Capital city of
Sarawak, an East
Malaysian state on the island of
Borneo. Located on the North East of Borneo, Kuching is the gateway to Sarawak and Borneo. Generally populated by very
nice people, Kuching has some surprises in store for the first time visitor. Taxis do not have metres AND one can seriously get grogged-up on the local booze (see
Gawai); which is a good thing for the local cabbie.
Approximately 750 000 people live in this city which is uniquely split into two City Halls ("creatively" named Kuching North & Kuching South). The Sarawak River is an important landmark in the founding of the City and remains ,till this day, as the epicentre of arts, tourism and all things exciting in Kuching (which incidentally means cat in the Malay language).
In the past 2 decades, Kuching and its inhabitants have been slowly crafted into becoming a tourist friendly city where visitors are "sincerely welcome and should not encounter problems travelling" (Sarawak Tourism Board (2001). "Welcome to Sarawak", STB, Kuching ).
Kuching is also the springboard to other fantastic Sarawak destinations such as Mulu Caves, Niah Caves, Batang Ai Lake, Bako national parks and the other 20 plus National Parks around the state.
Kuching is an eclectic city where many different native and non-native languages can be heard but English is spoken widely here. One of (if not THE) cleanest city in Malaysia.
Kuching is cosmopolitan in nature. Lounge along the Kuching Waterfront and within a short period of time, you would have met Chinese, Iban, Bidayuh, Malay and a host of other Sarawakian Malaysians of different ethnic backgrounds.