Wonderful Place, Kuching, Sarawak

Click to view video of Kuching, Sarawak from a different angle.
Paulus, mum, Ami, Godma Lucy & A. Mary flew to kuching Sarawak on the 25th July 2008. Paulus, mum & me flew from Kota Kinbalu, Sabah and Ami, Godma & A. Mary flew from LCCT, Kuala Lumpur. Our flight number was Flight AK5907 - depart @ 19:10 & arrived in kuching @ 20:35. Later in the evening the other three of them join us in Kuching.

I booked two hotels in advance to make sure we have a place to stay when we are in kuching, and when we arrive we decided to stay in Laila Inn as it was recommended by our friend that the place was the heart of kuching city, it was cheap, clean and good. Below are the details that might help you if you decide to go to kuching. Laila Inn is a a great place, I would personally recommend you. It's a budget hotel though.

I plan this trip since March & thank God I had a colleague who is from Kuching & with the help of her friend and herself telling me the places I should visit in Kuching. Even though it was a short trip but we really utilize our time to the max. Thanks to Polly & her friend.. oppss sorry forgot his name.... he he he

HOTELS IN KUCHING, SARAWAK
Laila Inn
Tel No. 082-420930
Add: Lot 149-151, Jalan DAtuk Ajibah Abol, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak
Near Arif Hotel, State mosque
Price : Superior – Queen bed – RM62.10nett X 2 = RM124.20
Person In-charge = Cik Imah

Telang Usan Hotel
Tel No. 082-415588
Add: Jalan Ban Hock, P.O Box 1579, 93732 Kuching, Sarawak
Price : Superior – Queen bed – RM140.nett X 2 = RM280.00
Person In-charge = Ms Wendy / Ms. Sandy

The Vehicle we rented

Before we flew to Kuching, thanks to my brilliant mum who asked me to rent a car in Kuching, I went online and got contacts for car rents. Below is the cheapest rate compared to the rest I got online. Maybe you could try it out. When we touched down in Kuching, the car was already there waiting for us. Truly it was so much easy if you travel with a vehicle rather than following a tour guide. You could choose to go to places at your own pace & time. The car was in a superb condition. Thanks Carol..

CAR RENT IN KUCHING, SARAWAK
Pronto Car Rental & Service
Address: Jalan Padungan
Tel No. 082-237889
Add: Jalan Ban Hock, P.O Box 1579, 93732 Kuching, Sarawak
Brand/Price : Suzuki ERV RM160.nett X 2 = RM320.00
(RM320.00/6 = RM53.34per person + 6.66 x 6 = RM40.00 petrol)
Therefore 1 person RM60.00
Person In-charge = Ms Carol - H/P 013-8116778

Once we settled with the car, Paulus drove to laila Inn, with me handling the map on my hand. He he he.. the blind leading the blind.... Thanks to Jesus & some friendly people in Kuching, we manage to reach Laila Inn without getting lost. We wanted to look for the place before our dearest relatives arrived from K.L. It would be easier for them. We checked in, sat for 30 minutes then we drove off the Kuching Airport to pick our gang. By the time we left Kuching, Paulus said he now know Kuching city almost 70%... thats how you can imagine we utilize our time there.

Did some research about the famous places, food.. etc in Kuching..

Places & Food that I would like to try, go and check it out....Really famous.

PLACE	FOOD
Petanak Market Open Air Market 3 Mile Muara Tebuas @ Green Hill Area (Qing Shan Famous Temple) Friendship Garden – Jalan Song 6 Hui Sing Hawker Centre, Lorong Taman Hui Sing 3 16 - Chong Kee 17 - Thien Thien BREAKFAST = Choon Hui Cafe, Jalan Ban Hock next to Grand Continental Hotel LUNCH/DINNER = Ah Kau Fried Kueh Tiaw/Noodles, Expert Food Court Jalan Song BREAKFAST :-, Golden Arch Shopping Mall DINNER = Taman Kereta, Top Spot Cafe, 6th floor of Permata Carpark	Belacan Bee Hoon Madam Tong Kuching Laksa Sio Bee (Dim Sum) Koh Loh Mee – Oil Char Sau Crispy Oyster Food Paradise White Lady = DRINKS pork satays, fried taugeh noodles with clams, the tomato kueh teow, the sotong kangkung and curry chicken rice. laksa, popiah, kolo mee, chicken porridge tomoto kuey tow Prawn Laksa Seafood, crispy oyster, butter prawans wet style, Midin or Bidin or Bilin with Belacan *Sau Pau (something like curry puff) Kueh Chap = Mix Pork
Site Seeing	Nite Entertainment
1. Cultural Village (Damai Beach 1 ½ drive) (Sarawak Pottery, pepper) 2. Cat Village 3. main bazaar 4. Padungan street (china Town) 5. San Dubong = (Far) 6. Jalan Song = Something like Petaling Street 7. Bako National Park (Far) 8. Orang Utan Sanctuary 9. Longhouses Tour 10. Sarawak Pottery Centre 313, Jalan Kuching-By-Pass 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (RETAIL) 11. Pottery making = 3rd mile, Indian Street 12. Little lebanon	Links Bar Road Travilion = Top of Civic Centre ADD : Level 2, Dewan Suarah Jalan Taman Budaya 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia Happy Hour, Everyday 5pm-9pm Heineken Draught@RM8nett Cocktails Cosmopolitan, Blue Kamikaze, Screaming Orgasm@RM10 nett Hilton Hotel = Sensor Bar Mojo, Jalan Abell Bukit Mata, Kuching Road (pubs)

MY AGENDA
Friday
Arrive - Check In
DINNER = Open Air Market
(Seafood, crispy oyster, butter prawans wet style, Midin or Bidin or Bilin with Belacan yummy yummy) then we drove to Kuching Civic Center

Saturday
BREAKFAST = Open Air Market = Prawn Laksa, Sio Bee, Kuching Laksa
Morning till afternoon: - Cat Museum & Cultural Village (Damai Beach 1 ½ drive)
cat museum is located at dewan bandaraya kuching utara,u will see a building look like badminton, cat museum is inside it
Evening: - Pottery Making @ 5th Mile & travel round
Dinner : - Taman Kereta, Top Spot Cafe, 6th floor of Permata Carpark (Jalan Pandungan)
Seafood Again - Crispy Oyster, cooked differently from the open air market also delicious, butter prawns, midin, fried chicken wings ....etc

Sunday
Morning till afternoon : - Shopping @ main bazaar (Jalan Main Bazaar) & Friendship Garden for sight seeing
The Spring, near king center (Shopping Mall) – Jalan Simpang Tiga, had dinner there
Evening: - Goodbye Kuching

I was so happy coz we covered almost 90% of my agenda in Kuching plus we manage to go more places and get some wonderful stuff..

Click to Canoe racing in Kuching, Sarawak Paulus manage to get this shot while we were busy shopping :-)

Places we visited in Kuching
Pottery Making:-
Kuching has beautiful hand made pots. I really enjoyed this place and bought a few to decorate my place in Sabah. Really cheap plus can be discounted. This is in 5th Mile in Kuching.

Friendship Garden:- Click to Watch Video of Friedship Globe

Shopping Time @ The Main Bazaar!!!
Some call it Food Bazaar. Click to view video.

Wow... we really shopped.... Got some wonderful handicrafts for my home. Mum bought many things for her children & grandchildren. Guess what? I even won a price when I was in Kuching as they had some celebration there and I participated in a game.. Hehehe.. Hamper from VICO...

My Price Giving Day from Vico
The Spring @ One of the Newest Mall in Kuching..Click to view video
My baby & me, choosing a soft toy for baby angel & baby ethan coz they miss us so much and they told us to buy them a soft toy for them to cuddle whenever they miss us. Ethan name his Ernie.. Paulus hehehee
Cultural Village:- Click here to watch video
This is where you get a chance to see all cultural heritage in Sarawak. I paid RM60.00 per entry but it was worth it. For children below 6-12, only RM30.00. When you pay that amount, they will give you a passport for rememberance where you need to chop when you go into each ethnic house. There are a total of seven homes you need to visit. Inside the cultural village, you will experience live performances from the different ethnic but you must be aware of the time of the performances. They have it twice a day.
Time:- 11.30 to 12.15
16.00 to 16.45
This is how my passport look like:-

There are total of 13 dances:-

1. Iban - Ngat Lesong :- In this dance, the iban warrior demonstrates the extraordinary strength of his teeth by lifting the mortar, weighing around 20kg. Dancing with the mortar hanging from his mouth shows the agility of the warrior and is a feat of endurance
2. Iban - Ngat Pahlawan:- This is a traditional welcoming dance performed by the villages to welcome their warriors after they come back from a victorious battle.
3. Bidayuh - Rajang Be'uh:- This dance is usually performed after the harvest season as a form of entertainment for guests of the longhouse. The movements of the dancers with outstretched hands imitate the movements of the eagles as they flap their wings in flight.
4. Bidayuh - Tolak Bala:- Before the harvesting season, the community performed this dance to ask for blessing for a good harvest and to protect the community from evil spirits.
5. Bidayuh - Langgi Julang:- This is a ritual dance performed by the villages in occasion to elect a new chief for the village. The dance is performed by dancing on the julang or brass tray by the Bidayuh men. They are accompanied by the beautiful Bidayuh maidens.
6. Orang Ulu - Datun Julud:- This is a traditional welcoming dance performed by the beautiful Orang Ulu maidens to welcome guests of the longhouse.
7. Orang Ulu - Kanjet Ngeleput:- This dance potrays the nimble but stealthy steps of the warrior as he goes about on a hunting trip in the jungle, searching for his prey. He sees his target, takes aim and blows out a deadly dart which seldom fails to find its mark.
8. Melanau - Tarian Menyak:- This dance potrays the harmonious atmosphere, showing as how the Melanau carry out their daily activities of processing sago flour for the making of sago pearls, locally known as "Sago".
9. Melanau - Alu-Alu:- This dance is usually performed during a death ceremony to comfort the visiting relatives and friends.
10. Malay - Senandong Sarawak:- Senandong Sarawak is a dance which incorporates two popular Malay dances of Sarawak. The traditional Dayang Sari which reflects the identity of a Sarawak Malay Woman and is followed by the traditional and ever popular Malay Joget.
11. Malay - Tarian Royong:- This dance is a modern creation which employs the traditional and ever popular joget. The dance depicts the Malay youths playfulness as they relax after a hard day's work.
12. Malay - Serampang Baru:- This dance potrays the joyous atmosphere in the Malay Village in a mood of celebration. This is the time when the young Malay youths come out to court their ladies in their fineries.
13. Chinese - The Lion Dance:- The Chinese has always considered the Lion as the protector of law and order which carries the significance of peace and prosperity and a symbol of strength, courage & power. Today, it has become the most popular item in the celebration of Chinese New Year.

Ami all dressed up trying to look like a Miss Bidayuh of Sarawak. You can try it out, when you reach the Bidayuh longhouse. hehehe..
Me pretending to experience their lifestyle... i am sure it wasn't easy coz it was heavy when i carried those even though it was empty. This is taken in the Chinese Farm House.
Godma Lucy also trying to experience their culture.
My baby, Paulus can really make music with those stuff.. Beautiful site of Cultural Village... Ami & A mary.. good shot. I wonder who was the photographer hahahaha..Cat Museum:- Click to view video
This is another place you must visit. The designed, wow so beautiful. Entrance is free but if you wish to take picture, you pay RM3.00 for still images & RM5.00 for Video.
Well, those are a little bit about my trip to kuching, Sarawak. It was a wonderful trip. You should go visit... We had a wonderful time... Praise Jesus... Take time off.. Take a break from your busy life and go see Kuching, Sarawak.. worth it.

Time to say goodbye to Kuching ....
Touched down @ Kota Kinabalu airport @ 22:25 as we left Kuching @ 21:00, flight no. AK5906 on the 27th July 2008 (Sunday)