STORY TO BE TOLD

Kuching Festival Food Fair draws over 600,000 people
Story and photos by ZORA CHAN
zora@thestar.com.my

THE Kuching Festival Food Fair ended on a high note on Sunday with an estimated 600,000 people patronising the fair over three weeks.

Thousands of city dwellers and tourists made their way to the annual food fair every night which offered a wide array of food and beverages from 124 stalls.

Held at Kuching City South Council’s (MBKS) community hall and its compound at Padungan Road, the food fair was a much anticipated event whenever the city celebrates the anniversary of its elevation from municipality to city status on August 1.

It’s the place to meet, eat, drink and enjoy good company al-fresco. Kuching City is 22 years old this year.

Kuching Festival also provided a platform for other social side events like the trade fair, garden show and nightly concerts adjacent to the food fair. On weekends, there were martial arts, folk dance and yuanji displays.

And for the first time this year, a kite flying and display competition and pony riding were also held to promote healthy recreational activities among the people.

In another first, MBKS held the Kuching Festival Home Garden and Landscape Competition to encourage and reward residents who put in efforts to beautify their gardens.

A food stall operator Lim Chuan Chan who sold Bangkok roast quails and chicken said he looked forward to taking part in the food fair because of the crowd and merriment.

“I’ve been taking part in the food fair for 15 years and it’s very clean and the festival is well managed by MBKS. The Kuching Festival food fair is just as good as any international food fest and I hope it will continue to grow in the years to come,” he said.

Lim, whose stall was adjudged as the most beautiful single food stall for the second consecutive year, said he was very proud and happy with the recognition.

“The government often talks about getting the people to be more creative and innovative, so this year, I used some simple technology to make my stall brighter and more colourful to attract customers,” said the 56-year-old.

“I have many customers mainly locals and in a night I could sell hundreds of quails and chickens.”

He said he only sold Bangkok roast quails and chicken, a self-taught special recipe twice a year at the Kuching Festival food fair and Inter-Cultural Mooncake Festival.

On Saturday night, MBKS Mayor James Chan announced that RM40,240.85 had been raised through the festival fair, charity golf, garden show (through the Wishing Well) and horse riding, while the biggest donation came from stall holders amounting to RM19,042.

The funds went to The Green Ribbon Association Kuching, Che Hia Khor Moral Uplifting Society, Sarawak Women For Women Society, The Carnation Club of Kuching and Samarahan, Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Society Malaysia, Sarawak Hun Nam Siang T’ng, Kuching Autistic Association, Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society and Sarawak Breast Cancer Support Group.

The mayor thanked individuals and corporate donors for supporting the good cause.

Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh who officiated at the donation and prize presentation urged Sarawakians to help local authorities keep their surroundings clean and beautiful.

Credits to source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/

Satok Market

Visitors should not miss Pasar Satok as the busy market offers views of diverse cultures, a cacophony of unfamiliar languages (especially for those familiar with standard Malay and English) and an assortment of products"

The Satok Weekend Market on Jalan Satok starts on Saturday afternoon when traders bring produce from their farms and continues on till Sunday. There are also many unique ferns and plants, wild honey, wild orchids, traditional herbs (used as medicine) and fruits from the jungles. Handicrafts and ethnic carvings are also available. There are a wide variety of snacks and sometimes snakes in baskets!

By Bus It is a short drive from the main hotel area in Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. Try the taxi or take the hourly Kuching City Tram that leaves the bus stop in front of the Hilton and Crown Plaza Hotels.

Do read more on: http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/

Credits to and source taken from: http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/

Kuching Hotels

Kuching Accommodation Hotel in Malaysia Discounts for Reservation

Welcome to HolidayCity Kuching reservation service! We provide a wide selection of properties - budget, business, tourist, luxury, bed and breakfasts and apartments accommodation. HolidayCity Kuching hotels offer comfort, quality and great value for the money, ideal for leisure and business travellers.

To start selecting, click on the hotel links below.

Tune Hotels.com Waterfront Kuching *From MYR 76
Jalan Borneo, Off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman 93100 Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia
Tune Hotels.com Waterfront Kuching offers guests excellent value with a convenient location and good-quality, comfortable guestrooms at very low prices. Hotels are strategically located close to major shopping, sightseeing and business destinations.Tune Hotels.com Waterfront Kuching beds feature...

Four Points By Sheraton Kuching *From MYR 135
Lot 3186-3187, Block 16 KCLD, Jalan Lapangan Terbang Baru, 93350, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Welcome to Kuching's newest International hotel, the Four Points By Sheraton Kuching. The hotel are just 2 kilometres from the airport and 15 minutes from the heart of the city, so guests will have easy access to all that this fascinating and dynamic destination has to offer.Four Points By Sheraton...

Kingwood Inn Kuching *From MYR 138
Lot 618, Section 62, KTLD, Jalan Padungan, P.O. Box 2842, 93756 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Stay in Kingwood Inn Kuching and feel the warmth, the ambience and the convenience of this 3 star hotel. Located within the sprawling Kuching city center, the hotel is close to major shopping centers, that can be reached on foot. It's only a 5-minute drive to the main commercial center, historical...

The LimeTree Hotel Kuching *From MYR 153
Lot 317 Abell Road 93100 Kuching Malaysia
The LimeTree Hotel Kuching is a unique blend of upscale trendy venue, stylish boutique flair and passion for limes. Ideally located in the city centre, the newly refurbished building is minutes away from Kuching's financial district, Chinatown and the Sarawak River.The LimeTree Hotel Kuching...

360 Hotel *From MYR 155
Hock Lee Centre, Hotel Tower Jalan Datuk Abang Abdul Rahim 93450, Kuching Malaysia
Located within 5 minutes from Kuching's central business district, 360 Hotel towers 18 storeys into the sky to offer travellers a home away from home. Built to cater to your comfort and convinience with a feel great ambience, we offer you the best value for money. Adjacent to 360 Hotel is a...

Pullman Kuching *From MYR 195
1A Jalan Mathies, 93100 Kuching, Malaysia.
Pullman Kuching is centrally located in the Kuching Golden Triangle, enjoying pride of place on Jalan Mathies hill, with panoramic city and river views. The first Pullman hotel in this vibrant city, Pullman Kuching features 389 spacious, contemporary rooms and offers easy access to renowned Borneo...

Somerset Gateway Kuching *From MYR 209
No 9 Jalan Bukit Mata, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
The spacious comfort of designed Somerset Gateway Kuching with extensive services and facilities are available to you while indulging in the culture and history of Kuching. The integrated twin towers of serviced apartments and modern offices are surrounded by the business centre of Sarawak, making...

Hilton Kuching *From MYR 537
Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, PO Box 2396, 93748 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Adjacent to the Sarawak River, Hilton Kuching is a wonderful accommodation. The scenic location, enjoyable room amenities and lots of hotel services have made this hotel the favorite choice of both corporate and leisure travelers visiting the beautiful city of Kuching. Occupying an attractively...

Grand Continental Kuching *From MYR 176
Jalan Ban Hock, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Discover the mysticism of Borneo while you stay at Grand Continental Kuching. Strategically located in the commercial and financial heart of the city, the hotel is just a short stroll away from places of interest, such as the Sarawak Museum, Chinese History Museum and The Waterfront, also known as...

Holiday Inn Kuching *From MYR 189
Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, P.O. Box 2362, 93100 Kuching, Malaysia.
Holiday Inn Kuching commands an unrivalled view of the picturesque Sarawak River and colourful Malay villages. Holiday Inn Kuching is situated in the heart of the city's business, entertainment and shopping district, the hotel is twenty minutes drive from the Kuching International Airport.With...

Damai Beach Resort *From MYR 194
(Formerly "Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort Kuching") Teluk Bandung Santubong, P.O Box 2870 93756 Kuching Malaysia
Damai Beach Resort hotel is located on Teluk Bandung’s sandy beach facing the South China Sea and residing on 90 acres of sea frontage, the resort is majestically nestled within the world’s oldest tropical rainforest and a mere 40 minute drive from Kuching city, the capital of Sarawak.Damai Beach...

Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort Kuching *From MYR 207
c/o Hilton Kuching, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, PO Box 2396, 93748 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort Kuching in Malaysia is surrounded by stunning rainforest and mountains. The design of the resort is based on the ancient timber longhouses where the native Iban Tribes resided. There are 100 well appointed rooms. Catch up on work at the desk or relax in the easy...

Riverside Majestic Kuching *From MYR 210
(Formerly "Crowne Plaza Riverside Kuching") Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman 93756, Kuching Malaysia
Riverside Majestic Kuching is strategically located in the heart of Kuching's entertainment, dining, shopping and business district. The hotel is only 20 minutes from the Kuching International Airport and minutes away from the major tourist attractions in the city. Overlooking the historical Fort...

Merdeka Palace *From MYR 211
Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Open the doors to any of the Merdeka Palace's rooms or apartment suites and you will be impressed by its comfortable and cosy yet classic furnishings which evoke the era of Merdeka, equipped with modern amenities for a pleasant and memorable stay. The hotel is a 5 star property and has won the...

Damai Puri *From MYR 334
Teluk Penyuk Santubong, P O Box 3058, 93762 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Damai Puri showcases 207 guestrooms and suites in two wings, the meandering Ocean Wing and equally well-sprawled Spa Wing, which feature individual balconies and spectacular views of the South China Sea or the rainforest-covered foothills of legendary Mount Santubong. All the rooms have been...

Kuching is very multicultural place, and most people speak at least Malay and their ethnic tongue, with quite a few speaking English as well. The ability to speak either Malay, English or Mandarin is usually enough for someone in Kuching to get by.

Speaking Malay in Kuching

Please notice some basic communication terms in Bahasa Melayu Sarawak.

* Kamek - I
* Kitak - You
* Auk - Yes
* Sik - No
* Igek - Piece
* Kamek Mauk Pergi Jamban Dolok - I Would Like To Go To The Toilet
* Kitak Dari Siney? - Where Are You From?
* Nyaman Juak Makanan Tok - This Food Is Quite Tasty
* Kamek Ngupok/Mupok Dolok - I'd Like To Make A Move
* Nama-Name
* Maok-Want
* Jamban-Toilet
* Duit-Money

While standard Malay is well understood, the local dialect, known as "Bahasa Melayu Sarawak", is different enough to be legally categorized as its own language. Malays from coastal part of Sarawak, especially the one from Sebuyau, Kabong, Saratok, Betong, Sri Aman and the surrounding areas speak different dialect called "Bahasa Orang Laut". Malays from Sibu and Miri speak similar language with Kuchingites Malay, but they have some terms unique to their dialect, for example "Pia" in Sibu (in Kuching, they called it "Sia", which means "there"), "Cali" in Miri (in Kuching, they called it "Jenaka", which means "funny"). However, Bahasa Melayu spoken in Limbang and Lawas is a distant difference from Bahasa Melayu Sarawak spoken throughout Kuching-Miri.

Most Chinese in Kuching speak Hokkien (Minnan) as their native tongue, but Mandarin is the standard language of education and spoken by nearly all Chinese in Kuching.

The Iban language is spoken by some Iban people in Kuching, but almost all of them also understand Malay. You may also encounter speakers of other tribal languages like Bidayuh, Melanau

The lack of a homogeneous language used by the peoples is also clearly reflected around the city. Signs such as road names are written in Malay and Chinese. Street signs are in Malay. Shop names and other private signs are usually written in Malay, English or/and Chinese.

source taken: http://wikitravel.org/

Holidays

Kuching, and Sarawak as a whole celebrate all Federal holidays except Deepavali. Sarawak has also declared holiday for Good Friday (one day) and Gawai Day (two days). Unlike other states in Malaysia, most Islamic events are not being declared holiday, except Federal holidays of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (two days), Hari Raya Aidiladha (one day), Maulud Nabi (one day) and Awal Muharram (one day).

Avoid touring to Santubong area during first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri due to heavy traffic at Petra Jaya. Tourists can expect a grand celebration for every major holidays with big open houses such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Gawai. Try to observe Gawai Day celebration since that Gawai Day is only being declared holiday in Sarawak.

Kuching city can be divided into few areas:

* Padawan - It's a small town at the outskirt of Kuching city. It's popular with its traditional Bidayuh kampungs and longhouses. This area is home for multiracial communities such as Bidayuhs, Javanese, Malay, Chinese and Iban & Orang Ulu settlers.

* Kota Sentosa - Before being named Kota Sentosa, Kota Sentosa is called (even now) 'Batu Tujuh' or 7th Mile. This area is a commercial hub for people from Batu Kitang, Kg. Haji Baki and surrounding areas. Sarawak Mental Hospital is also located here. Kota Sentosa has also grown its importance due to it's vicinity of Army Camps.

* BDC - BDC was long time ago a remote housing area. However, today it has grown importance as a commercial hub for Stutong and Tabuan Heights area and also a growing elite housing areas.
* Tabuan Jaya - Tabuan Jaya, like BDC, was long time ago a remote housing area. Today, it has emerged into Kuching satellite city. It is also well connected to other important areas in Kuching such as Pending, BDC, Muara Tabuan Industrial Estate and Demak Jaya Industrial Estate.
* Pending - Pending is an industrial area. Major industrial players here, among them are Komag, CMS Concrete, Gold Coin Fertilizer and Sarawak Clinker Plant. Pending is connected to Kuching city centre via Padungan.

* Batu Kawa - Batu Kawa got its name from volcano crater found at Gunung Serapi. It has now emerged into important satellite city of Kuching, which consist of MJC Commercial Area (with condominium housing, elite housing areas and shoplots), Sg. Maong and Pekan Rantau Panjang.
* Matang - Matang is another emerging town under Kuching. Among its prominent attraction is Matang Jaya and Gita.

* 3rd Mile - 3rd Mile is also one emerging commercial area. It was home to first private school in Sarawak, Sunny Hill School and also old-fashioned cinema, Capitol Cinema. 3rd Mile was once an important train route in Kuching.

* Padungan - Padungan is the oldest commercial hub in Kuching. Chinatown is located here. It's also an important area for nightlife (clubbing and night outting), 4 to 5-star hotels (such as Crowne Plaza, Hilton, Holiday Inn & soon-to-be-opened Novotel), popular tourist spots (Kuching Waterfront, cat statues etc) and also shopping hub.

* Simpang Tiga - Simpang Tiga is famous with its federal government complex, Swinburne university and newly opened "The Spring" shopping mall.
* Satok - Satok is the most widely spoken place among tourists for its weekend market. It is also the smallest DUN (State Legislative) area in Sarawak.

* Petra Jaya - Petra Jaya is home for majority of Malay population in Kuching, and most probably in Sarawak. It has a lot of Malay kampungs, low-cost housing schemes, housing estates and it is also a headquarters for Sarawak state government, which is an idea later copied by Federal Government for their Putrajaya. Petra Jaya consist of area from Kg. Tupong to Semariang to Demak Laut Industrial Estate.

* Santubong - Santubong is located 30km away from Kuching. It is a tourist spot for beach and annual international events such as the World Rainforest Music Festival.

Going 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.

By plane

Kuching International Airport (IATA: KCH) is Sarawak's main gateway. There are near-hourly connections to Kuala Lumpur as well as frequent flights to Singapore, Johor Bahru, Labuan, Kota Kinabalu and other cities in Sarawak like Sibu, Bintulu and Miri. MASwings [1], which took over the rural air service from Fly Asian Express (FAX) on October 1, 2007, links Kuching with Mukah. International connections are rather limited, although there are a few weekly services to Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Macau and Pontianak. Flights to Kuching are also operated by AirAsia. [2] International airlines operating in Kuching includes SilkAir, Royal Brunei, Tiger Airways, Jetstar Airways and Batavia Air.

The airport underwent a major facelift in 2005-2006 and is now modern and pleasant. When checking in, note that all flights outside Sarawak are considered "international", even if you're only going elsewhere in Malaysia. A restaurant is located on ground floor at the far end and a 24-hour McDonald's outlet, before security. There is also a KFC outlet and a Starbucks outlet on the 2nd floor (departure level), left of the departure gates.

Getting there/away: Kuching city is about 20 minutes away by taxi, a fixed RM26.00 from the taxi coupon stand just outside arrivals. Ignore the touts, even if they show you price lists. From the city (Tune hotel) you can get a private vehicle (RM20.00) or catch a mini bus (RM8.00)leaving hourly from 8:30 to evening.

The Sarawak Transport Company (STC) Bus No. 12A no longer serves the 5 daily trips between the airport and the city centre. There is a series of other buses which can drop you off or pick you up approximatly 1 Km west of the Airport (turn left as you exit the airport and walk to the main T intersection, turn left again and walk until you reach the big roundabout (Have a look on google maps)and catch a bus heading north to town...3A, 6, 8g, 9). The most convenient place to catch these buses back to the airport intersection is at the main bus terminal located in the city.
[edit] By boat

The Express Bahagia and Express Sejahtera express boats run an alternating once daily service from Kuching to Sibu, each boat returning the next day. RM38 (RM45 1st class) one way and the journey takes 5 1/2 hours, with stops at Sarikei and Tanjung Manis. The boats depart from the Pending wharf to the east of the city at 8.30 am. You can usually buy tickets at the wharf. Getting there/away: Chin Lian Long buses No. 1A, 17 and 19 go to the express boat jetty. 60 sen one way. Taxis usually charge RM15.

By bus

Kuching's regional express bus terminal is located along Jalan Datuk Tawi Sli, also dubbed as "3 and a half miles", located south of the city, just before the Boulevard shopping mall. All long-distance express buses arrive from and leave for major Sarawak cities like Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, as well as Pontianak in Indonesia. Regional buses for some towns near Kuching such as Lundu (for the Gunung Gading National Park and Tanjung Datu National Park) and Sri Aman also arrive/depart from here. However, buses for some towns and destinations nearer Kuching, such as the Bako National Park, Bau and the Semenggoh Orang Utan Centre, leave from various locations in the city centre, depending on the bus company being used. See the individual destinations below for details.

* To/from Bau:

* To/from Bako National Park: Petra Jaya Transport(white and yellow) bus No. 6 departs from the open air market near Electra House in the city centre. RM1.50 one way,journey time 45 mins. There are also public mini buses for RM5 a little bit faster and more regular. The buses bring you to Bako Bazaar where you have to transfer to a boat to reach the national park. See Bako National Park page for details.

* To/from Lundu:

Sarawak Transport Company (cream and green) express buses depart from the regional bus terminal at 08:15, 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Buses depart Lundu at 08:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Travel time approximately two hours. At Lundu, take a taxi or van or walk appoximatly 2.5 kms (north) to the Gunung Gading National Park. For Tanjung Datu National Park, catch a connecting Sarawak Transport Company bus to Sematan where you will have to charter a boat to the park.

* To/from Pontianak: Biaramas Express

(Tel: +60 82 456999 at the regional bus terminal, +60 82 610111 headquarters) buses depart Kuching regional bus terminal for Pontianak via the Tebedu-Entikong border crossing daily at 07:45. RM45 adult one way. From Pontianak, buses depart daily at 21:00. Fare is Rp140,000. SJS Super Executive (Tel: +60 82 456999) buses departs the regional bus terminal at 11:00 and cost RM70. Click Pontianak_to_Kuching for travel Itenerary on this route.

* To/from Semenggoh: Feeding times for the Orangutans are 9am and 1pm so catch the 7:30 or 11am bus. Sarawak Transport Company buses No.6 depart from their bus terminal (RM2.50, 1 hour) near the open air market in the city centre but are not so frequent (at 1 and a half hour or even rarely). Also there are plenty of mini buses at the open air market that can drive you there (public - RM5-10 per passеnger) and also more expensive mini bus taxies (bargaining starts from RM100 for the whole bus for return journey).

* To/from Sibu:

Various express buses depart from the regional bus terminal. Most of them go via Sarikei.

Sarawak is a huge state. The road networks connecting towns and places in Sarawak including Kuching are somehow quite satisfactorily maintained. However, long and winding roads with sometimes no rest stops in between might bore you or scare you. Here are the distance chart from Kuching to other towns:

Get around

By bus

Kuching stage buses nowadays have quite a sad reputation for a few reasons. The most obvious fact is that the bus companies are still using old chassis (half of the fleet is 15-20 years old) despite covering it up with (apparently) modern bodywork. It results in cheap fares, but passengers will have to bear with the inconvenience of noise (like you hear in old cars) and heat (for non-A/C buses). Although all buses show route numbers, most (if not all) buses neither show names of bus termini (the last bus stops) nor en route landmarks or places of interest. Therefore, it is wise to ask the bus driver where the bus ends it route and whether your destination lies along that particular route before grabbing the seat of the bus.

Do not expect any brochures showing route information from the bus companies. It is best to just ask around if you really need a bus to wherever you want to go. To add things worse, the Kuching City Centre does not have a main bus terminal.

Local stage buses are run by 6 companies of colourful assortments, 5 of which are in a consortium, but there's a reasonably logical route numbering system and bus stops usually have some signage indicating bus route numbers.

• Sarawak Transport Company (STC) - these green and beige STC buses mainly serve downtown and along the protocol roads leading southbound out of the city centre.

• Chin Liang Long Motor Vehicle Company (CLL) - these blue and white CLL buses serve almost all routes (fixed, radial dan cross-town) within the Kuching City South limits.

• Matang Transport Company (MTC) - these orange and beige MTC buses serve the Kuching-Matang road and suburban settlements along the northern bank of the Sarawak River. This company is the only one not included in the Kuching City Bus Services consortium.

• Petra Jaya Transport - these white buses with red, yellow and black striped livery serve the outskirts of Kuching City North (routes ending at Damai and Bako) and also the Kuching-Kota Sentosa-Kota Samarahan route.

• Regas Transport Company - these brown and purple buses are rarely seen nowadays serving mainly downtown areas.

• Bau Transport Company - these brown and red buses serve the Kuching-Bau route.

Bus drivers and conductors do not actually have Public Relations and Tourist Guiding as part of their training syllabi. Should the bus conductor exist, kindly demand for the ticket because some bus inspectors might just walk inside and do a surprise inspection of passengers' tickets. There are some OMO (One Man Operation) buses that are equipped with a big coin box beside the driver's seat. Ask for the fare first before inserting the exact change into the box. Sit in the front half of the bus so you have easy access to the driver or conductor. Cheating, pickpocketing and sexual harrassment might sometimes occur in public buses, so be watchful of your surroundings.

Kuching city hotels had once banded together to offer a free City Tram (really just a bus) service that shuttles around major sights once every hour. You would just ask for a City Tram sticker and route map from your hotel lobby. As of the year 2008, the service has been terminated due to "technical problems".

Inconsistent passenger load along certain routes can lead to drops in frequency and thus, bus operators cannot comply to a fixed timetable and that results in frustrating delays.

By shuttle van

Yellow roofed kereta sewa or shuttle vans fill the void left by stage bus operators, offering somewhat more frequent trips throughout Kuching to as far as Tebedu and Bau. Each shuttle van has their own commuting routes so watch out the routes by reading the destination on the body of the van. Minimum fare for each trip is RM1 and increases with respect to distance. Fares also differ from one shuttle van to another plying the same route by commuting frequency, peak and off-peak periods and passenger load. If in doubt, ask the passengers, not the driver.

Car rental companies:

• Kuching City Car Rental (Kuching Car Rental), Ground Floor, Terminal Building, Kuching International Airport (Walk up towards the domestic arrival hall exit), ☎ +60128838318 (auto@catscity.com.my).
  
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• Car Rental Kuching (Car Rental Kuching), (Opposite of the domestic hall exit area), ☎ +6 0168621613 (kelvin@carrentalkuching.com) Special rate starts from RM95/day, accept visa/ master card.
• Sime Darby Rent A Car (Hertz Malaysia Licensee), GL20, Ground Floor, Terminal Building, Kuching International Airport (Just walk up to the booth after you claim your luggage at the airport), ☎ +60 82 450740 (kch@hertz.simedarby.com, fax: +60 82 450741). Mon-Sat 0800-1800, Sun & Public Holidays meet confirmed reservations. Rent starts from RM150/day, credit/charge cards only.
• Kuching Car Rental | Kereta Sewa Kuching (Kuching Car Rental, Kereta Sewa Kuching), AJ 205, 1st Floor,MJC Batu Kawah New Township,Jalan Batu Kawa,93250 Kuching., ☎ +6082 376 030, +6082-455 022, +6016 888 4020 (reservation@kuchingcarrental.com, fax: +60 82 455 422), Mon-Sun 0800-2100, Call to confirm reservation or book online. Rent starts from RM98/day, credit/charge cards only.

By motorcycle

• Three Bikes Rental & Services. Operate at Singgahsana Lodge No.1 Temple St, Tel. +6082233835 or email us threebikesrental@yahoo.com

By river taxi

For a leisurely commute across the Sarawak River, river taxis locally known as tambang or penambang offers daily services at various points along the Kuching Waterfront, with a one-way fare at RM0.40. The fare hikes up to RM1 from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. the next day. Kindly place the exact change on the designated plate instead of giving it to the operator, as you disembark the river taxi at your destination.

By boats

Boats are sometimes available for visitors who wish to travel from one place to another along the Sarawak River.

By speedboats

Speedboats are available for people who wish to go to Taman Negara Bako, Satang Island and Layang-layang Island from Santubong. Rate differs according to hotels, and in regards to public holidays, peak hours and etc. Check schedule and rates at the respective hotels, such as Damai Lagoon.

By helicopter

In case you are in hurry or in the event to experience luxuriousness, helicopter and other method of air transports are available by using Hornbill Skyways.

By cruises

Cruised might not be available at the posting date. Previously, it was available for tourists who wish to go for sightseeing along the Sarawak River.

On foot

Kuching is unusually pedestrian-friendly for a Malaysian city, with tree-lined sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, and the city core is compact enough to cover on foot. Good walks include the Kuching Waterfront and the pedestrian shopping street of Jalan India (Kuching's Little India).

source taken from: http://wikitravel.org/

KUCHING : UNDERSTAND KUCHING

Once the capital of the White Rajahs of Sarawak, now with a population of some 600,000, Kuching is small enough to walk around but interesting enough to keep you there for several days, and a good base for exploring Sarawak. It's safe and relatively clean. The name of the city, Kuching, is thought to derive from the Malay word kucing, meaning cat. Many of the locals refer to Kuching as the Cat City but it more likely comes from the Chinese word for port (cochin) coupled with the Malay name mata kucing (cat's-eye) for the longan fruit, a popular trade item.

History

Sarawak was a part of the Sultanate of Brunei 200 years ago but as a reward for help in putting down a rebellion, it was ceded to the British adventurer James Brooke who ruled it as his personal kingdom. Kuching was made his capital and headquarters. The Brooke Administration was given the status of Protectorate under Rajah Charles Brooke's rule and was placed behind the Indian Rajs and Princes. The Brooke family ruled Sarawak until the Japanese occupation in December 1941.

Kuching was surrendered to the Japanese forces on 24 December 1941, and Sarawak was part of the Japanese Empire for three years and eight months, until the official Japanese surrender on 11 September 1945 on board HMAS Kapunda at Kuching. From March 1942 the Japanese operated a POW and civilian internee camp at Batu Lintang, three miles (5 km) outside Kuching.

After the end of World War II the third and last Rajah, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to the British Crown in 1946. Sarawak and the British Commonwealth fought an Undeclared War with Indonesia to keep Sarawak from being absorbed into Sukarno's Indonesia. The British gave Sarawak independence in 1963 and together with North Borneo, Sabah and Singapore, helped form Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Singapore became an independent nation in 1965.
People

Kuching prides itself on being one of the most multi-racial city in Malaysia. The largest group are the Chinese, who form about 45% of the population. Among the Chinese, Hokkien speakers form the majority, while Hakka and Foochow speakers round out the top three. Other notable dialect groups among the Chinese include the Cantonese, Teochew, Hainanese and Heng Hua. The Malays, who are comprised of Kuching's original inhabitants as well as migrants from neighboring Indonesia, form just short of mere 13,000 of Chinese population, while Ibans form about 5% of the population. There are also original Indian migrants who live in Kuching for many decades ago. The Indians are divided evenly to Tamils, Sikhs and Punjabis. The remainder are other indigenous races, most notably the Bidayuhs, Melanaus, Javanese and Orang Ulu settlers. What makes Kuching city unique from other towns in Sarawak is, Kuching city population does not reflect the true demography of the whole Sarawak.

Most of Kuching of Chinese decent live in South Kuching area, with some areas constitute more than 90% of the population as Chinese like Padungan and Pending. While Malay mostly live at North Kuching area, and spread evenly throughout South Kuching area. Other races like Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau and Orang Ulu spread themselves evenly throughout Padawan and some at South and North Kuching. Indian communities of Tamil descent mostly live at Batu Lintang and Gita area, while Javanese communities mostly live at Mile 20 Kuching-Serian Road, Rantau Panjang (Batu Kawa) and Kg. Kolong at Matang.
Climate

Kuching enjoys sunshine throughout the year as any other tropical cities. Rains and heavy showers occur occasionally which always due to precipitation and monsoon season. Hail might sometimes happen in Kuching. However, strong winds, tremors and heavy thunderstorms are very unlikely to occur. It is recommended to visit Kuching during hot season which is from March to October every year. Monsoon season normally occur between November to February. However, the monsoon does not hinder too much of the tourists' activities.
Holidays

Kuching, and Sarawak as a whole celebrate all Federal holidays except Deepavali. Sarawak has also declared holiday for Good Friday (one day) and Gawai Day (two days). Unlike other states in Malaysia, most Islamic events are not being declared holiday, except Federal holidays of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (two days), Hari Raya Aidiladha (one day), Maulud Nabi (one day) and Awal Muharram (one day).

Avoid touring to Santubong area during first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri due to heavy traffic at Petra Jaya. Tourists can expect a grand celebration for every major holidays with big open houses such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Gawai. Try to observe Gawai Day celebration since that Gawai Day is only being declared holiday in Sarawak.
Orientation

Kuching city can be divided into few areas:

* Padawan - It's a small town at the outskirt of Kuching city. It's popular with its traditional Bidayuh kampungs and longhouses. This area is home for multiracial communities such as Bidayuhs, Javanese, Malay, Chinese and Iban & Orang Ulu settlers.

* Kota Sentosa - Before being named Kota Sentosa, Kota Sentosa is called (even now) 'Batu Tujuh' or 7th Mile. This area is a commercial hub for people from Batu Kitang, Kg. Haji Baki and surrounding areas. Sarawak Mental Hospital is also located here. Kota Sentosa has also grown its importance due to it's vicinity of Army Camps.

* BDC - BDC was long time ago a remote housing area. However, today it has grown importance as a commercial hub for Stutong and Tabuan Heights area and also a growing elite housing areas.

* Tabuan Jaya - Tabuan Jaya, like BDC, was long time ago a remote housing area. Today, it has emerged into Kuching satellite city. It is also well connected to other important areas in Kuching such as Pending, BDC, Muara Tabuan Industrial Estate and Demak Jaya Industrial Estate.

* Pending - Pending is an industrial area. Major industrial players here, among them are Komag, CMS Concrete, Gold Coin Fertilizer and Sarawak Clinker Plant. Pending is connected to Kuching city centre via Padungan.

* Batu Kawa - Batu Kawa got its name from volcano crater found at Gunung Serapi. It has now emerged into important satellite city of Kuching, which consist of MJC Commercial Area (with condominium housing, elite housing areas and shoplots), Sg. Maong and Pekan Rantau Panjang.
* Matang - Matang is another emerging town under Kuching. Among its prominent attraction is Matang Jaya and Gita.

* 3rd Mile - 3rd Mile is also one emerging commercial area. It was home to first private school in Sarawak, Sunny Hill School and also old-fashioned cinema, Capitol Cinema. 3rd Mile was once an important train route in Kuching.

* Padungan - Padungan is the oldest commercial hub in Kuching. Chinatown is located here. It's also an important area for nightlife (clubbing and night outting), 4 to 5-star hotels (such as Crowne Plaza, Hilton, Holiday Inn & soon-to-be-opened Novotel), popular tourist spots (Kuching Waterfront, cat statues etc) and also shopping hub.

* Simpang Tiga - Simpang Tiga is famous with its federal government complex, Swinburne university and newly opened The Spring shopping mall.

* Satok - Satok is the most widely spoken place among tourists for its weekend market. It is also the smallest DUN (State Legislative) area in Sarawak.

* Petra Jaya - Petra Jaya is home for majority of Malay population in Kuching, and most probably in Sarawak. It has a lot of Malay kampungs, low-cost housing schemes, housing estates and it is also a headquarters for Sarawak state government, which is an idea later copied by Federal Government for their Putrajaya. Petra Jaya consist of area from Kg. Tupong to Semariang to Demak Laut Industrial Estate.

* Santubong - Santubong is located 30km away from Kuching. It is a tourist spot for beach and annual international events such as the World Rainforest Music Festival.

source taken from: http://www.guidepicker.com/

KUCHING : WHAT TO DRINK IN KUCHING

Be sure to try Sarawak coffee - it is delicious and can be found in any local 'Kopi-tiam' (coffee shop). Also, try a drink called White Lady. It usually consists of evaporated milk and a syrup base with fruit and a slice of lemon within. The colors vary from yellow to pink.

The local favourite of White Lady is made by Ah Meng's stall at Hui Sing Hawker Centre at Hui Sing Garden. Another of the stall's signature drink is Metahorn, made with jellies, syrup and local fruits. There are various knock-offs in Kuching but the taste is different.

There are plenty of good bars and are usually grouped together in areas around Kuching.

Bars

Kuching has a large number of clubbing districts.

Padungan Road is in the city centre, in the Chinatown area. There are a handful of bars along this stretch that mainly cater to the working-class Yuppie crowd.

• Ipanema. A nice place for a relaxing drink. The kitchen serves good meals and tapas and they have Kilkenny Irish beer on tap.
• Soho. Loud, packed to the rafters dance club. Be sure to try the special Soho cocktail, the Maui Mudslide.
• The Office.
• MOJO@Denise. Famous for what is now known as The De Leon Inccident, in which famous fillipino Rugby player Tom De Leon claimed to be 'a man' yet was unable to finish Mojo's favourite cocktail, the lamborgini. Locals still have a laugh about the incident to this day.
• Grappa. A young and fun club bar located at 58 Padugan Road Kuching. It has a riveting sound system that literally shakes the dance floor playing all drum and bass, hip hop, R&B etc.

Travillion in Petanak, just after Padungan Road, is home to many newer bars and mainly caters to the Young College crowd. It has bright signage, cheap alcohol, and Techno music. This area used to be infamous for gang-related brawls and other trouble - however the number of incidences have decreased significantly and while its generally considered safe now, it still pays to be a bit careful.

• amoeba'r. Ambient/chillout music, self-proclaimed retro-modern decor.
• MC3. Club that plays techno and house music.
• Zen.
• BarZing!. Probably nicest place at the Travillion mall. Friendlier than the other establishments.
• Jungle.
• Fire. One of the newest joints to open here. A good crowd that dances to Chinese Pop-Techno. Opens from 2.30PM for happy hour everyday.

Taman Sri Sarawak is opposite the Hilton Hotel. This area is the closest to the Kuching Waterfront and mainly caters to the Tourist Crowd.

• Latino.
• Cats City.
• Rainforest.

Bukit Mata, a short stroll from Taman Sri Sarawak, . It is still popular with Tourists and the local regulars. Bars include:

• GOAL CAFE.
• The Cottage.
• Piccadilly's Music Cafe.

And a few more scattered elsewhere:

• Link. Kuching Civic Centre 22F, Jalan Budaya (http://www.links-entertainment.com.my/). Located 22 stories up the Civic Centre (press Level 2 in the lift). Its very posh, classy, and expensive - but has stunning 360-degree views of Kuching City. You will need to grab a taxi to get here as it is located outside of the City centre.

• The Living Room. Wayang Street (opposite Fata Hotel, a few shops from Blablabla Restaurant). A nice and very loungey Tapas bar that's decorated with a Iban/Balinese theme. Be sure to sit outside in the 'longhouse' area where you can lie on comfortable cushions and gaze at the night sky while sipping Mojitos. The food is also excellent.

• Senso. Inside Hilton Hotel. Very modern and chic design with chill-out music and the occasional live band. It is one of the nicest bars in Kuching and they have an extensive cocktail list. Unless you're somebody important, expect a dress-code policy to be enforced.

• Jackies. This place is one of the finer establishments in Kuching. It is quite regular to see amazing live performances from local singers and dancers. Be sure to dress stylish as Jackie's enforces strict rules to ensure the trendy, classy, inner urban feel remains.

• Victoria's Arms. Inside Merdeka Palace Hotel. The only true 'English Tavern' in Kuching. Its a big place with live bands, English pub food, and expensive wooden interior. They have a cover-charge and dress-code for non-hotel guests. Fridays are 'Ladies's Nights' and are very popular.

• B3Two . Jalan Central Timor. Originally a spot which catered for large house parties, B3Two turned itself into on of the crazier night spots. Expats, who own the business, organise drinking games where locals and foreigners come together for wild after dark adventures. For 18-30 yr olds seeking a fun night out, be sure to head there. Has been recently announced that B3Two won the bidding to host Ryan Jon Dunn's 21st where LGBT people from all around the globe are expected to attend.

• Rentap. 3rd Mile Area. One of Kuchings more refined venues, chilled out Rentap is a great place to enjoy a cocktail. The only thing classier than the clientel is the slick decor. However, be sure to dress up - if you're not wearing a collar, don't even bother. Every Saturday is Latin Jazz night, so bring your dancing shoes! Free entry, closes at 1am sharp.

• Ruai Apai, Green Hills. Very cultural with Iban and Bidayuh influenced decoration. Probably the only bar that serves locally brewed tuak (rice wine). A definite must go for the experience.

Cafes

• Bing!, Padungan Road. A laid-back cafe with a Balinese theme that serves excellent Lattes and fresh fruit juices. They are also popular for their cakes, deli-style gourmet sandwiches and light meals.

• Tao, Padungan Road. A cafe with a funky Buddha theme, and relaxing water-feature inside. They serve espresso coffees, fruit juices, cakes and sandwiches. They also have a private art gallery upstairs.

• The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, inside Sarawak Plaza Shopping Centre and departure lounge of Kuching International Airport. That popular franchise.

• Starbucks, inside Kuching International Airport, next to KFC; and inside The Spring. Another popular franchise.

• Frappe, Travillion area. A small cafe with contemporary furnishings. They have excellent coffee and cakes.

• Caffe` Cino, Inside Hilton Hotel. They serve good coffee, desserts and meals. But the prices are a bit on the high side.

• Scoops, Taman Sri Sarawak (opposite Hilton Hotel). A cool joint that opened in 2006. They specialise in a range of Gelatos and change the flavors daily. They also serve coffee and cakes. Very good ambience and nice atmosphere.

• Kluang Station, Inside The Spring. A franchise offering old-school 'kopitiam' coffee with toast and half-boiled eggs in a relaxing and clean setting reminiscent of indo-china colonial coffee shops.

• Kaya & Toast, Satok. If you love classic but classy 'kopitiam' to enjoy toasted breads with wide range of filling, try this one.

KUCHING : WHERE TO SLEEP IN KUCHING

Budget

• Pinnacles Kuching, Level 1, Lot 21, Block G, Taman Sri Sarawak Mall, Jalan Borneo, 93100, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, Tel.: +60-82-419100, (http://www.pinnacleskuching.com). Located right smack in the middle of Kuching’s golden triangle which comprises Hilton, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza Hotels, so rest assured that you will be strategically and conveniently located in close proximity to the best amenities and services the city can offer. Reasonable price and CLEAN. (http://www.pinnacleskuching.com)

• The Fairview, No.6 Jalan Taman Budaya, Tel.: +60-82-240017, +60-13-8011561, (http://www.thefairview.com.my). Colonial House with tropical garden, a nice place that feels like home.

• Singgahsana Lodge, No.1 Temple Street, 93000 Kuching (opposite Harbour View Hotel). Tel.: +60-82-429 277, (http://www.singgahsana.com/). A hip Back-packers lodge that is centrally located at the Kuching waterfront. Complete with longhouse decor and artifacts. The staff are a bit smug and self-important, but it is clean, safe and very reasonably priced.

• Berambih Lodge, No.104 Ewe Hai Street, 93100 Kuching (behind Main Bazaar). Tel.: +60-82-238589 (http://www.berambih.com/) New guesthouse, clean and friendly. Longhouse style. Highly recommended. Breakfast included.

• LODGE 121, Lot 121, 1st Floor, Sec.33 KTLD, Tabuan Road, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak.(Opposite Borneo Hotel and next to Kuching Prison along Tabuan Road ). Tel.: +60-82-428121 (http://www.lodge121.com/) New guesthouse, Come to Lodge 121 to experience the 'home-away-from-home' ambience. With our vast hospitality background, our primary objective is to provide visitors a Clean, Cozy, Comfortable and Safe place to stay when they visit the Land of the Hornbills. Highly recommended. Friendly staff. Breakfast with Kaya included.

• Newly opened budget hotel operated by chain linked to AirAsia

Mid-range

• Harbour View Hotel. Lorong Temple, 93100 Kuching. Tel: +60-82-274 666, (http://www.harbourview.com.my/index.html). A two-three star business-class hotel that is centrally located in front of the Kuching Waterfront. The standard rooms are actually quite basic and is nothing to shout about. Despite that, its still usually occupied by Tour Groups.

• Hotel Grand Continental. Jln. Ban Hock, 93100 Kuching. Tel: +60-82-230 399, (http://www.grandcontinental.com.my/continental_kuching_home.asp?propertykey=13&roomtype=0). A comfortable 3-star hotel located about 15 minutes walk from the Kuching Waterfront.

• The LimeTree Hotel (http://www.limetreehotel.com.my) - A 50-room & suites boutique hotel in city center adjacent to Chinatown and minutes away from the Waterfront and malls.

• Kuching Park Hotel. Lot 606 Pandungan Road, Kuching. Tel: +60-82-239 888, (http://www.pinganchorage.com.my/malaysia_hotel/kuching_park_hotel.htm). A standard 2-3 star hotel located a short drive away from the city centre.

• Kingwood Inn. Lot 618 Pandungan Road, Kuching. Tel: +60-82-330 888, (http://www.kuchinghotels.net/index.html). Another standard hotel that's probably abit better than Kuching Park Hotel.

• Damai Puri Resort & Spa. Teluk Penyuk Santubong P O Box 3058, 93762 Kuching. Tel: +6082 846900. This resort fronting Damai Beach has 207 beautiful guestrooms and a Spa Village, which boasts secluded massage villas, a yoga pavilion, hair spa, and a tea house that serves organic gourmet. Damai Puri Resort & Spa also has 2 outdoor pools, tennis courts, a 600-cap ballroom, and meeting rooms, and organizes jungle treks and water sports. Wi-Fi Internet is available.

Splurge

• Riverside Majestic Kuching, Formerly known as Crown Plaza Riverside Kuching, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, tel. +60-82-247777, (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/6c/1/en/hd/kchrs). Despite the name, this is the one riverside hotel that isn't actually riverside (although it's just across the street).

• Hilton Kuching, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, tel. +60-82-248200, (http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=KUCHITW). Probably the top digs in town, with great riverside location. Make sure you get a river view, extra but well worth it.

• Grand Margerita Hotel, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, tel. +60-82-423111, (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/6c/1/en/hd/kchmy). Formerly known as Holiday Inn Kuching. Visitors can gain access to the Sarawak Plaza, a shopping complex situated adjacent to it. You can also go to Tun Jugah and Parkson conveniently. International franchise outlet such as Starbuck, Kenny Roggers, KFC and McDonald's are nearby.

• Merdeka Palace Hotel, Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, tel. +60-82-258000, (http://www.merdekapalace.com). Kuching's oldest luxury hotel, its rooms aren't quite as spectacular as the lobby, but the hotel has infinitely more colonial character than the riverside set. Located right next to the Sarawak Museum, yet still within striking distance of the riverfront. The rooftop pool has a great view over Kuching. Rack rates steep at around RM300, but steep discounts in the off season can chop that in half.

• Somerset Gateway Kuching, Jalan Bukit Mata, tel: +60-82-250958 (http://www.somersetgatewaykuching.com/). Part of the Ascott group of hotels, they offer comfortable serviced-apartments in the city centre.

• 360 Hotel. Hock Lee Centre, Hotel Tower, Jalan Datuk Aband Abdul Rahim. Tel: +60-82-484888, (http://www.360kuching.com). A five star business-class hotel that is located beside Hock Lee Shopping Centre.

• Four Points Hotel by Sheraton. A brand new four star business-class hotel, located at Jalan Lapangan Terbang, 5 minutes away from Kuching International Airport.

Hotels coming soon includes:

• Pullman Kuching
• Marriott Kuching
• Cititel Express

KUCHING : MONEY AND SHOPPING IN KUCHING

There's some interesting shopping in Kuching. For a wide selection of tribal handicrafts and touristy gewgaws, head down to the aptly named Main Bazaar street on the Kuching waterfront. It's worth going inside for a look, as many shops have larger and more authentic collections hidden away upstairs or in a back room.

Note that, in this mostly Christian city, some shops close on Sundays.

Markets

• Sunday Market (Pasar Minggu), off Jln. Satok (between Esso gas station and Wisma Satok). A Kuching institution, starting every Saturday afternoon and winding down by noontime Sunday. Very much a workaday market, with tourists few and far between, the emphasis is on fresh food of every description. Be sure to try some apam balik (pancake with nuts and margerine, very filling, absolutely delicious and only RM1 a piece). Bring along suitable footwear plus a tolerance for heat, crowds and powerful odors.

• Two other local markets, more conveniently located and open daily, can be found at the west end of Jln. India.

Shopping Centres

• Boulevard Mall, located at Mile 4 Kuching-Serian Road (not far from Regional Bus Terminal). Opened in late December 2007. It offers a Boulevard Hypermarket and Department Store plus a variety of shopping outlets like Sony Centre, Popular Book store and fast foods outlets such as Sushi King, Kenny Rogers Roasters and Manhattan Fish Market. The management is currently expanding the mall. Phase 2 will be ready in 2009.

• The Spring (http://www.thespring.com.my), located at Jalan Simpang Tiga (between the city centre and airport). Opened to the public in January 2008, The Spring is Kuching's largest and 1st true lifestyle shopping mall. Shiny and new, it offers many international brands like Esprit, Mango, Charles & Keith, Starbucks, Padini and Collection and Quiksilver etc. spread over two stories and a basement. Factory Outlet Store (FOS) selling rejected yet qualitied clothes are available too. It also has a Parkson Department Store and a supermarket, Ta Kiong offering many imported goods. The MPH bookstore is also available.

• Green Heights Mall, located at Jalan Lapangan Terbang, Kuching's first suburban neighbourhood small mall, with an international Cold Storage Supermarket, with some 4,000 m² of leasable space, opened on the 13 June 2008. It also has Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves as one of its tenant.

• Sarawak Plaza, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (next to Grand Margherita Hotel). One of Kuching's older malls. Lea Center as the anchor tenant in it, selling variety of shoes. Recently, it has just been renovated and it promises to provide a better shopping environment for the locals and foreigners.

• Tun Jugah, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (opposite Sarawak Plaza). Stands majestically twelve storeys tall at the commercial and financial hub of Kuching City. It comprises of three levels of retail stores, nine levels of office space, and two levels of basement car park. It also has one of the major local bookstores, Popular as one of its anchor tenant in it.

• Wisma Saberkas, located at the junction of Jln. Tun Abang Haji Openg and Jln. Rock, is a round tower on the outskirts (approximately 15 minutes from the Waterfront) that offers a feast of hi-tech products based around mobile telephones and computers.

• Riverside Shopping Complex, Jln. Tunku Abdul Rahman (opposite Sarawak Plaza). Standard Parkson fare, with Times Bookstore, shoe shops, jewelery and the likes. Also Giant Supermarket under the same roof. It has the fast food restaurant franchise like KFC and SugarBun as its tenants.

• Kenyalang Park, Kenyalang Suburb. A very old place that consists of a cluster of shophouses and one enclosed area. Its the place to go if you want to find cheap items like clothes, accessories and DVDs/VCDs. Around Jan-Feb, Chinese families come here to get supplies for the Chinese New Year celebrations - which are available only once a year.

• Crown Square, Towards Pending, opposite Hock Lee Centre. A small but newly refurbished shopping mall. Its tenanted by Mr. Ho's Fine Foods & Restaurant as well as a Japanese, Indonesian and Chinese restaurant - on top of several standard fashion outlets. Also, the biggest baby and kids outlet in Kuching, Mummycare and Kiddycare are located on the 2nd and 3rd floor with a total area of 6000sq ft and 5000 sq ft.

• Hock Lee Centre, Jln. Abang Abdul Rahim. The place to find and buy cheap clothes and fashion accessories for the young females. There are electronics and a supermarket in the basement and Home & Living on the ground and 1st floor. One of the major bookstores in Kuching, Smart Bookshop is under the same roof. A Hock Lee Music Centre is also available on the 3rd floor(previously was on the 2nd floor) which sells a wide variety of musical instruments(be warned that these are not traditional instruments).

• Wisma Satok, off Jln Satok, just a pedestrian bridge away from the location of the Sunday Market. One of the older malls in Kuching. Cheap items can be found here. There's a departmental store and supermarket. A high concentration of mediocre cyber cafe is at the fourth floor. CIMB Bank is located beside Wisma Satok.

• Wisma Hopoh, Jalan P. Ramlee, near Syaria Court. Just a walk away from Sarawak Museum. A small and old shopping centre yet still frequented by shoppers. Its tenant includes Lea Sports Centre, Jee Kwong Optics and the fast food restaurant franchise, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).

KUCHING : HOW THEY TALK IN KUCHING

Kuching is very multicultural place, and most people speak at least Malay and their ethnic tongue, with quite a few speaking English as well. The ability to speak either Malay, English or Mandarin is usually enough for someone in Kuching to get by.

While standard Malay is well understood, the local dialect, known as Bahasa Melayu Sarawak, is different enough to be legally categorized as its own language. Malays from coastal part of Sarawak, especially the one from Sebuyau, Kabong, Saratok, Betong, Sri Aman and the surrounding areas speak different dialect called Bahasa Orang Laut. Malays from Sibu and Miri speak similar language with Kuchingites Malay, but they have some terms unique to their dialect, for example Pia in Sibu (in Kuching, they called it Sia, which means there), Cali in Miri (in Kuching, they called it Jenaka, which means funny).

Most Chinese in Kuching speak Hokkien (Minnan) as their native tongue, but Mandarin is the standard language of education and spoken by nearly all Chinese in Kuching.

The Iban language is spoken by some Iban people in Kuching, but almost all of them also understand Malay. You may also encounter speakers of other tribal languages like Bidayuh, Melanau

The lack of a homogeneous language used by the peoples is also clearly reflected around the city. Signs such as road names are written in Malay and Chinese. Street signs are in Malay. Shop names and other private signs are usually written in Malay, English or/and Chinese.

KUCHING : GET AROUND KUCHING

By bus

Kuching stage buses nowadays have quite a sad reputation for a few reasons. The most obvious fact is that the bus companies are still using old chassis (half of the fleet is 15-20 years old) despite covering it up with (apparently) modern bodywork. It results in cheap fares, but passengers will have to bear with the inconvenience of noise (like you hear in old cars) and heat (for non-A/C buses). Although all buses show route numbers, most (if not all) buses neither show names of bus termini (the last bus stops) nor en route landmarks or places of interest. Therefore, it is wise to ask the bus driver where the bus ends it route and whether your destination lies along that particular route before grabbing the seat of the bus.

Do not expect any brochures showing route information from the bus companies. It is best to just ask around if you really need a bus to wherever you want to go. To add things worse, the Kuching City Centre does not have a main bus terminal.

Local stage buses are run by 6 companies of colourful assortments, 5 of which are in a consortium, but there's a reasonably logical route numbering system and bus stops usually have some signage indicating bus route numbers.

• Sarawak Transport Company (STC) - these green and beige STC buses mainly serve downtown and along the protocol roads leading southbound out of the city centre.

• Chin Liang Long Motor Vehicle Company (CLL) - these blue and white CLL buses serve almost all routes (fixed, radial dan cross-town) within the Kuching City South limits.

• Matang Transport Company (MTC) - these orange and beige MTC buses serve the Kuching-Matang road and suburban settlements along the northern bank of the Sarawak River. This company is the only one not included in the Kuching City Bus Services consortium.

• Petra Jaya Transport - these white buses with red, yellow and black striped livery serve the outskirts of Kuching City North (routes ending at Damai and Bako) and also the Kuching-Kota Sentosa-Kota Samarahan route.

• Regas Transport Company - these brown and purple buses are rarely seen nowadays serving mainly downtown areas.

• Bau Transport Company - these brown and red buses serve the Kuching-Bau route.

Bus drivers and conductors do not actually have Public Relations and Tourist Guiding as part of their training syllabi. Should the bus conductor exist, kindly demand for the ticket because some bus inspectors might just walk inside and do a surprise inspection of passengers' tickets. There are some OMO (One Man Operation) buses that are equipped with a big coin box beside the driver's seat. Ask for the fare first before inserting the exact change into the box. Sit in the front half of the bus so you have easy access to the driver or conductor. Cheating, pickpocketing and sexual harrassment might sometimes occur in public buses, so be watchful of your surroundings.

Kuching city hotels had once banded together to offer a free City Tram (really just a bus) service that shuttles around major sights once every hour. You would just ask for a City Tram sticker and route map from your hotel lobby. As of the year 2008, the service has been terminated due to technical problems.

Inconsistent passenger load along certain routes can lead to drops in frequency and thus, bus operators cannot comply to a fixed timetable and that results in frustrating delays.

By shuttle van

Yellow roofed kereta sewa or shuttle vans fill the void left by stage bus operators, offering somewhat more frequent trips throughout Kuching to as far as Tebedu and Bau. Each shuttle van has their own commuting routes so watch out the routes by reading the destination on the body of the van. Minimum fare for each trip is RM1 and increases with respect to distance. Fares also differ from one shuttle van to another plying the same route by commuting frequency, peak and off-peak periods and passenger load. If in doubt, ask the passengers, not the driver.

By taxi

Taxis are somewhat expensive in Kuching. Although taxis are metered, the drivers seldom use it and normally they will charge you any fare they like. Reasonable taxi fare from Kuching city centre to Santubong is RM42 (after considering June 2008 petrol price hike). Some hotels provide their own shuttle vans or buses to designated tourism spots and city centre. Kindly check with your hotel should they provide this kind of service.

By car

All major roads in Kuching city and suburban areas are well tarred and fairly maintained. Driving orientation is on the left (like most of the former colonies of the British Empire) and is generally slow-paced. Speed limits on dual-carriageway roads can reach a maximum of 90km/h and can be reduced to 80km/h or 70km/h during festival seasons.

Tourists from cosmopolitan cities may not appreciate the driving attitude of local road users. Some drivers tend to make a turn or overtake without using indicators, and others drive beyond the speed limit. You may also find a handful of road hoggers (cars, lorries and even motorcycles alike). Honk car horns and flash high beams with careful discretion.

Self-driving in and around Kuching can be challengingly fun. Directional signs in Kuching are so inadequate and it takes a good road map and a good sense of direction to get you around.

Car rental companies:

By motorcycle

Three Bikes Rental & Services

3 Bikes Rental & Services is the First Licensed Motorcycle Rental Co. in Malaysia. Why Choose 3 Bikes Rental? Simply because with us you are Licensed and Legally renting a bike in Kuching, Sarawak Borneo. For more information, Please Contact The first licensed Motorcycle Rental Company for Tourists in Malaysia 3bikes Rental Company (Kuching) email: threebikesrental@yahoo.com or http://www.borneorental.blogspot.com/ Safety and Customer’s satisfaction is our priority.

By river taxi

For a leisurely commute across the Sarawak River, river taxis locally known as tambang or penambang offers daily services at various points along the Kuching Waterfront, with a one-way fare at RM0.30. The fare hikes up to RM1 from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. the next day. Kindly place the exact change on the designated plate instead of giving it to the operator, as you disembark the river taxi at your destination.

By boats

Boats are sometimes available for visitors who wish to travel from one place to another along the Sarawak River.

By speedboats

Speedboats are available for people who wish to go to Taman Negara Bako, Satang Island and Layang-layang Island from Santubong. Rate differs according to hotels, and in regards to public holidays, peak hours and etc. Check schedule and rates at the respective hotels, such as Damai Lagoon.

By helicopter

In case you are in hurry or in the event to experience luxuriousness, helicopter and other method of air transports are available by using Hornbill Skyways.

By cruises

Cruised might not be available at the posting date. Previously, it was available for tourists who wish to go for sightseeing along the Sarawak River.

On foot

Kuching is unusually pedestrian-friendly for a Malaysian city, with tree-lined sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, and the city core is compact enough to cover on foot. Good walks include the Kuching Waterfront and the pedestrian shopping street of Jalan India (Kuching's Little India).

Black Pepper Chicken Rice- RM5.50 - still the same price compared to the last time I had many months back.

Recipe of how to cook Black Pepper Fish Rice:

Ingredients

600g fish fillet
1 tbsp corn flour
Enough oil for deep-frying
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 shallots
1 tbsp black peppercorns, crushed
1 tsp chopped bird’s eye chillies
3 slices ginger
3 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp Shao Hsing Hua Tiau wine
50g carrot, cut into slices
5 dried chillies, halved
2 stalks leeks, use white part only, sliced at a slant

Marinade (A)

2 tsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Shao Hsing Hua Tiau wine
1 tbsp egg white
1 tbsp water

Sauce (B)

2 tbsp light soya sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
1½ tbsp ginger juice
1 tbsp black vinegar (chit choe)
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp corn flour
4–5 tbsp water

Method

Cut fish fillet into 1cm-thick slices. Season with marinade (A) for 15–20 minutes. Just before deep-frying sprinkle with 1 tablespoon corn flour.

Heat enough oil in a wok, fry the garlic and shallot slices until crispy and golden.

Dish out and drain on crushed paper towels.

With the remaining hot oil deep-fry fish slices for 3–4 minutes. Remove and drain from oil.

In a clean wok, heat the sesame oil and add the crushed black peppercorns, bird’s eye chillies, ginger and dried chillies. Fry until fragrant then add in sauce (B), carrot and leeks.

Stir-fry for 20–30 seconds. Return the pre-fried fish into the wok. Fry briefly until well combined.

Drizzle in 1/2 tablespoon Shao Hsing Hua Tiau wine and fry until fragrant. Add garlic and shallot crisps.

recipe source taken from: http://kuali.com/

Found an article about what to eat in Kuching.

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. Although most places are quite clean, there are some which are not. A rule of thumb is if you're not comfortable with it, then walk somewhere else. There are plenty to choose from!

Sarawakian dishes

Unlike fellow Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, the range of food and drinks in Sarawak, particularly Kuching is somewhat different. Here are the food you might never heard of when you browse through the food menu:

• Sarawak Laksa. Sarawak Laksa is the most noticably Sarawakian food in Kuching. It was a favourite among Sarawakian from Chinese and Malay decent. It has a base of Sambal belacan, sour tamarind, garlic, galangal, lemon grass and coconut milk, topped with omelette strips, chicken strips, prawns, fresh coriander and optionally lime. Ingredients such as bean sprouts, (sliced) fried tofu or other seafood are not traditional but are sometimes added. Non-Halal Sarawak Laksa can be found at most Chinese coffee shops while Halal Sarawak Laksa can be found at most Malay coffee shops (and some Mamak too). Halal and non-Halal Sarawak Laksa don't have so much difference, except with the usage of halal chicken meat, and the cooking utensils used by the cook. Chinese-version of Sarawak Laksa has less thicker gravy but rich with condiments and toppings, while Malay-version of Sarawak Laksa has thicker gravy but more 'taugeh' (or beansprouts).

• Kolok Mee. Kolok Mee is a type of noodle dish commonly found in Sarawak. It is served throughout the day - for breakfast, lunch or even supper (though some eateries only serve kolok mee until noon because supplies run out). It is made of egg noodle, blanched in water that looks like instant noodle and served in a light sauce with some condiments like sliced pork, chicken cutlets, minced meat or sometimes (quite rare) shredded beef. The difference between Kolok Mee and Wantan Mee, which is popular in the Peninsula, is that Kolok Mee is not drenched in dark soy sauce and water is not added to the noodles when served. Kolok mee comes in two common flavors: plain or seasoned with red sauce (cooks tend to seasoned kolok mee with red sauce when they are served with pork). Occasionally, diners can also request their kolok mee to be seasoned with soy sauce, to give the dish a darker appearance and enhance its saltiness.

• Mi Sapi. Mi Sapi is a gravy-ish version of Kolok Mee. It is garnished and prepared just like Kolok Mee with a slight difference in cooking method. The noodle can be somewhat egg noodle been used in Kolok Mee, or Mee Pok (or mi sanggul - a curly type of noodle similar to Angelhair Spaghetti).

• Manok Pansoh. Manok Pansoh is the most common dish among Iban. It is a chicken dish which normally be eaten with white rice. Chicken pieces are cut and stuffed into the bamboo together with other ingredients like mushrooms, lemongrass, tapioca leaves etc and cooked over an open fire - similar to the way lemang is cooked. This natural way of cooking seals in the flavours and produces astonishingly tender chicken with a gravy perfumed with lemongrass and bamboo. Manok Pansoh cannot be found easily in all restaurants and coffee shops. Some restaurants require advanced booking of Manok Pansoh dish prior to your arrival.

• Manok Kacangma. Manok Kacangma is a Chinese type of dish which has grown popularity among all races in Sarawak. It is a chicken dish which normally be eaten with white rice. Kacangma is a type of herb which normally being used for medical and healing purposes. It is believed that woman who eat Manok Kacangma can enjoy ease menses. As for Malay, they normally cook Manok Kacangma without wine, while as for Iban and Chinese, they squinch in wine for more delicate taste. You can try Manok Kacangma when you eat 'Nasi Campur' during lunch hours in Kuching. However, it is extremely hard to find a coffee shop or restaurant who serve one.

• Umai. Umai is a raw fish salad popular among various ethnic groups of Sarawak, especially the Melanaus. In fact, umai is a traditional working lunch for the Melanau fishermen. Umai is prepared raw from freshly caught fish, iced but not frozen. Main species used include Mackerel, Bawal Hitam and Umpirang. It is made mainly of thin slivers of raw fish, thinly sliced onions, chilli, salt and the juice of sour fruits like lime or assam. It is usually accompanied by a bowl of toasted sago pearls instead of rice. Its simplicity makes it a cinch for fishermen to prepare it aboard their boats. Umai Jeb, a raw fish salad without other additional spices, is famous among Bintulu Melanaus. However, it is rarely prepared in Kuching. You can try umai when you eat 'Nasi Campur' during lunch hours in Kuching. Most coffee shops, especially Malay/Bumiputera-owned one, served umai daily for 'Nasi Campur'.

• Midin. The locals greatly indulge in jungle fern such as the midin (quite similar to pucuk paku that is popular in the Peninsular). Midin is much sought after for its crisp texture and great taste. Midin is usually served in two equally delicious ways - fried with either garlic or belacan. You can try Midin when you eat 'Nasi Campur' during lunch hours in Kuching. Most coffee shops, served Midin daily for 'Nasi Campur'.

• Bubur Pedas. Unlike many other porridge that we know, Bubur Pedas is cooked with a specially prepared paste. It is quite spicy thanks to its ingredients, which include spices, turmeric, lemon grass, galangal, chillies, ginger, coconut and shallots. Like the famous Bubur Lambuk of Kuala Lumpur, Bubur Pedas is exclusive dish prepared during the month of Ramadan and served during the breaking of fast. So don't expect to eat Bubur Pedas at anytime you want!

• Mi Jawa. Mi Jawa in Kuching or Sarawak in general is somewhat different from the one served in Peninsular Malaysia, or even at its birthplace Java island. It is a thick egg yellow noodle served with tiny slice of chicken and a sprinkle of 'daun sup' (or bay leaves). Some coffee shops serve a 'special' type of Mi Jawa (which you need to add from 50 cents to RM1.50) with an additional few sticks of Satay (Chicken and/or Beef). Mi Jawa is normally served at Malay/Mamak coffee shops.

• Roti Corned Beef. Roti Canai is a widely-known Peninsular-origin of Indian decent food of Malaysia. However, Sarawakian has modified one type of Roti Canai which you might not find it at Peninsular Malaysia, be it at Mamak stall or Malay coffee shops. It is Roti Corned Beef. It is a 'roti canai', with corned beef filling. Long before announcement of Gateway-brand corned beef as not Halal by local religious department, Roti Corned Beef is widely available at Malay and Mamak coffee shops. It can be bought for as low as RM2 per piece due to cheap canned corned beef. However, since the Gateway-brand corned beef was officially considered not Halal, Roti Corned Beef has lost its popularity and if it does exist, the price can shoot up, ranging from RM4 to RM5 per piece.

• Nasik Aruk. Nasik Aruk is a traditional Sarawakian Malay fried rice. Unlike Nasi Goreng, Nasik Aruk does not use any oil to fry the rice. The ingredients are garlic, onion and anchovies, fried to perfection with very little oil and then the cook will put the rice in. The rice must be fried for longer time (compared to frying rice for Nasi Goreng) for the smokey/slightly-burnt taste to absorb into the rice. It is a common to see Nasik Aruk in the food menu list at Malay and Mamak coffee shops and stalls.

Sarawak, particularly Kuching, has revolutionized its food culture since it's forming with Malaysia on 1963. Wide variety of Peninsular Malaysian food has been part of Sarawakian food for example, Roti Canai, Nasi Lemak, Murtabak and so on. Kuching has also slowly anticipate broader food selection to feed the challenging tastebuds such as Tom Yam, Nasi Paprik and Pattaya (originally from Thailand), Bakso and Soto (originally from Indonesia) and Nasi Ayam Singapura (originally from Singapore). Chinese restaurants have also been daring to try more exquisite cuisine from North China, Korea and Vietnam. Western food has also been widely accepted in Sarawak, especially Kuching. Fastfood chains are also growing, such as KFC, McDonalds, Kenny Roger's Roasters, Secret Recipe and Marrybrown. America's buffet has also taken place in Sarawakian's heart such as Hartz Chicken Buffet. However, traditional Nasi Campur and traditional type of breakfast, high tea and dinner are always part of Sarawakian. It's getting common to see more modernized and educated generation of Kuchingites slowly adapting Western food culture such as eating pasta or pizza for dinner.

Dietary restriction guides

As a guide to Muslim visitors, some of the restaurants serving Chinese food are non-halal, unless stated halal or appear to handover the food preparation to Muslim cooks or sellers. Restaurants who clearly stated pork or/and non-halal substances in their food menu (like using wine for cooking, frog and snakes) are the one you should avoid to. The easiest way to look for halal restaurants are by looking at their halal certificate. Ensure that they display halal certificate produced by JAIS Sarawak, JAKIM or HDC Malaysia. Sometimes the restaurant owners choose not to display it, so please demand the certificate if they claimed that they serve halal food.

For vegeterian visitors, always look for the one who clearly stating vegeterian food only. Some vegeterian meals served can still contain non-vegeterian substances like anchovies, chicken stock and lard. Please check with the restaurant owners for confirmation on their cooking substances.

Budget

• Finest Cafe, at 新时代广场 Travilion (located between the landmark of Kuching Big White Cat and HSBC building). Finest Cafe is at the same row as the Great Eastern Insurance Building. Kolo Mee and 色香味小档 stalls cook assorted hawker food, especially their 'Curry Mee' (very spicy) and Cantonese style 'home-cook fast food 杂菜饭', are all heavenly! Hazati stall offers halal 'Malay-style chicken rice' of juicy tender chicken meat that comes with 3 different sauces; black pepper, butter and salad. 'Boneless steam chicken' with home-made sesame sauce has just been added into the menu. Malay Corner stall offers great range of finger-licking halal good food and their 'Special Laksa' is a real treat for your adventurous taste buds!

• Chong Choon, Jln. Abell (opposite Maybank). One of Kuching's two famous laksa joints. Usually sold out by noon.

• Choon Hui, Jln. Ban Hock (near Grand Continental Hotel). The other famous laksa joint. Spicy and popular, get here before 10 AM.

• Bishopsgate Coffeeshop, Carpenter Street. Famous for what may be decades already, the Vinegar 'Kolo Mee' and Pork 'Spare-part' soup is what people line up for everyday. Also famous is the man who runs the stall - he is a colorful character who takes your order like a drill sergeant. It opens for breakfast and lunch, but to avoid the crowds, its best to go around 'Brunch' time. When you get a seat, expect to wait awhile for your food. And while you wait, try their excellent 'Teh-C Peng Special' (Strong iced milk-tea with a dark sweet syrup)

• Suan Chicken Rice, Jln. Tunku Abdul Rahman (next to Pizza Hut). A popular lunch-time joint where the office-crowd go for Hainanese Chicken Rice.

• Open Air Market, Jln. Market (opposite Electra House Shopping Centre and near 'Padang Merdeka' Police Station). Despite the name, the place is actually covered. It has a wide variety of stalls serving Malay and Chinese cuisine. Their most popular stall is the one serving Beef Noodles and 'Sio Bi' (pork dumplings). Also popular is the fresh porridge and seafood stalls. But beware, this area is not the cleanest of places so order your food from only the most popular stalls.

• Lau Ya Keng Food Court, Carpenter Street (just after the Harmony Arch, opposite a Chinese temple). A simple food court that has been around for decades and is very popular with locals - breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can buy very decent Kolo mee and Sarawak Laksa here. But a lot of people come here for the fish-ball soup and famous pork satay that opens in the early afternoon.

• Hock King Cafeteria * Jalan Ban Hock. Mr Hock and the staff serve up very basic, but quite generous meals though out the day. Mr Hock is one of the better hosts in Kuching and is fluent in multiple lanuages and will do almost anything to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Many local celebrities, such as LGBT Australian volleyballer and underwear model Ryan Jon Dunn stop by for lunch reqularly as Hock King is well connected in the local sporting & entartainment scenes.

• KY Cafe, Sekama Road (A corner shop opposite Hollywood KTV Lounge, about 10 minutes walk from the Kuching City South Council building). Run by a band of three brothers, they serve what is arguably the best 'Kolo Mee' in town. Characterized by being served in an orange plastic bowl, this 'Kolo Mee' tastes a little bit on the sweet side and has the distinction of tasting much better towards the end. They also have excellent wanton soup.

• Ceria Cafe, Satok. This shop served best halal Sarawak Laksa in the city. If you demand for omelette strips in your laksa, ask for special which is a mere RM1 addition to the regular price. You can try their Mee Jawa and 'kopi keras' too.

• Bismillah Cafe, Satok & 7th Mile. If you love Indian and Mamak food, try this one. They serve good Nasi Beriyani, roti canai and teh tarik.

• Sepinang Sari Cafe & Restaurant, Satok next to Carpet Shop sells the best Mi Sapi HjSalleh and usually operates from 6.00 AM to 5.30PM daily. You will also find delisous Laksa Sarawak and Mi Jawa you tast once and always wanted. Bon apetite.

• Singapore Chicken Rice, branch at Padungan, Satok and Kota Samarahan. They serve excellent chicken rice comparable to other established chicken rice shop (including food chain of The Chicken Rice Shop). Other side dishes are baby kailan in oyster sauce and beansprouts.

• Benteng Satok, Satok. There are more than 30 stalls here and it's open until 4am. A wide variety of food are served here, mostly Malay food. Choose the stall wisely because many stalls tend to serve same type of food.

• Jambatan Satok, Satok. This is the best place to try halal grilled chicken wings and grilled ikan sebelah. A total of 8 stalls make up the area with variety of Malay and Chinese food. Muslim visitors might not need to be afraid of their halal status because all of the stalls serve halal food.

• Kubah Ria, Gita. This area comprises of more than 20 stalls. They serve best halal kolo mee and mi sapi of the town. Don't forget to try the grilled chicken wings and local pizza chain of Pizza Ria. The pizzas served at Pizza Ria are so cheap that it costs only RM3.50 per quarter slice! It's cheesy and delicious too!

• Rojak Kuchei Batu Lintang, Batu Lintang. This place served the best rojak India and chicken rojak in the town. Don't be surprised to see a lot of visitors during morning time because this place is constantly crowded with people from the nearby offices during breakfast time.

• The Big Onion, Taman Sri Sarawak. This is quite a new place, budget but not losing its luxuriousness, WiFi ready, comes with chinese food, malay style food and not to forget western cuisine. You will be suprised to when you compare the prices in the menu with the environment it provide. It is just located behind the shoplots opposite Hilton. Pork is not on the menu.

Mid-range

• Khatulistiwa, Jln. Tunku Abdul Rahman (next to Holiday Inn). This distinctive circular hut modeled on a Bidayuh skull house is popular with tourists, and with reason. There's a nice, breezy open-air restaurant downstairs, serving up local and Western favorites including a decent Sarawak laksa and open 24 hours to boot. At night, the hut's upper floors open up as a bar and club, with DJs spinning the night away, though you can also take your meal up there in the evenings.

• Benson Seafood, No. 112 Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman, tel. 082-255262. A riverside restaurant that specializes in fresh seafood Chinese style. It is well-established and don't be surprised to see them catering to groups of tourists.

• Pinoy Grill Cafe, No. 143 Jln Pandungan (next to Pandungan Police Station), tel. 012-8965651. A nice and cosy place that serves delicious Filipino food. The fried whole pork leg is popular.

• Hong Kong Noodle House, Jln Pandungan, (opposite Bing! Cafe). Standard HK fare like roast duck on rice or noodles. They also serve local Chinese dishes and is open for lunch and dinner.

• SideWalk Cafe, Green Heights (Towards airport, on the right-hand side of the BDC flyover/roundabout). Alfresco style western food away from the city near the airport. Its only open in the evenings till late and is popular with locals.

• Mango Tree. You can be sure of a truly authentic Thai experience from the moment you arrive here. Relax in their elegant air conditioned dining room, or dine alfresco in our traditional Thai garden, and choose from a menu that is simply bursting with the vibrant colours, flavours and aromas of the finest Thai cuisine.

• Selera Asam Payak, Satok. If you like to try traditional Malay food, head on to this restaurant. They serve good traditional Malay food at reasonable price.

• Oriental Kitchen, Satok. This restaurant serve variety of Malay and Chinese food. It's halal so Muslim visitors can enjoy this one.

• Hartz Chicken Buffet, Satok & Sarawak Plaza. This buffet restaurant is a franchise to All-American Chicken Buffet of Texas, USA. You can eat as much as you want for as low as RM17.70 per person! Savour the crispy & spicy fried chicken, wide range of salads, mashed potatoes, cakes, breads, ice-creams and fruits. Don't exit the restaurant until you have fulled your stomach!

Splurge

• Dayang Cafe, Satok. It looks like a budget cafe place, but don't be fooled by its looks. The food is a variety of Nasi Campur and roti canai. It might drain out your wallet, but if you love to splurge and being spendthrift, try this one. The old woman who guards the cash machine might look furious and loves to overcharge you, but sometimes can be helpful if you ask for something.

• Green Bento Company, Delivery Service. Visit website for menu, www.greenbento.com

• The Junk, Wayang Street (opposite Fata Hotel), tel. 082-259450. A great restaurant within walking distance from the waterfront that serves Western/Italian fare. It is very popular with both locals and expats alike for its imaginative deco that resembles a mix of Colonial Chinese with lots of antiques adorning the place. The portions are huge and the Lamb Shanks and Fisherman's Basket seem to be the most popular. Bookings are advisable if you have a large group.

• Bla Bla Bla, Wayang Street (a few shops down from The Junk), tel. 082-233944. A Chinese restaurant which is opened by the same restaurateurs as The Junk. It quickly became an institution for fine Chinese cuisine in Kuching shortly after it opened in 2005. The interior is designed with a Balinese theme and some of the dishes they are famous for are the Ostrich-rolls, Soft-shell Crabs, and Drunken Duck. Bookings are advisable.

• The Living Room, Wayang Street (just beside Bla Bla Bla).tel. 012-8880827. 6pm - 12:00am. A third chain by the same restaurateurs as The Junk. It has a nice backyard with fountains suitable for people who are just looking for some relaxation in a busy city. It is a must for people who are looking for pure relaxation. Food from The Junk and Bla bla bla can be ordered over here too. There are some good selections of wines as well. Remember not to miss the famous living room cocktail.

• See Good Food Centre, Off Ban Hock Road (opposite Hua Kuok Inn), tel. 082-251397. A very casual and laid-back restaurant that serves excellent and very fresh seafood. It is very popular with the locals and doesn't take reservations. Therefore it is best to get there early in the evenings to secure a table and minimize the waiting time.

• Top Spot Food Court, Jln. Bukit Mata (Top floor of 'Taman Kereta' Carpark, opposite Tun Jugah Shopping Mall). Has a wide range of food stalls ranging from the budget to the pricey. Most locals and tourists come here for the fresh seafood stalls which are on the pricey side. Most of the stalls serve good food, but beware; always ask to see a menu with prices - some stalls have been known to 'accidentally over-charge' tourists.

• Ristorante Beccari, Jln. Tun Abang Haji (inside Merdeka Palace Hotel), tel. 082-270808. This is Kuching's best and most authentic Italian restaurant. The wood-fired pizzas are excellent.

• Li Garden Chinese Restaurant, Jln. Abang Abdul Rahim (inside Hock Lee Centre, 1st Floor), tel. 082-340785. A popular Chinese restaurant that serves the best Peking Duck in Kuching.

• Waterfront Kiosk, Jln. Tunku Abdul Rahman. If you love to have a drink or two while sightseeing the Sarawak River, this is the place to look up to. They have wide range of food and drinks, but be extra careful, the food are pricey due to influx of tourists who stay at the nearby luxurious hotels like Hilton, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn. Don't try their Sarawak Laksa because it doesn't taste good. However, other food tastes OK.

• Restoran Barok, Kampung Sinjan. This is a place for the one who loves to eat in beautiful surrounding but doesn't bother with the food taste and price. The place virtually don't have any regular visitors due to their aweful service. The food are pricey and tasteless.

• Serapi Corner, 7th Mile. Fancy a 'sauna' of a restaurant? This is a place you can head to. They serve Peninsular Malaysia's Malay style of food. Their specialty is Ikan Keli Bakar Bersambal (Grilled Catfish with Sambal). They tend to overcharge you, so check for the price list. If you don't mind waiting for hours, try this one too. They have a view of hilly road to kill your time.

• Magenta, Jalan Nanas. Beautiful colonial building with restful oriental ambiance with dreamy romantic atmosphere. Good menu with large portions. Speciality is lamb shank with mashed potato which sounds bland but is very tasty. Bit on the pricey side so is good for a treat once in a while. You will need a taxi to get there as it's a bit outside the city centre.