Sarawak

Borneo Cultures Museum

Borneo Cultures Museum is a landmark Kuching institution presenting Sarawak and wider Borneo cultures through modern galleries of ethnography, craft, ritual and shared island histories. Its striking contemporary architecture has become a skyline draw as much as the collections inside, signalling how Sarawak tells its story in the twenty-first century. Allow several hours for immersive exhibits that range from longhouse traditions to regional diversity across the island. It anchors a cultural half-day with the waterfront, Main Bazaar and neighbouring museums—ideal when you want real depth without leaving the city core.

Astana Kuching

Astana Kuching is the official residence of Sarawak’s Head of State, a colonial-era landmark facing Kuching Waterfront across the Sarawak River with lawns running to the bank. Its white walls and riverside grounds form one of the city’s classic opposite-bank views, best enjoyed from the promenade or a short riverboat ride. You generally admire the exterior from afar rather than touring inside; the spectacle is the palace set against water and evening light. Visit to complete a Waterfront circuit—fort, temples and the Astana as a quiet emblem of Brooke-era and modern statehood.

Tua Pek Kong Temple Kuching

Tua Pek Kong Temple Kuching is a prominent riverside Chinese temple dressed in bold red-and-gold, watching over the Sarawak River near the city’s heritage core. Long a spiritual landmark for Kuching’s Chinese community, it pairs everyday devotion with easy river views and old-town walks that tie faith to the waterfront. Step inside for incense, lantern light and ornate carved detail, then continue along the waterfront for boats and colonial facades. Visit as a short, vivid stop that links Chinese heritage with Kuching’s riverside rhythm—ideal before or after a relaxed Waterfront stroll at dusk.

Old Courthouse Kuching

The Old Courthouse in Kuching is a colonial complex of timber and brick that once administered Brooke-era justice and now hosts culture, dining and events beside the civic square. Verandas, courtyards and heritage galleries open onto the waterfront, making it an easy on-foot anchor in the city centre. Explore exhibitions, cafes and evening programmes that reuse the historic rooms without erasing their character. Pair with the waterfront promenade and nearby museums for a Sarawak capital stroll steeped in White Rajah and modern Borneo layers. Give yourself unhurried time on site so small local details and shifting light can shape the visit.

Annah Rais Longhouse

Annah Rais Longhouse near Kuching is a well-known Bidayuh community longhouse where visitors can learn about highland Dayak architecture, communal verandas and living traditions. It remains a popular half- or full-day cultural trip from the Sarawak capital. Go with a respectful guide or arranged visit, sample local hospitality, and walk bamboo walkways above the valley. Expect handmade crafts, warm welcomes and a clearer sense of Borneo village life beyond city museums. Confirm visit arrangements in advance, tip for performances when offered, and remember you are entering someone’s home community—curiosity is welcome, but so is courtesy.

Sarawak Cultural Village

Sarawak Cultural Village at the foot of Mount Santubong is a living museum of longhouses and ethnic performances representing Sarawak’s major communities. Dance shows, craft demos and traditional architecture sit minutes from Damai Beach. The village compresses Borneo cultural diversity into one walkable circuit—education with spectacle for first-time visitors. Time your visit around the cultural show schedule, wear comfortable shoes between houses, and stay for sunset nearby if combining with Damai. Pair it with Damai’s beach and you cover Sarawak culture and coast in one smooth Santubong peninsula outing.

Fairy Cave Bau

Fairy Cave Bau is a vast limestone cavern near Kuching where dramatic light shafts pierce the dark and wooden walkways lead you deeper into the rock. Once used as a Chinese temple space, the cave still carries a quiet, almost sacred atmosphere amid sheer walls and stalactites. Visit with nearby Wind Cave Bau for an easy half-day of subterranean scenery—cool air, photo shafts of sunbeams, and forested limestone hills of the Bau district. The sunbeams through the cavern roof are the lasting memory: Bau’s karst theatre at its most photogenic.

Fort Margherita

Fort Margherita watches over the Sarawak River from a colonial riverside fort built for Ranee Margaret during the Brooke "White Rajah" era. Today it houses museum galleries that bring Brooke-era Sarawak history to life through displays, architecture and river views. Cross by boat or approach from the Kuching waterfront side to climb ramparts, peer through embrasures and imagine steamers on the river below. Expect a compact heritage visit that pairs well with the old town—story-rich, photogenic and rooted in Sarawak's unique kingdom past.