Kuching Major Attractions

Fort Margherita

Completed in 1879, Fort Margherita commands a breathtaking and strategic position along the Sarawak River, with a location chosen to overlook the long stretch of river approaching Kuching. Named after the second Rajah Charles Brooke's wife Ranee Margaret, it was built in the defensive edifice/castle style of the late English renaissance.
Today, inside the great castle-like building is a police museum, the most interesting sights of which are the depictions of criminal punishment.

Kuching Waterfront

The Waterfront, now transformed into a landscaped esplanade, was an important place in the founding of Kuching. Its location on the Sarawak River was chosen not only for its strategic and commercial importance, but also for its enchanting natural beauty. In days gone by the river was the city's main highway. Present day life is still concentrated on the waterfront.
A meander on the Kuching Waterfront is a walk through time; from Kuching's humble, ancient origins, to its status as a modern city. No visit to Kuching would be complete without a stroll on the modern esplanade, or to sit, relax and experience a Sarawakian sunset.

Kuching Major Attractions

Sarawak Cultural Village

Famously referred to as a living museum, the Sarawak Cultural Village typifies the heritage of the major ethnic groups in Sarawak and duly showcases and celebrates the respective lifestyle amidst 14 acres of land - about 40 minutes drive from downtown Kuching. A visit will offer a lifetime chance to see and sample Sarawak's rich culture diversity - namely the Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Penan, Malays and Chinese - in a day. And at the end of the visit, do attend the 45-minute cultural performance of songs, dances and entertainment. It is something that you will not want to miss out during your visit.

Kuching Major Attractions

Satok Market

It is recommended that visitors to Kuching should spend a few hours at the Sunday Market at Jalan Satok, which besides selling the usual market produce may have antiques on sale. A place for unusual herbs, fruits, plants and animals, the Sunday market at Kuching's Jalan Satok is a colourful place to which the villagers bring their fresh jungle herbs and fruits not available elsewhere.

Kuching Major Attractions

The Islamic Museum

The building that houses the Islamic Museum, opened in 1992, today was initially a James Brooke Malay College. This Museum consists of seven galleries. Each of the galleries displays items that are related to a particular discipline such as History of Islam in Sarawak; Islamic Architecture; Science, Technology, Economics, Education and Literature; Music, Costumes and Personal Ornaments; Weaponry; Decorative Arts and Domestic Utensils; and the Holy Quran Collection.

The Chinese History Museum

Officially opened in 1993, the museum building itself is historic and was built in 1912. Situated at the Kuching Waterfront, it was initially used as a court by the Chinese community from 1912 to 1921. The museum portrays the rich and fascinating history of Sarawak's diverse Chinese groups. Visitors will acquire in-depth historical knowledge relating to the origin of each Chinese dialect group, their respective traditional skills and cultural heritage, and progress achieved throughout the years.

The Cat Museum

The Cat Museum's cat artefacts displayed were previously on show for the first time at the National Museum, Kuala Lumpur, in 1987 as one of its gallery. Later it was brought to Kuching (The Cat City) under the care of Sarawak Museum and was put on display for the first time on 1 August 1988, when Kuching was proclaimed as a Cat City.
Today, the collection of the exhibited materials from all over the world is one way of making the Cat Museum as a "Cat Information Centre".

Main Bazaar

No visitor should miss the old Main Bazaar, Kuching's oldest and most famous shopping street where souvenir-hunters can seek out an assortment of traditional brassware, pottery, ceramics, tribal arts and crafts, bamboo mats, rattan basket and much more.
The handicraft shops here are stacked floor to ceiling with cultural curios and antiques, and are a treasure trove of Iban icons, Bidayuh bric-a-brac and Orang Ulu ornaments. Located near the Kuching Waterfront, shoppers are advised to always bargain for the best deal.

Santubong Fishing Village

This quaint fishing village is 32 km from Kuching and can be reached by express boat or taxi from downtown Kuching. It has good beaches and is the site of several archaeological findings. Ancient Hindu and Buddhist rock carvings have been found around the Santubong River delta. During the Tang and Sung dynasties from the 9th till the 13th centuries, Santubong was an important trading centre. Santubong today can be reached by road across the Santubong Bridge

Kuching Major Attractions

The Sarawak Museum

The two-storey building was completed in 1891 to permanently house and display local native arts and crafts as well as collections of local animals. A famous naturalist Alfred Wallace spearheaded the effort then.
Today, the ground floor of the museum holds the natural history collection and specimens of Sarawak fauna and animals - all expertly prepared and mounted for display. The west wing of the museum houses Shell exhibition - featuring the history of petroleum industry of Sarawak. The first floor displays exhibits of ethnographic artefacts such as models of longhouses of the various ethnic groups in Sarawak, musical instruments, various kinds of fish and animal traps, handicrafts, models of boats and others.

Perkenalkan destinasi menarik

Lembaga Pelancongan Sarawak (STB) bercadang menganjur Festival Muzik (seruling) Antarabangsa di sini tahun depan sebagai sebahagian daripada program Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2007.
Menteri Pembangunan Bandar dan Pelancongan, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh berkata, Festival Muzik Antarabangsa itu merupakan satu lagi usaha kerajaan memperkenalkan Sibu dan kawasan tengah Sarawak sebagai destinasi pelancong di negeri ini.
"Kita berharap festival itu kelak akan menjadi satu lagi tarikan pelancongan di sini selain daripada Pesta Kebudayaan Borneo yang sedang kita anjurkan," katanya pada majlis pelancaran majalah berkaitan pelancongan di Sibu dan kawasan tengah Sarawak di sini hari ini.
Majalah setebal 24 muka itu memaparkan daya tarikan pelancongan Sibu, Mukah, Kapit dan Sarikei. Ia adalah hasil tulisan beberapa wartawan dari Semenanjung Malaysia dan luar negara.
Wong berkata, Festival Muzik Anatrabangsa itu kelak akan diadakan selama tiga hari dan mungkin diadakan di sebuah tasik.
"Di Kuching kita sudah ada Festival Muzik Hutan Hujan Tropika Antarabangsa dan di Miri Festival Jazz Antarabangsa, maka Sibu kita perlu ada festival berkaitan," katanya.
Beliau turut mengumumkan sebanyak 12 buah negara di Asia Timur seperti China, Filipina, Korea, Jepun, Hong Kong, Singapura dan Indonesia, sudahpun mengesahkan akan menyertai Forum Pelancongan Antara Wilayah Asia Timur (EATOP) di sini mulai 14 hingga 16 September ini.
Kebanyakan negara-negara yang menyertai forum itu akan membawa bersama kumpulan kebudayaan masing-masing ke sini, tegas beliau sambil memberitahu forum itu antara lain bertujuan membincangkan perkara-perkara berkaitan dengan usaha membangunkan industri pelancongan di Asia Timur.
Mengenai persediaan Sibu bagi menyambut Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2007, katanya, majlis pelancarannya akan diadakan di sini pada 4 October ini dan STB sudah merancang empat acara utama sebagai menambah program-program pelancongan yang sedia ada.
Wong juga memberitahu, STB akan menyediakan sebuah bas persiaran untuk kegunaan pihak-pihak dalam industri pelancongan di sini dan bas persiaran diharapkan dapat dijadikan sebagai langkah permulaan bagi membangunkan lagi industri pelancongan di kawasan tengah Sarawak. Hakikatnya, kawasan tengah Sarawak juga mempunyai banyak daya tarikan untuk ditawar kepada pelancong, katanya dan menambah, antaranya ialah kekayaan budaya masyarakat berbilang kaum Sarawak, warisan dan masakan tradisional masyarakat tempatan.
"Di Sibu, kita memang sudah terkenal menjayakan konvensyen bertaraf dunia dan satu lagi ialah Pesta Kebudayaan Borneo. Sekiranya kekayaan kebudayaan masyarakat majmuk itu dapat digabungkan saya percaya ia pasti menjadi daya tarikan kepada pelancong," katanya.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif STB, Gracy Geike yang berucap terdahulu berkata, kawasan Mukah, Sarikei dan Kapit mempunyai keistimewaan dan daya tarikan pelancongan tersendiri.
Majalah yang dilancarkan itu, katanya, merupakan sebahagian daripada usaha STB untuk mempromosi dan memperkenal Sibu dan kawasan tengah Sarawak sebagai destinasi pelancong dan Sarikei berpotensi untuk diperkenalkan sebagai destinasi pelancongan asas tani.
Pengarah Urusan Virtual Malaysia, Encik Rohizam Md. Yusoff, Residen Bahagian Sibu, Encik Chai Mui Fong dan beberapa pengusaha pelancongan di sini hadir pada majlis berkenaan.

KUCHING

Kuching Waterfront

Kuching Waterfront


Satok Bridge


Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS)
Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU)

History

Kuching has been described in history books as a riverine settlement, eight miles up Sarawak River. It was a trading post where commercial activities were concentrated along Main Bazaar and Gambier Street areas on the south bank, with the Astana and Malay villages around it on the north bank of Sarawak River.

From 1840 up to about the mid 1970's, the growth of Kuching had been a slow one. The gradual incremental growth of the residential areas did not appear to give rise to any serious congestion or pollution problem. Since then the picture has changed. Today, Kuching has grown to a City with a population of around 400,000, covering an area approximately 431 square kilometers, reaching out right to the South China Sea in the north. Terrain wise, the populated parts of Kuching City is flat, with very limited areas that are subjected to very difficult drainage problems.

Administration

Kuching is the capital city of the State of Sarawak within the Federation of Malaysia. It was proclaimed a City on 1st August 1988, and at the same time it was reconstituted administratively into two city councils, namely the Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) and the Council of the City of Kuching South (MBKS). These two administrative units cover a combined area of 431 square kilometers. However over the years, as a physical entity, Kuching has developed substantially outside the administrative boundaries of the City, into the adjacent local authority areas under the jurisdiction of the Padawan Municipal Council and Samarahan District Council.

Assets

Kuching is relatively free of the ills found in bigger cities. There is peace and harmony. Serious crimes are the exception rather than the norm. It has the award-winning Waterfront, the Cultural Village, a world-famous museum, affordable housing for most of its citizens, lots of space and greens from which we can still see blue skies. The two Local Authorities are already doing their part in making Kuching City pleasant and have won national awards for their efforts. Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) have their Vision of Kuching as a Beautiful, well-planned and cultured City, while the Vision for Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS) is Clean, green and beautiful Kuching.

Climate

The present living environment of Kuching city can be considered as pleasant even though the average daily temperature is around 32 C with an annual rainfall of around 160 inches and generally very high daily average humidity.

Budget travel in Sarawak

Introduction

Despite its size and its range of nature-based attractions, Sarawak is the least visited State in Malaysia. With its excellent national parks and scope for upriver journeys, you'd think Sarawak would attract a sizeable number of budget travellers. It doesn't. Sarawak is not on the well-worn backpacker trail of Southeast Asia, perhaps because it is often perceived as an expensive side trip away from the much trampled (and cheap) Bangkok to Singapore backpacker route.

Being off the beaten track certainly has its advantages. Sarawak doesn't have any travellers' ghettos where banana pancakes and the latest Hollywood flick govern the day, and interaction with the local people is kept to a minimum. Sarawak also tends to attract slightly older, clued-up travellers. They've usually read up on Sarawak and Borneo and often have a particular interest and reason for coming - the rainforest, the culture, or a desire for a mad upriver trip. Another plus is that the two most irritating types of travellers - the `year off' funded by daddies' credit card brigade and the often culturally insensitive `dog on string' crusties - are absent from Sarawak.

Most popular guidebooks on Malaysia mention that the cost of getting to Sarawak is relatively high and travelling costs in Sarawak are higher than in Peninsula Malaysia. The combination of these two factors essentially means that if you are travelling on a budget, a trip to Sarawak can appear quite costly, and maybe less attractive that moving on to the Philippines or Indonesia. However, visiting Sarawak need not prove too expensive - there are ways of keeping the costs down. And its also worth bearing in mind that Sarawak offers a very different travel experience to other destinations in Southeast Asia. If you are into a cheap beach experience, Sarawak is not for you, you would be wasting your time coming here. However, if you are into national parks and other cultures, the additional expense of a trip to Sarawak is more than justified by what's on offer. You won't find such an accessible network of national parks anywhere else in Southeast Asia, and although an upriver longhouse experience may cost a more than a few days on a beach in Thailand, it is a unique travel experience.

The following sections offer a brief guide to budget travel in Sarawak. They do not contain extensive listings but provide a general overview of the best places to visit and a rough idea of budget travelling costs within Sarawak. For more details on the attractions of individual places go back to the main Travel Features menu of SarawakAlive!


Where to Go

Kuching, one of the most pleasant towns in SE Asia, is a good base for budget travellers and serves as the jumping off point for three national parks and a number of longhouse trips. There is a wide selection of budget accommodation and an abundance of cheap hawker style food. B&B Inn on Tabuan Road is the cheapest accommodation option at RM 15 per night (dorm) including a light breakfast. The Anglican Guest House in the grounds of the St Thomas Cathedral is another popular budget option with rooms from RM 18. Jalan Green Hill is conveniently located and offers a range of budget hotels and lodging houses where rooms cost RM 25-45.

Bako National Park is Sarawak at its best and offers the ultimate rainforest and wildlife experience. Although Bako can be done as a day trip it's best to stay for a few days. A bed in the hostel block costs RM 10.50 and the canteen serves simple rice and noodle dishes for RM 2-4. Petra Jaya Bus No. 6 (RM 2.10) takes you to Kampung Bako jetty where a boat to the park HQ costs RM 30 (per boat). If you are not in hurry, wait around at the jetty until other travellers arrive and share the boat fare. The larger boats can take up to 10 people but most boatman prefer to take 4-6 passengers.

Kubah National Park is only a 45 minute drive from Kuching (Matang Transport Bus No. 11). The park now has some excellent budget accommodation but receives very few visitors. The hostel unit is actually a sub-dividend chalet with three rooms, a lounge area, shared bathroom and a well equipped kitchen. Its a great place to chill out as you're likely to have the whole chalet to yourself. Room rates are RM 20 (2 beds), RM 40 (4 beds) and RM 60 (6 beds). Single travellers have to pay the per-room price but the 2-bed hostel room is usually available so costs can still be kept low. There is no canteen at Kubah so stock up on provisions before you go. Ting & Ting Supermarket near the B & B Inn is a good place for buying provisions.

Gunung Gading is two hours from Kuching (STC bus No. 2B, RM 7.80). The park spans a number of rugged rainforest peaks and is home to the Rafflesia, the world's largest flower. Most visitors only stay in the park a few hours, view a Rafflesia and then return to Kuching the same day. But Gunung Gading is worth a few days as there are some excellent jungle treks. Cheap accommodation is available at the park's hostel (RM 10.50 per night). Lundu town, a 15 minute walk from the park HQ, has a number of coffee shops and hawker stalls selling cheap food.

An organised longhouse trip to the Skrang River with one with of Kuching's tour operators costs RM 250-400. To save costs try and link up with other travellers and go as a small group. Although the longhouses on the Skrang have played host to small groups of visitors since the 1960's the area is not over-commercialised. Trips can also be arranged to Batang Ai, which only started to receive visitors in the late 1980's. A trip to Batang Ai may cost a bit more but the upriver scenery is some of the best in Sarawak and you may even see a wild orang utan. Many budget travellers do opt for an organised tour but others prefer to travel independently up the Rejang River. This trip is undoubtedly a unique river journey and offers the opportunity of a longhouse visit. However, a trip up the Rejang is bit of a hit or miss affair. Some travellers are lucky and get invited to a longhouse and come back waxing lyrical about their experience. In contrast some end up hanging around and maybe don't get the opportunity to visit a longhouse and have to be content with the river journey itself. Sibu serves as the jumping off point for the Rejang. Express boats from Sibu to Kapit cost RM 15 whilst the fare from Kapit to Belaga is RM 20. Budget hotels in Kapit and Belaga offer rooms for RM 20-40. The Baram River also offers an interesting river and longhouse experience. If you have the time, patience, an ability to drink huge volumes of rice wine, and the desire for a mad one, the Baram could be for you.

Miri serves as the jumping off point for Mulu, Niah and Lambir National Parks. Most budget travellers only spend a night or so in Miri before heading to a national park, usually Mulu. There is some debate amongst travellers as to whether its cheaper to go to Mulu on a packaged tour or independently. If there is only 1 or 2 of you a tour package may work out more expensive. However, the larger the group the cheaper it becomes. For a group of four or more an organised tour to Mulu starts to look like good value. Flights to Mulu are RM 140 (return). Packages cost from RM 300-500 per person depending on length of stay and what attractions you take in (Show Caves, Pinnacles, adventure caving, etc.). There is now a trail leading from the Park HQ to Clearwater. This is good news for budget travellers as it means you can now walk to Clearwater Cave & Wind Cave, you don't have to pay for a longboat to transport you there. Deer & Lang's Caves are also accessible by plankwalk. If you opt for a Mulu package you can either stay at a tour operator's lodge or the Royal Mulu Resort. Naturally most budget travellers opt for the lodge, however, it is worth asking your tour operator how much more it costs to stay at the Resort. Some tour operators are able to get very low rates at the Resort and you may find out that for an extra RM 50 or so you can stay in the resort hotel rather than a budget lodge. Now, some die-hard "I ain't spending more than tuppence ha'penny a day" backpackers will baulk at that extra 50 bucks. For others, a bargain two nights in a luxury hotel after months on the road may hold appeal. And think of all the toilet rolls you can acquire!

Niah Caves is worth a visit, although some travellers give it a miss if they have been to Mulu. There is an excellent hostel at Niah Park HQ. A dorm bed costs RM 10.50 per person per night. Lambir Hills National Park is just out of Miri town and has a good trail system. You won't see much wildlife at Lambir but it is one of the most species-rich areas of rainforest in the world. There is no hostel at Lambir, only 2-room chalets. These can accommodate up to four people and cost RM 40 per night.

Bario and the Kelabit Highlands offer some great treks, stunning mountain scenery and the chance to sample some legendary Kelabit hospitality. The Kelabit live in large longhouses scattered over the highlands. Most treks go from longhouse to longhouse on well-trodden walking trails, some of which pass through dense rainforest. Access to Bario is by MAS Twin Otter flights from Miri (RM 70). Tarawe's Lodge in Bario is popular with travellers. Rooms cost RM 20-45 and they can also assist with treks around the Kelabit Highlands.


Ideal Length of Stay

To get the most out of Sarawak you'll need to stay for 3-4 weeks. That way you'll be able to take in most of the national parks and go on at least one upriver journey and not have to worry about cutting your journey short if, for example, you stumble onto something unusual, or get invited to a longhouse deep in the interior. If you don't have the luxury of time you can still fit a fair bit into a two week stay although an extended upriver journey would be difficult. If you only have a week or so then stick to the attractions around Kuching. In a week you should be able to fit in Bako & Gunung Gading national parks and go on a short longhouse visit, although this would have to be a organised trip with one of the tour operators in Kuching.


Extending Your Visa

If you are planning some serious trips into the interior then you may well need a visa extension. Although part of Malaysia, Sarawak has its own immigration rules and most visitors receive a one month visa upon arrival. Some major guidebooks state that it is difficult to extend a tourist visa in Sarawak. This is not true. Tourists can extend their visa by up to a month quite easily, especially in the Kuching immigration office - one of the most polite and efficient immigration offices in Malaysia. You pay RM 1 for a form, fill it out, wait 45 minutes or so and then you'll get a one month extension. The usual `traveller dealing with officialdom' rules apply - dress reasonably smart (leave the shorts and singlet in the hostel), be polite and be prepared to wait a while.


Getting There - Keeping the Cost down

Getting to Sarawak from West Malaysia or Singapore is often regarded as expensive. The standard Kuala Lumpur-Kuching one way fare with Malaysian Airlines (MAS) is RM 262. If you don't mind travelling late at night or early in the morning MAS offer a "night tourist fare" for RM 187 (one way). Also look into MAS's advance purchase tickets and 50% group discounts. The latter can bring significant savings if you club together with other travellers. Another potential bargain is MAS's "Discover Malaysia Pass". These offer travel to 5 destinations in East & West Malaysia for US$ 199. If you are planing to visit Sarawak and Sabah this deal offers savings over the standard sector fares as you can fly from West Malaysia to Sarawak, from Sarawak to Sabah and from Sabah back to KL. If you plan things carefully you can also fit another flight in whilst you are in Sabah or Sarawak. The cheapest way of flying from KL to Kuching is to fly with Transmile Airlines. A KL-Kuching is RM 190 (one way) or RM 350 (return). Transmile flights are charters so some restrictions apply.

If you are in Singapore remember that exchange rate differences between Malaysia and Singapore can result in significant savings for those who have the time and don't mind taking a bus across the causeway. When you buy a Singapore-Kuching ticket at a travel agent in Singapore you pay in Singaporean Dollars. It works out a lot cheaper to nip over the border to Johor and take a Johor-Kuching flight on MAS for RM 169 (one way).


Getting Around

Travelling around Sarawak can be expensive due to the distances involved. Internal flights are sometimes useful and save time but you obviously pay for this privilege. MAS Rural Air Service flights offer excellent value and are often the only realistic way of getting to some places (e.g. Bario). The cheapest way of getting around is by bus. For example, the bus fare from Kuching to Miri (a 12-14 hour journey) is RM 70. To fly from Kuching to Miri costs RM 164 and takes just over an hour. The coastal express boat service from Kuching to Sibu is cheap (RM 33) and relatively fast (4 hours). By contrast the Kuching-Sibu bus fare is RM 32 and takes 7 hours.
On the rivers, the express boats are also relatively cheap (RM 15-30) and convenient. Most upriver towns are served by express boats. On the Rejang River, express boats can get you to most places. Only when you want to go beyond Belaga, or travel on some of the smaller tributaries, will you need to look at other options. Renting a longboat when upriver is not cheap. It can cost RM 50-100, a few hundred Ringgit, or maybe run into thousands of Ringgit if you go on an extended two week trip upriver. These boat trips are only viable if you are travelling in a group of at least four. When you charter a longboat the price you pay will be calculated on a daily fee for your boat & the services of the boatman plus the cost of petrol. The further upriver you go the more expensive petrol becomes. Sometimes it is possible to hitch a ride when going upriver. If this is the case a small donation to cover a proportion of the fuel costs will be appreciated.


Budget Accommodation

Although accommodation costs are slightly higher than in Peninsula Malaysia, budget accommodation is widely available. Sarawak doesn't have a network of guest houses, hostels and bungalow operations like Thailand and Indonesia or even the East Coast of Malaysia. The only town that has hostel-style accommodation is Kuching. The centrally located B&B Inn on Tabuan Road is the best bet. A dorm bed and a simple breakfast costs RM 15. Discounts are sometimes available for long stays. Sarawak has an abundance of small lodging houses where rooms with a fan generally go for RM 20 a night and an air-con room with attached bathroom costs RM 30-40. In addition most of the national parks have hostel blocks or budget lodges. A bed in a dorm in one of Sarawak's national parks costs RM 10.50 a night. Some national parks (e.g. Bako) have campsites where a RM 4 charge is levied. However, camping at Bako is not advisable as your tent is likely to be raided by a troop of macaque monkeys.


Eating Out

Hearty meals of mixed rice (rice served with meat and/or fish and vegetables) cost RM 3-5. The cheapest meals on offer are from the noodle stalls that are dotted all over the place. A bowl of noodles costs RM 2, or RM 4 for something special like a bowl of Foochow noodles in a herbal soup with chunks of chicken. A chicken biryani rice meal in an Indian restaurant will set you back RM 5. If you fancy splashing out on a meal, seafood is a lot cheaper in Sarawak than in West Malaysia. Count on RM 20-25 per head for substantial meal that includes fish, prawns and some vegetables. All-you-can-eat buffets in major hotels are also worth checking out.

Canned drinks cost around RM 1.20-1.50 in coffee shops and RM 0.90 in a supermarket. Mineral water is around RM 1-1.50 for a 500 ml bottle and RM 2-3 for 1.5 litre bottle in most sundry shops and coffee shops, less in supermarkets. Beer is relatively expensive in Malaysia, and a night on the town can start to look expensive when you think about it on a hung over morning. Cans of Tiger, Carlsberg or Anchor beer cost RM 3-4.50 in the shops. A large bottle of beer in a coffee shop costs around RM 10. A glass of beer in a pub costs around RM 6-8. This rises to RM 10-14 in a hotel, karaoke joint or trendy bar/cafe.

A budget of RM 15-20 per day should be more than adequate for food and drinks for most people if you prepared to eat local food.


Total Daily Expenditure

Although its difficult to put an exact figure on daily expenditure for backpacking around Sarawak, a budget of RM 50 (around US$ 13) per day seems a reasonable bench mark figure. Of course you can get by on less, and you can most definitely spend more. This daily budget of RM 50 would include the cost of basic `A to B' travelling on public buses or express boats but would not include the cost of any organised tours such as a short longhouse trip to the Skrang or the costs of flights to Mulu, Bario. Etc. If you confine yourself to the Kuching area you should be able to get by on RM 40 a day

The Cat Museum

Kucing (or Kuching) is the Malay word for "cat" - a rather incongruous name for a city that was home to three generations of White Rajahs and is now the capital of Malaysia's largest state. There are a number of stories as to how this came about. My favourite is the tale of James Brooke's arrival in Sarawak in 1839, some years before he became the first White Rajah. Apparently, spotting a friendly local on the river bank, he hailed him and pointed to the nearby township, shouting "apa nama itu?" (what's that called?). The local, thinking he was referring to a small animal prowling nearby, answered "kucing" (cat), and thus the town got its name. It's fortunate for all concerned that Brooke wasn't pointing to a public latrine at the time.

Other authorities claim that the word derives from cochin, a Chinese word for a port or harbour, but the most likely explanation has to do with the fruit of a tree growing by a small stream. The mata kucing (cat's eye fruit) is a relative of the lychee, and its transparent flesh and black kernel give it the appearance of a cat's eye when peeled. In Brooke's day, a clump of these trees grew next to a small river, the sungai mata kuching, which entered the Sarawak River opposite the township, and hence the town, originally known as Sarawak, eventually took its name from the river.

Whatever the explanation, Kuching is commonly referred to nowadays as Cat City, and various statues and monuments are dotted around paying tribute to the city's favourite animal. The biggest surprise, though, is just how seriously the city fathers of Kuching take their association with cats. In fact, Kuching is home to the world's very first cat museum.

Not being a cat person, I was quite sceptical when I set out for Kuching North City Hall, where the Cat Museum is located. After all, how much is there to know about cats that could interest anybody but a zoologist or a raging cat lover? When I arrived I was greeted by a scene of organised chaos. As part of the Pesta Meow (Meow Festival), about thirty schoolchildren were spread around the lobby creating model cats out of papier mache. It appeared to be a model-making race of some kind, as their teachers were constantly urging them on, but despite the haste some of the cats looked pretty impressive.

Gingerly stepping over piles of wet newspaper, I made my way to the entrance, to be greeted by blaring heavy metal music and a lurid neon sign that would have looked more at home outside a night club, all guarded by an enormous plaster tabby as large as a man. Not what I expected, certainly, but my appetite was whetted.

Once through the entrance, I was in an atmosphere of relative calm. Soft lighting and elegant wooden display cases demonstrated that this wasn't just any cat museum ­ it was a designer cat museum. Examples of feline art were everywhere ­ posters, paintings, album covers, sculptures, porcelain figurines, etchings, bas-reliefs ­ you name the medium and somebody has used it to portray cats.

The Cat Museum certainly caters to all ages and tastes. Small children were having a great time clambering over a giant statue of Walt Disney's Aristocats, while elderly ladies were fussing over door-sized photographs of cute fluffy kittens. I was here to round out my education on cats, however, so I went in search of some facts.

Cats, obviously a superior species to man, have been persuading humans to do their bidding since the time of the ancient Egyptians, but the extent to which humans have played along with this strategy is simply staggering. Homo sapiens has pandered to the whims and fancies of cats throughout recorded history, but the Cat Museum really brings home what an important role cats play in human culture (or is that the other way round?).

Cats are cultural icons for almost all human societies, although the connections are not always positive. Black cats, for example, are believed to be an omen of bad luck in Western Europe. As the display explains, they were certainly unlucky for the elderly women who owned them, who were burnt alive or drowned as witches in the late middle ages and again during the English Civil War. Some rather macabre old woodcuts illustrate this delightfully.

On a more positive note, cats have frequently provided inspiration for artists and musicians, and even for writers and poets. Interesting cat literature (or cat-litterature?) is to be found throughout the museum, along with antique folios of sheet music singing the praises of cats. It seems the Japanese have a particular affinity for this most enigmatic of creatures; there is a splendid display of Japanese porcelain beckoning cats, whose left paws are raised to attract good fortune. This is next to a great exhibit devoted to a remarkable Japanese advertising photographer, who spent years of his life teaching a bunch of motley strays to pose in human-style costumes for ads and posters. My favourite was the leather-jacketed Marlon Brando clone with the white whiskers, dragging on a cigarette. From what I read about how cosseted these media stars are, I'm surprised it wasn't a Davidoff No. 1 Havana cigar.

Cats also figure prominently in Chinese art, and there are some absolutely exquisite ink and brush drawings and lacquer painting of cats playing with butterflies and mantises. They don't show them ripping their wings off or biting their heads off though. Cat icons are on display, in fact, from just about all over the world, including some lovely woodcarvings from West Africa and some great 19th Century French woodcuts of cats displaying a wide range of human vices.

The number of different cat breeds is simply staggering, and most were on display here. One I definitely didn't like the look of was the Bengal Cat. Despite the praises sung by adoring owners and the Bengal Cat Club, this beast doesn't look like a domestic cat to me. A Hollywood remake springs to mind ­ Honey, I Shrunk The Sabre-Toothed Tiger. The owners claim they are boisterous and affectionate, just like dogs. Just like paranoid schizophrenic pit bull terriers, I'm sure.

Just to put this in perspective, my front yard is inhabited on and off by about half a dozen cats. I don't know where they come from, and I don't know who feeds them, but they seem to enjoy using my porch for social gatherings and just chilling out. I don't bother them, and they certainly don't bother me. But if one of these miniature tiger lookalikes turned up, I'd probably barricade myself in the house and call the police, or more likely the army.

As well as the exhibits in the museum, there is also a small shop where you can buy all manner of cat souvenirs, ranging from real tack to some very nice pieces indeed. In my opinion, the nicest items you can buy here are Arthur Liaw's witty and unusual stone paintings of cats. Arthur has obviously spent months trawling through river and stream beds looking for smooth but irregularly shaped stones of various sizes. He has then breathed life into them by expertly painting cats feature onto them in the most remarkable detail. They're not exactly cheap, but you don't have to feed them or change their litter, and they don't leave hair on the carpet.

I've got to admit that, even though I'm not exactly a cat person, I really enjoyed the cat museum. It's presentation is stylish, humourous when necessary and serious when not. The collection really is very comprehensive, the descriptions are more than just catalogue listings, and its central theme ­ the importance of cats in human culture ­ comes across perfectly. If you are indifferent to cats, you can still spend a fascinating afternoon here. If you're a cat lover, this is a place of pilgrimage, and it's free.

Note : The Cat Museum is located at Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (Kuching North City Hall), Petra Jaya, Kuching. Tel : 082-446688. Opening hours are 9 am to 5 pm daily (closed Mondays). There are no entrance charges but if you want to take pictures there is a fee ­ RM 3 for still cameras and RM 5 for video. Commercial photography or filming is by prior arrangement only.

SARAWAK FOR SALE

The handicraft shops around Main Bazaar generally have plenty to offer, although the selection in many is similar. Those shops listed below all offer something a little out of the ordinary. Most of the places on Main Bazaar are closed Sundays and public holidays

Adventure Images (c/o Borneo Adventure, 55 Main Bazaar)
Simply the best postcards and greetings cards in Sarawak. Can also be found in selected outlets all over town.

Atelier Gallery (104 Main Bazaar)
Weird and wonderful selection of handicrafts and hand-made furniture from all over Southeast Asia.

Nelson's Gallery (110 Main Bazaar)
Pretty much your standard handicrafts shop at first glance, until knowledgeable proprietor Nelson Tan starts rummaging through the clutter to come up with some real gems. Great collection of traditional bead jewelry.

Unika Sarawak (Wayang Street, off Main Bazaar,)
Great selection, good quality pieces, but if you can get owner Felix Ang to reduce any of the prices, you're much better at bargaining than I.

Sarawak House (Main Bazaar)
Very, very nice pieces in an up-market gallery style layout. Impecunious browsers welcome.

Eeze Trading (Rubber Road)
Caters for the more bizarre end of the market, with dried insects, mounted butterflies and stag beetles in amber, amongst others.

Fabriko (Main Bazaar)
Nice printed textiles based on traditional designs downstairs, gallery and showroom upstairs, in a beautifully restored 19th Century shophouse.

Galeri M (Hilton Lobby)
Easily the best of the local fine art dealers. Paintings are on display throughout the Hilton lobby, and are carefully selected from the best of the local artists. No patronizing 'ethnic' portraits here. Also have a good selection of jewelry, antiques and objets d'art not found on Main Bazaar.

Telang Usan Hotel (Off Ban Hock Road)
Good selection of Orang Ulu and Penan crafts, particularly beadwork and traditional headgear. Ask at reception for details.

Teo Hoe Hin (Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman, next to McDonalds)
All the birds nest and shark's fin you could possibly wish for.

Belles Bookstore (2nd Floor, Sarawak Plaza)
Best selection of books in town, and not too 'creatively' priced.

Mohamad Yahia & Sons (Ground Floor, Sarawak Plaza plus Holiday Inn Kuching lobby)
Good selection of books and maps on Borneo. Cramped, cluttered, and everything's almost impossible to find, but persevere and you'll discover some real gems.