An island as diverse as its
make-up, and Asia’s biggest,
Borneo is divided between
three countries – Malaysia, Brunei
and Indonesia. Malaysian Borneo’s
largest state, Sarawak, is situated
in the northwest of the island,
and home to all sorts of natural
beauty. Base yourself from its
capital Kuching – which boasts
the title of largest city in Borneo at
only 431sqm – and venture out to
discover some truly spectacular
sights and awesome animal magic.
What to do
You don’t go to Borneo without
paying a visit to its most famous
residents, the orangutans. Borneo
is one of only two places in the
world you can still see orangutans –
literally translated
as ‘people of
the forest’ – in
their natural
environment
(the other is
Sumatra). Only
a 45-minute
bus-ride away
from Kuching
city centre, one of the easiest places to get a good close-up is Semenggoh Nature Reserve (15RMB
entry). Home to orangutans that
have been injured, orphaned or
kept as illegal pets, Semenggoh
rehabilitates them ready for
re-release. Open twice a day for
visitors during feeding times
(9-10am and 3-3.30pm), here you
can watch our brothers of the forest
swinging through the trees and
feasting on fruit.
Another animal-centric day trip
from Kuching is Bako National Park
(30RMB
entry). The oldest national park in
Sarawak, Bako is famous for its
proboscis monkeys, who in turn
are famous for their huge noses.
The park’s 15-odd walking trails, of
varying length and difficulties, lead
to mangroves, beaches and stunning
view points, with plenty of wildlife
to spot on the way, like silver leaf
monkeys, wild boar, hermit crabs,
green viper snakes and more. To get
to Bako, take public bus Number 1
(5RMB one way) from the waterfront,
which takes an hour to arrive at Bako
Village. From there, it’s a short boat
ride (62RMB return) to a beach that is
the park headquarters.
Kuching itself also offers more
than just a base. Allegedly named
after a local fruit called ‘cat’s eye’,
Kuching is fondly known as ‘Cat City’. It lives up to its name with giant
cat statues dotted through the town
centre, all sorts of kitty fodder for
sale and a whole cat museum paying
homage to furry creatures, making
it a prime destination for all feline
fanatics. Indefinably charming, the
riverside town has a relaxed vibe
making it a good spot to wind down,
with its open markets, Chinatown
and striking temples and mosques –
and then there’s the food.
Where to eat
For breakfast in Kuching, there’s
only one spot you want to be seen
and that’s Chong Choon Cafe (121
Jalan Abell; open 6.30am-1pm
daily), a small food court with a
mix of Malay, Indian, Chinese and
Muslim hawker stalls lining its
edge. Go for the poh lam laksa
(11RMB) – a spicy-sour noodle soup,
with vermicelli noodles in a mildly
spicy broth of coconut milk, sour
tamarind, lemongrass and garlic;
topped with chicken, egg, prawns,
coriander and squeeze of lime. Try to
arrive before 9am, or expect to wait a
bit for a table.
In the evening, follow the crowds
towards the neon lights of Top Spot
Food Court (Jalan Padungan; open
midday-11pm daily). Despite its unlikely location on the sixth floor of a multi-storey car park, this open
food court is famous for its seafood
and always busy, with around ten
stalls catering to hundreds of tables
at any one time. Try the Ling Loong
Seafood stall, the offerings are
reasonably priced and you can have
’em cooked any which way you fancy
– fried with chilli and garlic or with
soy sauce and ginger, deep-fried in
batter and more.
How to get there
Return flights from Shanghai to Kuching (with
a stopover in Kuala Lumpur) start from around
2,000RMB on airasia.com.
Where to stay
The Lime Tree Hotel (317 Jalan Abell) isn’t anything fancy to look at, but the rooms
are comfortable, clean and reasonably priced
from 200RMB a night. The Radioman Heritage
Hostel (1 Jalan Wayang; 082 238 801) is a classic
backpacker hostel, with bunks from 30RMB per
night and a few private rooms. You can also book
stays in traditional longhouses, contact Sarawak
Tourism Board for tour and
booking information.
