Day 01 – Kuching
Meet upon arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel in the city of Kuching (arrival must be before 15:00). By 04:45 pm, depart for the Kuching Sunset River Cruise. The boat glides past colourful Malay villages with houses on stilts, the elegant city mosque, the imposing Fort Margherita, and the Kuching Waterfront. Enjoy a full view of the Astana, the former residence of the White Rajahs, which is now the Governor’s official residence. Witness the sunset and enjoy the colourful lights along the river as it gets darker.
Day 02 – Kuching –Heritage & Kampung Bike Tour [B]
Breakfast at the hotel. At 0740hrs, proceed to a 10 minutes’ walk on your own from the hotel to Kuching Waterfront to join Best of Kuching Tours by bike. This unique bike tour covers 85% of Kuching’s “sights” and much more! In this ultimate Kuching tour, we explore the culture of the city’s heritage zone with visits to temples and monuments. Take a ride across the Sarawak River on a traditional ‘sampan’ boat and then cycle through rural kampongs (villages). After that, we will indulge in local street food in Kubah Ria, the open-air market. After the tour, drop the bike at the drop off point (Kuching Waterfront).
Rest of the day will be at leisure to explore on your own this quaint City. Overnight at Kuching hotel.
Day 03 – Kuching – Semenggok Orang Utan - Saloma Village Stay (72 km) [B/L/D]
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out from Kuching Hotel and at 0800am, depart for Saloma Village Stay. Enroute, we will stop for a visit to Semenggok the orang utan wildlife sanctuary (the jungle feeding time at 0900am). After a short coffee stop, drive up to Saloma village stay (1hr 15min) for an authentic Bidayuh lunch. After lunch we will visit the original Bidayuh longhouse at the top of the hill to experience how the natives live and witness traditions that have been passed down through generations. Here you will see how bamboo plays an integral part in their lives. Then, we will proceed with the visit to the local Ala-resort Christian missionary primary boarding school (Sk. St Bernard, Sadir) and also the basket/mat weaver’s house. *All the food served is either grown locally in the family farm or collected/sourced from the jungle/wild.
Day 04 – Saloma Village Stay – Kuching (279 km) [B/L]
After breakfast, we will trek to the waterfall hike (35 min) for a refreshing swim or just to marvel at mother nature’s creation. You will hear the beautiful symphony of the forest & rivers, which are like music to the ears. Here, you will also be introduced to the local flora & wild herbs and their various uses. You will also get to see the beautiful colours of the jungle and blooming wildflowers. After that, trek back to Saloma village stay for lunch before returning to Kuching. Check out from Saloma Village stay and depart back to Kuching Hotel. Check in and overnight at Kuching Hotel.
Day 05: - Kuching Foodie Experience & (PM) Santubong Mangrove Cruise [B]
At 07:30 am, depart to explore and savour the best of Sarawak street food on foot. This walking tour will take you along the Kuching heritage trails and through its surrounding kampongs to soak up the colourful story of charming Sarawak. Kuching has some of the best street food in Malaysia, showcasing Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences, as well as local tribal flavours. You will have the opportunity to taste the most famous Sarawak street food, such as Sarawak laksa (rice noodles in spicy soup), kolo mee (egg noodles), tebaloi (sago biscuit), and kek lapis (a multi-layered, colourful cake). Inclusive of food tasting.
Late afternoon, depart to enjoy a boat ride to the estuary of the Santubong River and the Salak Rivers. The saline mangroves have an extensive network of waterways and tidal creeks. Go in search of diverse wildlife, including proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques, monitor lizards, estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), and birds. At dusk, search for fireflies as the boat proceeds further upriver, where they gather at night. Enjoy the subdued, resplendent twinkling of the beetles flying around the branches of the mangrove trees. Return to Kuching.
Day 06 – Bako Park Day Tour (64 km) [B/L]
Explore Bako National Park, a 16 square kilometers of primary forest and wildlife and its natural beauty of rocks and cliffs. There are 25 types of vegetation ranging from lush cliff and lowland dipterocarp forests to almost desert-like scrubs on the upper plateau. Observe up close wild orchids, pitcher plants and look out for proboscis monkeys, bearded pigs, and hundreds of bird species. There are numbers of trails exploring the park with a several indented sandy bays providing excellent swimming grounds. Return to Kuching City in the afternoon or transfer to airport for your onward flight.
