Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
278
Essentials
VISITOR INFORMATION
The
Sarawak Tourism Board's Visitor
Information Cen-
tre
has literature and staff that can answ er any question about activities in the state and
city. This is actually the best place to star t planning any trips to S arawak's wonder ful
national parks, as the main office for the N ational Parks & Wildlife Centre operates a
Visitor Information Center her e as w ell. Both offices ar e incredibly informed and w el-
coming, so feel free to take advantage. You'll find them at the Sarawak Tourism Complex
in the O ld Cour thouse opposite the K uching Waterfront (S arawak Tourism Boar d
&
082/410-944,
National Parks Centre
&
082/248-088;
www.sarawaktourism.com).
GETTING THERE
Almost all trav elers to S arawak enter thr ough
Kuching Interna-
tional Airport
(
&
082/454-242
), just outside the city .
Malaysia Airlines
(
&
1300/
883-000;
www .malaysiaairlines.com) has international flights fr om S ingapore, with
domestic service from KL, Johor Bahru, and Kota Kinabalu.
AirAsia
(
&
03/8775-4000;
www.airasia.com) flies between Kuching and KL.
The relatively new airport is a terrific facility, with ATMs, moneychangers, restaurants,
and tourist information. Taxis from the airpor t use coupons that y ou purchase outside
the arrival hall. Priced according to zones, most trips to the central parts of town will be
about RM20 ($5.80/£3.60).
GETTING AROUND
Centered around a
padang,
or large cer emonial field, K uching
resembles many other M alaysian cities. B uildings of beautiful colonial style rise on the
edges of the field; many of these today house S arawak's museums. The main sights, as
well as the Chinatown area and the riverfront, are easily accessible on foot. Taxis are also
available and do not use meters; most rides around town are quoted between RM10 and
RM15 ($2.90-$4.35/£1.80-£2.70). Taxis can be waved down from the side of the road,
or if you're in the Chinatown area, the main taxi stand is on Gambier Road near the end
of the India Street Pedestrian Mall.
FAST FACTS
Sarawak's area code is
082
. Major
banks
have branches on Tunku Abdul
Rahman Road near Holiday Inn Kuching or in the do wntown area around Khoo Hun
Yeang Road. There are a fe w
Internet
cafes ar ound town; it's best to ask y our hotel's
concierge for the near est one befor e y ou star t wandering ar ound—or use y our hotel's
facilities.
Where To Stay
Hilton Kuching
Located in the hear t of K uching along the riv erfront, the H ilton
offers panoramic vie ws of the S arawak Riv er and the historic F ort Margherita on the
other side. The modern white facade is the dominant structure along the city side of the
river. While the hotel is a little dated, it is w ell maintained and offers the best interna-
tional service in the city. The premier views are those facing the river and then from the
10th floor upward.
Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuching, 93000 Sarawak.
&
800/HILTONS
(445-8667) in the U .S. and Can-
ada, 800/445-8667 in Australia, 800/445-866 in New Zealand, 800/448-002 in the U.K., or 82/248-200. Fax
82/428-984. w ww.kuching.hilton.com. 315 units . RM410 ($119/£74) double; fr om RM780 ($226/£140)
suite. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
4 restaurants; bar and lobby lounge; outdoor pool; outdoor floodlit ten-
nis courts; health club w/sauna and st eam; room service; smoke-free floors.
In room:
A/C, TV w/satellite
programming, high-speed Internet, minibar, hair dryer, IDD phones w/voice mail.
Holiday Inn Kuching
Holiday Inn offers Western-style accommodations at a mod-
erate price, and you'll appreciate its location in an excellent part of town. It sits along the
bank of the Kuching River, so to get to the main riv erside area, you need only str oll 10
15
