Tiger Tales

Kuching

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September 2011 | Words CYNTHIA CHIN

• INSIDER TIP

  Sarawak’s best-kept secret

  Terung assam, Sarawak’s best-kept secret, is cooked with fish or chicken as a tangy, zesty main dish. It grows on bushes and has great cultural signifi cance. Its flower is an important tattoo symbol for the Iban people.

• SHOP TALK

  Monkey Tattoo Studio

  Tattoos are integral to Sarawak’s traditions and culture. Each tattoo tells a personal life story, especially for the Iban people. It defines their life and history. Jeremy Lo of Monkey Tattoo Studio is one of the best traditional tattoo artists around. Let him tell your story.

• CHEAP EATS

  Chop Kim Joo

  When locals flock to a kopitiam (coffee shop), you know the food there is a surefire hit. With Chop Kim Joo, locals not only flock, they queue for Kuching’s famous kolo mee (noodles with beef, barbecued pork and vegetables).

• TOP TABLES

  Junk

  Tucked away on Kuching’s oldest street is Junk, a restaurant in a converted shophouse that serves great steaks and fabulous desserts and is a showplace for antique paraphernalia.

• AT YOUR LEISURE

  Camp Permai

  Bask in the serenity of the Borneo rainforest, 40 minutes from Kuching City. Camp Permai, at the tip of the Santubong Peninsula, is one of Sarawak’s premier holiday spots.

• LATE & LIVELY

  Havana Café

  Fancy a beer or something stronger but not the noise and crowds typical of pubs? Havana Café is quiet and laidback, making it ideal for chats over a drink. Wi-Fi access is available.

• OVERNIGHT

  360 Urban Resort Hotel

  For a fi ve-star room at a three-star price, look no further than the centrally located 360 Urban Resort Hotel. Its new 178-room Tower A, which offers eye-catching views, is the latest addition to the hotel.