Semenggoh and Bako. With five days you can add the Sarawak Cultural Village, a night at a Santubong resort or a longhouse stay inland. Our 5 days in Kuching itinerary lays this out day by day. Kuching is also the gateway to the rest of the state, including the caves of Mulu National Park, which has flights from Kuching. See the Sarawak state guide for more.

When to go

Kuching is hot and humid all year, with daytime temperatures in the low thirties Celsius. It is also one of the wettest cities in Malaysia. The northeast monsoon brings the heaviest rain from November to February, with December and January the wettest months, while April to September is generally drier and better for Bako and boat trips.

Even in the wet season, rain usually falls in heavy bursts rather than all day, so a visit is still worthwhile. Book well ahead for the Rainforest World Music Festival period and for Malaysian school holidays, when hotels and Bako’s park accommodation fill quickly.