Kuching City Centre and Siniawan Old Town (Bau) Travel Sarawak Malaysia 2020

Padungan Street is one of the oldest streets in Kuching, located in the ‘Golden Triangle’ area of the city. The street stretches from the intersection of Pending Street and Sekama Street to Tunku Abdul Rahman Street and Main Bazaar Street. The section, and the lanes along this stretch, of Padungan Street that stretches from the Arch of Padungan, a Chinese-style welcome gate near the Padungan Roundabout, up to the four cat statue is a popular place for locals and tourists to visit. The Sarawak War Memorial is located behind the Arch of Padungan. There are rows of old and renovated shophouses, and new buildings along Padungan Street. The big white cat statue is located near the arch, and the four cat statue is somewhere in the middle of Padungan Street. There are hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, a hawker centre, banks, business offices, etc. along and around the street.

Kuching Waterfront is one of the main attractions in the city centre and well worth a visit day and night if you are in Kuching. There are some stalls selling food, drink, ice cream, a restaurant, a bistro and café, and some colonial buildings such as the Chinese History Museum, Sarawak Steamship Building and Square Tower. At night, the waterfront is nicely lit up and lively with many visitors and some buskers perform at several spots, various scheduled live shows at the Godown Amphitheatre and the scheduled Darul Hana Musical Fountain shows (fire, light and musical fountain shows) next to the Sarawak’s State Legislative Building and Darul Hana Bridge.

Power Street is also one of the oldest streets in the old Kuching city centre and has some old and newly renovated shophouses and buildings such as the Electra House shopping mall, a covered open air market, etc. Along the street, there are several shops selling various items, banks, cafes, restaurants, etc. There are some murals on the side and back walls of shophouses beside the Electra House. There is another mural outside the Open Air Market just by an ice cream stall.

India Street, a covered pedestrian walkway, has shops and small stalls selling various things such as clothes, shoes, fabrics, food, drinks, fruits, souvenirs, golds, jewellery, Sarawak ‘gambir’, etc. There are also some Indian Muslim restaurants or cafes along the street. There is a small and old Indian Muslim Mosque, built in the middle of the 19th century by the Indian Muslims, located in a narrow alley, off the Indian Street, which leads to Gambier Street.

Carpenter Street is an interesting street to wander along. This bustling street, with its iconic big arch called the ‘Harmony Arch’, is also one of the oldest and historical streets of old Kuching City. There are a great mix of shops selling various items, some coffee shops, restaurants, bars, lodges, etc. along the street. There is an old Chinese temple, Hiang Thian Siang Ti Temple, which is worth to visit. worth to visit the Chinese temple and try some of the eating places there for Sarawak Laksa, Kueh Chap, Kolo Mee, Pork satays, fish balls noodle soup, banana fritters, etc.

Bishopsgate Street is located off the end of Carpenter street and which leads to Main Bazaar Street and Kuching Waterfront. It is one of the oldest streets in the old Kuching City dotted with several shophouses and having similar vibes to Carpenter Street.

I also have an opportunity to visit Siniawan Night Market in Siniawan Old Town. Siniawan Old Town is situated along Siniawan Street, off Kuching – Bau Road, beside Sarawak Kanan River, about 21km or 30 minutes-drive from Kuching City. There are rows of old wooden shophouses which have been refurbished, mainly Chinese shops, cafes, restaurants, and with a few Bidayuh and Malay eating and drinking places. The restaurants, cafes and stalls offering street food and local delicacies, mainly non-halal, such glutinous rice cooked in pitcher plants, char siu barbeque pork, etc. There is a karaoke station, somewhere in the middle of a row of shophouses, that offers the crowd to sing for RM1 only. The annual Cowboy Night is organised annually at the town. The night market is open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. One need a car to get there or organise a trip through a travel agent, use grab, taxi, etc. as there is unreliable bus service going to the town especially in the evening. The place is lively at night with many visitors unless it is raining then there will be few visitors. So, if you are in Kuching, please visit the Siniawan Old Town Night Market.

Music in video: Arkansas Traveler (Nat Keefe & Hot Buttered Rum/Country & Folk/Happy). Downloaded free from Audio Library – Youtube.

Recording equipment: Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone

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