MALAYSIAlonelyplanet.com MALAYSIAN BORNEO – SARAWAK •• Kuching
day with a brilliant, old-school Kuching
breakfast. Note that Chinese locals refer to this
hawker centre as Lau Ya Keng in Hokkien.
Green Hill Corner (Jln Temple; meals RM3-4; hbreak-
fast, lunch & dinner) Several stalls here crank out a
variety of noodle and rice dishes, including a
brilliant plate of kway teow goreng (fried rice
noodles). Problem is, the chef who makes
this dish only shows up when he damn well
feels like it.
Top Spot Food Court (Jln Padungan; meals RM4-35;
hlunch & dinner) The double entendre definitely
holds true. This excellent rooftop plaza has
acres of tables and a good variety of stalls.
Order anything from abalone to banana
prawns or numerous varieties of fish, and
chase it down with a cold bottle of Tiger. To
get here, climb the stairs leading from Jln
Padungan to Tapanga restaurant, and keep
heading upstairs from there.
Drinking
Like most places in Borneo, a lively night scene
usually focuses around an evening meal, but
cosmopolitan Kuching has a clutch of spirited
drinking spots as well (pun intended). Bars and
other entertainment venues stay open until
around 1am, although live music can blare on
until later (especially on weekends). The Official
Kuching Guide has a lengthier list for those who
plan on sticking around for a while. Several of
our eating options double as swank bar spots.
Jambu (32 Jln Crookshank) Jambu? Crookshank?
The names in Kuching are pretty weird, but
this local fave, in a blazing pink bungalow just
outside the city centre, is a hip spot to sling
back a few designer cocktails with friends.
Closed on Mondays.
Soho (64 Jln Padungan) This is arguably the
hippest bar in the centre – even the name
oozes London cool. Local Gossip Girl–esque
youngsters hobnob to grind-worthy play lists
of jazz, dance and Latin beats. The atmosphere
starts out relaxed but can definitely build up
some heat under the red lights as the night
draws on!
Mojo (Jln Chan Chin Ann) Wander through to the
back of the Denise wine shop and you may
think you’ve entered another world – this is a
cocktail lounge every bit as fashionable as you
might find in KL or Singapore, with a giggly
young crowd trying to live up to the style.
Also worth a look:
99 (98-99 Jln Green Hill) Football on the big screen,
thumping tracks on the weekend.
Ipanema (66 Jln Padungan) ‘Minimal-chic’ theme, with
trendy tapas snacks.
Ruai (3 Jln Green Hill) Iban-themed pub below Nomad
hostel.Shopping
If it’s traditional Borneo arts and crafts
you’re after then you’ve come to the right
place. Kuching is undoubtedly the best spot
in Borneo for collectors and cultural enthu-
siasts. Traditional handicrafts on Borneo
include Orang Ulu beadwork, Bidayuh bas-
ket-weaving, traditional wooden carvings
and hand-woven rugs, just to name a few.
Also, Sarawak pepper can be a unique and in-
expensive gift for friends back home. Check
out http://www.mpb.gov.my for more info about
this aromatic spice.
Don’t expect many bargains, but don’t
be afraid to negotiate either – there’s plenty
to choose from, and the quality varies as
much as the price. Start on the aptly named
Main Bazaar – a seemingly unending prom-
enade of souvenir shops, some outfitted like
art galleries, others with more of a ‘garage
sale’ appeal.Getting There & Away
AIR
Air Asia (%03-8775 4000; http://www.airasia.com) has nu-
merous daily flights to/from Kuala Lumpur
at bargain-basement prices. It also flies
to/from Penang and Johor Bahru. Within
Borneo, it flies to/from Bintulu, Kota
Kinabalu, Miri and Sibu. Check for prices
as they constantly change.
Batavia Air (%082-626299; http://www.batavia-air.co
.id) has flights to/from Jakarta (Java) and
Pontianak (Kalimantan)
Malaysia Airlines (code MAS; %anywhere in Malaysia
1300 883 000, 03-7843 3000, in Kuching 220618; www
.malaysiaairlines.com) offers flights between
Kuching and Kuala Lumpur and Johor
Bahru. It also flies between Kuching and
Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Within Borneo,
MAS flies to/from Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu,
Miri and Sibu.BOAT
Express Bahagia (%082-410076) has boats run-
ning to and from Sibu (RM35 to RM45,
4½ hours), departing from the express boat
wharf in Pending at 8.30am daily. Note that
this is an easier and faster trip to Sibu than
the bus, which takes eight hours.513