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Kuching
Capital and largest city of Sarawak, Malaysia

Kuching

Kuching, officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.

Plan a trip to Kuching→From Johor Bahru

It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River at the southwestern tip of Sarawak on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 431 km2 (166 sq mi) with a population of about 162,843 in the Kuching North administrative region and 351,815 in the Kuching South administrative region—a total of 514,658 people.

Get in

Getting to Kuching

As Kuching is in Sarawak, which retains control of its own immigration procedures, some additional complications apply and an ordinary Malaysian visa may not suffice. Most visitors, though, can get visas on arrival at Kuching International Airport. See Sarawak for details.

  1. 01
    Kuching International Airport

    There are near-hourly connections from Kuala Lumpur and frequent flights from Singapore, Johor Bahru, Labuan, Kota Kinabalu and other cities in Sarawak like Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.

See

Worth seeing

In Kuching, you can enjoy various sightseeing activities. What is unique of Kuching city in sightseers' eyes is how the skycrapers were built in the vicinity of lush green jungles. Kuching is quite the sunset spot, often regarded as "one of the most memorable". Take your shots, and enjoy the sunsets from the Waterfront, Santubong Peninsula or Bako Peninsula.

  1. 01
    Kuching City Mosque

    Formerly the Sarawak State Mosque, Kuching's main mosque.

  2. 02
    Orchid Garden

    A sampan deck, which is named Pengkalan Sapi is also situated within the Astana vicinity.

  3. 03
    Tua Pek Kong Temple

    This temple is the oldest Chinese temple in Kuching and at the heart of the city.

  4. 04
    Sarawak Museum

    The Sarawak State Museum is the oldest museum in Borneo.

  5. 05
    Kampung Budaya Sarawak
  6. 06
    Fort Margherita

    Completed in 1879, Fort Margherita resides at a breathtaking and strategic position at the riverside of Sarawak.

Do

Things to do

Kuching is a great home-base for jungle trekking and exploring Borneo. Bidayuh Longhouse Adventure (at Annah Rais village near Borneo Highland Resort). They offer overnight packages for you to experience the traditional Bidayuh longhouse communal life.

Eat

Where to eat

Eating out is the major pastime, with a huge variety of eateries and food available. Most places are pretty cheap with excellent service but the more "local", the less English spoken. Be sure to sample some Sarawak laksa, but beware - it's considered a breakfast dish here and the popular places sell out fast. For the local Chinese, kolo mee, a noodle dish served with slices of roasted pork, is also a daily staple.

How locals move

Getting around Kuching the local way

  • Get inFor Tanjung Datu National Park, catch a connecting Sarawak Transport Company bus to Sematan where you will have to charter a boat to the park.
  • Get inFor those who can afford it, private helicopters and aircraft are available for charter from Hornbill Skyways.
  • Get aroundSpeedboats are available for people who wish to go to Taman Negara Bako (National Park), Satang Island and Talang-Talang Island from Santubong.
  • Go nextBeaches and jungle trekking easily reached by bus from downtown Kuching.

From Wikivoyage: Kuching, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Damian Pankowiec (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.