Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV)
Pantai Damai Santubong, Kuching, Sarawak, 93751
Sarawak Cultural Village showcases the varied cultures and customs of Sarawak’s ethnic groups. The living museum comprises traditional buildings, which include a Chinese farmhouse and several types of longhouses, and gives you the chance to see locals going about everyday activities such as carving, sago-making, crushing sugar cane, and growing pepper.
The basics
A rural location means that Sarawak Cultural Village is best visited as part of a day trip, for which options are plentiful. You can either purchase your admission ticket in advance to avoid waiting in line on the day, or combine a visit to Sarawak Cultural Village with either a stop at Matang Wildlife Center—home to wildlife species including orangutans, sun bears, and civets—or a city tour of Kuching.
Things to know before you go
- Sarawak Cultural Village is a must-visit for families and travelers in Borneo for the first time.
- You can take part in an interactive music workshop that lets you play instruments that derive from the rain forest; advance booking is recommended.
- Most visitors find that half a day is ample time to explore the cultural village.
How to get there
Sarawak Cultural Village is open daily. Malaysian Borneo is famous for its festivals—which celebrate everything from Chinese New Year to Malaysian Independence Day—so try to arrange your visit to the park to coincide with one of the festivals, to see the houses at their best.
When to get there
From Kuching International Airport, Sarawak Cultural Village is a 40-minute drive. From the center of the city, it takes around 30 minutes by car. A free shuttle bus runs from the Grand Margherita Hotel in Kuching four times daily—check the website for the exact schedule.
The cats of Kuching
For another cultural outing, be sure to spend a day or two exploring nearby Kuching. The city, named after the Malay word for “cat,” is rich with feline symbols. In addition to boasting a museum dedicated entirely to cats, there are several cat statues scattered around town.
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