Tourism in Kuching free essay sample

Situated on the island of Borneo is Malaysia’s largest state, Sarawak, where its capital, Kuching, lures tourists and travellers over with its beauty of a great green environment and the friendliness of its people, who are also known as Kuchingnites. Kuching is known as the one place where one can get closest to living in heaven.It’s one of those places that welcomes everyone from anywhere in the world and at the same time, offers a home, be it to permanent citizens or just temporary visitors. Kuching is a special place, everything about it its people, its food, its culture, and its diversity, just makes it unique and a wonderful environment to live in. Kuching offers tourists many spots to visit and many things to experience, and among the tourism segments, the more widely known tourism in Kuching would be its culture, heritage and historical tourism, and nature tourism. We will write a custom essay sample on Tourism in Kuching or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Estimated that around 20% of tourists’ trips worldwide feature some form of cultural, heritage, or historical activity, the size of this particular market is likewise estimated to be over 160 million trips annually. Since it is widely accepted and foreseen that the cultural, heritage and historical ourism market segment will be continuously growing in future, one can be sure that Kuching’s diverse cultural and historical tourism is likely to distribute a higher income per annum to Malaysia’s economy. SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE Located in Kuching, the Cultural Village of Sarawak is known as â€Å"The Living Museum†. The village was built to showcase the culture, traditions and lifestyles of all the ethnic groups found in Sarawak, including Chinese, Malays, Bidayuh, Iban, Melanau, Orang Ulu, and Penan. Each group has a typical house of its own, and are widespread on the 14 acre are.These houses can be differentiated by its structure, as each ethnic group has i ts own style of architecture and way of decorating their homes. In each house, representatives of the people display, explain and demonstrate their respective traditions such as dances, music, handicrafts, food, and their own beliefs. Sometimes, workshops are also available for visitors to learn and try out the different traditions of each and every ethnic group. Visitors are allowed to stay overnight in the village as well.Every house offers authentic accommodation, where they offer different options ranging from dormitory beds, where you get to stay with the inhabitants of that particular house, to private rooms. SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE: RAINFOREST MUSIC FESTIVAL One of the largest events that is held annually in Kuching is the Rainforest World Music Festival, which is always held in the Sarawak Cultural Village itself and offers a wide range of cultural performances. It is a three-day festival that takes place in June or August, with daytime music workshops, cultural displays, craft displays, food stalls and main-stage evening concerts.Now o ne of the largest musical events in Malaysia, it is no wonder that Kuching is now hitting the top 10 of the average heritage, cultural and historical tourists’ list. WATERFRONT A visit to Kuching is never complete without going to the Waterfront, where the English adventurer James Brooke first landed. Once a small settlement with a few wooden buildings, it has now been transformed into a busy port, complete with warehouses and wharves. By strolling along this riverside walk, landmarks of the rich culture and intriguing history of Kuching can be discovered.Historical heritage like the Sarawak Steamship Building and Square Tower are located along the river whereas opposite the river are the Astana (palace) and Fort Margherita. A sampan, or a taxi boat, can be taken to cross the river to take a closer look at these historical buildings. Other than historical sites and traditional Malay food, the Waterfront is also a perfect location for lovebirds to enjoy a beautiful sunset on the horizon, where they can take a sunset cruise down the river and embrace the cool breeze and beautiful scenery Kuching has to offer. Opposite the Kuching Waterfront is the main bazaar, also known as China Town or Carpenter Street, which connects to many places worth visiting in Kuching, namely Padungan Road, the Open Air Market, India Street and Central Padang. This chain is where the cultural and heritage specks of tourism in Kuching are most evident. Carpenter Street, also known as the main bazaar of Kuching, is the part of this city where the Chinese culture is most evident. The main bazaar is marked with a grandiose Chinese-inspired red archway which indicates the entry point of the most popular shopping and eating place in Kuching.The street has often been commented as ‘colourful’ by tourists as the walls and windows of the refurbished old shophouses here are brightly painted and have outstanding architecture, each one special to its own style. Here, the shops are not necessarily frequented by tourists, but by a majority of locals as well. All assortments of shops can be found along Carpenter Street, for example, bicycle shops, book stores, hardware stores, antique furniture stores, traditional Chinese medicine pharmacies and quaint coffee shops.