Kuching City Tour & Fort Margherita: Colonial History Tour

Six and a half hours moving through Kuching's oldest temples, grand colonial buildings and a 19th-century fort

A 6.5-hour guided tour of Kuching covers the city's major historical sites and colonial architecture, starting with hotel pickup and transport by air-conditioned van. You visit Tua Pek Kong, the oldest Chinese temple in the city, the Astana (the Governor's official residence built as a wedding gift in 1870), the Sarawak Museum with its ethnographic and natural history collections, and Fort Margherita, a three-story fort from 1897 designed to defend against river-borne invasions. An English-speaking guide leads the route. Bottled water and return transfer are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kuching historical landmarks

• Visit Tua Pek Kong Temple
• See Kampung House design
• Tour The Astana residence
• Explore Sarawak Museum
• Visit Fort Margherita

The experience

The tour moves through Kuching's narrow streets near the river, where ornate temples, markets and traditional Chinese shop houses line the way. Tua Pek Kong, built around 1770, stands as the oldest Chinese temple in the city and remains one of the most visited. The Astana, completed in 1870 by the second White Raja Charles Brooke as a wedding gift to his wife, originally consisted of three separate buildings connected by short passageways. It has since undergone major renovations and now serves as the official residence of Sarawak's Governor. The Sarawak Museum, designed in the style of a Normandy town house and built in 1891, houses an exceptional ethnographic collection, natural history displays and exhibits on Sarawak's oil industry.

Fort Margherita, built in 1897 and named after Charles Brooke's wife, anchors the second half of the day. The three-story tower block includes a watch point on top, a courtyard surrounded by high walls with sharp glass shards set into them for protection, and wooden windows built into the walls from which cannons were once fired. The fort was engineered to protect the capital from river-borne invasions. You travel between stops in an air-conditioned van or coach with a live English-speaking guide. Hotel pickup and return transfer are included, along with bottled water. The tour runs 6.5 hours total and suits all fitness levels.

What’s included

• Return hotel transfer.
• bottled water.
• transport by air-conditioned mini van or coach.
• English-speaking tour guide.

Options for this experience

2 options

Kuching City CenterGuide in English · 09:00Pickup is included for hotels located within Kuching City Center

Kuching OutskirtGuide in English · 09:00Pickup is included for hotels and resorts on the outskirts of Kuching City Center, more than 20 km from Kuching International Airport

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Magunatip Holidays Sdn Bhd

Is this one for you?Choose the City Center option if your hotel is in central Kuching. The Outskirt option serves hotels on the edges of the city. Both follow the same 6.5-hour route and include the same stops, so the choice depends only on where you're staying.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is Tua Pek Kong temple like?

Tua Pek Kong is the oldest Chinese temple in Kuching, built around 1770, and remains one of the city's most popular temples. It sits in the narrow streets near the river where many of the city's ornate temples and traditional shop houses cluster together.

Can I see the Astana on this tour?

Yes. The Astana is a stop on the route. Built in 1870 by the second White Raja Charles Brooke as a wedding gift to his wife Margaret Alice Lili de Windt, it originally consisted of three separate buildings connected by passageways. It now serves as the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak and has undergone major renovations since its construction.

What does the Sarawak Museum contain?

The Sarawak Museum, designed in the style of a Normandy town house and built in 1891, houses an exceptional ethnographic collection, natural history displays and exhibits on the oil industry in Sarawak.

What is Fort Margherita and why was it built?

Fort Margherita is a three-story fort built in 1897 by Charles Brooke and named after his wife. It was designed to protect the capital from river-borne invasions, with a watch point on top, a fortified courtyard with protective glass shards set into the walls, and wooden windows built into the structure from which cannons could be fired.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes. Hotel pickup and return transfer are included in the tour price, along with transport by air-conditioned van or coach and bottled water.