A Taste of Sarawak: Kuching Food by Foot

Join us on this walking food tour through Kuching to explore and savor the best of Sarawak street food! Visit Kuching’s kampongs (villages) to learn about the Sarawakian traditions. Cruise across the Sarawak River on a sampan boat with Kuchingnite locals.

This local walking tour will take you along the Kuching heritage trails and through its surrounding kampongs to soak up the colorful 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 flavors. You’ll 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, colorful cake). If stomach space permits, make sure you also try the rich variety of our favorite local drinks and desserts!

Your foodie guide will take you to multiple locations in Kuching’s old quarter, including a ‘kopitiam’ (a traditional Malaysian-Chinese coffee shop), a hawker center (traditional food court), street vendors, and a traditional bakery. At each stop, you’ll learn a little more about Bornean food, language, and culture.

Then, we’ll head to the riverbank on the Waterfront for a short cruise across the Sarawak River on a traditional sampan boat. It will give you a taste of how Kuchingites commute every day across the two halves of the city! We will pass by the palace that was built in 1870, known as Astana. Once safely across, we will continue walking through the little-known country paths of a rural kampong and experience the favorite local snacks on the other side of the river. 

After the heritage walk, hop back onto the sampan and cruise along the serene Sarawak River. Then we head to the Old Quarter to experience local life, as we stroll through the hustle and bustle of Kuching’s Main Bazaar. Along the way, sample favorite local snacks like ‘tebaloi’, originally made from palm sugar, and stop by a few souvenir shops.

Open up your senses and discover the authentic Sarawak! You will go home with both your mind and soul enriched, and your stomach full!

• Reservation recommended
• Rain or shine we always walk! 
• Suitable for families and visitors of all ages
• We recommend guests bring your own refillable water bottles and avoid using one-off plastic water bottles.
• During our tours, we recycle wherever possible, and try to keep our waste as low as possible. We discourage the use of plastic bags, and suggest that you bring your own dry bag or small waterproof backpack.
• Check out OUR RESPONSIBLE TOURISM COMMITMENT(opens in a new tab)