Open Air Market is where I would start a hungry old-town walk. The stalls are inside today, but the surviving tower quietly gives away an older name: Tower Market. [image: 1788575820760-open-air-market-wikimedia.jpg] Wikimedia Commons / Shoestring The tower is a remnant of the 1920s Sarawak Fire Brigade site. When the new station moved to Jalan Padungan in the 1950s, the old building changed use while the watchtower stayed. A later roofed market turned a fire-service landmark into an everyday hawker meeting point—from alarm tower to a bowl of noodles. [image: 1788575820817-tower-market-night.jpg] KuchingBorneo I would walk in from Main Bazaar and let the time decide the food: daytime staples and drinks, later hawker energy, with kolo mee and gula apong as easy Kuching cues. This is a working market, not a curated food hall; allow 30–60 minutes, carry small cash and expect shared seating. [image: 1788575820869-kolo-mee.jpg] My Lovely Blue Sky Jalan Khoo Hun Yeang, Jalan Power, Jalan Market and Jalan Gartak frame the area, linking it to the riverfront and Carpenter Street. Parking and stall hours vary. DBKU has discussed facility improvements, so old “24-hour” descriptions are not a promise for today. International visitors wanting living food culture should choose it over a generic photo stop—provided they accept the busy reality. [image: 1788575820925-sio-bee.jpg] My Lovely Blue Sky

If you ask any Kuching local where to get the best seafood in town, nine out of ten will tell you the same thing: Kampung Buntal. [image: 1785982008740-img1.jpg] Buntal Esplanade with Mount Santubong in the background — Malaysia Traveller Located about 30 minutes north of Kuching city centre, this traditional Malay fishing village sits on the Santubong Peninsula. It's been a weekend seafood destination for locals for decades, and for good reason. [image: 1785982008812-img2.jpg] The 200m Buntal Esplanade walkway — Malaysia Traveller What's the big deal about Buntal? The village is famous for its seafood restaurants built on wooden stilts right over the water. You're eating fresh catch from the sea while looking at the South China Sea and Mount Santubong — doesn't get much better than that. Over on Google Maps, Buntal Esplanade has a solid 3.8 rating from 846 reviews. One visitor wrote: "Perfect spot for sunset seafood dinner. The butter prawns are out of this world!" Another said: "Been coming here for years, the quality of seafood never drops." [image: 1785982008883-img3.jpg] Lim Hock Ann Seafood — one of the most popular seafood restaurants in Buntal — Malaysia Traveller What to eat Butter prawns, steamed fish, chili crabs, bamboo clams, and local clams are the crowd favourites. The village is also known for producing belacan (shrimp paste), a staple in Sarawak cooking. You can buy some to take home from the village market stalls. A TripAdvisor forum regular summed it up: "Buntal is recommended for seafood. The village's main industry seems to be fishing — off the hook and onto your plate." [image: 1785982008956-img4.jpg] View of Mount Santubong from Kampung Buntal — Malaysia Traveller More than just seafood Apart from the food, the Buntal Esplanade is a 200-metre concrete walkway above the mangroves where you can watch the sunset or spot migratory birds during the right season. At low tide, locals head out to dig for razor clams and oysters on the mudflats. The village itself has a laid-back kampung vibe. You can walk through the back lanes, watch fishermen bring in their boats, and see the daily life of a traditional fishing community. Practical info Address: Jln Kpg. Buntal, Kampung Buntal, 93010 Kuching, Sarawak Best time to visit: Arrive around 5-5:30 PM for sunset + seafood dinner Entrance: FREE — pay only for what you eat Getting there: 30km / 35-40 min drive from Kuching city centre. Head towards Santubong (Jalan Sultan Tengah), turn right at the roundabout before Damai Beach. Grab available but arrange return trip in advance. 🦟 Bring insect repellent (mosquitoes near the mangroves) Bring cash — some smaller stalls don't accept cards Seafood restaurants open from around 4 PM to 10 PM. Popular ones include Lim Hock Ann Seafood, Ahsoh Buntal Seafood, and Teo Seafood. Have you been to Buntal? What's your go-to dish there? Drop a comment below!