Sarawak

Tours of Borneo in & Around Kuching

SWK01 - KUCHING CITY TOUR

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 3hours

The perfect introduction to Sarawak’s historic capital, this tour includes Kuching’s Chinatown, the Cat Statue (Kuching means “Cat” in Malay), the colourful Tua Pek Kong Chinese Temple, the Civic Centre Viewing Platform and the world famous Sarawak Museum.    Return via the golden-domed City Mosque and passing through Old Kuching, crammed with spice dealers and textile shops.   Pass by the heritage buildings of the White Rajah era, the Pavilion, the Square Tower, the Court House, the Charles Brooke Monument and the Post Office. We will view the Astana, the former residence of the White Rajahs from across the river at the Kuching Waterfront.

SWK02 - KUCHING CITY AND RIVER TOUR

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                     : 4hours

The complete introduction to Kuching on land and water.  This tour covers the same itinerary as the Kuching City Tour (above) with a 1-hour pontoon boat river cruise viewing the city from the river.  Details are similar to the Sarawak River Cruise.

SWK03 - KUCHING HERITAGE TRAIL

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : approx. 3,5hours

This walkabout tour commences at the Kuching waterfront, with a visit to the “Tua Tek Kong” Chinese temple and Chinese Historical Museum where the historical Fort Margherita can be viewed on the other side of the Sarawak River.   From the temple you will walk through Carpenter Street, consisting of old shop houses on both sides of the narrow street passage.  At the end of the street junction you pass by the General Post Office.   Also situated around this area are historical buildings and monuments built during the era of the Brooke dynasty which consists of the Round Tower, the Pavilion, the Brooke Memorial Monument, the Square Tower and the Old Court House.  Proceed to India Street, a pedestrians’ shopping mall specializing in local and imported textiles.  From India Street, walk through a narrow covered passageway where you will find a Masjid India on your left with very low walls built sometime in the mid 19th century.  Just as you reach the end of the passageway, your senses will detect the slight aroma of Indian spices which navigates you to Gambier Street.  Proceed to Brooke Dockyard and Dockyard lane passing by the Old Fire Brigade Station (known now as the open air market).   Our last stop is a direct walk pass the Merdeka Square to the St Thomas’s Cathedral for a short visit.  The tour would then conclude at the Sarawak Museum which could take your time in browsing around and returning to the hotel on our own.

SWK04 - SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                     : 4hours

This award-winning living museum showcases Sarawak’s unique and diverse cultures in an accessible, visitor-friendly setting just 35 minutes from Kuching.  The seven authentic traditional buildings are set amidst a scenic 17 acre site and are populated by members of Sarawak’s many ethnic groups, going about everyday activities.  These include wood and bamboo carving, beadwork, weaving, sago-making, sugar-cane crushing, pepper-growing and the preparation of bird’s nests.  Visitors can learn how to throw a Malay spinning top, shoot a Penan blowpipe or pick out a tune on an Orang Ulu sape.  The tour concludes with a colourful multi-ethnic cultural performance in the village’s air-conditioned mini-theater.

SWK05 - SARAWAK RIVER CRUISES

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 4 hours

The very best way to see and enjoy historic Kuching is from the Sarawak River, the main artery around which the city has grown.  Our Sarawak River Cruises give you a view of the city and its surroundings that is impossible to experience from dry land.  From the comfort of our purpose-built pontoon boats you will enjoy unobstructed views of every aspect of traditional life on the river.

SWK06 - MORNING CRUISE

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 2 hours

This cruise takes you past a host of fascinating sights to get a close-up view of traditional life on and around the river.  The boat glides past colourful Malay Villages, the elegant City Mosque, the Astana, Fort Margherita and the Kuching Waterfront..  Along the way you will see brightly-painted tambangs ferrying passengers, villagers going about their everyday activities, and fishing boats and wooden cargo vessels plying the river.

SWK07 - SUNSET CRUISE

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                     : 2 hours

This cruise, running from late afternoon to twilight, follows a similar itinerary to the Morning Cruise, with the added pleasure of the setting sun as a backdrop (weather permitting).  The cruise ends with colourful lights coming on all along the Kuching Waterfront as you approach the jetty.

SWK08 - SEMENGOK WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTRE

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration : 3 hours

The best place in Sarawak to view semi-wild orang utans, who have been rescued from captivity and trained to survive in the surrounding forest reserve.    The rehabilitated animals roam freely in the rain forest, and often return to the centre at feeding time.  Thanks to the successful breeding programme at Semonggok there is a good possibility of experiencing one of the most heart-warming sights in Borneo – an orang utan mother with a young baby.   The centre is 30 mins drive from Kuching and another 20 mins on foot.   Along the way visitors pass by the ethno-botanical gardens, with their unique collection of rain-forest plants.   Semengok also has a number of short collection of rain-forest plants.

Note : As the orang utan in Semengok are semi-wild, sightings cannot be guaranteed. 

SWK09 - BAKO NATIONAL PARK WITH LUNCH

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration : 7-8 hours

This small peninsula, 1 ½ hours from Kuching by car and longboat, is home to seven distinct rainforest ecosystems, giving it a remarkable diversity of animal and plant life.   Bako’s most famous residents are the bizarre proboscis monkeys, and it is also home to silvered langurs (leaf monkeys), long-tailed macaque monkeys, wild boar, flying squirrels and monitor lizards as well as hundreds of different bird species.   Fascinating plant life includes mangroves, strangling figs, carnivorous pitcher plants and symbiotic ant plants.    Unique geological features mark the coastline, whilst well-marked trails lead to rugged jungle-covered hilltops and secluded beaches.   Packed lunch is included.

Optional Overnight Stay : To allow more time to enjoy Bako’s attractions, optional overnight accommodation can be arranged at the park’s chalets or bungalows

SWK10 - MATANG WILDLIFE CENTRE

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 3,5 hours

This centre (40 minutes from Kuching) is part of Kubah National Park and is Sarawak’s main centre for wildlife rehabilitation.    The rescued animals being rehabilitated here include orang utan, sun bears, bear cats, civet cats, sambar deer, barking deer, porcupines and crocodiles, all of which can be viewed in spacious natural enclosures.    A large aviary houses a variety of hornbills, as well as brahminy kites and sea eagles.

Optional Jungle Trek (add 3 hours) : Lunch at Matang Wildlife Centre, followed by a guided trek to Kubah National Park headquarters, passing through some of the most impressive rainforest scenery in Sarawak.  Along the way visitors will pass clear jungle waterfalls and see dozens of fascinating plant species including rare plants, orchids and pitcher plants.

SWK11 - GUNUNG GADING RAFFLESIA SAFARI WITH LUNCH

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 6-7 hours

Gunung Gading National Park, 2 hours from Kuching, is Sarawak’s main conservation area for the rafflesia, the world’s largest flower, which can grow up to one metre in diameter.   The park also offers a number of attractive walking trails, leading through primary rainforest to beautiful jungle waterfalls. Packed lunch is included.

SWK12 - BIDAYUH LONGHOUSE TOUR

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 3 hours

Anah Rais is a large Bidayuh  (Land Dayak) village about 45 minutes from Kuching.   The focal point of the village is a large and well-preserved traditional bamboo longhouse which is home to dozens of families.    This guided tour introduces visitors to the unique architectural and cultural features of the longhouse and the traditional farming lifestyle of the Bidayuh people.

SWK13 - JONG’S CROCODILE FARM

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 3 hours

Sarawak’s legendary man-eating crocodiles are usually rare and elusive, but at Jong’s Crocodile Farm, some 30 mins from Kuching, over 1,000 of these fearsome predators are bred in a 3 ½ acre complex.    Visitors can see crocodiles being fed and learn all about their life cycle.   Time will be allowed to visit the farm’s mini-zoo, where goats, turkeys, monitor lizards, deer and pythons are also reared.

SWK14 - BAU FAIRY CAVE AND WIND CAVE (DAYTRIP) WITH LUNCH

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                     : 08 Hours

The town of Bau, 22km from Kuching is famous as a gold mining centre and as the headquarters of the Chinese Rebellion of 1858.   Nowadays its most popular attractions are two unusual limestone caves.   The Fairy Cave is so-called because of a stalagmite structure at its entrance, which is said to resemble Kuan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy.   The Wind Cave is named for the constant cooling breeze, which blows through it.   Visitors can then explore the rock formations, admire the natural limestone sculptures.

SWK15 - COASTAL AND MARINE TOURS

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                     : 06 Hours

All the following tours are conducted using comfortable motor launches with full safety features, based at the Sarawak Boat Club, about 30 minutes from Kuching.

SWK16 - MANGROVE CRUISE

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 3 hours

This tour explores the many branches of the Santubong and Salak River Delta system as they emerge into the South China Sea.   It focuses on the complex ecosystem of the mangrove swamp, which is an important breeding ground for many marine animal species, and a permanent home for small reptiles, mud-skippers, crabs, shellfish, and occasional mammals such as monkeys and lorises.   The mangroves are also important feeding grounds for a rich array of bird life.   Visitors will see many different types of mangrove, and lean how these uniquely adapted trees colonise the shoreline and develop a complex, symbiotic ecosystem.   There will also be a stopover at a Malay fishing village and charcoal factory set deep in the mangrove forest.

SWK17 - IRRAWADDY DOLPHIN WATCHING

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                      : 3 hours

This cruise criss-crosses the mouth of the Santubong River in search of the rare Irrawaddy Dolphin.  The Irrawaddy, or snubfin dolphin, inhabits rivers, estuaries and shallow coastal areas.  The Santubong area is one of the best places in Sarawak to view this unusual looking marine mammal.  The dolphins are often seen swimming and diving around small fishing boats in the estuary.  Occasionally they are seen playing in the open water.  Visitors will need a keen eye to spot the dolphins at first, but after a short wait they can often be seen surfacing all around the boat.

SWK18 - SANTUBONG WILDLIFE CRUISE(3.5 Hours)

Departure Time         : 0900hrs
Duration                     : 3.5 Hours

This tour takes you around the rivers of the Santubong Peninsular, offering you the chance of seeing some of Sarawak’s fascinating wildlife.   The cruise starts at the Sarawak Boat Club.  From there your boat cruises to the mouth of the Santubong River, where Irrawaddy dolphins are often spotted. Your boat then roams the mangrove-lined rivers looking for wildlife.  As the light starts to fade we go in search of the rare proboscis monkey.  Small groups are often seen in the treetops at the water edge, settling down for the night.As dusk arrives we search for fireflies and crocodiles.  Crocodiles are often seen on the mud banks and brightly shining crocodile eyes can be spotted when a torch light is passed over the river.After searching for crocodiles your boat proceeds further up river where fireflies gather at night.  Watch the fireflies move around the branches of the mangroves, momentarily lighting up the night sky.  After enjoying a firefly light show you return to the boat club.

Please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.  However, we do enjoy a high success rate.  Wildlife commonly seen on this tour includes proboscis monkeys, estuarine crocodiles, macaque monkeys, fireflies, monitor lizards, silver-leaf monkeys. Irrawaddy dolphins and a range of bird life like White Belly Eagle, White Eagret, Seagull, Kingfisher etc..  Cruises do not operate during rainy weather. 

Term and Conditions

Seat In Coach Basis :

All Tour excludes entrance fee and meal.
All SIC (seat in coach) tours sold are based on minimum 2 persons.

Private Basis :

All Tour excludes entrance fees and meal.
All entrance fees and transfers are excluded, unless stated otherwise.
Additional surcharge will be imposed by certain hotels/restaurants on meals during the Muslim Ramadhan period. Charges are to be advised.

Booking.com