Kuching: The Cat City.

Kuching: The Cat City.

The Malay word for cat, kuching, sounds so much like the name of the city that locals have fully embraced the moniker, featuring cats in monuments, statues, sculptures, and a specific museum.

A Welcoming Town, Not a Capital

Our short taxi ride into the city offered an immediate, welcoming glimpse into local life. Our driver shared their insight on the friendliness of the locals, politics, and progressive attitudes, particularly in comparison to Eastern Malaysia. Although it is the capital of Sarawak, Kuching immediately gave off a relaxed, charming, and distinctly multicultural vibe, making it feel more like a large, welcoming town than the state capital for Sarawak.

We headed straight for the heart of old Kuching, near the Sarawak River waterfront. The area is like a time capsule, lined with charming, well-preserved colonial-era architecture where small traders still operate from tiny workshops and eateries are everywhere. Matt and I were struck by the thought of sailing right up to the docks - a possibility until recent years, when new bridges unfortunately made the river inaccessible to vessels with tall masts.

Gastronomy and Character

Given Kuching's status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, our expectations for the local cuisine were high. We settled in at Jak Ma’an, a quaint café on a street buzzing with atmosphere, and were instantly hooked; the food was excellent. When asked about the spice-hot level of the dishes, the manager, with a cheeky smile replied; “...you’ve got ice cold beer, give it a go…”. It wasn't too spicy, thankfully, but the identity of the "special jungle vegetable" remains a delicious mystery.

After spending a few hours eating and putting our fires with our bucket of beers, we did a walk about before having to return to the marina for our appointment with the fuel tanker to refill our jerry cans with diesel.

A Plug for Fine Food and Sailing

After our food experience in Kuching I thought it appropriate for this unashamed plug for “Harvest & Horizons – A Tasmanian Sail, Hike & Feast”.

Forget the one-pot sailing meal. We have the ultimate adventure where great sailing meets gourmet dining in one of the world's most stunning locations.

Personally, I love this concept: take the adrenaline of great sailing and hikes in a stunning location, and top it all off with excellent regional cuisine prepared nightly by an award-winning chef. This trip isn't about roughing it; it's about experiencing the very best of Tasmania, both wild and refined.

Join us this January here > https://sailsevenseas.com/trip-tasmania-sailing-adventure

The Price for Diesel

To recap our diesel saga; Matt had initially struck out at the service station when the attendant, following the rules, informed him that he could only fill one jerry can. Luckily, our friendly local, Eddie, helped us arrange for a fuel bowser to meet us at the marina to fill all 24 jerry cans. Of course, Matt and I declined the option to pay $1,000 just to run the fuel pipe to the boat (fools). Besides, given the state of the pontoon, I doubt the driver would have agreed anyway (the only way to justify the mad-dog heat exercise we were embarking on). So, in the stifling 37deg C heat, Matt and I started our crazy workout: carrying all 24 jerry cans 500 meters from the carpark to the boat. Two hours later, dripping with sweat and kilos lighter, we were happily sculling our beers, complimenting ourselves on what good mates we were to Jack (for getting a good deal for the diesel – and forgetting to offset the amount of beer consumed as a cost).

Next time, we leave the marina, navigate the floating islands and head for Porto Princesa.