The Sarawak River has cut Kuching City into two parts. Across the river from the Waterfront is the northern part plus the western CBD including Satok area is under the administration of Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (Kuching North City Hall),   where as from the Waterfront area (southern area of the river) plus the eastern CBD, towards the South China Sea is administered by Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (Kuching South City Council).  Both MBKS and DBKU have a mayor each except the third local government that administers the rural areas which is called Majlis Perbandaran Padawan (Padawan Municipal Council).

The Sungai Sarawak (Sarawak River) also allows transportation for residents in northern city and visitors from Waterfront to get across the river to go to their destination.  Although there are two bridges that allows cars to get across the river but they are big turns.

Do you notice that this guy’s cap colour is same the his sponsor’s colour? 

The mini ferries are sponsored by local telcos (in red and yellow colours).  Recently there is a new colour for the mini ferries in purple colour, it is sponsored by a five star hotel which is very near to the Waterfront, I do not have the picture of them because when I took these pictures the purple-colour boats have not launched yet.

For tourist you can board the Sarawak River Cruise.  It provides foods and entertainments while bring you around on the Sarawak River.  I have heard that the good time to take this tour is in the evening because you will be able to see the sunset on the river.  This time we did not have enough time to try it, we will try it next time.

A two-legged boat.

I am not sure what this boat is for but it seems like a police boat.

There are also private boats on the river in different shapes.  Some of them even have the plate number just like a car.  In Kuching, the older series of car plate number is QKA xxxx to QKT xxxx, I saw a boat with QKH xxxx.

As I said earlier there are at least 2 ferry landings within the Waterfront area.  Let’s have a closer look.

There is a path on each ferries landing to let you walk down to the boat and there is a green floating platform which will automatically adjust its height according to the water level on the river.  Sometimes it goes up a bit but sometimes it is lower.  It is quite intelligent compare to some other place.  Can you imagine if there is only a small piece of wood that connect the land to the boats?  Many ladies and kids may afraid to get into the boats because they afraid that they will fall into the river.  This will not happen in Kuching Waterfront because the platform is wide enough and you can safely board the boats or mini ferries.

An old man wearing a hat walking towards the ferry landing platform.

These round-shaped shelters allow passenger to sit and wait for the boats, but is also a place for some people to sit there and have a closer look at the river.

This is the first series of Visit My Own Hometown where SiewPeng and I have visited Kuching Waterfront.  There are many other interesting things to see in Waterfront such as the musical fountain, the sunset on the Sarawak River Cruise, and stalls in Waterfront.  We will tell you more next time we visit Waterfront again.  We have our next destination to go on.