Kuching Hotels

Home to close to 1 million people, Kuching is the most important hub in the state. The urban development offensive so pervasive ithroughout the rest of Malaysia and, indeed, the progressively viable region of Southeast Asia, has bled into what has become the nerve centre of Borneo. With it has come a mad rush to cater to a new breed of tourist.

The result, monsoon rains aside, is a city with a desirable quality of life. Kuching is home to a mosaic of cultures and scores well on international healthy and clean city indices. A compact cityscape gives way to first-rate points of interest like the Sarawak Museum, Astana, Sultan Iskandar Planetarium, Fort Margherita, temples and weekend markets.

KUCHING’S TOP 10

KUCHING EVENTS

Weekend Market and other marketplaces throughout the city sell traditional handicrafts, superb street food and pulsate with local life.

The action on Kuching Waterfront beguiles and captivates new visitors to the city.

River tours provide a first-rate way to see Sarawak.

Bako National Park and Teluk Assam Beach form a memorable one-two punch for nature lovers.

Kuching Wetlands National Park is worth the short drive from the city. A foremost habitat for primates with a superb network of trails.

The Kuching Food Fair takes place at the end of July.

The Padawan Festival is a month-long carnival from late June to late July in Batu Kawah New Township.

Kuching Festival is the premier bash in the city and takes place from July to August.

WHEN TO GO

Kuching has typical tropical rainforest weather with profuse, abundant rainfall throughout the year. The climate, in fact, produces a prolific 170 in (4,308 mm) of the wet stuff per annum. It rains 250 days out of the year in Kuching, with barely 5 hours of sunshine a day, on average.

The “low” precipitation months of April, July and September offer scant relief but a remarkable contrast from the deluge period of November to March nonetheless.

Humidity is high and temperatures relatively constant from 73°F (18°C) to 91°F (33°C) throughout the year.

GETTING AROUND

In the wake of a vast facelift, Kuching International Airport’s annual passenger numbers have shot up to the 4 million mark. The hub services the likes of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Hong Kong. Several cruise liners also navigate the waters between Kuching and Singapore.

The Kuching regional express bus terminal services a long list of destinations on the island of Borneo.

Within the city, a bicycle and pair of comfortable trainers serve active visitors well, outside of torrential downpours of course. For general transport, Kuching has a reliable mix of taxis, shuttle vans and public bus fleets.

Kuching General Information

Attractions & Activities

Restaurant & Nightlife

Climate