If one day is all you have to discover Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, the best way to make the most of your time is by exploring the city on foot. Alongside the Sarawak River and adjacent streets are plenty of historic buildings, monuments, museums, old shophouses, temples, eateries, and scenic spots to be explored at your own leisurely pace.
Here are several attractions you may not want to miss on a walkabout around the oldest part of the city. Be sure to put on a pair of comfortable walking shoes and have a camera ready!
Starting point: Kuching Waterfront
Stretching about 1km in length and separated by the Sarawak River, the Kuching Waterfront is where many of the city’s landmarks are within walking distance, making it the perfect starting point to explore Cat City on foot. It is highly recommended that you book accommodation in the area for convenience.
Darul Hana Bridge
Also known as the Golden Bridge, the Darul Hana Bridge is a 335-meter S-shaped pedestrian bridge connecting the Sarawak River’s north and south banks. Open from 6am to 12 midnight, the bridge is a good vantage point to see and photograph iconic structures overlooking the Waterfront.
From the bridge, you can get a good view of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN building) with its umbrella-shaped roof, the Floating Mosque (Masjid India), the palace built by Sir Charles Brooke in 1870 known as the Astana, and watch river cruises and boats pass along the river.
Crossing the bridge to the north bank, you can stroll through the Orchid Garden, where some exotic orchids from Borneo can be seen. Not too far away is Fort Margherita, a hilltop fortress built in 1879 to protect Kuching from pirates. History buffs will want to spend some extra time at the fort’s three-storey Brooke Gallery, where the history of Sarawak is curated and documented in great detail.
As you head back across the Darul Hana Bridge to the south bank, at the eastern end of the Waterfront, you’ll find the Square Tower. Built in 1879 as a fort and jailhouse, the structure had served its purpose and is currently being used as a fine-dining restaurant. But this isn’t the only place for those who fancy dining in a historic setting.
Facing Main Bazaar Road is the Sarawak Steamship Building, built in 1930 to house offices of the Sarawak Steamship Company that helped create the state’s infrastructure and facilitate trade since 1875. The building is now a restaurant with the Sarawak Craft Council next door, where authentic art and handcrafts are sold.
Main Bazaar Road
Across the street from the Waterfront is a row of old shophouses along Main Bazaar Road, occupied mainly by family businesses that have been passed down a few generations. Here is perhaps the best place for souvenir hunting. You will find the highest concentration of establishments selling everything unique to Sarawak, from antiques and handicrafts to the famous Sarawak kek lapis (layer kek) and various tidbits.
If you are willing to go the extra mile for a good bargain, walk into Jalan Barrack, and you will find the unmistakable entrance to the India Street Pedestrian Mall. You will find vendors peddling all sorts of goods along the walkway, ready to haggle.
On the way, you may first stop at the Old Courthouse, one of the city’s best-preserved heritage buildings. The building also houses the Ranee Museum, commemorating the life and legacy of Margaret de Windt, wife of the second Rajah of Sarawak.
Carpenter Street (Chinatown)
Just behind Main Bazaar Road and parallel to it is another street that oozes old-world charm and character—Carpenter Street, with its entrance marked by the Harmony Arch. Steeped in history and heritage, the street is lined with well-preserved buildings of Kuching’s generations-old traders and business communities. Carpenter Street is also the venue for the Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival, an annual street fair that coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival on the Chinese lunar calendar.
As you admire the architecture, be on the lookout for eateries, cafes, and hawker stalls along the street serving delectable local favourites. There is no shortage of places to eat, particularly at the Temple Food Court, opposite the Hiang Thian Siang Ti Temple.
After you have your fill of Sarawak’s diverse cuisines, continue along Carpenter Street towards the end, where you will find the Hong San Si Temple, one of the most beautiful temples in Kuching with its colourful, ornate walls and roof.
Darul Hana Musical Fountain
End your day of exploring Kuching by heading back to the Waterfront for a relaxing stroll or hop on a river cruise in the evening to catch the sunset. The view is nothing short of spectacular after sunset when the surrounding landmarks are lit with colourful lights. There are pop-up vendors and stalls selling snacks and buskers serenading from one of the gazebos.
Find a spot on the Darul Hana Bridge for the best view of the Darul Hana Musical Fountain, which spans 80 meters long and shoots water 25 meters upwards. The 15-minute lights-and-water show comes on every night at 8:30pm and 9:30pm, with an extra show at 10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Savouring every landmark and attraction around this part of Kuching will take a few days, but after seeing the city on foot, you will likely be leaving with a return trip already in mind.
