Kuching, Malaysia: I’ll Be Back
I came to Kuching for the month thinking I wanted to explore Borneo, visit national parks, see wildlife, swim regularly, play pickleball and, of course, eat my way around a UNESCO “City of Gastronomy”. I hadn’t expected the haze to derail so much of that. When the air finally cleared for a couple of days, I was able to make a trip to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre and a walk down the Sarawak riverfront before the haze came back. But there’s so much more I want to do and see here.
Even with the haze, I got an idea of what it might be like to actually live here. I found my coffee shops, kopitiams and food courts, navigated the city, established a routine and discovered there is a lot more to Kuching. Now that I’m leaving, I’m not quite ready to write Kuching off.
When The Haze Cleared – The Semenggoh Wildlife Centre Orangutans
I took a day trip to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre on the outskirts of Kuching. It was originally a rehabilitation / rescue center for previously captive orangutans. Now, the centre is on their fourth generation of “native born” orangutans. The orangutans are “semi-wild” in that they are free to roam the forest to forage for food but can come to feeding platforms to supplement their diet, especially when it’s not fruiting season. While they’re not domesticated, the orangutans come in contact with humans (rangers and visitors) if they choose to come to the platforms, hence the “semi-wild”.
Feeding sessions are twice a day and to limit contact with humans, the centre is closed outside of the 2 hour morning and afternoon blocks. The rangers emphasized that since the 30+ orangutans are free to forage, orangutan sightings aren’t guaranteed, especially during fruiting season when there is enough food in the forest. We were in luck as fruiting season had just ended so orangutans were more likely to come to the feeding platforms.
As it turns out, the 3 orangutans didn’t even appear at the feeding platforms. One very large mature orangutan was rustling in the bushes (check out the video!) and casually ambled across the road where the rangers had placed bunches of bananas. Putting a large bunch of bananas in its mouth, it disappeared into the forest. Being able to watch such an orangutan up close seemingly unconcerned by our presence and totally free to roam was the best part of the experience.
We also saw two younger orangutans who came out for some bananas and a coconut. The rangers explained coconuts aren’t part of an orangutan’s natural diet but some of the rescued orangutans were taught how to crack them open and they, in turn, taught their offspring. The young orangutan with the coconut scampered up a tree and you could hear it trying to smash the coconut open, taking a break, swinging to another tree and continuing its quest to get into the coconut.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to visit Bako National Park and other places and I have my sights set on spending a couple of nights in the rainforest the next time I come.
Eating My Way Through Kuching
The haze certainly didn’t keep me from enjoying good food and coffee. Whether it was getting takeout from an outdoor food court because of the haze, having great Vietnamese food, Korean BBQ, Chinese claypot rice or a chance to sample indigenous Dayak cuisine, I certainly appreciated the food scene.
A highlight was dinner with John and Michelle, originally from Boston, who have been living in Kuching for the past year through the S-MM2H residency program. We went to an indigenous Dayak restaurant and enjoyed a feast of stir-fried ferns, flavorful chicken cooked in a bamboo stalk and stir-fried tapioca leaves, followed by an enormous dessert platter. It was a great introduction some of the unique food of Sarawak.
Making Friends
Nothing feels more like being “home” than a group of friends and Kuching definitely delivered. From the folks that I met through the expat luncheon that Kim organized, friends to go wine tasting with to new friends that I met from pickleball, I feel like I have built a little social circle. There are people I can meet for lunch, play pickleball with or simply text when I feel like getting out of the apartment.
That makes a bigger difference than I expected. A place can have everything else on my checklist, but it can still feel like I’m just passing through. Kuching doesn’t feel that way. Even after only a month, I have people here who make the city feel familiar, and that is probably one of the strongest arguments in its favor.
So, Would I Get an S-MM2H Residency Visa?
Kuching passes many of the tests when I think about where I could spend several months rather than just a few days. There is good food, good coffee, modern conveniences, good healthcare, relatively easy transportation, swimming pools, pickleball and plenty to keep me occupied without needing to live like a tourist. And best of all, I’ve made new friends.
So, would I get an S-MM2H residency visa and live in Malaysia? Not quite yet.
The hesitation isn’t really about Kuching or Malaysia. That’s one of the things I’m learning. Right now, I don’t need to turn every place I like into a decision about where I’m going to live. A place can be good enough for a month, or three months, or even a return visit without becoming a permanent base.
Kuching has definitely made the list of places I’d come back to. The haze kept me from doing many of the things I originally came here to do, but it also left me with a surprisingly long list of things I still want to see and experience and friends to visit. For now, that’s enough.
I’m off for a week of scuba diving to Sipadan on the north east tip of Borneo. I’ll finish off this Kuching series in my next post with an overview of the 3 apartments I stayed at in Kuching and what the month ended up costing.
In the meantime, drop me and Jingles a line and let us know how things are going with you. jinglesmimi@gmail.com
Love,
Jingles & Mimi
We miss you during pickleball sessions.
Enjoy the rest of your journey Mimi
Thanks Jessie. I miss you guys too. But I will be back! Keep a spot on that pickleball court for me…