MALAYSIA
MALAYSIAN BORNEO – SARAWAK •• Kuching lonelyplanet.comof limestone spikes shooting straight up
into the balmy jungle air. Then it’s on to
the Kelabit Highlands, an earthen kingdom
tucked high in the clouds along the dark
green borders of Kalimantan. Wild macaques
and prowling proboscis monkeys patrol the
southern shores as they swing past trekking
tourists in Bako National Park.
Ultimately, Sarawak is a land of dream-
ing – a place where fantasies are fulfilled. If
you’re imagining a world of steaming jungles,
secreted villages, curious beasts and muddy
treks into the unknown, then you’ve come to
the right place. Sarawak promises to deliver
on all of those magical Bornean stereotypes,
and it’ll keep you coming back for more.KUCHING
pop 632,500
A capital, a kingdom, a cat, a colonial relic –
Kuching wears many hats. Sarawak’s main
point of entry plays its romantic Indochine
card quite well, yet manages to be Borneo’s
most trendy, forward-thinking destination.
There’s a certain cosmopolitan je ne sais quoi
that floats through the air, especially in the
evenings as hookah smoke fills the streets
amid the clinking of designer cocktails –
shaken not stirred, of course. In the daytime
the colourful shophouses in Chinatown are
abuzz as sweaty tinsmiths hawk their wares
and smartly dressed businessmen line up for
steamy meat buns on their lunch break.
Kuching means ‘cat’ in Malay, a mascot
exploited at every souvenir stall and high-
way roundabout. The city was so named
by Charles Brooke, one of the white rajas,
who must have sensed his capital’s feline
fierceness. Kuching embodies the spirit of a
lion, sitting regally in its wild surrounds asit guards the roaring Sungai Sarawak from
other prowlers.Information
BOOKSHOPS
Mohamed Yahia & Sons (%082-416928; Basement,
Sarawak Plaza, Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman; h9am-5pm)
Has English-language fiction and books on Borneo, plus
Sarawak maps.
Popular Book Co (%082-411378; Level 3, Tun Jugah
Shopping Centre, 18 Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman; h9am-
7pm) This is a more modern and spacious bookshop with
a good selection of international titles but fewer local-
interest books, however.IMMIGRATION
Immigration office (%082-245661; 2nd fl, Sultan
Iskandar Bldg, Jln Simpang Tiga; h8am-noon &
2-4.30pm Mon-Fri) Visa extensions 3km south of town
centre. From in front of the mosque, take CLL Bus 11 or
14A/B/C. Get off at Simpang Tiga.INTERNET ACCESS
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Sarawak Plaza
offers free wi-fi to its customers.
Cyber City (%082-243680; http://www.cybercity.com.my;
Taman Sri Sarawak Mall; per hr RM4; h10am-11pm
Mon-Sat, 11am-11pm Sun) A clean, friendly place with
printing and scanning services.LAUNDRY
Mr Clean (Jln Green Hill; per kg RM6; h8am-6pm
Mon-Sat, to 4pm Sun) Reliable and economical; in the
popular Green Hill area of town.MEDICAL SERVICES
Normah Medical Specialist Centre (%082-440055;
http://www.normah.com.my; Jln Tun Abdul Rahman) A private
hospital with good facilities and staff. It’s favoured by
many residents and expats.
Sarawak General Hospital (%082-257555; Jln Ong
Kee) For emergencies and major ailments only.
Timberland Medical Centre (%082-234991; Mile 3,
Jln Rock) Private hospital with highly qualified staff.MONEY
There is an exchange counter at the airport.
Expect money changers in town to only take
large bills (B$50, S$50 etc.)
Everrise Money Changer (%082-233200; 199 Jln
Padungan; h9am-5pm) Cash only. Ever rise? Seriously?
Majid & Sons (%082-422402; 45 Jln India) A licensed
money changer dealing in cash only.GETTING TO BRUNEI
Travelling by boat from Pulau Labuan to the
Serasa Port in the Muara region of Brunei
is much less of a red-tape nightmare than
travelling overland. The journey by boat will
save plenty of time as you will only cross
the border once (overland adventurers will
rack up a handful of stamps while weaving
between Brunei and Malaysia before reach-
ing Bandar Seri Begawan or the Sarawak
border). See p53 for everything you need to
know about getting to/from Brunei.508