To see bulbous-nosed proboscis monkeys, take a day trip to Bako National Park.
Photo / Getty Images
To see bulbous-nosed proboscis monkeys, take a day trip to Bako National Park.
Photo / Getty Images
In his latest series for Travel, Brett Atkinson uncovers destinations on the up-and-up for tourism. This week, Kuching in Malaysia.
Tucked into the northwest corner of Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, the capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak combines great eating, an interesting history blending commerce and conquest, and the chance to see two of the world’s most unique primates in the wild.
What to see
Draped along the Sarawak River, Kuching’s waterfront esplanade is a pleasant place for a stroll, especially at twilight when local families come to play and relax. Curved into an “S” – for Sarawak - the spectacular Darul Hana pedestrian bridge crosses to the river’s northern shore from where a riverfront promenade continues to Fort Margherita. The squat whitewashed fortress was built in 1879 by Charles Brooke to defend the city from surprise attacks by pirates. Inside the fort, the Brooke Gallery tells the story of the Brooke family, the “White Rajahs” of Sarawak whose rule from 1841 ended in 1946 after WWII. Another way of reaching the northern shore is on a tambang, slow-moving water taxis that putt-putt across the river throughout the day.
The spectacular Darul Hana pedestrian bridge in Kuching. Photo / 123rf
On the river’s southern shore is Kuching’s Chinatown area, centred on Jalan Carpenter, lined with pastel-coloured colonial shophouses and dotted with temples infused with heady incense. Concealed amid a labyrinth of laneways, best explored when it’s cooler in the morning and evening, are cafes, hawker centres and craft shops. Colourful street art – especially of Borneo’s beloved orangutans – enlivens parks and plazas, and around town you’ll also see giant cat statues. Kuching (spelt “kucing”) means cat in Bahasa Malaysia, and it’s a linguistic coincidence the city proudly takes advantage of.
Fort Margherita was built in 1879 by Charles Brooke. Photo / 123rf
What to do
A couple of day trips are essential outings from Kuching. Around 20km south of the city, the Semenggoh Nature Reserve is one of the world’s best places to see semi-wild orangutans in a rainforest habitat. Living in an adjacent stand of native rainforest, Semenggoh’s orangutans visit the park’s HQ and viewing area twice a day to take advantage of a ranger-provided feast of bananas and coconuts. There’s no guarantee they’ll show up every day for the hour-long treetop buffets, especially if there’s plenty of fruit in the forest, but most times they swing by.
To see Borneo’s bulbous-nosed proboscis monkeys, take a day trip to Bako National Park. The russet-coloured monkeys often gather above the mangrove boardwalk leading from the jetty to the park’s headquarters and overnight lodge. Keep an eye out for bearded Borneo pigs snuffling about in the swampy mangroves. Again, there’s no guarantee of primate action, but even getting to the park is an adventure, skimming along the water to the main jetty, then negotiating rainforest trails to remote beaches and sheltered coves. Unfortunately, the presence of saltwater crocodiles means swimming is prohibited.
When he dined at Kuching’s Choon Hui cafe, the late Anthony Bourdain dubbed Sarawak laksa the “breakfast of the gods”, and the popular all-day eatery is reckoned to be the best place in town for Kuching’s signature noodle soup. Expect a whack of fiery chilli, a hit of sour tamarind, and a warm welcome from Choon Hui’s loyal regulars. Equally popular in Kuching is the rooftop Top Spot Food Court, accessed via a slightly confusing series of lifts in a car park, and the state capital’s top spot (literally) for seafood. Secure an outdoor table, choose fresh crab, shrimp, squid or stingray from one of the stalls, and, while it is being cooked, relax into a big bottle of Anchor beer. For flavours from Sarawak’s indigenous Iban and Bidayuh people, head along to Lepau restaurant where organic and free-range ingredients are used for dishes like ayam pansuh (marinated chicken steamed in bamboo), and umai, a ceviche-like dish of raw seafood cured in vinegar and the juice of calamansi limes. Order a side of nutty, purple rice from Bario in eastern Sarawak’s remote Kelabit Highlands.
The late Anthony Bourdain dubbed Sarawak laksa the ‘breakfast of the gods’.
Photo / 123rf
Where to drink
Walking through the sleepy streets of Chinatown, you’ll probably smell the Black Bean Coffee & Tea Company before you see the simple cafe with just three outside tables. The interior is given over to roasting robusta and arabica beans from around Asia - including coffee grown in Java, Sumatra and Sarawak – and beans and ground coffee are both for sale.
For an equally thirst-quenching beer or cocktail, two Kuching bars combine relaxed evening drinking with helping to protect Sarawak’s unique wildlife. Before kicking on to nearby restaurants, stop for a cold one at the Bear Garden. Fifty per cent of the bar’s profits are donated to Project Borneo, an NGO based at the nearby Matang Wildlife Centre and dedicated to rehabilitating animals, especially orangutans, so they can be released back into the rainforest. It’s a similar deal at Kuching’s Monkee Bar.
Dining out in Kuching. Photo / Getty Images
Where to stay
In two restored 19th-century shophouses, The Ranee has 24 spacious rooms and suites with wooden floors, indigenous textiles and riverfront views. The best rooms have balconies and compact courtyard gardens.
Getting there
Malaysia Airlines has direct flights from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur with frequent onward departures to Kuching.
