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Ever walked past the pink building by the Waterfront and thought it was just a pretty old shoplot? Go in once. This tiny free museum explains why Kuching's Chinese story is much bigger than Carpenter Street and kopitiam culture. [image: 1783649189531-chinese-history-museum-front.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons / Graystravels [image: 1783649189677-chinese-history-museum-angle.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons / Yeo Jiun Tzen [image: 1783649189851-chinese-history-museum-side.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons / Cmglee [image: 1783649189998-chinese-history-museum-old01.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons / Yeo Jiun Tzen What people are saying: Tripadvisor travellers rate it 4.1/5 from 375 reviews. The pattern is pretty consistent: small, free, easy to miss, but worth 30 minutes to 1 hour if you like local history. One 2025 visitor called it a "small free museum" worth an hour or two, while a Dec 2024 review liked how it explains the migration story of the Chinese diaspora. Another Tripadvisor reviewer from Kuching liked the refreshed displays, dialect/language sections, musical instruments and kid-friendly interactive parts. A 2024 visitor was more measured: decent for a free 30-minute stop before walking Chinatown, not a huge museum you plan half a day for. Trip.com lists it as free entry and highlights exhibits such as musical instruments, jade, ceramics and old photos from the White Rajah period. Museum Volunteers JMM describes the building as a charming little museum on the Waterfront, originally built in 1912 as a court for Chinese traders. My take: this is best treated as a quiet add-on, not a headline attraction. Pair it with Tua Pek Kong Temple, Main Bazaar, Carpenter Street or the Waterfront evening walk. The fun part is not just the old objects, but seeing how Hakka, Hokkien, Teochew, Foochow and other communities shaped Sarawak's everyday life. Useful info: Location: Jalan Bazar / Kuching Waterfront, opposite the riverfront area ️ Entry: Free Hours: Sarawak Tourism lists Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM-4:45 PM, closed on public holidays. Some travel listings show weekend hours too, so check before making a special trip. ️ Time needed: 30-60 minutes for most visitors Best for: heritage walk, rainy day stop, family history angle, first-time visitors ️ Note: small space, so don't expect a big museum like Borneo Cultures Museum. Sources checked: Tripadvisor visitor reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298309-d457049-Reviews-Chinese_Museum-Kuching_Sarawak.html Sarawak Museum Department: https://museum.sarawak.gov.my/web/subpage/webpage_view/102 Sarawak Tourism Board: https://www.sarawaktourism.com/web/things-to-do/thing-view/culture/museums/chinese-history-museum Museum Volunteers JMM: https://museumvolunteersjmm.com/2014/09/14/exploring-kuching-the-chinese-history-museum/ Trip.com: https://www.trip.com/moments/detail/kuching-781-15096464/ Have you been inside before, or only passed by from the Waterfront?

The oldest temple in Kuching — and probably the toughest. Honestly, when you stand in front of Tua Pek Kong Temple, it's hard to believe what this building has been through. 1884 — The Great Fire of Kuching burned the whole street to ashes. The temple? Untouched. 1941 — Japanese Imperial Army bombs rained down on the city. Buildings around it were destroyed. The temple? Still standing. Nearly 250 years later, the incense is still burning. [image: 1781230879510-img1-resized.jpg] Credit: 愛子棋枰 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) Tua Pek Kong Temple (also called Siew San Teng Temple) is the oldest recorded Chinese temple in Kuching, believed to have existed before 1839. It started as a simple thatched hut, and through major renovations in 1856, 1863, and 1880, it evolved into the temple you see today. [image: 1781230880238-img2.jpg] Credit: Damian Pankowiec / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) The older generation in Kuching will tell you this temple has the best Feng Shui in town — backed by hills, facing the Sarawak River. In 1871, Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah, issued the first official land title for the temple. Royal endorsement, you could say. The main deity is Tua Pek Kong (God of Prosperity), and many local business owners come here to pray for good fortune. During the 1st and 15th of the lunar calendar, it gets so busy you can smell the incense from down the street. [image: 1781230880711-img3-resized.jpg] Credit: Boonjinchung / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) I checked Google Maps reviews — 4.4, and visitors consistently say the same thing: "Small but very atmospheric, the incense and red lanterns make it feel incredibly authentic" — Australian visitor "Right by the waterfront, 2 minute walk from the river. Free entry, surprisingly peaceful inside" — Singaporean visitor "Oldest temple in Kuching, a must-stop on the heritage trail" — UK visitor Over on TripAdvisor, the sentiment is similar. Many say it's not the biggest or grandest temple, but it feels more genuine than the large tourist-oriented attractions. What struck me is that locals don't really view this as a "tourist spot" — they're actually here to pray. Hang around for 10 minutes and you'll see elderly folks lighting incense, casting divination blocks, burning joss paper. It's everyday religious life, not a performance. [image: 1781230881352-img4-resized.jpg] Credit: Flickr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY) Visitor Info: Location: Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (opposite Kuching Waterfront, next to Chinese History Museum) Hours: Daily ~6am to 6pm (no strict enforcement) ️ Entry: Free Getting there: 2-min walk from Kuching Waterfront Dress code: Casual is fine, but it is a place of worship — keep it respectful Photos: Allowed, but be discreet when people are praying Xiao Wei's tips: Go around 5pm — the golden hour light hitting the temple interior is stunning for photos After visiting, cross the street to the Chinese History Museum (also free) Avoid the 1st and 15th of the lunar month if you prefer a quieter experience Have you been to this temple before? Or have you walked past it a hundred times without going in? Drop a comment Xiao Wei, your Kuching Places Hunter — see you next week!

A kopitiam that has survived nearly six decades — and still serves its char siew, steamed chicken and Hainanese coffee the old-school way. Just five days before Christmas in 1968, Ann Loke Hui Cafe was officially registered on Jalan Sekama. Almost 60 years later, it is still going strong under the Hua family. [image: 1780016782710-ann-loke-hui-01.jpg] John Hua (right) and his 83-year-old mother Chai Lan Jin at their coffee station. Today, 56-year-old John Hua runs the business, taking over from his father Hua Kia Jin in 2001. His father ran the cafe for 33 years before passing away at 64. His mother, now 83, still helps in the kitchen. What makes this place special? The cafe was at its busiest during the Lido Theatre era — cinema-goers would flood in before and after shows. Many regulars still come in today, reminiscing about those days. Signature dishes: steamed chicken, char siew, three-layer pork with savoury rice, meat curry rice, kueh teow in tomato sauce, and traditional Hainan coffee served in vintage kopitiam cups. [image: 1780016787269-ann-loke-hui-02.jpg] Meat curry rice and pork with savoury rice — Hainanese staples. Old habits die hard here. They still use old newspapers as takeaway wrappers — a tradition dating back decades. [image: 1780016787451-ann-loke-hui-03.jpg] Coffee served in vintage cups and newspaper wrappers — unchanged through the years. "It would otherwise go to waste," John explains about the newspaper practice. The Hua family hopes to pass the cafe to the next generation. John's children already help out, and the memorabilia on the walls tells the story of a kitchen that hasn't changed its ways for six decades. Location: Jalan Sekama, Kuching Hours: 10.30am - 2pm daily, closed Sundays Contact: 019-889 6101 Source: DayakDaily Ever been to Ann Loke Hui? What old-school kopitiam in Kuching do you still visit?