Many tourists like to visit Kuching city, fondly known as the Cat city in Sarawak, Malaysia. Some tourists come on their own based on Lonely Planet guide recommendations of where to go, see and experience. What better ways to experience the city than through a local person's recommendations.

1. Upon checking in at the hotel in the morning, go for a Kuching city tour. If you follow one of those guided tour, the tour will bring you to the top of Civic Centre Tower for a panoramic view of Kuching city skyline, Sarawak Museum to learn about the past histories and then drive past the gigantic Cat Monument. Many tourists would stop by to take pictures. If you come during the Chinese New Year, the Cat could be seen wearing a traditional Chinese costume. If you come during the Ramadhan month where the muslims celebrate Hari Raya, the Cat would be wearing a green Malay costume. You will also get a glimpse of Kuching South city council, drive through Chinatown, visit Sarawak's older Taoist Temple, Catholic church, pass through the Malay village and then visit the old State Mosque with 5 golden domes.

2. Next, you will go to one of those famous Sarawak Pottery Factory. If you visit it in the morning, you may get a chance to see the skilled workers carving the lamp, vase and etc. The tour will then end at Kuching Waterfront where most of the pre-colonial buildings are situated.

3. Next, you will go for souvenir shopping at Waterfront or along Gambier Road. You may even chance upon some antiques that you like to buy home.

4. In the afternoon, go visit Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. You may want to check with your guide or the travel agent counter the feeding time of these orang utans so that you can catch them in action.

5. You will then come back to city and have your dinner at Topspot Seafood Restaurant. There are several seafood centre for you to choose from. The dishes that you MUST order are stir fried midin, a local jungle fern stir fried with belacan, a type of prawn paste, bamboo clam fried in curry powder and oyster pancake.

6. The next day, you will have the famous Sarawak Laksa for breakfast. You can easily find stalls selling them at any of the coffee shops in the city. The food is spicy. If you cannot eat spicy food, then you are recommended to have Sarawak kolok mee for breakfast.

7. Then you will set off to Sarawak Cultural Village and spend the whole morning there. As it is almost an hour drive from the city, you are recommended to take shuttle service to there. You may purchase the shuttle service ticket at Grand Margherita Hotel entrance. Otherwise, you can easily inquire from the hotel receptionist. When you have reached Sarawak Cultural Village, do visit the various ethnic houses and do not miss the cultural performances. You should be back in the city by noon time.

8. You will then have stir fried tomato noodles for lunch. It is a specialty dish available only in Sarawak.

9. Next, you may want to go for a foot massage by this blind masseur located beside Mc Donald outlet opposite Grand Margherita Hotel. The service is not expensive.

10. Then you head for dinner at any of the fine city restaurants in Kuching. Some of my recommended restaurants are Jambu Air, Magenta and several others.

After an evening of fine dining, you will head back to hotel to catch a flight home the next day.