

The Sarawak Cultural Centre, a living museum located at Santubong. The Sarawak Cultural Village conserves and portrays the multi-faceted cultures and customs of ethnic groups such as the Ibans, Bidayuhs, and Melanaus. The Cultural Village is tucked away on the foothills of legendary Mount Santubong, 35 km or 45 minutes from Kuching town and is definitely a must-see attraction. Near the Cultural village there is the Damai beach.


The Cultural Village is quaintly landscaped with a manmade lake at the centre surrounded by 7 authentic replicas of ethnic houses: the Bidayuh centre house and longhouse, the Iban longhouse, the Penan hut, the Orang Ulu longhouse, the Melanau Rumah Tinggi, the Malay house and the Chinese farmhouse. Each house is inhabited by staff from the appropriate ethnic group, dressed in traditional costume. They live traditional lifestyles and keep alive the arts and crafts of their own tribe.
Here, it is possible to see Sarawak's ethnic diversity at a glance. The handicraft is both bewildering and tempting, including the Kain Songket (Malay cloth with gold inlay), Pua Kumbu (Iban housewives textiles), Melanau Terendak (sunhat), Bidayuh tambok (basket), Iban parang (swords), Orang Ulu wood carving and Chinese ceramic.


The rich cultural heritage in the form of dances and music presented by various ethnic groups is one of the highlights of the visit.