Hey everyone,

I'm kinda new here, both to this forum, and to Kuching as well. I'm from Singapore, and came to Kuching to study because Swinburne Uni is here, and basically, i wanted a quiet place to concentrate on my studies instead of some "happening" place, which tends to be really, really noisy, full of sex, drugs and alot of stuff you don't really need when you just need a condusive environment to study in.
I used to study in RMIT, Melbourne, Australia. Well, then some personal stuff came up and I came back to Singapore. Now its back to my studies, and according to 2 of my classmates at RMIT, both of whom have studied and the other being a local here, the place is "good for studies", which I need. I'm always to easily distracted!!
Finally, my best friend and I moved here, I decided to take a course at the Multimedia College and my friend took a degree at Swinburne. Haha, totally weird!

I don't want to go on too much, i noticed there aren't many long-winded posts like mine is going to be soon!

I was wondering if there are any foreign students here as well. It'd be great if we could meet up or just chat about this place, and get to know this place better - it's so different from Singapore and Melbourne, and it's such a small town, almost rustic!

Anyway, glad to be here, and glad to see there's a site about Kuching.

hey hey hey~
1st of all , welcome to the site. I think you're the 1st singaporean tat registered in this site. feel honoured.

So what you said above.. you are saying Kuching is a happening place and you are distracted from your studies? and you are looking for a quiet place in Kuching?

I am abit confuse on what you are trying to ask.

Oh,

well, it's just that Singapore and Melbourne had alot of "distractions" like well, alot of great places to go, enjoy yourself and forget about your studies, and they were all located close to each other! So you could say I didn't really study that much.

But here, because I haven't gotten a car yet, and I don't really know the place well, everything seems so far and also hidden, so I usually take taxis around from one point to another.
There isn't much opportunity for me to walk around because everything seems so far, and very scattered all over the place!

Here, perhaps, there are less things to do, so I can focus more on my studies.

Anyway, glad to be here. Hope I can enjoy myself in Kuching while I'm studying! And hopefully you guys can suggest some 'happening' places in Kuching I can go to when I need to sit back and relax.

Welcome welcome... Kuching... hmmm... been staying here for all my life and pretty boring at times when frustrating ahahah... but other times, it's quite ok, peaceful and quiet, I'm just the kind that don't like places like KL but I like S'pore ahhaha reasons are safer than KL and better public transports. Mind you, public transport here sucksssssss eehheh... I don't like it, I rather drive my own car.

Well... It's kinda far (coz i'm lazy bone, driving from there to the city centre requires around 15 minutes or so or less, depends on the traffic flows) from Swinburne to Kuching's happening places. Well... it's not as happening as in S'pore.

As for now, it's August and it's Kuching's Festival month, so Padungan Civil Hall (Dewan Masyarakat or "ming chung hui tang" in mandarin just in case you want to go there.) is the happening place now so far ahahah... you can go there during the evening. It's an annual events. Well.. it's not that much thing to see as in s'pore ;p but you can tried out many local delicacies.

Your aim is to concentrate on studies, I think this is the best place, moderate entertainments. You will save lots of money too considering the currency exchange ahaha... it's the right choice i think.

Considering many of my friends studying in some other states in M'sia which is less developed compare to kch and they were placed so far in the remote area, they were so bored most of the time and spend time studying and online. They save lots of money because of that. Worst, even the pirated VCD (even dvd is so hard to find) they got there are all outdated ones LOL... so consider Kuching very lucky, can even get those VCD or DVD movies that are not out in the cinema yet :)

Just becareful with your belongings though.. lately many pickpokets and thieves and con men too. Once the peaceful and safe Kuching is now infested with those bad ppl but still consider safe compare to other part of M'sia.

Enjoy your stay!

Hello new friend from Lion City, WELCOME to small CAT CITY, a place like no other! Well... do hope you will enjoy your study and stay here very much.

Explore yourself around and you'll definitely get a totally different experience as you did in melbourne or your home town, singapore.

Don't worry if you feel helpless, ppl are always be here to give you a hand. Just smile~~ :)

Sorrry...i'm not a overseas student but a local born...

Aw, thanks guys!

I've been here a while already...
One thing I've had a BIG problem with was finding FOOD! Yes! I know! I was told by my Malaysian friends in Singapore Kuching is a food paradise like Singapore (everywhere are hawker centres, resturants, food centres, shops, mamak shops! You can never walk 1 metre without crossing one!! :)), but since I've been here I've not seen many food places to eat!

Maybe it's because I'm not a local, everything is so hidden away! I can't find it! Yesterday, i went to this new place called Sri Shan, it's been the FIRST decent meal in days! Its near Gateway Hotel, at the OCBC building.
I woke up this morning thinking about the Taiwanese fried chicken and Oyster Mee Sua...wah, I miss food in Singapore!

I've been to SCR, and the food is nice, but I miss Hokkien mee, Oyster and carrot cake, Chee Chong Fan, Fishball noodles, mee pok, mushroom mee pok noodles...
I miss Japanese food also, Chawanmushi, Salmon Sashimi, Agedashi tofu...ARGH!
I also miss Arabic food like Halwa...I found some Indian places here, the food was not bad, but I'm having problems with Chinese food...
Can anyone help with suggestions on good chinese food, or arabic, indian, pakistani, thai and Japanese food?
I'll be so appreciative and thankful!

Hey hey hey... can't believe I checked this late. Welcome Yuffie, to Kuching. It is a small town, and taxis can get pretty expensive to get from one place to another - but it's the only easiest way... buses are too hard.

Well, you can't really find happening places here. I suppose you're talking about clubs, raves, places where the crowd chills? Hmmm... well, you won't find much of that here. Besides, you shouldn't anyway because you need to study! But if you need to lay back a bit, go to Coffee Bean or a deli.

I know you're feeling a little lost right now, and really curious about Kuching - hell, I know because I've been to KL to study, and I wanted to know everything. But these things take time. So relax and "sink" into the Kuching vibe, slow and steady.

Good luck with everything!

Hi,
Welcome to Kuching. It seems like you are still very new to this place. If you want to look for good food, it's better to have a Kuching friend to take u around the famous spots here. Maybe Kuching people studying at Swinburne? By the way, where are you staying now? Hostel?
By the way, take your time to get to know about this city more. Hope you enjoy your study here.

I stay in a rented house with my best friend somewhere is Matang Jaya. I know it's quite far, but its a fully furnished house with aircons in all rooms and living rooms (I need aircon!!), has 3 rooms (two are our rooms, one study room), one living room, one dining room, one bathroom cum toilet and another toilet, and a kitchen.
It sounds big but it's quite small and cozy, like a small apartment, but its a landed house and has a front yard for 2 cars and a small tiled backyard to sit or sun your clothes.
The last guy who lived here was a bachelor so he left everything from cable, to phone, to cutlery and pots and pans, including bedsheets, blankets, so we didn't actually have to bring anything but our luggage, haha!
We cleaned out the place, and now it's really nice,like a real house.

I'm actually looking to buy a car so my bf and I can drive around and look at Kuching, and most imporantly go to school because we've been taking taxis and really getting ripped off!!

For goodness sake!! Studying in Swinburne staying in Matang Jaya... ,my goodness... it's so so so so far... using taxi like this u'll broke one day LOL... the taxi driver sure is happy hahaha...

I thought u're staying around Swinburne area coz it's surrounded with lot of eateries. Just not far somewhere oppoite Swinburne, it's King Center, all those hawker stalls, and kopitiams everywhere.

As for clubbing in Kuching, well... personally i don't like it, i don't like clubbing. So i never care what place is there to club here in kuching. Frankly lots of bad ppl in there and Kuching is small if u do somethign "drastic", goshhh... the whole Kuching will know and u have no place to hide. Ppl here very kaypo one.

Like ctlim suggested, ask some Kuching friends to bring u around, I'm sure they are happy to do so. This is the best way to get to know Kuching. Usually this is what foreign students do.

Without ur own transport is a bit hard to move around in kuching coz the public transport really suckssssss... get a cheap second car or a kancil will do. I thinkdriftbaby sure got kantao for it hahaha...

Since u've went to OCBC building, that's where Kuching centre is. There are really lots of food outlets there. U can explore a lot there. That's where the Orchard Rd. of Kuching ahahha... remember, walk... if u're using taxi or anything u can't see much u have to walk.

Anyway, u are still very new here so take ur time, most importantly get good grades in ur studies.