An English castle
A white fort built in 1879 against pirates.
Mattun0211 — CC0 · Damian Pankowiec — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Graystravels — CC BY-SA 4.0
A small white fort in the style of an English castle, built in 1879 by Charles Brooke, the second of the White Rajahs who ruled Sarawak for about a century, to guard Kuching against pirates coming up the river, and named after his wife Margaret. It stands on a hill on the north bank of the Sarawak River, directly opposite the city centre. Today it houses the Brooke Gallery, which tells the story of the Brooke family's rule over Sarawak from 1841 to 1946: how the English adventurer James Brooke became ruler of this land, how his successors governed after him, and how their rule ended after the Second World War. From the top of the fort there is a lovely view over the river and the city. Entry is about twenty ringgit for foreign adults and roughly half for children, and a combined ticket of about thirty ringgit adds the Ranee Museum on the waterfront. It opens daily from nine to quarter to five. The nicest way there is to walk across the Darul Hana Bridge or take a tambang boat from the waterfront, then a short climb. It stands next to the golden-roofed Legislative Assembly, so take your close-up photographs of it from here.
A white fort built in 1879 against pirates.
The Brooke family's rule from 1841 to 1946.
The river and city from the top of the fort.
North bank of the Sarawak River, opposite the waterfront
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Kuching Waterfront and Darul Hana BridgeThe waterfront is the heart of Kuching and its loveliest part: a promenade of ab5 minutes walk
Borneo Cultures MuseumThe largest museum in Malaysia and the second largest in Southeast Asia, opened 12 minutes walk
Kuching City Mosque (Old Mosque)One of Kuching's loveliest and most distinctive landmarks: a mosque with pink wa13 minutes walk
Sarawak Islamic Heritage MuseumA quiet museum in a handsome historic building, put up in the early 1930s under 13 minutes walkWalk across the Darul Hana Bridge, about ten minutes, or cross by tambang boat, then climb the short hill. By car the route is longer, looping round by another bridge.