Visit to Kuching, Sarawak capital city 

         

Old city area of Kuching

Last week I went to Kuching in Sarawak (3 nights).

A while ago I wrote a blog in Japanese about the Sarawak long-term visa (S-MM2H) and it became a popular post, so I thought I'd write about whether it's a good place to live (for foreigners like Japanese people).

Old city area fits for sightseeing

The basic characteristic of the city of Kuching is similar to Penang (Georgetown) and Melaka.

The old town with its historical buildings and the new town that expanded independently.

Even though it has become quite a city, there is almost no public transportation and you have to rely on Grab to get around.

It's easy to get around for historical sightseeing because the famous places are clustered together.

Around the S-shaped bridge (Darul Hana Bridge) over the Sarawak River, there are the remains of the white king Brooke's family, museums, and the old Chinatown (similar to Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur or KL, there are many unimportant peddlers who make you wonder how they can keep their stores open).

It's called the city of cats (Kuching), and there are cat statues everywhere.

I was told that it was the rainy season, but it didn't rain much during my stay.

It was hot. It seems a little more humid than KL.

The airport, hotels, and malls are like refrigerators (even worse than KL), and your glasses fog up when you go outside.

Strangely, local people seem fine with T-shirts and barefoot in sandals.

Tips for a trip.

You should stay at a hotel in or near the old city area.

Promenade along the Sarawak River is a must, but it is hard in the hot daytime.

Starting from a nearby hotel, you could walk there in cooler early-morning or late-afternoon. 

If your hotel are not near the promenade, the best choice for the starting point is the shopping mall Plaza Merdeka.

The mall, where you can get a cooler rest and use toilets, is close to  the promenade and Grab drivers can easily carry you there.

Good living conditions

The new city is a collection of office buildings, high-rise condominiums, and malls scattered all over the place.

You can't live there without a car.

At the same time, there are many detached houses on relatively large land (most seem to have 2 floors above ground and 1 floor below ground).

I saw several Christian cemeteries in the center area. Unlike the peninsula area of Malaysia where Muslim prevails, there are many Christians there.

According to room-search apps, the rent for condominiums is cheaper than KL, but there are fewer properties.

Most malls are medium-sized (no huge ones which KL has some), but most of the brands you see in KL have stores there.There are some Japanese-brand shops like Aeon, UNIQLO and MUJI.

English is generally spoken in the shops. The internet connection is also good.

Overall, it's quieter and more livable than KL.

However, you'll need a car (or Grab) more than you would in KL.

Even though the rent is cheap, the total cost of living seems to be the same as in KL because there is no cheap transportation.

The curry laksa I had at a local restaurant near the hotel was delicious. RM13.