Rainforest World Music Festival And 7 Other Reasons To Visit Kuching This July
Pack your bags, we're going to Kuching!
Published for AIR ASIA, 14 Jun 2018, 04:48 PM
1. Visit the sea turtles at the Talang-Satang National Parks
July is the height of the turtle nesting season, so it would be a great time to go visit the green sea turtles at the islands situated within the Talang-Satang National Parks. You'll also get to see the park wardens in action, as they'll be on standby to move the eggs to safety for hatching.
Getting there: Take a boat to Pulau Satang Besar from Damai Beach. It's advisable to book the boat through a Kuching-based tour agency as there are no regular boat services.
Entrance fee: RM10
2. Go café-hopping around Jalan Song
Kuching is said to have a really cool café culture going on - and most of the top cafés can be found around the Jalan Song area. Do try the coffee at Cupella and Destino de Espresso while you're there!
Getting there: Jalan Song is in Kampung Tabuan Lalang, about 6.5km from the city centre.
3. Attend the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF)
The RWMF is an award-winning music festival that's held annually at the Sarawak Cultural Village. Every year features different musicians from all over the world showcasing their native music, so you can actually 'experience' the world in just three days! RWMF is so popular that it's estimated to attract 20,000 festival goers every year.
RWMF will be back again this year from 13-15 July. Do book your tickets early as they tend to get sold out quite fast, you can book yours on AirAsiaRedTix now.
Getting there: Sarawak Cultural Village is located near Damai Beach Resort, so it's better to get a taxi there if you're staying in Kuching city centre as the festival venue is 35km away.
Entrance fee: Day passes start from RM123.80
4. Feast at the Kuching Festival
Kuching Festival is the best place to experience everything that the Sarawak city has to offer. The month-long festival will feature exhibitions, local performances, and hundreds of stalls selling the best local food. It's definitely a must-visit for foodies, so book your calendars for the festival that's happening from 27 July till 19 August 2018!
Getting there: The festival is held on the grounds of the Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Sarawak's building, which is within walking distance from most hotels in the city.
Entrance fee: Free
5. Check out the Upside Down House
Kuching's Upside Down House is one of the newer attractions in the city. The furniture and design of each room are placed upside down, you might even feel a little confused at first.
Getting there: The Upside Down House is located along Jalan Borneo near the Kuching Waterfront, easily accessible from the city centre. It opens from 9am till 5pm daily.
Entrance fee: RM15
6. Pose with the street art pieces around Kuching city centre
Popular Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic, has also left his mark around the city of Kuching. You can find three of his works, all featuring orangutans, along Jalan Power near the Kuching Waterfront area. There's also a huge one titled 'Wild About Kuching' on Temple Street, which was created by local artist Leonard Siaw.
Getting there: You can find a lot of murals around Kuching city centre - all the way from Carpenter Street to Jalan Power. So just take your time to explore!
7. Take a walk around Kuching's very own Orchid Garden
Did you know that Sarawak's state flower is the orchid? The state's Orchid Garden has more than 80 different types of orchids on display, the biggest collection being the Normah Orchid. You can visit both the garden display area and the nursery to check out these special Bornean orchids.
Getting there: You'll need a boat ride from Kuching Waterfront to Pangkalan Sapi to visit the Orchid Garden, which is sandwiched between the Astana and the State Legislative Assembly building. It's opened from 9:30am till 6pm daily.
Entrance fee: Free
8. Say hi to the orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre
The green Semenggoh Nature Reserve is home to some wild orangutans in Sarawak. You're allowed to visit the reserve through its Wildlife Centre, and the best time to see these beautiful creatures is during feeding time in the morning and afternoon (between 3-4pm).
Getting there: As the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is quite tricky to find, the best way to get there is via Bus 6 or a cab. The centre is opened from 8am till 5pm daily.
Entrance fee: RM5
AirAsia flies to Kuching daily from nine local airports from RM57
AirAsia is currently having a promo for all their flights to Kuching in conjunction with this year's Rainforest World Music Festival. You can fly to the Cat City from just RM57 if you book your tickets during these dates:
Book period: Now till 24 June 2018
Travel period: Now till 31 January 2019
You can also book your tickets for the Rainforest World Music Festival here.