Kuching City, Sarawak

Aerial view of Kuching City South,

When you see these aerial views from you flight, you know you will be landing Kuching shortly. Welcome to Kuching................. but for the time being, fastern you seat belt.

Take a boat ride while you are in Sarawak, because a trip to Sarawak is NOT a trip until you take a boat ride on one of many rivers. Most tourists will visit remote areas and boat rides are a part of it, try that!

For many people, they may not have opportunity to see rivers that flow like this, and the flat landscape such as this.

Visitore for other countries may find Sarawak has a tropical lush color very different from their home land.

, and if so, the purpose of this post is served. By presently an aerial view of this area, you will generally get to see it FIRST when you take a flight into town, so this image may become familiar to visitors when approaching landing at airport.

As my flight on Airbus A320 took off from Kuching International Airport, this was the view of the meandering river winding through the tropical rainforest land of Kuching area. (I intentionally leave the bottom left corner uncropped, showing jet engine to indicate this shot from an airplane, not from hilltop that you may trekk around Kuching.)

It is a common sight to see our rivers winding and curving down to the sea, often flooding low-lying riverbanks during heavy rainfall seasons.

Average annual rainfall is about 4500 to 5000mm.

Many tourists come to Sarawak for its natural tropical rainforest attractions, rich biodiveristy, and cultural traditions.

From this photo, the thin horizon is where South China Sea coastline. About the center of horizon, you can see Mount Serapi which is 911 meters high and where trekkers go for fresh air. (This shot was taken through the aircraft cabin window, so the clarity may be affected).

Kuching city is growing over the years into a modern metropolitan. Known in english as "Cat", Kuching is in fact a Malay word.

Native people live in traditional long houses and it is a great tourist attraction each year during harvest festivals called Gawai celebrations.

I hope this brief Note is useful to provide you with some information. More can be searched through internet and travel agencies.

Thank you for viewing and reading. Your feedback, sharing and critiques are most welcome.

DEVELOPMENT IN KUCHING CITY
2000 - 2013

Borneo Convention Centre Kuching
Sarawak Convention Centre

Sarawak International Medical Centre (SIMC)
A RM400million facility with state of the art cardiac centre, cancer centre and kidney centre.

Sarawak International Medical Centre (SIMC)

RM400million state of the art cardiac centre, cancer centre and kidney centre...

Kuching Towers

...39 storey will be the tallest building in Kuching Borneo...

More about Kuching Tower...

Kuching Towers 39 storeys The tallest building in Borneo!

Plaza Merdeka
Plaza Merdeka compromises of a 12 stories 3 star hotel with 290 rooms and a shopping centre of 200 retail outlets.

Joint development by Times Metropolitan and Sarawak Government. This RM 270 million project is located beside Padang Merdeka Kuching and expected to be ready by 2010.

Sama Jaya Cyber City

City Bridge Commercial Centre

Kuching Water Theme Park

Kuching Isthmus City (Kawasan Sarawak Barrage)

BDC Gyratory interchange

PULLMAN KUCHING (Novotel Interhill Kuching)

Swinburne University Campus Expansion

Kuching Waterfront Extension Undergone several transformations since the 19th century - from a small settlement of atap buildings, to a busy port with landscaped riverside walk it is today. Kuching Waterfront is now home to modern sculpture, an open-air theatre and a musical fountain...

DUN-Sarawak State Legislative Building
A 9-storey high building is the venue for Sarawak's state legislative assembly sittings.
The distinctive "payung" roof of the new DUN Sarawak State legislative assembly complex is an icon for Sarawak...

I think Kuching should not just alone focus on concrete development, (there should be also) development in arts or human trainings? They are forming our culture. : http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=92317369

Matang Family Park

A serene tranquil natural environment to relax.

Matang Family Park is located at the foothill of Gunung Serapi and is a popular weekend getaway site among the local.
The 7 acres park lies amidst a lush tropical rainforest spanning over 87 acres …providing an ideal location for outdoor recreation and activities.

Kubah Ria Complex Shopping Center	Medan Niaga Satok Complex Markets
A Business Complex Sarawak State Government Funded RM 22,383,000	A Market Complex Malaysia Federal Government Funded Rm 40 Millions

Higher Education in Kuching
Education is Sarawak's priority concerns in promoting the vision of realizing a knowledge-based economy. Various local universities and educational institutions have been established :

University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

Institute Teknologi MARA University (UiTM)

University Tunku Abdul Razak (UNITAR)

Swinburne Institute of Technology University (parent based in Melbourne, Australia)

Curtin University, Miri (parent based in Perth, Australia)

Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu

With the increased in public and private higher learning institutions in Malaysia, students today do not need to pursue tertiary education overseas .
Parents no longer have to send their children overseas for higher education because available of universities and colleges in Malaysia.
Students have equal access to tertiary education with the existing and more higher learning institutions to come.

UNIVERSITIES PRIVATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGES/INSTITUTES IN KUCHING

1) Swinburne University Of Technology (Sarawak Campus)
Ground Floor, Komplek Negeri, Jln Simpang 3, 93300 Kuching, Sarawak
0582-41 6353 (Foreign Private University)
2) Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, UNIMAS (Government Public University)

3) Universiti Teknologi Mara

4) Curtin University Sarawak

5) UCSI University Sarawak

PUBLIC INSTITUTES

● Politeknik Kuching
● SIDMA College
● UNITAR International University Regional Centre Kuching
● CUCMS Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences Regional Centre Kuching

● Sunway College

● Segi College (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd
No. 211, Jalan Bukit Mata Kuching, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak
082-25 2566 http://www.segi.edu.my/ (formally called IBMS.)

● INTI College Sarawak (Kolej Inti Sarawak )
Blok A Kolej Inti Sarawak, Jln Stampin Timur, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak
082-46 2046 http://www.intisar.edu.my (at old St. Patrick school)

● Sedaya College : www.ucsi.edu.my

● CBS College :http://www.cadas.edu.my - accounting and business studies.
● Stamford College
● Taylor’s College
● iSystem Institute
● Limkokwing Institute Of Creative Technology
Tunku Putra Int School, Jln Nanas, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak
082-24 8266 : http://www.limkokwing.edu.my
● International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak (ICATS)
Tabuan Jaya of Kuching.
Formerly known as PPKS (Pusat Pembangunan Kemahiran Sarawak)
● Institut Systematic Kuching
No. 15, Ground Floor, King's Centre, Jln Simpang 3, 93300 Kuching, Sarawak
082-57 7588
● Institut Perdagangan Masa Jaya
No. 3642, 1st Floor, Lrg 2 Off Jalan Rock, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak
082-23 9984
● Informatics Institute Kuching
S/L 7, 2nd Floor, Jln Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, 93150 Kuching, Sarawak
082-41 7380
● PTPL (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd
Stampark Recreation Club, Lrg B Off Jalan Stutong, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak
082-46 3421
● Wawasan Open University Kuching Regional & Learning Office
● Politeknik Kuching Sarawak
Km. 22, Jalan Matang, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak

See complete List of Universities in Kuching City...

Wawasan Open University Kuching
The Kuching Regional Office of Wawasan Open University (KCRO) is opened in October 2009 to mark Wawasan Open University’s much-awaited entry into East Malaysia.

The Kuching Regional Office will represent Wawasan Open University WOU’s seventh regional office in Malaysia since it already has offices located in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru and Kota Bharu.

The opening of the regional office at Westin Avenue, Jalan Tun Jugah in the prime business area of Kuching, is the culmination of years of planning and groundwork by the WOU team to penetrate the open distance learning (ODL) market in East Malaysia.

The office will serve as the nerve centre for the promotion and delivery of WOU programmes through the ODL package to adult learners in Sarawak. Adults can have the opportunity of studying for a university degree while they work.

Temple of Three Mountains
三山亭 Pavilion of the Three Mountains

Religion in Kuching : Chinese Temples, Islamic Centre, St. Joseph Church, Hindu Temples, Sikh

PANGKALAN NIBONG Kampung Sungai Bedil Besar

SARAWAK TRADITIONAL BOAT CRUISE

Price :
Adult - Rm 19.00
Child - Rm 9.00

Boat Options:
1) Iban Long Boat
2) Malay Sampan
3) Orang Ulu Boat

Departure : Daily 10am - 6.30pm
Duration : 1 hour (Hourly departure)

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.

More about RENT-A-CAR in Kuching

Aerial view of Kuching City

AROUND KUCHING AND SOUTHWEST SARAWAK
LONGHOUSE VISIT
MAPS
ONWARD DESTINATIONS
TRAVEL CONNECTIONS
EATING OUT
SHOPPING
TOURS AGENTS IN KUCHING
Eating Out
Onward Destination
Travel - Transport

Homestay
Fairy & Wind Cave
Land Dayak Longhouse
Mangrove Wilderness
Iban Longhouse
Orang Utan
Carpenter Street
Weekend Market

The Great Cat of Kuching

If you never been to this famous Big White Cat Status, you never been to Kuching City and you never been to Kuching China Town.
This cat is located at the end of Chinatown (not China Street), there is this white statue of a white cat - an Icon of Kuching.
There is another Cat Statue at the beginning of Chinatown, that is a cluster of mixed colored big and small cats

Note : There are two "CHINA" in Kuching: the CHINA STREET and the CHINA TOWN.

It may be called Cat City, but the streets of Kuching in Borneo don’t teem with feline creatures...although you do notice a lot of cat statues. A statue with its left paw in the air is an open welcome, while a cat with its right paw in the air is a symbol of wealth. Because of this, many shop owners put the right-paw cat statues inside their shops.

http://www.iol.co.za

REGIONAL BUS TERMINAL KUCHING

Visitors’ Information Center of Sarawak Tourism Board on Padang Merdeka. The center assist with general travel enquiries. The center also houses the National Park and Wildlife booking office which issues visitor permits and books accommodation for Bako, Gunung Gading, Kubah and Matang Wildlife Center.

The Visitors’ Information Center

Lot 31, Jalan Masjid, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak

Tel: 082-410944 or 082-410942 Fax: 082-256301

Sarawak Tourist Association (STA)

Sarawak Steamship Building Tel: 082-240620 Fax: 082-427151

Tourism Malaysia Office

Rugayah Building, Jln Song Thian Cheok, Kuching

Tel: 082-246775/246575 Fax: 082-246442

NATIONAL PARKS in SARAWAK

Sarawak is situated in the northern part of Borneo Island, a modern state of Malaysia surrounded by tropical rainforest. Borneo Island is the precious “Green Lung” of the world. Thousands of herbs can be found in the vast untouched rainforest, waiting to be discovered.

Kuching City is also known as The Garden City with friendly and courteous people. Different religions are practiced freely and multiracial races live harmoniously together.

Bako National Park

Bako National Park is one of Asia’s ecotourism and adventure travel centre, containing one of the world’s oldest first-generation rain forests.

Bako National Park is 38km from Kuching City at the mouth of the Sarawak River. The park can be reached by car and long boat in 1.5 hours. The journey has beautiful view of nipah palms, coconut plantations and mangrove swamps. Bako is a unique place where nature combined with spectacular landscape of steep coastline cliffs and eroded rock formations. A natural park with abundant flora and fauna, wildlife and a thriving mangrove swamp. Photographer or wildlife and nature enthusiast with find this is a rear place of distinct vegetation - open shrub land and hardy flora at the plateau of the hill range changing to lush and tall rainforest trees and plants and lowland dipterocarp forest on the slopes and finally to casuarina and mangrove trees along the coast. Tour to Bako National Park can be on a day-trip basis or overnight stay which can be arranged with accommodation at the Park's chalet or bungalow.

Bako National Park is known for extraordinary variety and contrast in its natural scenery, habitats, plant life and its wildlife. The oldest national park in Sarawak! Explore the numerous jungle trails and learn about the 7 types of rainforest ecosystems available here. The star attraction here is the proboscis monkey or nick named 'orang Belanda' because of its long nose. Beside that there are many other animals like wild boar, macaque monkeys, hermit crab, etc.

Conducted tour from local travel agents at Rm 200 (6 hours)

More about Bako National Park...

Round Tower – Resembling a fortress with its round turrets and white walls, but in fact used as a town dispensary after a fire ravaged the area.
The Round Tower was constructed in 1886. It is home to the Sarawak Handicraft Centre

Fort Margherita – Also built by the second Raja in 1879 to protect Kuching from pirate attacks from the Sarawak River, the fort resembles an English castle. Located near the Astana, Fort Margherita is now a tourist attraction.
Fort Margherita was named after Charles Brooke's wife, Ranee Margaret.

Sampans boats go to the Fort from various Waterfront jetties.

Kuching Courthouse – Built by Charles Brooke in 1883 on the waterfront to house government offices and ceremonies, the courthouse incorporates Ancient Greek columns, wooden walkways, large sloping roofs and a baroque clock tower into a pastiche of colonial styles. It is now home to the Sarawak Tourism Complex.

The Astana – The official residence of the governor of Sarawak, the Astana or “istana”, meaning palace, was built in 1870 by Charles Brooke, the second White Raja, as a gift to his bride Margaret Lili Alice de Windt. Though the building itself is not generally open to the public, its gardens are accessible via a boat ride across the Sarawak River. The Astana is made up of three buildings and resembles a castle with its square towers and long sloping roofs.

The Bishop’s House – The private residence of the Anglican Bishop of Kuching, and not generally open to the public, this colonial gem features the classic white walls and exposed woodwork associated with Tudor England.
Completed in 1849, the Bishops House is thought to be the oldest European-style dwelling in Sarawak.