Kuching Trip 2016

12^th September was public holiday in Labuan (Hari Raya Haji). Therefore my family and I travel to Kuching to enjoy the holiday. The flight ticket was RM 74 per way.  As the seat for cheap flight ticket is limited so one of my family members bought RM 119 for the flight to Kuching.

10^th September 2016: Flight AK 6355 14:50-16:55

12^th September 2016: Flight AK 6354 13:00-1505 (delay)

10^th September 2016 (Saturday)

Labuan International Ferry Terminal >> Menumbok Bus Station >> Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) >> KFC (Lunch) >> Kuching International Airport >> Nova Kuching Hotel >> Top Spot Seafood Food Court (Dinner) >> Nova Kuching Hotel

Early of the morning, we took big ferry to Menumbok. It took around 1 hour plus to arrive, if I not mistake. The times we arrived, it was raining and one of the red buses had been full and second bus has some problem which caused delay. We wait for a while and lastly we been told to take Sipitang Express to Kota Kinabalu around 10.30 a.m.

As our destination was airport not Kota Kinabalu bus station so we told the bus conductor to stop at airport bus station. From airport bus station, we walked to airport. Luckily that time the rain was not big. In airport, we were having lunch at KFC.

When in Kuching airport, we took airport taxi to hotel which cost RM 43. We wait for a while for the taxi because the taxi which we took is not normal taxi (max 4 people) but is executive taxi. If you take normal taxi, it is very fast because all the taxi already queues up to take passengers.

The taxi driver (Sarip Chek- 0198865196- HQ1867) gave us his name card and offered RM 40 per trip from hotel to airport. He said that Kuching is very clean. If he sees someone throw the rubbish from car, he will honk that people. He ride us to a long way to hotel in order to show us some building or view of Kuching because using shortcut, less things can be seen.

At night, around Nova Kuching Hotel seems quite difficult to look for dinner. We walked and walked, lastly I saw UTC and I knew that at the top of UTC has Top Spot Seafood Food Court so we planned dinner at there.

11^th September 2016 (Sunday)

Nova Kuching Hotel >> Chong Choon Café (Breakfast) >> Cat Statues >> Waterfront >> Chinese History Museum >> Tua Pek Kong Temple >> Carpenter Street >> Post Office >> Textile Museum >> Plaza Merdeka (Lunch) >> India Street >> Street Art >> Electra House Shopping Complex >> Kai Joo Lane >> James Brooke Bistro & Café >> Nova Kuching Hotel >> Sarawak Plaza >> Tun Jugah Mall (Dinner) >> Riverside Shopping Complex >> Nova Kuching Hotel 

Near with Nova Kuching Hotel has Chong Choon Café which is so famous and full of people every morning. After breakfast, we went to Padungan (opposite of Nova Kuching Hotel road) to search for cat statues. Padungan is known as China town in Kuching.

On the way to looks for cat statue, we shop at some traditional shops for souvenirs. The times we went to Kuching was near with Moon Cake Festival so can saw many mooncakes to be sell at shop. Most of them are handmade. My family looks for some biscuits and noodles.

This cat statue located at the end of Padungan Street. My dad said the “big door” has the China feel.

This cat statue not easy to take picture with because need to cross the road and the space is limited.

I think this is the most popular cat statue because I always saw people took picture with it. Sometimes the sun is too bright also difficult to get good lighting. Therefore we went there for picture taking for 2 times.

After took picture with this cat statue, we went down to Waterfront. It has a long path for you to walk for. We were a bit early reach Chinese History Museum so need wait for a while before it opens (10 a.m.). After visited museum, we cross a road and reach Tua Pek Kong temple (oldest temple).

Chinese History Museum

In accordance with the wishes of the 2^nd Rajah, this distinctively non-Chinese building was originally built in 1912 to house the Chinese Civil Court, which arbitrated over business and domestic disputes in the Chinese community and served this purpose till 1921. From 1930 till 1990, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce occupied this premise. It is now under the charge of the Sarawak Museum and houses the Sarawak History Museum which chronicles the heritage, culture and lives of Chinese settlers in Sarawak up to present day.

Shang Ti Miao

Built by the early Teochew settlers from Swatow, this temple was originally sited on the Main Bazaar but moved to present site in 1863; it was restored in 1889 after the 1884 great fire, dedicated to the “Lord of the arcane heaven” or also known as the “Deity of North”, a mythical character who is part of the Taoist pantheon of gods. As with most Chinese temples, a stage is built to provide entertainment for the deity on feast day; this is usually done on the 4^th day of the 12^th lunar month. Most other days, this mini opera house serves as a food court with local dishes.

Carpenter Street

The heart of the early Chinese community of Kuching, this street still boasts 3 temples and various association buildings. Named for the carpenters that congregated here, many of the signs still announce Shanghainese carpenters within, though these have largely become furniture shops amongst the many bars, eateries and guests houses which abound now.

Carpenter Street full of Chinese shops. During Moon Cake Festival, it has night market. As it is very far from my hotel so I did not go night market. At Carpenter Street which near with Textile Museum has Post Office. The Post Office is very beautiful with European style.

The Central Post Office

Completed in 1931 during the time of the 3^rd Rajah, Sir Vyner Brooke, this majestic neo-classical building differentiates itself from the other buildings in the vicinity and was designed by an architectural firm based in Singapore and who also designed the Brooke Memorial. Astonishing as it may seem, this once housed the 2^nd Rajah’s stables where Areca palms fenced in the Rajah’s coach house, hayloft and harness room. The Brooke crest, at the centre of the pediment, bears the Brooke motto: Dum spero spiro which roughly can be translated as, “While I breathe, I hope.” This approximates the Iban rallying call, “Agi idup, aki ngelabang,” or “While I live, I contend.” 

Opposite Post Office has Textile Museum and Plaza Merdeka. Those very close with each other. In Plaza Merdeka, we lunch at Food Court. I ate hot plate rice.

From Plaza Merdeka can go to India Street. The purpose to India Street is looks for street art. As I scared I went out at wrong exit so I asked a boy who carried a box for donation and stand at exit there. I donated some money and double confirmed with the exit to India Street.

When walked at India Street, I was regret that just asked one question to the boy as I did not know the exact places for 2 street arts. I tried asked a staff in fabric shop but she did not know where street art and Jalan Power are.

I walked until the end and saw an India cat statue. Then I just knew that has India cat statue because never seen before. Beside India cat statue has wall art like “I Love Kuching”. At there, I also tried looked for Orang Utan street arts but cannot find. As cannot find so I planned walk to Electra House Shopping Complex and suddenly I saw it.

The Orang Utan street art located at the end of India Street there. When saw Orang Utan street art, I was quite disappointed because at the trolley there has lots of rubbish. Why people cannot throw rubbish to dustbin? Where is moral?

The other one Orang Utan street art has a bag of water which I saw online. Now, don’t have so I not sure what happen or original also did not has a bag of water?

On the way back, I saw police station and knew that Kai Joo Lane around it so go there to looks for Shao Pao (bun) but two shops closed. As all of us had been walked for half day so we planned rest and have some drinks at James Brooke Bistro & Café.

Kai Joo Lane

Unfortunately known to the locals as “Coffin Street” (Kua Ca Hung) from the trade once common here. Now it is famous for tailors and traditional pineapple tarts, particularly during Chinese New Year.

After resting in hotel, we went to Sarawak Plaza and Tun Jugah but that time was heavy raining. We cannot go too far. Luckily these two shopping malls are opposite with each other. Lastly we were having dinner at food court of Tun Jugah mall.  These entire malls are early closed the shops. I ate crispy chicken rice for dinner.

After dinner, the rain was getting small so we went to Riverside Shopping Mall.

                                          

                                          

At Jalan Main Bazaar has many stalls or shops are selling kek lapis or layer cake. It is very famous in Kuching. It has many types of layer cakes and the stalls we bought have bought 10 free 1 offer. At there you also can looks for souvenirs.

There are list which I hope can pay a visit in future:-

Winnie Café- need book early 2 days for main and small dishes.

Kai Joo Lane- Chong Chon Biscuit Maker (Shao Pao) & Tong Kee

Carpenter Street- Food court opposite Xuan Tian Shang Temple

Kim Joo- Cheng noodle

Sarawak Museum- near with Padang Merdeka

Open Air Market (Jalan Khoo Hun Yeang) near with Electra House Shopping Complex.

12^th September 2016 (Monday)

Nova Kuching Hotel >> Min Hong Kee (Padungan- Breakfast) >> Kuching International Airport >> Sugar Bun (Lunch) >> KKIA >> Hua Mei Hotel >> Suria Sabah >> Sushi King (Dinner) >> Hua Mei Hotel

Early in the morning, we looked for our breakfast at Min Hong Kee. After that, go around and back to hotel for a rest before check out to airport. In airport, as my parents would like to eat some rice so we lunch at Sugar Bun which near with Old Town Coffee. I ate nasi lemak.

As the weather problem in Kota Kinabalu, pilot decided to stop at Labuan Airport. We requested direct go down from Labuan Airport. An airport staff needed our boarding pass and asked us to write a formal letter. When we wrote the letter, being informed that we cannot touch down from flight. Therefore we followed the flight back to Kota Kinabalu around 5 p.m. something.

From KKIA, we took shuttle bus which cost RM 5 per trip and our drop by point is at Horizon Hotel. From there we walked to Hua Mei Hotel. Hua Mei Hotel did upgrade a bit compare my previous stay that it has flat screen TV. We stay in Standard Twin Room which cost RM 115 per night.

13^th September 2016 (Tuesday)

Hua Mei Hotel >> Qiang Sheng (Breakfast) >> Jesselton Point >> Labuan International Ferry Terminal

Early in the morning, we breakfast at Qiang Sheng (same row with hotel). After that we walked to Jesselton Point and backed to Labuan by using Ferry Express.

*All history of building which I copied from “Kuching Heritage Map Exploring 22 Landmarks”