Sarawak Museum
Timber Museum
Chinese Historical Museum
Round tower
Rajah Brooke Memorial
Matang Wildlife Centre (Great Orang Utan Project)
Kubah, Kuching 93200
Sarawak Orchid Garden
It was an exciting experienced looking at the different species of
orchid, making an interesting subject for photography. It a must visit
for orchid lover.
Sept -Dec is the best time to see this place.
Tua Pek Kong Temple
Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman
Cat Museum
Kuching City Hall
The only cat museum in souteast Asia. you actually can learn interesting trivia about cats.. It has thousands of representations of cats from all over, and from
all ages. Since "Kutching" means "cat", and since cats certainly abound
in the area, this city is an appropriate place for such a museum.
The Astana
Built in 1870 by Charles Brooke, Second White Rajah
of Sarawak, the Astana is now the official residence of the Governor of
Sarawak. Built as a bridal gift from Charles Brooke to his wife, Ranee
Margaret of Sarawak, the Astana is now often viewed as an architectural
monument of love. It is a regal complex comprised of three separate
bungalows and a narrow system of passageways that unifies all parts of
the Astana into a single palatial dwelling.
Set on the northern bank of the Sarawak River no visitors are allowed to enter the interior of the Astana, the one exception being the annual Hari Raya festival at the end of the month of Ramadan. During all other times of the year, however, visitors to Kuching are encouraged to wander the well-manicured palace grounds and peruse the various ethnic artifacts which lay scattered amongst the property. It’s a popular hangout for locals and a serene spot to enjoy a sunset while gazing back at the Kuching waterfront.
During the time of Rajah Charles Brooke, it was understood that he planted a grove of betel nut trees behind the Astana in order to offer them to visiting Dayak chiefs, and although not entirely open to the public, the Astana is nonetheless one of the more important architectural and historical monuments pertaining to the curious history of Kuching.
Set on the northern bank of the Sarawak River no visitors are allowed to enter the interior of the Astana, the one exception being the annual Hari Raya festival at the end of the month of Ramadan. During all other times of the year, however, visitors to Kuching are encouraged to wander the well-manicured palace grounds and peruse the various ethnic artifacts which lay scattered amongst the property. It’s a popular hangout for locals and a serene spot to enjoy a sunset while gazing back at the Kuching waterfront.
During the time of Rajah Charles Brooke, it was understood that he planted a grove of betel nut trees behind the Astana in order to offer them to visiting Dayak chiefs, and although not entirely open to the public, the Astana is nonetheless one of the more important architectural and historical monuments pertaining to the curious history of Kuching.
Fort Margherita
Completed in 1879, the three-tiered, off-white tower
that is Fort Margherita was commissioned by the most important man in
all of Kuching: Charles Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak. Named after
his wife, Ranne Margaret Alice Lili de Windt, the fortress was meant to
guard the rapidly growing town of Kuching from an attack by fearsome
river pirates. For an entire century, three generations of Brooke family
members formed the “Brooke Dynasty” of Sarawak, native Englishmen who
privately ruled as “White Rajahs” over what was once a vassal state of
Brunei. During their 100-year rule the White Rajahs constructed many
buildings in an architectural style akin to that of 19th century
England, Fort Margherita being no exception.
Though the fort saw no major military action, executions of prisoners were carried out in the fortress courtyard up until the Japanese occupation of Sarawak during World War II. At one point a police museum occupied a portion of the fortress grounds, although it has been a number of years since the artifacts and displays were removed.
Though there isn’t much action that still takes place at Fort Margherita, it nonetheless is an important part of Kuching history and a monument to the heritage of Brooke Dynasty rule. To reach Fort Margherita visitors must pay a nominal fee to cross the Sarawak River by sampan boat and then continue down an unmarked footpath before reaching the fortress grounds. Though the fortress has recently fallen into disrepair, it’s still worth the journey simply to climb the spiral staircase of the watchtower for a panoramic view of one of the more curious territories in the history of modern Malaysia.
Though the fort saw no major military action, executions of prisoners were carried out in the fortress courtyard up until the Japanese occupation of Sarawak during World War II. At one point a police museum occupied a portion of the fortress grounds, although it has been a number of years since the artifacts and displays were removed.
Though there isn’t much action that still takes place at Fort Margherita, it nonetheless is an important part of Kuching history and a monument to the heritage of Brooke Dynasty rule. To reach Fort Margherita visitors must pay a nominal fee to cross the Sarawak River by sampan boat and then continue down an unmarked footpath before reaching the fortress grounds. Though the fortress has recently fallen into disrepair, it’s still worth the journey simply to climb the spiral staircase of the watchtower for a panoramic view of one of the more curious territories in the history of modern Malaysia.
Sarawak Cultural Village
Damai Kuching
It was certainly an introduction to some of the different cultures in
Sarawak. You would be given a passport at the entrance, were you can get
a "stamp" at each place you visit. the village involves walking through different styles of housing
(longhouses etc) and finishes with a cultural show (in an airconditioned
theatre - great in the heat!) which was surprisingly enjoyable and
humourous.
The Sarawak Cultural Village portrays the varied cultures and customs of Sarawak’s ethnic groups. The village consists of authentic traditional buildings each displaying artifacts made by individual dwellers. Demonstration of arts and crafts like beadworks, wood and bamboo carvings, pua and straw weaving can be seen while visiting the Village.
The buildings – a Chinese farmhouse, a Penan Hut, a Melanau Tall House and Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu Longhouses - are set amidst a scenic 17-acre (6.8hc) site. As part of the living museum, members of Sarawak's many ethnic groups can be seen throughout the Village going about everyday activities such as carving, sago-making, crushing sugar-cane, and growing pepper.
You can learn how to throw a Malay spinning top, shoot a Penan blowpipe or pick out a tune on an Orang Ulu sape. It’s a touristy set up but does give you a deeper understanding of the culture and heritage of Sarawak’s many racial groups that is not available elsewhere.
Sarawak Museum
One of the finest museums on the island of Borneo,
the Sarawak Museum is also the oldest, opened in 1891 by Charles Burke,
the second Rajah of Sarawak. Set inside a massive, rectangular,
Victorian-period edifice designed to resemble a Normandy townhouse, the
inside still has the feel of a museum constructed in the late 20th
century as punctuated by the wood and bamboo flooring.
The need for interior renovations aside, however, the Sarawak Museum is home to a fascinating array of ethnographic and ecological artifacts relating to traditional tribal and environmental life in the state of Sarawak. In addition to small scale replicas of Iban longhouses, original tribal weapons, and mounted exhibits of exotic mammals and reptiles, of particular interest to many visitors are the displays of shrunken heads and human skulls which adorn various parts of the museum interior. Also on permanent display is a reconstruction of the prehistoric human settlement at Niah Caves, believed to be the oldest human settlement on the island of Borneo.
Across the street from the old museum is the Tun Abdul Razak Exhibition Hall, so named after Malaysia’s second prime minister and open to the public since 1983. Here visitors can peruse colorful, prehistoric pottery and gawk at a traditional Iban war boat, an ornately carved craft capable of transporting up to 25 people. Also on the grounds of the Exhibition Hall are replicas of mysterious rock carvings and structures found in a nearby mangrove swamp which, until their discovery, had only been encountered in the Kelabit Highlands deep in the Bornean interior.
The need for interior renovations aside, however, the Sarawak Museum is home to a fascinating array of ethnographic and ecological artifacts relating to traditional tribal and environmental life in the state of Sarawak. In addition to small scale replicas of Iban longhouses, original tribal weapons, and mounted exhibits of exotic mammals and reptiles, of particular interest to many visitors are the displays of shrunken heads and human skulls which adorn various parts of the museum interior. Also on permanent display is a reconstruction of the prehistoric human settlement at Niah Caves, believed to be the oldest human settlement on the island of Borneo.
Across the street from the old museum is the Tun Abdul Razak Exhibition Hall, so named after Malaysia’s second prime minister and open to the public since 1983. Here visitors can peruse colorful, prehistoric pottery and gawk at a traditional Iban war boat, an ornately carved craft capable of transporting up to 25 people. Also on the grounds of the Exhibition Hall are replicas of mysterious rock carvings and structures found in a nearby mangrove swamp which, until their discovery, had only been encountered in the Kelabit Highlands deep in the Bornean interior.
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