As naturally fertile as it is culturally fraught, Sarawak is a state that requires deep, nuanced exploration in order to even begin to understand its heart. After all, it is the largest state in all of Malaysia, but steeped in a culture almost completely different to what you would find in mainland Malaysia; and for a moment, you might even doubt if you are still in Malaysia when you are here.

In Sarawak, the language sounds a little different, the food tastes a little different, and the traditional Malay/Chinese/Indian demographic trails in the wake of a well-preserved tribal heritage: 40% of the state’s population today still finding their roots in indigenous tribes. It is a world of Sea Dayaks and formidable seafarers and aggressive headhunters; and while the culture no longer slaughters their enemies and preserve their skulls as trophies, the Iban people of today still proudly uphold many of their traditional rituals and beliefs, living in remote longhouses and adhering to their customs for distinctive tattoos and colourful festivals.

After five days of exploring Sarawak in a fashion that I can only, in retrospect, describe as scant, it became clear that the only way to get a true taste of this state, is to give up the notion of exploring it as you would in mainland Malaysia (eating, shopping, sightseeing); you have to fully immerse yourself in the lives of its inhabitants instead. This is, after all, where ancient traditions collide with the frenetic pull of the modern day; but instead of a chaotic explosion of cross-cultural confusion that one might imagine from such impact, we are presented with a wealth of cultural legacy – edgy, educated, and elegiac in every way, shape, and form.

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3 Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier Here: H2 Sarawak (for bus schedules, travel routes and new destinations to discover in Kuching), Sarawak More to Discover (essentially a one-stop all-you-need-to-know Sarawak travel guide/itinerary planner that keeps you updated about places, food, events, and all the latest happenings in the state), and Foodpanda (Southeast Asia’s answer to GrubHub).

Here, Most People Flock Straight To: Kuching, the capital city of the state.

My First Impression of Sarawak In Five Words: Gracefully Rugged in Culture & History.

A Sarawak Itinerary In Five Words: Cultural Villages, Wildlife, Treks, Caves

I Woke Up With: The Waterfront, Kuching. I seem to always end up in hotels conveniently attached to shopping malls whenever I’m in Malaysia 😅, and this happens to be one more to join that list. It’s perched right above Plaza Merdeka Shopping Centre, which is well-tenanted with a good mix of local and international brands; definitely equipped to make any city dweller feel right at home.

The First Thing I Did After Checking In Was: Get my activities for the following days sorted. I’d kind of made the decision to book the tours locally, so the first day was pretty much spent scrambling around making sure my next few days were set. (And thereafter, it was off to the Waterfront and, subsequently, the night market.)

The Best Way to Move Around In Kuching Is By: Foot, actually. Kuching is actually quite a compact and very walkable city; so if you’re intending to cover the starter-level museums and sights, most can be done by foot (or by renting a bike). Needless to say, day trips to Parks and Wildlife Centres do not fall under this category, and those can be done either by hopping onto a tour, renting your own car, or just cabbing.

This Experience Is A Must: There is a palpable sense of culural consciousness in Sarawak – and it’s no wonder why. Indigenous tribes still make up 40% of the state’s population today, and the locals here are unflinchingly grounded about their history and where they came from. (Everything you hear about Dayak headhunters are true.)

Sarawak Cultural Village is a good place to kickstart your journey into discovering the various ethnic tribes of the state; and if you want more, there are plenty of Iban Longhouse Tours and Homestays for you to get closer to a culture that possibly dates to more than 40,000 years ago.

If I Can Only Eat One Thing Here, It’s: Laksa. If all you’ve ever known is Singapore (Katong/Nyonya) Laksa, then Sarawak Laksa might surprise your palate at the beginning. It’s a much lighter dish to stomach here, made with a sambal belacan base and significantly less coconut milk; and mixed with tamarind that gives it a zesty sour kick. Aromatics like lemongrass and galangal also form a perfect match to the briny flavour, making it a simpler, lighter variant to indulge in.

For A True Taste of Local Food, Also Try: Kolo Mee (noodles topped with minced meat and sliced barbecued meat served in red sweet sauce), Oyster Omelette Pancake, and Sugarcane Drink with Coconut Meat (exactly what it sounds, and a uniquely common combination in Kuching).

The Sarawak Locals Don’t Want You to Know About: the true unadulterated ‘local’ eating experience, which involves a superlative journey through the best of tribal cooking. Tribal cuisine largely falls under the culinary radar at Sarawak; even as it forms such an integral part of Sarawak’s identity and place in history.

Look out for Ayam Pansuh/ Manuk Pansuh (chicken cooked in bamboo) – a traditional delicacy of the Dayaks (the original head-hunters); Midin (a vegetable dish consisting of wild fern); Ka Chang Ma Chicken (Motherwort Herb Chicken); Nuba Laya (mashed rice wrapped in leaves); and Tebaloi (a biscuit snack made of sago flour, eggs, desiccated coconut, sugar, and turmeric).

One Thing You Should Never Do In Sarawak Is: Buy questionable products made from animals that are threatened/endangered (e.g. turtle shells, crocodile hide, etc). There is bit of a hidden market for this type of ‘souvenir’ in Sarawak, and as long as tourists keep showing an interest, the supply will keep existing. Stick to buying local handicrafts and produce instead. (Sarawak White Pepper is Legendary.)

One Thing I Did But Could Have Skipped Was: Honestly, I did so little in Sarawak I can’t imagine skipping any of it. 😅 My itinerary was pretty compact and concise: I visited Iban Longhouses, the Sarawak Cultural Village, Semenggoh Nature Reserve for its Orang Utans, explored local markets both in the day and night – and of course, spent time in the main city and the Waterfront. It’s the bare skeletal to-dos when you’re in Sarawak, so if anything, I actually wished that perhaps I’d done… more?

One Thing I Skipped But Wish I Did Was: Explore Sarawak a little more comprehensively in its entirety. So much of Sarawak’s land is covered by nature (it has a total of 30 National Parks which, collectively, equals the size of England); and a huge fraction of this remains relatively undiscovered by even the most adventurous travellers. In this aspect, I wish I’d delved a little deeper – stray from the beaten path, so to speak.

The Best Photos Opportunities Can Be Found: In the places you least expect. Of course you can pursue the obvious in the wall murals of the city centre, pose at the Waterfront; but it is when you meander past the ease of a standard itinerary, that you will ultimately find the kind of rewarding photos worth plunging yourself headfirst into discomfort for.

And personally, I wish I did a little more of that.

For A Glimpse of Daily Life, I Recommend: Skipping everything and heading straight for Sibu.

I’m Not A Hipster, But: Visit a cafe. Because Kuching is still an up-and-coming frontier, your best shot at the hipster movement here would be to drop in on a cafe – which, surprisingly, offers an extremely well-developed A-class scene. There are plenty and the names will keep revolving, but this article presents a good starting point for you to dive down the rabbit hole.

Stretch That $10 In My Pocket: Museum-hop. Most of Kuching’s museums are free so if you’re aren’t heading anywhere else, these might be worth considering as itinerary fillers.

For A More Bucolic Setting: Pick a National Park and go for it. Sarawak has a whopping total of 30 National Parks – which means that even if you were to visit one every day (which I honestly don’t recommend because some of these parks are better explored with more than a day’s worth of resources – and also, fatigue), it will take you a month to cover them all. The most popular is Bako National Park because it’s a convenient hop-off from the city; more intrepid travellers can consider Niah or Gunung Gading – or if you harbour an inner water soul, then Miri-Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park is one you can’t miss.

The Spookiest Myth I’ve Ever Heard About Sarawak Is: Of people turning into stones. There’s a whole myriad, but here are Five humans-turned-into-stone folklores for you to sink your teeth into. Lesson: don’t hurt animals, don’t incur the wrath of your parents, and don’t offend anyone in Sarawak.

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Enjoy Sarawak. I know I did.