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| This is a very basic guidebook. |
| The information in it was compiled from various reliable sources to serve as a quick reference for your journey. |
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| What's inside? |
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Planning to visit Kuching in the "Land of the Hornbills"? This guidebook, with its well-drawn maps and handy travel tips, will help you find places to visit, hotels, guesthouses, transportation, restaurants and the best shopping haunts around.
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| Help Save the Great Hornbill! |
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| Fund collecting in progress... |
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| The Great Hornbill, the largest member of the hornbill family, can be found in the forests of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Indonesia and India. They feed mostly on fruit, small mammals, birds, lizards, snakes and insects. The Great Hornbill is revered by many local tribes, who use their feathers, skulls and beaks for ceremonial headdresses and decorations. Due to ongoing habitat loss and hunting, the Great Hornbill is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. |
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| What's an a4trip guidebook? |
| An a4trip guidebook is a travel guide that'll provide you with the information you'll need to plan your trip and to find your way around. Our guidebooks are downloadable in PDF format, and are designed to be so compact, you can take it with you everywhere you go. |
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| How can I pay for a guidebook? |
| We accept credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, American Express (USA only) and Discover (USA only) via PayPal. Your transaction will appear as 'PAYPAL*A4TRIP' on your credit card statement. |
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| Help! Why can't I download the guidebook? |
| Don't worry, just get in touch with us and we'll deliver the guidebook right to your inbox. |
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| Just how often do you update your guidebooks? |
| We try to update our guidebooks at least once a month. |
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| Have more questions about a4trip? |
| Just Contact Us, we'd love to hear from you. |
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Kuching, the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, is one of the largest cities in the country. Its name, which bears the old Malay spelling for 'cat', has earned it the nickname the 'Cat City'. The city's love for felines is perhaps most evident at the Cat Museum, located in Petra Jaya. It dedicates itself to an interesting range of cat exhibits, photos and art. Other notable museums in Sarawak include the Islamic Museum located on Jln P. Ramlee; the Chinese Museum, situated on the Waterfront; and the Sarawak Museum at Jln Tun Haji Openg.
Built by Charles Brooke in 1891, the Sarawak Museum houses an extensive ethnographic and natural history collection. Enclosed within its grounds are: an aquarium, botanical gardens and a heroes' memorial. Modeled after a town hall in Normandy, the museum is just one of the architectural legacies of the 'White Rajahs'. Indeed, some of Kuching's most striking landmarks are remnants of that often romaticised era. These include Fort Margherita and The Astana palace, which were also built by Charles Brooke.
While the Rajs may have ruled for over a hundred years, Kuching's most majestic feature is Mother Nature. Home to some of the oldest rainforests in the world, it boasts of an incredibly rich ecosystem. One of the best places to see local wildlife, like: sambar deer, sun bears and sea eagles, is the Matang Wildlife Centre, which is part of Kubah National Park. The centre's main attraction is their rehabilitation programme, which helps orphaned and rescued orangutans. The Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is another great place to mingle with the great apes, but this nature reserve also consists of a: bio centre, botanical garden, forest nursery, seed bank, herb ethnobotany centre, and fern and orchid garden.
Another of Sarawak's natural marvels is the Rafflesia, the world's largest flower. It is incredibly rare, as it can take up to 9 months to mature, but will only last 4 to 5 days before dying. Interestingly, when in full bloom, the flower smells of rotting meat to attract pollinating insects. If you'd like get a whiff, head onto Gunung Gading National Park, which is designated to its conservation. While there, be sure to keep to the plank walk and listen to the park rangers, as you wouldn't want to tread on a Rafllesia bud. If you see one, count yourself very, very lucky.
To experience the 'jungle' in a different fashion, pay a visit to Sarawak's famous Sunday market at Jalan Satok. You'll find more that just vegetables here, as stalls also sell wild honey, live freshwater fish, exotic pets, orchids and pitcher plants. Be careful while checking out the animals and plants, however, you wouldn't to support poaching or engage in any illegal activity involving a protected species. For the antique collector and handicraft enthusiast among you, the Main Bazaar opposite the Waterfront is the place to be. The city's roads are quite reliable and there are buses, cars for hire and taxis to help you get around. However, as Kuching is well-connected to other urban centres and settlements via waterways, small boats or tambangs and express boats offer more exciting alternatives for moving about. Air transport is served by Kuching International Airport, which is located about 12 km away from the city. High rollers may also like to experience Kuching via helicopter with Hornbill Skyways.
If you're planning to visit Kuching, do contact the Malaysian High Commission to check your Visa requirements and the related costs. Malaysia has a varied Visa requirement system. Citizens of some Commonwealth nations and the U.S.A., for example, will not require a Visa for social visits. Some foreign citizens will not require a Visa when visiting Malaysia for a period of between 14 days to 3 months. Some may be granted Visa upon arrival, while others will require a Visa or Special Approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs before entering Malaysia. The permitted length of stay is entered on the Visa at the time of issue and is at the discretion of the issuer. It is normally 1 to 3 months from the date of issue and extensions are possible.
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