Kuching

Kuching, the capital of Sarawak on Borneo, is the easiest place in Malaysia to see orangutans — Semenggoh reserve is half an hour from the riverside old town. It suits wildlife-focused travellers and food lovers. March to September is the drier window.

• Watch semi-wild orangutans at Semenggoh's 9 am or 3 pm feeding — foreigner entry is around RM10 ($2.50)
• Day trip to Bako National Park — proboscis monkeys, bearded pigs and sea-stack coastline; park fee plus boat comes to around RM60 ($15)
• Stroll the Kuching Waterfront and cross the golden S-shaped pedestrian bridge
• Eat Sarawak laksa — Anthony Bourdain called it "breakfast of the gods"
• Spot the city's cat statues (Kuching sounds like "kucing", Malay for cat)

Fly via Kuala Lumpur — about 1 hour 45 minutes to Kuching — or direct from Singapore. Sarawak runs its own immigration, so your passport is stamped again on arrival even when you connect from KL.

Grab works well in the city and out to Semenggoh — agree a pickup time for the return leg, since cars are scarce at the reserve. Two to three days cover the city, Semenggoh and a Bako day trip. Wildlife-first travellers often pair Kuching with Kota Kinabalu in Sabah — about a 1.5-hour direct flight — for islands and Mount Kinabalu. See the full Malaysia guide for route ideas.