Classical Sarawak

Astana

Description

Program

Day 1:
KUCHING
Upon arrival at the Kuching International Airport, we will meet with the guide and transfer to the hotel for check-in. At 2.00 pm, we will start our Kuching city tour of Kuching. This tour includes a visit to the Tua Pek Kong temple, the oldest Chinese temple in Sarawak, built-in 1876. From this point, there is a nice view of Fort Margarita. We will then drive by St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Syariah (Muslim) Court and the traditional Malay houses built on stilts and the mosque built along the bank of the river. We'll see the majestic Astana, the former palace of the White Rajahs, now the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak. We'll take a few minutes to break in front of the old colonial Court House, complete with a clock tower and a granite obelisk built-in memory of the second White Rajah, Charles Brooke. The highlight of the tour is a visit to the Sarawak Museum, one of the finest in South-East Asia. After the tour, we'll return to the hotel. Overnight.

Day 2:
KUCHING (B/L)
At 08.30 am, depart for Bako National Park. A scenic drive brings us to Bako Fishing Village. Continue by motorized boat for a 30 minutes cruise along the coast facing the South China Sea to reach Bako National Park. In the morning, walk along the plan walk through the mangrove forest and proceed along Paku trail to look out for wildlife. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant. After lunch, trek along the trails to spot wildlife in its natural surroundings including the probosci's monkeys, the monitor lizards, bearded pigs, silver leaf monkeys and more than one hundred species of birds. The forest hosts enormous rainforest trees and several species of carnivorous pitcher plants. After the tour, return to the jetty then by boat to Bako Village and transfer to the hotel around 3.30 pm.

Day 3:
KUCHING (B/L)
At 08.00 am, depart for Semenggoh Wildlife Centre (about 30 minutes from Kuching). This is the perfect spot to view semi-wild orangutans in a natural setting. Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is a rehabilitation center, which helps the orangutan to reintegrate into nature. Visitors are allowed to study and observe the orangutans at a distance then proceed to a local cafeteria for lunch. At 01:30 pm, depart Kuching for a 1-hour drive to reach Annah Rais, a Bidayuh Longhouse with about 120 families, located about 75km from the city. The journey passes through the scenic countryside of rice fields, rubber, cocoa and pepper plantations which intermingles with luxuriant tropical forests, rivers and mountain ranges. Tour the longhouse with your guide and observe the leisure-paced lifestyle of the natives. Among the interesting relics here are the “Cannon of Peace” and several human skulls which are about 100 years old and are kept at the headhouse “Baruk”. Proceed to a nearby stream to cool off and return by van to the hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight.

Day 4:
KUCHING (B)
Transfer to the airport according to your flight’s departure time.
*Suggested items to bring along: comfortable walking shoes, raincoat, insect repellent, swimwear, sandals or slippers, sunscreen lotion, hat, torchlight, small hand luggage or backpack.

Price includes

- 3 overnights in the indicated hotels
- Meals as indicated in the program (Meals: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
- SIC Tour: Guide Service (Select language preference) & Private Tour with English speaking driver/guide
- All transfers and excursions, on a collective basis
- Entrance tickets

Price does not include

- Domestic/International Airline tickets and Airport Tax
- Other/optional services personal expenses tips and other services not mentioned in the program

Itinerary

Accommodations provided in each place