Welcome to Head for Kuching! We are a family of three who relocated to Kuching, Sarawak, in East Malaysia. Today we’re sharing one of the most unforgettable experiences Kuching has to offer — the Kuching Wetland River Cruise.
Borneo on the Water
When friends came to visit us in Kuching, we wanted to show them something truly unique to Borneo — not just a meal or a market, but a real encounter with Borneo’s wild side. That’s when we discovered the Kuching Wetland River Cruise.
Departing from Telaga Air jetty, about 40 minutes from central Kuching, this roughly 2.5-hour boat tour takes you through the waterways of Kuching Wetlands National Park — a Ramsar-listed wetland of international importance, and one of Borneo’s most precious natural ecosystems. It’s home to proboscis monkeys, saltwater crocodiles, and Irrawaddy dolphins, among other remarkable wildlife.
Prices & Booking
| Morning | Afternoon | |
|---|---|---|
| Departure | 8:30 AM | 5:00 PM |
| End | 11:00 AM | 7:30 PM |
| Price (1–5 pax) | RM450/boat (Malaysian) / RM480/boat (non-Malaysian) | RM500/boat (Malaysian) / RM530/boat (non-Malaysian) |
| 6–8 passengers | RM30/person extra (max. 8 pax) | RM30/person extra (max. 8 pax) |
| Wildlife you may encounter | Proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, dolphins | Proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, dolphins, fireflies |
The afternoon trip adds firefly watching after dark.
Booking & enquiries: De ABF Circle (WhatsApp: +60 19-824-8506) A deposit of RM50 is required at the time of booking. Cancellations made 48 hours or more in advance are fully refunded. If the tour is called off due to bad weather or unsafe conditions, you’ll receive a refund or reschedule.
🚽 Important: Use the toilet before you board! There are no toilet facilities during the cruise. For the afternoon departure, by the time you return, most shops and restrooms at the area will be closed. Plan accordingly!
All Aboard — From the Jetty to the Open Water
At Telaga Air, check in at the reception booth with your booking name. Life jackets are handed out — they’re compulsory — and then it’s down to the jetty.
The moment the engine fires up, the first surprise hits you:
This thing is fast!
The boat cuts through the river at a pace that catches everyone off guard. The warm breeze, the spray, the kids grinning ear to ear — and just like that, the jetty is gone, swallowed by mangroves.
Spotting Proboscis Monkeys
“They’re somewhere around here,” the captain says, pointing toward a dense tangle of branches overhanging the water.
The boat slows. Everyone stands. The leaves begin to rustle.
Something is up there — but it’s not giving itself away easily.
Then, through the telephoto lens —
Got one. A proboscis monkey.
Endemic to Borneo and found nowhere else on Earth, proboscis monkeys are instantly recognisable by the males’ extraordinary bulbous noses. Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, they’re one of Borneo’s most iconic and elusive animals. Spotting one in the wild — even briefly — feels like a privilege.
Through the Mangroves
Past the monkey sighting, the boat pushes deeper into the waterways. Mangroves press in from both sides, their roots tangled in the dark water, branches forming a low canopy overhead.
It’s the kind of landscape that makes you feel the sheer ancientness of this place.
Then the captain points again: “Crocodile!”
Every head swings to the water. All that remains is a large ring of bubbles slowly expanding on the surface. The croc had already slipped back under.
So close — and yet.
Out to Sea
The mangrove channel opens without warning into open water. The horizon stretches out ahead.
We were hoping for dolphins — Irrawaddy dolphins are sometimes spotted in these waters — but it wasn’t our day for that. What we did get was something equally stunning: the sun dropping toward the horizon over the South China Sea, painting the sky in deep orange.
Watching that sunset with nothing blocking the view in any direction was one of those travel moments that stays with you.
Pulau Salak — A Village Afloat
After watching the sunset, the boat turns back toward the river. A small wooden vessel carrying local residents passes by — and following its path, a village comes into view. Houses built on stilts, lined along the water’s edge.
This is Pulau Salak, a small island community with a school, a mosque, and a full neighbourhood of families — all accessible only by boat. No roads connect it to the mainland, no bridge crosses over. For residents, every trip out is a boat trip.
It’s a quietly remarkable way to live, and a reminder that Borneo’s waterways are not just scenery — they’re home.
Fireflies on the River
As darkness settles, the boat eases back into a narrow mangrove channel and the engine drops to a low hum.
Then, gradually, the trees begin to glow.
Thousands of fireflies, blinking in the mangroves on both sides.
The effect is like floating between two strings of fairy lights — silent, rhythmic, completely wild.
Photographs struggle to do it justice, but the experience is one of the most quietly magical things we’ve encountered in Borneo.
A Sky Full of Stars
And then, looking up from the river in the dark: stars.
Away from the city lights, the night sky here is extraordinary. Orion — so familiar to stargazers across the northern and southern hemispheres — stood out clearly overhead. For those used to city skies, this alone can be a revelation.
Final Thoughts
This is one of the most well-rounded nature experiences available near Kuching, and we’d recommend it to almost anyone — families with children, wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, or first-time visitors to Borneo wanting an immediate sense of what makes this island special.
