Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Kuching (Malaysia). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Planetarium Sultan Iskandar, Sarawak State Museum, and Chinese History Museum. Also, be sure to include Kuching Cat Museum in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Kuching (Sarawak).
Table of Contents
Planetarium Sultan Iskandar
Planetarium in Kuching, Malaysia. The Sultan Iskandar Planetarium is a planetarium in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is also the first planetarium to be constructed in Malaysia.[1]
Address: Jalan Taman Budaya, Kuching
Sarawak State Museum
Also known as: Muzium Sarawak
Stalwart museum with science and history. The Sarawak State Museum is the oldest museum in Borneo. It was founded in 1888 and opened in 1891 in a purpose-built building in Kuching, Sarawak. It has been said that naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace encouraged Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah of Sarawak, to establish the museum: there is no evidence for this.
Starting 23 October 2017, the museum is temporarily closed until 2020 for an RM308-million refurbishment works. Only RM28M will be spent on the historic museum building with the rest to be spent on a far larger new museum campus building nearby. Once it is reopened, the museum aims to be one of the finest museums in ASEAN.[2]
Address: Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93590 Kuching
Chinese History Museum
Also known as: Muzium Sejarah Cina, Sarawak
Museum in Kuching, Malaysia. The Chinese History Museum Kuching is a museum in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The museum is about the history of the Chinese people in Sarawak.[3]
Address: Kuching Waterfront, Kuching
Kuching Cat Museum
Also known as: Muzium Kucing, Kuching
Museum in Kuching, Malaysia. The Kuching Cat Museum is a cat museum in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. It was founded in 1993. It is owned by the Kuching North City Hall.[4]
Address: Kuching North City Hall, 93050 Kuching
Hong San Si Temple
Hong San Si Temple is a Chinese temple situated in Carpenter Street of Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.[5]
Tua Pek Kong Temple
Tua Pek Kong Temple is a Chinese temple situated near the waterfront of Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, opposite the Chinese History Museum. It is the oldest temple in the city and formed a part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.[6]
Address: Lebuh Temple, 93450 Kuching
The Astana
Also known as: Astana, Sarawak
Governor's residence with public gardens. The Astana is a palace in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the north bank of the Sarawak River, opposite the Kuching Waterfront. It is the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, the governor of Sarawak. The name is a variation of 'istana', meaning 'palace'. It was built in 1870 by the second White Rajah, Charles Brooke, as a wedding gift to his wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. The palace is not normally open to the public, although the landscaped gardens are, which can be reach by a boat ride across the Sarawak River. It is part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.[7]
Fort Margherita
Fort in Kuching, Malaysia. Fort Margherita is an old fort constructed in 1879 by Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak situated in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The fort is an important landmark and monument in Sarawak's history which goes back to the Brooke Dynasty. The fort, built in the style of an English castle, was designed to protect Kuching from being attacked by pirates. It served as a Police Museum from 1971 before being handed over to the Government of Sarawak and now is a tourist attraction in Kuching. The fort now houses the Brooke Gallery, an exhibition showcasing the history of Sarawak under the Brooke Dynasty.
It is situated across the Sarawak River near The Astana, the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak and is accessible by road. It is a 15-minute drive along Petra Jaya, or a short river cruise from Pangkalan Batu, in front of Main Bazaar on Kuching Waterfront and located next to the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building. It is part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.[8]
Textile Museum
Also known as: Muzium Tekstil Sarawak
Museum in Kuching, Malaysia. The Textile Museum Sarawak is a textile museum in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.[9]
Islamic Heritage Museum
Also known as: Muzium Warisan Islam
Museum. The Islamic Heritage Museum is a museum in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.[10]
Address: Jalan Merdeka, 93050 Kuching
St. Joseph's Cathedral
Catholic church in Kuching, Malaysia. The St. Joseph's Cathedral also called Cathedral of Kuching is a religious building that is affiliated with the Catholic Church and is located in the city of Kuching, capital of Sarawak state in northern Borneo island and east part of the Asian country of Malaysia.
The building follows the Roman or Latin rite and is the main mother church or the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kuching (Archidioecesis Kuchingensis; Keuskupan Kuching Agung) which gained its current status by bull "Quoniam Favente Deo" of Pope Paul VI.
It is under the pastoral responsibility of Archbishop Simon Poh Hoon Seng since 4 March 2017.[11]
Address: Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching