Hostels in KUCHING, MALAYSIA

City Kuching in Malaysia – Cat City and Port City

Small enough to walk around, yet interesting enough for the visitors to remember for long, Kuching is the largest city in Sarawak, the East Malaysian state. Accommodating nearly six hundred thousand residents, the city is popularly known as the “cat city” locally.

Accommodation Options
Budget hotels offer manageable modern facilities. Clean and hospitable, some of them offer free breakfast as well. Standard two or three star hotels are available at short drives from the city offering spa, gym, and excellent food and beverages. All modern facilities are available in the luxury hotels. Bread and breakfast lodgings, youth hostels and guesthouses are available too.

History
Initially a part of Sultanate of Brunei, Sarawak was ruled by the Brooke family till the Japanese occupation in December 1941. Japanese domination of the city continued for almost four years. Ceded to British Crown in 1946 after the Second World War, Sarawak gained independence in 1963 and became a part of Malaysia along with Borneo, Sabah, and Singapore in 1965.

Places of Interest
Major places of interest in the city are:
•    Tura Pek Kong Temple opposite the Chinese Meuseum and the venue of Wang Kang and Ghost festivals;
•    Sultan Iskandar Planetarium showing astronomical videos;
•    Kuching Civic Centre at Jalan Taman Baudaya with umbrella shaped roof;
•    Kuching City Mosque built in 1968.
•    Msjid Jamek and Medan Raya Complex at Petra Jaya, Kuching Waterfront, Tasman Budaya, Ostana, Friendship garden, and Sarawak State Library.

Getting Around
Bus travel is cheaper but non-availability of guides and main bus terminal are problems. Bus services are available to and from Bako National Park, Lundu, Pontiank, Semengoh, and Shibu. Another option is the yellow roofed kereta sewa or shuttle vans. However fares vary widely.

Illegal shuttle vans are not covered with insurances for passengers and should be avoided. Taxi and self driving car rental services are also available. Roads are well maintained in Kuching.

Kuching International Airport is the gateway to Sarawak. Well connected internally with Singapore, Johor Bahru, Labuan, and Kota Kinabalu, the city airport has a few international links tool. Travellers can also get around by boat services named Express Bahagia and Express Sejahtera. Travel guides are available at the airport and hotels on payment of cost.

Places of Entertainment
State museum, Abdul Razzak Hall, Textile museum, Pua Kumbu museum, Chinese history museum, Fort Margherita, Cat museum, and Tiber museum are the main Museums in the city.

A host of excellent restaurants provide food and beverages of choice. Boulevard Mall, The Spring, Green Heights Mall, Tun Jugah, Wisma Saberkas, Riverside Shopping Complex, Kenyalang Park, Crown square, Hock Lee Center and Wisma Hopoh are the best shopping centres in the city apart from the Sunday Market and daily markets.

Language Spoken
Standard Malay language is understood by people though the local dialect is known as the Bahasa Melayu Sarawak. Chinese people speak Hokkien or Minnan but the standard language is Mandarin. A few residents speak Iban. English is widely understood.

Currency
Malaysian Ringgit or RM is the accepted local currency. One can check the news as well as the Internet for latest exchange rates with GBP, USD, and Euro.

Group accommodation in Kuching | Cheap Hostels & Budget Hotels