City guide

Kuching

Kuching, officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division.

Type CityPopulation 162,843

Why go

  • Capital and largest city of Sarawak, Malaysia.
  • Served by Kuching International Airport (KCH).

History

Kuching, officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River at the southwestern tip of Sarawak on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 431 km2 (166 sq mi) with a population of about 162,843 in the Kuching North administrative region and 351,815 in the Kuching South administrative region—a total of 514,658 people.

Restaurants & places to go

Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-23:00 Features: halal · pizzahut.my
Indoor
Korean, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Su 12:00-23:00 Features: halal · Block 1, Saradise Edge, Saradise Jalan Stutong, kuching, 93350 · mycommongrnd.com
Indoor
Western, Restaurant · Opening hours: 11:00-24:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery · facebook.com
Indoor
Burger, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, delivery, halal · Jalan Canna, Kuching, 93350 · mcdonalds.com.my
Indoor
Noodles, Ramen, Japanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Th-Tu 09:00-15:00 · 179 Jalan Padungan, 93100 · makanasia.com
Indoor
Pizza, Coffee Shop, Chinese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00 · Block 16 Jalan Sherip Masahor, Kuching, 93350 · piosa.com.my
Indoor
Asian, Malaysian, Restaurant · Features: halal · facebook.com
Indoor
Bubble Tea, Cafe · Bubble Tea cafe · chatto.com.my
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Kuching International Airport (KCH) 6.5 km to the centre
Kuching, 13, MY — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 7 airlines (AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Malindo Air…) · direct flights to 14 destinations incl. Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Miri, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 7 airlines, 14 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Sematan Airport (BSE) 71 km to the centre
Sematan, 13, MY — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Babang Airstrip 54 km to the centre
Jagoi, KB, ID
Outdoor
Bentiang Airstrip 85 km to the centre
Bentiang, KB, ID
Outdoor
Singkawang Airport 90 km to the centre
Sinkawang-Borneo Island, KB, ID
Outdoor
Lokok Airstrip 67 km to the centre
Lokok, KB, ID
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Haji Omar Jetty
Ferry terminal · 1.3 km from the centre
Outdoor
Boyan-Gersik Jetty
Ferry terminal · 1.4 km from the centre
Outdoor
Fort Margherita Jetty
Ferry terminal · 1.5 km from the centre
Outdoor
Batu Jetty
Ferry terminal · 1.6 km from the centre
Outdoor
Gersik Jetty
Ferry terminal · 1.6 km from the centre
Outdoor
Pangkalan Panjang
Ferry terminal · 1.8 km from the centre
Outdoor
Kuching Passenger Terminal - Tanjung Manis Jetty
Ferry route
Outdoor
Kuching Passenger Terminal - Sarikei Express Boat Terminal
Ferry route
Outdoor
Sibu Express Boat Terminal - Kuching Passenger Terminal (Currently Unavailable)
Ferry route
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Kuching International Airport (KCH); 7 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: KCH has direct flights to 14 destinations on 7 airlines (incl. Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Miri, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Haji Omar Jetty, 1.3 km); routes include Kuching Passenger Terminal - Tanjung Manis Jetty, Kuching Passenger Terminal - Sarikei Express Boat Terminal, Sibu Express Boat Terminal - Kuching Passenger Terminal (Currently Unavailable).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Kuching. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.

Tours & experiences

Sightseeing