Things to Do in Sarawak

Set just 14 miles (22 km) outside of the capital city of Kuching, the sandstone mountains of Kubah National Park offer some of the best day trekking and plant-spotting opportunities in the immediate region. Although myriad species of birds and mammals, such as arguas, pheasants, and bearded pigs, roam the tropical rain forest, Kubah is ultimately known for its stunning array of plant diversity, particularly palms. And if swimming beneath a waterfall sounds like the perfect afternoon, there are plenty of opportunities to do just that.

A walk down the hour-long Palmetum trail offers views of over 100 different types of palm trees, while other short walks such as the Belian Trail amble past exotic flora, like giant mushrooms, figs, durian, and rambutan. Those wanting to catch a glimpse of native Sarawak wildlife should head to the Matang Wildlife Centre located within the park boundaries. At this conservation center, where wild animals are rehabilitated for release back into the wild, visitors can observe orangutans, sun bears, and civets, a cat-like mammal with similarities to a mongoose or otter.

The Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) portrays the varied cultures and customs of Sarawak’s ethnic groups. The village consists of authentic traditional buildings each displaying artifacts made by individual dwellers. Demonstration of arts and crafts like beadworks, wood and bamboo carvings, pua and straw weaving can be seen while visiting the Village.

The buildings – a Chinese farmhouse, a Penan Hut, a Melanau Tall House and Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu Longhouses - are set amidst a scenic 17-acre (6.8hc) site. As part of the living museum, members of Sarawak's many ethnic groups can be seen throughout the Village going about everyday activities such as carving, sago-making, crushing sugar-cane, and growing pepper.

You can learn how to throw a Malay spinning top, shoot a Penan blowpipe or pick out a tune on an Orang Ulu sape. It’s a touristy set up but does give you a deeper understanding of the culture and heritage of Sarawak’s many racial groups that is not available elsewhere.

Formerly known as the State Mosque of Sarawak, the Kuching Mosque (Old State Mosque) is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The original mosque built on the same site in 1847 — a simple structure made from wood and pitch — was renovated several times before being completely rebuilt to its present form in 1965. In October three years later, the new state mosque opened to worshipers.

Located in the center of town near the open air market, the pink and white, gold-domed mosque opens its doors to non-Muslim visitors outside of prayer times, offering an opportunity to learn about Islam and its practice in Malaysia.

Built in 1870 by Charles Brooke, Second White Rajah of Sarawak, the Astana is now the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak. It is a regal complex comprising three separate bungalows and a narrow system of passageways that unifies all parts of the Astana into a single palatial dwelling.

Sarawak Museum exhibits ethnographic and ecological artifacts relating to traditional tribal and environmental life in the state of Sarawak. Admire small scale replicas of Iban longhouses, tribal weapons, and mounted exhibits of exotic mammals and reptiles—of particular interest are the displays of shrunken heads and human skulls.

The history of the Kuching Square Tower dates back to 1879, when it was built along the Sarawak River as a means of protecting the city against marauders. Situated toward one end of the Kuching Esplanade, the Square Tower has worn many hats throughout its history — it has served as a state prison, a dance hall and nowadays, a multimedia tourist information center, though it’s not always open to the public.

The Square Tower’s rooftop boasts panoramic views of Mounts Santubong and Serapi. Even when it’s closed to visitors, the Square Tower makes for a striking photo op, especially with the Sarawak parliament building in the background.

Among Kuching’s more unusual attractions are the series of kitschy cat statues scattered throughout the city. The Malay word for cat sounds similar to Kuching, and the city government took full advantage by nicknaming Kuching “Cat City.”

Perhaps the most famous of the statues is the Great Cat of Kuching. Erected in the 1990s as the first of the cat statues, this 5-foot (1.5-meter) white feline dominates city center and even gets dressed up during major festivals (think a Santa hat come Christmas).

One of the most photographed statues sits near the Kuching Esplanade and features a family of cats (parents and five kittens) lazing about in front of the Holiday Inn. At the center of the roundabout at the junction of Jln Padungan and Jln Chan Chin Ann stands the Cat Column, a Rafflesia flower-topped pillar flanked by four white cats.

Situated 62 miles (100 kilometers) south of Kuching, Annah Rais is a Bidayuh longhouse settlement in the foothills of the Borneo Highlands. While the 500 or so residents of Annah Rais make a living from tourism and the settlement has long been on the tourist map, they’ve done well to preserve the traditional longhouse architecture, and visitors get a sense of what life in such communal settlements is like.

Annah Rais comprises three separate longhouses, Kupo Terekan, Kupo Saba and Kupo Sijo, which travelers can visit solo or with a guide. Each longhouse has a covered bamboo verandah, called an awah, used for communal activities. Doorways spaced along the longhouse lead to each family’s private quarters.

While some visit Annah Rais just for the day, some of the residents open their homes to visitors as part of a cultural homestay program. Visitors are paired with a local family who provide a traditional dinner and breakfast in addition to the enriching cultural exchange.

Completed in 1879, the whitewashed and turreted Fort Margherita was commissioned by Charles Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak, to protect Kuching from attacks by river pirates, a common 19th-century scourge. Today, Fort Margherita is an important part of Kuching history and houses the Brooke Gallery, which illustrates the impact of the White Rajas in Sarawak.

Dedicated to conserving sea turtles, particularly green and hawksbill turtles, Talang Satang National Park occupies four white-sand islands and the surrounding marine territory. Pulau Satang Besar is the only island that’s open to regular day-trippers; the other three are for researchers, conservation organizations, and volunteers only.

While the island of Borneo is most famously associated with the orangutan, at Gunung Gading National Park, it’s a plant that’s the star of the show. The rare rafflesia flower, the largest flower in the world (and also among the smelliest) blooms here regularly throughout the year. It takes nine months for a bloom to mature, and the flower — sometimes measuring upwards of 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter — dies after only four or five days.

Luckily, since the rafflesia has no set blooming season, visitors have the chance to spot them throughout the year, and Gunung Gading National Park ranks as the best place to do so. The park even maintains a plant walk through the area where the flowers are commonly found. Besides flower spotting, the national park features several jungle trails leading to streams, waterfalls and even the peak of Gunung Gading Mountain.

The Satok Weekend Market, often simply referred to as the Satok Market, is the largest and liveliest market in Kuching. Beginning midday Saturday, vendors from the surrounding countryside set up stalls of produce, crafts, orchids and live fish.

But the market’s fame comes from its fresh fruit. Often the market is smelled before seen — the sweet pungent smell of durian fruit commingling with other tropical scents. Obscure fruits, like spiky jackfruit, langsats and water apples, alongside the familiar bananas. Unlike most Western produce sections, shoppers at the Satok market are faced with nearly a dozen varieties of the fruit.

While it’s perfectly possible and enjoyable to visit the market independently, it’s also included as part of the itinerary in many Kuching cooking classes, allowing travelers to visit the market with a knowledgeable guide and prepare typical local dishes using market fresh ingredients.

At the confluence of the Igan and Rajang rivers sits the inland city of Sibu, which serves as the gateway for travelers wishing to explore the longhouses of the Upper Rajang River in the state of Sarawak. One of the city;s most popular attractions is Sibu Central Market—one of the biggest indoor markets in Malaysia—home to thousands of stalls.

Home to more than 2,000 exhibits, the Kuching Cat Museum details the historical role cats have played in music, theater, advertising, mythology, and ancient societies around the globe. You won’t find a museum quite like the Kuching Cat Museum anywhere else in the world—an appropriate reality seeing as kucing is actually the Malay word for cat.