Sarawak River cruise, my final Kuching post
On our final evening in Kuching, we go on a Borneo Adventure Sunset Cruise on Sarawak River. We’re among the last to board, too late to get a seat on the crowded open-air upper deck.
As we cruise along the river, we listen to the commentary over the loudspeaker about the landmarks and historical sites we’re passing by. Drinks are available for sale, and light snacks of layer cake are distributed among the passengers.
There is plenty of seating below in air-conditioned comfort but you get better views from the top. It’s a typical humid evening in Kuching but a pleasant light breeze is blowing across the upper deck.
Lower deck
We find a spot to perch, close to the bow of the cruise ship where we can take in the views along Sarawak River. I think after three days packed with activities, the sleep deprivation in the lead-up to my arrival in Kuching has finally caught up with me. My energy is beginning to fade but I can’t let all of this pass me by without photographing at least some of it.
By now, we all recognise the distinctive umbrella-shaped New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly building.
New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building
Out on the water, it’s a different view of Kuching to what we’ve grown used to, mostly getting around in a bus and on foot these past three days.
We see Brooke Dockyard, established in 1912, named after the then-reigning second White Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Brooke, and the Kuching State Mosque, built in 1968 on the same site where the original wooden mosque first stood in the 1850s.
Brooke Dockyard and Kuching State Mosque
It’s interesting to see villages, rickety wooden boats and ageing, dilapidated structures not very far away from modern architecture and steel scaffolding-clad construction sites as we head back towards the Kuching Waterfront.
Approaching Kuching Waterfront
This is the final post in my Kuching series.
This trip was one of the highlights of my year. I mentioned previously that this was the first time I’d been back in Malaysia since my family migrated to Perth, Western Australia in 1986, and it meant a lot to me to return. I tried to capture these feelings as well as the beauty of Kuching, its food and people, in my writing and photographs. I hope you enjoyed the posts.
Kuching collage
Read all the posts in my Kuching Trip 2011 series in order
Looking back at my posts, it seems incredible that we did all of this in just three days – and yet I know there is so much more to discover in Kuching and the rest of Sarawak. I hope to return soon for a longer stay, and next time, with Jac.
What was your favourite story or image from Kuching?
I visited Kuching, Malaysia in September 2011 as a guest of Malaysia Kitchen, MATRADE and Tourism Malaysia. I won a place on this trip as part of the Malaysia Kitchen Blogger Summit. Thanks also to Oglivy PR, who ran the campaign and organised the trip (and assisted throughout all the hassle with the first flight that never left Perth!).