GETTING HERE:
The Sarawak Cultural Village is sandwiched between Holiday Inn Damai Lagoon and Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort. Walking from these two resorts is possible. From Kuching, the journey takes about 45 minutes through the spectacular peninsula of Santubong at which Damai seaside resorts are located. Taxi hire from downtown Kuching is possible but it can cost you a lot. Then there is a question of getting a taxi back to Kuching after you have finished visiting all the attractions the village. There will be an exorbitant surcharge should you require the taxi driver to wait for your return trip.

For me, the best way to get to the village is by either the Kuching - Sarawak Cultural Village or Kuching - Damai shuttle services. Roundtrip fares are RM20 per adult and RM10 per children below the age of 12. The shuttle schedules are outlined below. Note that these schedules are obtained in September 2006, hence the departure times may vary in the future.

Note that for the Kuching - Damai Resorts - Kuching shuttle service, the mini van will pass by the entrance of the Cultural Village, hence you will be able to request a stop here.

ENTRANCE FEES:
The tickets can be purchased at the entrance for RM45 for adult and RM22.50 for children (between 6-12 of age). If you are taking the scheduled shuttle service from Kuching as mentioned above, the fee will be RM60 per adult which includes the entrance fee and the shuttle fare.

The village opening hour is 0900hrs - 1715 hrs daily.

FEATURES:
The Sarawak Cultural Village was officially opened in 1990. It was set in a tranquil setting of landscaped tropical forests and a man-made lake. This cultural village is considered a must-visit for every visitor to Kuching because it showcases the various attributes of major ethnic population in the whole state of Sarawak, namely the Malay, Chinese, Iban, Orang Ulu, Bidayuh, Melanau and Penan. While there is nothing comparable to visiting the actual dwelling sites of these tribes who thrive in either the massive delta of Rajang River, or in deep rainforests accessible only by airplanes, the showcases in this village are pretty much as close as one can get in getting to know the colourful multi-ethnic characteristics of Sarawak.

While the many tribal houses are pretty much the star attractions of this cultural village (more on that below), there are other various features that worth a mention. Throughout the cultural village, there are stone sculptures carved by various artists from around the world. There is also a beautifully made multi-purpose hall called Dewan Lagenda where occasional traditional games are held for the visitors.

Another important feature of the cultural village is a mini-theatre where award-winning cultural performances are held daily. To be honest, the cultural performance is not something one should miss. There are two cultural performances held daily, at 1100 hrs and 1400 hrs. Each performance will last for about an hour. Visitors should plan their visits to the cultural village such that they would be able to enjoy the spectacular showcase of various cultural dance rituals of the many ethnic tribes in Sarawak.

Other than that, there is an eatery here called Restaurant Budaya to satisfy your gastronomic needs after spending a few hours in the cultural village. There is also a neat gift shop near the entrance where you can purchase various types of souvenir to bring home.

Now, back to the showcase houses. There are seven of them altogether. I wrote about them in separate articles below:

• Rumah Cina (Chinese Farmhouse)

• Rumah Melayu (Malay House)

• Rumah Melanau (Melanau Tall House)

• Rumah Orang Ulu (Orang Ulu Longhouse)

• Rumah Penan (Penan Hut)

• Rumah Iban (Iban Longhouse)

• Rumah Bidayuh (Bidayuh Longhouse)

MY VERDICT:
Simply a must-visit when in Kuching.