Capital and largest city of Sarawak, Kuching had 514,658 people in 2025, and the Sarawak River divides it into a north and a south bank. James Brooke's grant of the territory was announced on 18 August 1842, and Kuching became the seat of the Brooke government. Charles Brooke had The Astana built in 1870 as a wedding gift for his wife; it is now the governor's residence. Kuching belongs to UNESCO's Creative Cities Network in gastronomy, and Bako National Park and the Semenggoh orangutan centre lie nearby. The name is most often tied to the Malay word for cat, and cat statues stand across the city, which also has a cat museum.
Nights sit around 24°C and afternoons around 32°C.
Kuching barely changes season: afternoons sit around 32°C and nights around 24°C most of the year.
It rains all year: about 23 days in 30 in January and 13 in July, so there is no dry stretch to aim for.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: July averages an AQI of 71, while January clears to 51.
Daylight is steady all year, around 12.0 hours a day.
No month in Kuching matches what you're after, so come for the place rather than the weather. Expect fast internet (238 Mbps) and a moderate cost of living (about €1050 a month).
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