
Very stylish restaurant, on a cafe/eating stretch in central Kuching which is likely, should you have any preconceptions about nightlife in Borneo, to blow them away. This place serves up local food with a modern edge, and despite the service sometime being a bit haphazard, on the whole its worth the trip. Prices by Kuching standards are high (around £8 for a main) and you may well get just as good quality somewhere round the corner for half the price. However, come here for the atmosphere, the ambience, the stepping stones over a fish pool to reach your table in the lush gardens - this place is unique!
Jalan Tabuan, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Google map: tinyurl.com/36w3w8e
Unika Borneo, nestled in the heart of the old chinese quarter in Kuching, is a shop selling collectibles from all over Borneo, as well as some other parts of Southeast Asia. Whilst the main bazaar in the city is where people go for the more obvious tourist souvenirs, a visit to Unika Borneo, as the name suggests, gives you the opportunity of finding something a little bit different. I went here in 2009 and was very impressed with the range of wooden carvings (some of which are very old) and the laid back attitude of the staff, there is no hard sell here whatsoever. The atmosphere of the shop is more akin to that of a small art gallery, but the temptation to purchase something is high, and I was very pleased with the small stone buddha that I bought, which hailed from java. Kuching is a wonderful city and I hope to return again soon, when I'll also look forward to another visit to this specialist (and special) shop.
5 Wayang Street,
93000 Kuching,
Sarawak, Malaysia.
+6 082-416857
www.unikaborneo.com
An assault on the senses. Visually stunning vibrant street market, a photographers dream - fantastic produce market that starts on Saturday evening and runs until shortly after midday on Sunday.
There are fruits on sale you won't see anywhere else in the world - straight out of the rainforest...
off Jln Sator, Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo
Both the Damai Beach and Damai Lagoon Holiday Inn resort hotels are excellent places to stay in a secluded, beach area surrounded by jungle, about 45 minutes drive from Kuching. Double rooms go for a mere £30 per room.
Damai Beach: Teluk Bandung Santubong, Kuching; tel: 60-82-846999;
www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/dmbmy?_requestid=1569234
Damai Lagoon: Teluk Penyuk, Santubong, Kuching; tel: 60-82-846900;
www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/dmblg?_requestid=1567669
There is a shuttle bus to both from the Holiday Inn in Kuching.
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