MY FIRST TIME in SARAWAK 🇲🇾 Kuching REALLY Surprised Me

[@benfishermin]

⚠WATCH NEXT: Is this REALLY Kota Kinabalu, Sabah? (didn’t expect this!) 🇲🇾 kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3PbmnekiMqnbqM

[@tinglestingles]

My wife and I just arrived in Kuching - we were walking along the river, two different people welcomed us to Sarawak within 45 minutes. It was a very friendly city. We decided to retire here and have just received our Sarawak Malaysia My Second Home visa (SMM2H). We were blown away by the friendliness, great facilities, the waterfront, shopping malls, cafes/restaurants. A very different vibe from KL and Penang. It reminds me of a less busy Penang. Perhaps like 25 years ago.

[@niggblehlm5818]

You only get that treatment by being wyt. Trust me. I've lived here my entire life and the people here are not your daily "friendly". Step into any hawker store and the lady serving you will have a face blacker than a wok.

[@ieynna09]

That's wonderful to hear. Hope you enjoy your life in Sarawak ❤🖤 💛 terima kasih

[@niggblehlm5818]

@@ieynna09 Aiya penjelart mat salleh detected. Stop it la.

[@RajeshRavindranathan]

Told you bro, the best thing about Kuching are its people and its a clean city. and the beers are sooo cheap there, like 1/3 the price of KL.

[@RajeshRavindranathan]

@@byteme9718 religion has always been a justifiable reason.

[@RajeshRavindranathan]

@@byteme9718 That's exactly what I say.

[@senyum0]

@@byteme9718malaysia is not a secular country

[@aniswhd3180]

@@RajeshRavindranathannot due to that bro, its the tax and duties and the demand 😅. People who pray to the moon (which is superstitious) also drink alcohol, no complain what 😂

[@RajeshRavindranathan]

@@aniswhd3180 ​ ya but the high taxes imposed here is justified by religion, doesn't matter which one, I dont buy into any one of them. :)

[@jackoneil3933]

Wow, Thanks Ben! This was a nice surprise and I'm looking forward to more of your take on Kuching. I visited a lady friend in Kuching decades ago back then it was attractive and pleasant but a bit too basic, but seems more like Penang towards the end of the last century. I was a bit heart-broken when the MM2H Visa program dramatically raised the requirements for peninsular Malaysia and dashed my hopes of escaping America and going back to Penang. I was considering Sarawak's S-MM2H program and you've raised my hopes again, as maybe Kuching might be more like what I loved about Penang before it became what it is today.

[@martypoll]

Finally! You made it to the waterfront. I stayed in a hotel near the waterfront. It was a great location with lots of restaurants and actually some night music entertainment while we were there. Kuching was my home base for some ecotours. I overnighted in Bako National Park and went to an orangutan rescue park. I also took a side trip and flew to Mulu Caves National Park for two nights.

[@ujangasli2909]

Your walking videos give us a better feel of the places you visit. Keep it up bro.

[@suenidasa6497]

Hi Ben, welcome to Kuching. My hubby and I live on a farm about 29 miles outside Kuching. We are retired seniors. My husband does mountain climbing . Both of us love exploring. Please visit us or stay with us next time you visit and we'll show you around.

[@Mustang_G]

This video should be title "Lost in Kuching". 😂

[@zuriendrinkscoffee]

Love it! 😂

[@zailinahmad9695]

Hahahaa betul!

[@cik_bantalbiru]

I totally agree😂 haha

[@CartoonistKadus]

Hahaha...😂😂😂

[@sitskurt6694]

Vanoos ahh title

[@makcikdiy3672]

Ben.. You should stay at the Kuching Waterfront for the music fountain at 8pm-8.30pm every night, it's really beautiful.. I was there last year for holidays ... Love it.. ❤🇲🇾

[@gerrelldrawhorn8975]

The initial park you went through was the Museum Park which also contains the HERO Monument. It contains monuments to the soldiers who fought and died in the Konfrontasi War between Indinesia and the Communist group they supported. If you had gone straight toward that big gold-gilded building you would have reached the original Museum. The Reservoir Park has been renamed Unity Park. It was originally the fresh water source of Kuching and is the origin of the Sarawak River (now covered over by roads and buildings). When you walked out to the street on your right you passed some old WW2 era concrete bomb shelters built just before the Japanese invaded. You passed by Carpenter Street which is sort of the bustling entrance to Chinatown. Then you crossed the street to the waterfont. Immediately on you right was the Chinese Museum and the oldest Chinese Temple in Sarawak..the Tua Pek Tong Temple. The shoplots opposite the waterfront is the Grand Bazaar, filled with crafts shops, knicknacks, and some small hotels. There are some backpackervand budget places behind this on China Street which links back to Carpenter Street. When you crossed over the Darul Hana suspension bridge you were close to the Astana, the Brook Palace and periodically the home of the Sarawak PM or the King. Now it's only used for official functions. The big gilded pineapple building is the DUN, or parliament building, of Sarawak. You walked along the edge of the dancing fountain in front of the DUN then up to Fort Margarita, named after the second Ranee of Sarawak. She was famous for embracing women's and girls education in Sarawak. Inside the Fort is a Brooke Museum covering the way Rajah James Brooke rose to that position and the influence of that dynasty on the history of the country. There's a small museum devoted exclusively to Ranee Margaret in the Old Courthose Complex near to the Sarawak Tourism Center and Plaza Merdeka.

[@HukiPro1]

Cozy square is usually for the people who visit their relative that is hospilized in general hospital.

[@IreneMy]

we follow the British: Ground Floor (UK) = 1st floor (USA); 1st floor = your 2nd floor LG = Lower ground/B1 or Basement 1 reserved generally for Car Park B2 = Basement 2

[@VagabondJim65]

Like they do in Berlin. Erd Gestock (Earth or Ground Floor) and Erste gestock (First story). Herr Berliner should be cool with it. :)

[@harryalfonso8788]

Kuching City is a much bigger city than Kota Kinabalu but less pack and not much high rise inside the city centre which makes it feel like a small town.

[@Azractor86]

Hey, told ya to come during Rainforest World Music Festival, but no worries - it's an annual event/concert (tribal/fusion/traditional) that will happen every 3rd week of June every year. Also, the harvest festival with its parade all around Sarawak, so put that in your itinerary next year.

[@ferderickmaldini502]

As your long time viewer, it is really cool to see you here in Kuching!

[@MrAndre.]

DBKU dan MBKS perlu ambil perhatian. Keadaan laluan pejalan kaki/siarkaki di tepi jalan tidak dibuat dengan baik. Sempit, tidak rata, terputus, merbahaya dengan longkang tidak ditutup, serta tiada lintasan zebra di persimpangan.

[@amirism91]

ni bukan kat sarawak je. satu malaysia camtu. cer dtg ipoh sama je

[@lesterlee3206]

Kuching has the worst pedestrian pathway...wheelchair and elderly users will be challenging Public transport..nt to mention

[@catherineritikos5938]

Totally agree. Our councils are not creative people!

[@keangwooichoo6138]

Semua tempat di malaysia sama lah. Kl juga

[@spencershine8673]

Kasih dia tak makan dan minum jalan kaki jauh2 tak minum air ke org putih ni?

[@leopoldbourne8444]

I live in Chiang Mai. I was in Kuching 10 years ago when MH740 was lost. Was in a cafe on the riverfront looking at the incident on TV with the locals. Naturally noone at the time knew what a saga it would turn into.

[@burungbird3781]

I went to bandung and jakarta indonesia few months ago and then when i came back to kuching i tealize that Kuching is wayyy more cleaner than jakarta and indonesia. And i got confuse and feel weird that in indonesia they still allow people to smoke cigarretes inaid their malls.

[@Yasin_Affandi]

Hope that you have had a good time and a pleasant stay in Kuching, Sarawak.

[@irishque]

U look healthier indeed...good luck in reaching 10k subs soon!

[@shirleyangie8974]

Great video Ben, you can't never get lost can always people around. You came far away from New York. Enjoy your amazing trips. Take care be safe 👍

[@rosemary2271]

🎉Welcome to Kuching, Ben. Really hope you did have a marvellous time/stay here. Take care everyday😊

[@MeLodiCarAma]

Ben, knowing you are that extraordinary kind of explorer...this is my advice. Don't walk randomly along the river, especially where there's no locals around. The state is crocodile favourite place especially along the river. Always ask around, ok. Crocodile in Malay is "buaya" sounds like English boo-a-ya [Boo (in boo~merang), a (in a~rticle), ya (in ya~rd)]

[@SpaceMen998]

Yeah definitely..the "crocs" could be in human form yeah..🤣🤣

[@aren3130]

Next time round I suggest you stay in Waterfront Hotel so that you can easily walk around the city centre.

[@kinkinnnnnnnnnn]

Amazing trip Ben. Still some many of us Malaysian still haven’t been able to fly to Sarawak & Sabah cos the flight cost are too expensive. Thank you for your tour around these two states! Happy to see you’re enjoying your trip 🥳

[@decTac]

Sarawak is quite laid back state..it has rich with natural resources.. especially timber and oil and gas.. you got to visit the UNESCO heritage of Niah Cave, biggest cave in Malaysia..just dig the gems 😊

[@geraldonn3731]

Finally Ben is in Kuching

[@majasatri]

Mun ktk org perasan..sidak org puteh tok sik tertarik nangga bangunan klonial..Fort Maghreta pun nya skip...dah biasa gilak bagi sidaknya...sidak suka nangga kpg2 atau sst yang unik yang sik ada di tempat sidak...jadi peliharalah kpg2 melayu di seberang sungei ya...preserve budaya dan senibina rumah2 kpg yang unik.

[@yunytotoro7184]

Haha betullah tu, masih ingat kat satu komen kat org sabah komen nya padah should not visit that area padahal org putih mmg takda minat nak explore bangunan besar tinggi

[@yunytotoro7184]

Betul, semua om putih youtuber mmg tak minat explore mall besar, lebih minat rural area

[@atiqahawang5334]

Auk menar ya...Pelancong nak nangga tradisi dan keunikan tempatan.Mun dak Kpg Boyan sampe Pulo ya dipindah dah diganti dgn bangunan moden..dah sik ada beza kawasan sbrg ya dgn Kl,Selangor,JB,Penang...iboh disebabkan ngejar keuntungan, nilai kebudayaan yang asli dihapuskan...cth yang sesuai masjid bandar kuching dekat padang pasir ya..apa jak asak dolok di roboh struktur lamak dan polah struktur baru?..bayangkan mun masjid ya masih wujud dan bayangkan nilai sejarah nya kinek tok?... Kerajaan negeri Sarawak pls ambil pertimbangan menda2 mcm tok...better preserve rumah2 lamak ya dan perindahkan kpg2 ya.

[@Mechonl]

Auk menar ya... Mun di Labur RM100juta preserve kpg-kpg sebrg sungei Sarawak memang berbaloi...ada antara rumah disia berusia ratusan tahun..try buat pendekatan mcm Unesco..mana2 rumah yg dapat pengiktirafan 'warisan' oleh Swk, krjn negeri akan preserve dan beri peruntukan tahunan kepada tuan rumah ya barang RM2000 setahun untuk belanja penyelenggaraan rumah ya..dan diaudit dari semasa ke semasa.

[@jcoemma]

Tollllll

[@Tanner26]

I recommend visiting the sarawak cultural museum.

[@OneJuanWon]

Great video Ben. Sarawak is a place I want to see on a future trip to Malaysia. Looking forward to the rest of your content in Kuching 👍

[@sunflowerocket]

Welcome to Kuching, Ben! Selamat Datai!

[@iantravels2406]

Do visit siniawan, a very nice mini town tk visit with wooden shops that have been preserved

[@margaretekalaiabdullah8745]

Enjoy n stay safe in my hometown....🤗

[@irenekho149]

Glad you manage to visit Kuching .It’s good to have your take on Kuching . Is this a place worth visiting ?

[@semadisait9432]

I can’t wait to those international projects to be developed at Sarawak ❤,go Malaysia

[@rcBorneo]

Ben, I am impressed that you remember the names of the small towns in Sabah!

[@ACelticWorld]

Except for when he said: "Kina Kotabalu" 😆But yes, his approach is great.

[@MuhammadAdibfahmi_Channel]

Hi Benfishermin.. Welcome to Sarawak...

[@iantravels2406]

23:53 the building in the left is the borneo cultural museum highly recommended

[@iantravels2406]

Do visit Mount Singai Catholic center on the hill and Mount Hosanna Chapel (which looks like 3 candles)

[@einnzornandez3674]

Welcome to Sarawak, Malaysia bro 😊😊❤❤

[@hermanabdul-karim605]

Welcome to my town...you must be back in kl by now...if not i would be able to guide u...kota kinabalu is more concentrated...kuching is very widespread...

[@shirleyjawing2784]

The first building across the road where you talk with the student is the catholic Cathedral

[@Arrazi13]

The problem is that you don't like to ask people.

[@alantidan2509]

Exactly, would have found out that the Astana is the Official Residence of the Governor, Sarawak’s Head of State and the other building is the State Assembly House.

[@andrewlu615]

Actually the place you're staying is closer to the general hospital, and the digital mall, but far from the city central area.....staying close to pullman will give you more access to the city center by foot

[@tinglestingles]

We are staying at the waterfront in December - we were there in February.

[@ellasi444]

i would go nuts , u r so patient !

[@RayRafaaz]

Hey Ben welcome to my hometown! Hope u had a good time there. Yeah well I would've told u to book somewhere closer to the Waterfront cause of convenience. Well throughout your walk after your chat with the school kids (St. Joseph's Secondary School) there WAS a cathedral right opposite it, aptly named St. Joseph's cathedral. And not far from that area there's another, the St. Thomas. After tht true enough you reached the Memorial Park..perhaps a bit later in the day there would be more people just jogging and walking there. The interesting building u saw before u crossed the road before the park was indeed the Borneo Cultures Museum. Opposite this museum is the original Sarawak Museum which was built in the 1800s. There are lots of colonial buildings in Kuching, nicely preserved and most are still functional. Do pay a visit to places like the Semenggoh Wildlife Park, Bako National Park..and Borneo Highlands. Kuching is way different than KK in terms of offerings..but I love that it's quite underrated. Oh and our food is another reason for you to come to Kuching😊😊 Edit to add: Glad u had a good walk along the waterfront. Once u crossed the Darul Hana bridge, that was officially the north side of the city, and the massive building u were wondering about was the State Legislative Building, and the area u referred to as the fort or something was indeed the fort and literal palace of the Sarawak white Rajahs (the Brooke family) during their ruling years in the 1800s.

[@saracinnamon2411]

The garden with the graves are part of Sarawak Museum garden

[@CaineBah]

The museum also nice place Ben

[@aren3130]

Hi Ben....welcome to my hometown Kuching Sarawak.Hope you enjoy yr visit here.

[@razalitamam7027]

Enjoy Sarawak ❤

[@iantravels2406]

Sarawak has the more churches per town than in peninsular

[@AuntyJack123]

Hahaha no access peasant 😂😂😂 Looks like a very interesting area/town. I like having a park or nice walking area close to where I stay to recharge the soul 😊 Glad the apartment worked out better than anticipated.

[@natrahmohammad8979]

You look freshly healthy, Ben😊

[@adibsarkawi3532]

Welcome to kuching , Sarawak.

[@luenz8265]

If i remember correctly, you are living at a place where on the rooftop has bar or lounge. I went to Kuching last year, I would recommend you to try some Chinese Foochow restaurants/cafe. Food is quite cheap there and also a lot of choices and ofc delicious! Kuching also has one of the biggest museum and shopping mall. The waterfront is a must to visit, historical building, haunted house. Nothing can really beat this place though, if you are into fishing because it's one of the best place to fish on a boat at the middle of the sea. But beware if you go out at night, currently it's not safe. There's few cases that happened there not long ago. Most people would recommend not go out past a.m. in the middle of the night. If you do, walk in an area where there's light and tons people 👍Kuching is actually a place where it's well developed than other country in Sarawak. Oh i forgot, be careful not to go to close to any lake include waterfront lake 😂 Crocodiles brother haha. Give crocodiles farm a visit if you are into it.

[@raphaelofficial9748]

Hii Welcome to Kuching Sarawak. Make yourself pleasent stay at Kuching. Have a nice holiday

[@AminCorea]

It will be an amazing experience there

[@rafiqmuhamad8251]

Don't forget to try Mee Kolok in Sarawak

[@RoseDo-vn9pv]

Welcome to SARAWAK.

[@tazzznphilly]

Beautiful b and b.... beautiful culture and aesthetics there outside as well. I enjoyed virtually walking with you. Thank you. ~ Tazzz ~

[@benfishermin]

Yea it's really a lovely place with a great atmosphere. I think you'd like Sarawak a lot more than Kuala Lumpur!

[@cinematographer64]

Can visit Bintulu, Oil and Gas town like Miri. Bintulu is now a well planned town.

[@TheMightyBeer]

Cheers!!

[@shirleyjawing2784]

Sarawak was under the british colony..we fought the Japanese..in 1963 Singapore, Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah came together to form a new country which the called "Malaysia" but in 1965 Singapore leave to form its own country..now Malaysia has only 3 country in malaysia and Sarawak, Sabah has autonomy that's why you need passport to enter Sarawak even though you are traveling in malaysia

[@memes4ever377]

Yooo that's me 20:25

[@spincube5734]

I see you👀..........all the way from Miami, Florida USA !!😀👍

[@SPLEDZY]

GILA LAH MAT

[@prashobh216]

At the time you said Kuching seems "Old School" you were literally walking across the oldest schools in Kuching St. Joseph and St. Theresa.

[@aishahendot7624]

enjoy ur stay in kuching

[@imangarrix5904]

Hi❤❤ welcome to Kuching

[@WilfredPeter-uf9vh]

You just passed by the Catholic church St.Joseph Cathedral just opposite the school just now ....where you had a brief chat with some students.

[@leonicholasvlogs]

Welcome to Sarawak

[@rjdcifikdkcsmxnlalx]

actually behind the cozi square is our kuching general hospital

[@keangwooichoo6138]

The huge building is the state parliament.

[@hasnapshot4031]

Eat kolo mee, laksa sarawak, kek lapis, sarawak history, waterfall

[@suenidasa6497]

We live at the foot of one of those blue mountains.

[@NicoleBella-yg5vf]

Hello from Kuching

[@Indon-x5c]

Sarwak local have beutiful shape and good looking

[@Junmaisi]

Actually Kuching is a nice place to visit but sabah got so many places to visit because Sabah has the mountains Kinabalu, orang utan in sepiluk, and so many amazing islands

[@thecoach717]

I stayed at Kozi for 3 months in 2022. I can't count the number of walks to the river front.

[@stellajohn231]

That's the Reservoir Park. And the school that you had just passed & talked to some school boys, that is my school, St Joseph's Secondary School. Opposite is the St Joseph's Cathedral. You should be more alert of the signage tho.

[@nurhisyamramlan3087]

Welcome to sarawak Have a pleasant stay Should take the sunset river cruise They"ll rake you to the rivermouth to enjoy the sunset

[@ari-ks4cv]

thx.

[@hairulhairi5522]

Welcome to Sarawak bro...U should go and meet another youtuber and he's from the Netherland but made Kuching as his home coz he's married to a local Sarawakian...his youtube handle is Global Gibbon...he also has a restaurant in Kuching, i bet he will gives u a deep insight scoop of Sarawak and the people and the culture coz one of the Sarawak culture is Tattoo...coz Sarawak is famous for its tribal tattoos...

[@thecoach717]

@@hairulhairi5522 Nick is super nice. I'm sure he would treat Ben well.

[@wasimsedharis7296]

do you notice sarawak has no bangladesh or indian? Because sarawak only allowed local to work, my fav sarawak food is laksa sarawak 🤤

[@RichardSimon-vw3uv]

I grew up in suburban Philly.(Abington)

[@mackyclement96]

Well, I sum up for you the places that you have to visit on your next trip here; 1. Sarawak Cultural Village - it quite far from kuching city but worth it. 2. St. Peter’s Church - You been looking for a church, so you should visit it, for us the church have a great architectures, gothic-style building, it located near waterfront areas. 3. Semenggoh Wildlife - places to see Orangutan, I been there, see them myself. 4. Cat museum - go visit the places, it gonna tell you more details about the words “kuching” is coming from. & many more, just want to let you know, kuching have a lot of amazing places to visit, but the problems is that every places is quite far, so I think you might need a grab for next trip, or I can be your tourguide, I be glad to show you around 😄🙏🏻

[@neranera4094]

Memorial park as well Museum park

[@flux82able]

There's Jong's Crocodile Farm if u wanna see crocs ; Semenggoh Wildlife Centre to see Orang Utan.. I know this comment would be too late but still hope u did explore most of the places u wanted to go. I watched this video and got so frustrated because you were walking in a circle.. hahahahah... if you would walked straight from St Joseph school, u would pass the Sarawak Culture Museum and Padang Merdeka, and reach Waterfront faster! 😅

[@keangwooichoo6138]

Welcome to kuching

[@tinglestingles]

We love Kuching!

[@azharidris7092]

Ben.. when you're back in KL.. do explore the further suburbs.. central KL area's are mainly occupied by the migrants.. should try to snoop around Subang Jaya or Shah Alam.. they have evening market there.. better still go to Kelang..

[@crayzeeNLayzee]

Internet connectivity and stability is still not great in East Malaysia, unfortunately. I love Sabah and miss the seafood there everyday though.

[@jacqckl]

Kuching will be the next Smart City.

[@suzeukong4371]

Hahaha... Ask around if unsure. Try waterfront hotel next time.

[@methik38]

We been out here sine the 2000s son. All the good clubs waterfront are gone…

[@Gdftgu]

Come back to KL bruhh

[@iantravels2406]

19:47 the building is st joseph cathedral in kuching

[@ieynna09]

Some poeple dont understand about vlogging or social media especially baby boomers so hope uou dont feel offended 😊but you are most welcome to sarawak again 🖤❤💛

[@LanzFranchess]

then, before booking a hotel, ask or confirm the download and upload speed of the internet first. fixed! most hotels throughout Malaysia already use high-speed internet atleast 100-500 mbps... and free to all costumer... to reduce headaches, you can ask around... easy fix.

[@tinglestingles]

@@byteme9718 We had very fast internet speeds in Kuching - going back in December. We love Kuching.

[@chillrelax7555]

Thanks for visiting us! Unfortunately Kozi square is pretty rundown. The Internet is fast unfortunately, not in Kozi apparently 😅 The developments aren't in the city though, most of the developments aren't in the city itself.

[@IreneMy]

Welcome to Sarawak Land of rhe Hornbills🎉

[@VictorPeter]

The park i knew is named the Reservoir Park..Hmm... I don't recall it has been renamed to Taman Perpaduan. Is it now called Unity Park in English?

[@gerrelldrawhorn8975]

Yes, it was changed after the renovations like lighting, benches, and closed CC cameras were put in. It used to be a hangout for drug abusers

[@salinamdnoor603]

Pls be careful if walking near the river or wetland bushes. I was reminded by the local, there's maybe crocodile around.

[@lilynyanget338]

You should go by Grab The place you stay is far from the town

[@sharonsaran7837]

Next time you come to Kuching, come stay at Citadines Uplands. We do daily housekeeping and collect your laundry, and it's free, and if you want to do your own laundry, you can buy token😁

[@benfishermin]

It's well out of my budget unfortunately. How about a sponsored stay where I review Citadines Uplands in a vlog? 🙂