Kuching and around travel guide

Best time to visit

Kuching is hot and humid year-round with temperatures hanging in the 23°C-32°C range and humidity in the lowlands ranging consistently between 85% and 95%. The rainy season is November to February, but heavy downpours can happen at any time. May and June are the months for Gawai Dayak Harvest Festival , a time of feasting and celebration. The Rainforest Music Festival is held every July at the Sarawak Cultural Village .

Getting around

The city centre can be negotiated on foot. Sampans (small flat-bottomed wooden boats) operate as river taxis and take passengers across to Fort Margherita and the Astana on the north shore. City buses provide a cheap and fairly efficient service. Taxis are found outside the larger hotels and at designated stands. There are several car hire firms.

Ins and outs

Getting there

The airport is 10 km south of Kuching, T082-457373. There are daily flights from KL and other Malaysian destinations. International connections include Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), Singapore, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou and Xiamen. From the airport, take the green Sarawak Transport Co bus No 12A or 8A (RM4) to Lebuh Jawa street, 45 minutes. Buses depart every two hours 0900-1700. Fixed-price taxi RM23; buy a coupon from the counter in arrivals. Fares increase by 50% between 2400 and 0600.

Note Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia to control its own immigration and all travellers arriving from outside Sarawak, including from Peninsular Malaysia, must pass through immigration and be issued with a visa valid for travel in Sarawak itself. Most nationalities receive the same number of days as they would as if entering Peninsular Malaysia.

There is a bus service from Brunei, via Miri. Express boats connect Kuching with Sibu and Sarikei.

Banks

All major banks here. Money changers in shopping complexes give better rates for cash. ATMs are everywhere.

Embassies and consulates

Australian Honorary Consul, 504, 5th Floor, Wisma Bukit Mata Kuching, Jl Tunku Abdul Rahman, T082-233350; British Honorary Representative, T012-322 0011; French Honorary Consul, Telong Usan Hotel, T082-415588; Indonesian Consulate, Lt 6, Bangunan Binamas, 1 Jl Pandungan, T082-241734; New Zealand Honorary Consul, T082-482177.

Immigration

1st floor, Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (Federal Complex) Jl Simpang Tiga, T082-245661.

Internet

There are several; RM3-4 per hr.

Medical services

Hospitals and clinics: Abdul Rahman Yakub, T082-440055, private hospital with good reputation; Doctor’s Clinic, Main Bazaar, opposite Chinese History Museum, said to be excellent (RM20 for consultation); Normah Medical Centre, across the river on Jl Tun Datuk Patinggi Hj; Sarawak General Hospital, Jl Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui, off Jl Tun Haji Openg, T082-257555; Timberland Medical Centre, Rock Rd, T082- 234991, recommended.

Police

Tourist Police T082-241222, opposite Padang Merdeka.

Post office

General Post Office, Jl Tun Haji Openg, Mon-Sat 0800-1800, Sun 1000-1300. Operates a poste restante service.

Telephone

International calls can be made from most public cardphones. Major hotels all have cardphones in their lobbies.