6 Unique Date Ideas When In Kuching
One of the easiest, most foolproof ways to make your significant other’s day is by spending quality time with them, or in the broadest sense, by going on a date. Although love languages vary from one couple to another, it’s a safe bet that going on a date is a shared, universal experience by all lovers alike.
Dig Into Kuching Food And Other Activities To Do
So, whether you’re looking to reevaluate intimacy with your long-time beau, or just starting to brave through new-found romance, allow me to offer some unique Kuching food ideas and things to do when in Kuching (since everyone in Kuala Lumpur wants to go to Kleptokrat all the time, anyway).
Breakfast FTW
This may not be the most romantic gesture that pops into most people’s mind, but how about taking your significant other on a breakfast date? After all, one can never start the day right on an empty stomach. A personal favourite of mine would be Mohammad Lim Mushroom Noodle, nestled in between the old shophouses and office buildings of Jalan Green Hill. The stall’s speciality, orange noodles with mushrooms and chicken, is a gravely underrated dish compared to the likes of Mee Kolok and the state’s pride, Sarawak Laksa (also fondly revered by the late Bourdain as “The Breakfast of the Gods”). Nonetheless, as far as I can remember, the stall never ceases to draw patrons from far and wide, all eager to have a go at the signature bowl.
Berry Sweet
If you think that Cameron Highlands is the only place in Malaysia where you pick strawberries, you’re dead wrong. There’s actually one in Kuching, more specifically at Jantayu Strawberry Farm, nearby Kubah National Park. This strawberry farm is suitable for an impromptu date, and it’s just a 40-minute drive away from the city centre. What makes this farm very conducive for a strawberry plantation lies in its location, Kampung Jaya Bakti – a relatively quiet village with a cool mountain breeze and minimal traffic. Apart from strawberry picking, you can also purchase a potted strawberry plant to bring home to or as a gift to remember the day. There’s also a restaurant here with a strawberry-themed menu, so you don’t have to worry about finding a place to eat when hunger starts kicking in.
Ice, Ice Baby
When it comes to Kuching food in the form of teatime treats, head down over to Swee Kang at Jalan Haji Taha. The family-run ABC (that’s the Malaysian version of shaved ice for you, short for Air Batu Campur) business has been operating for generations, and has achieved a cult-like adoration among the locals. After all, it is the favourite spot in town where you can kick back and relax in the late afternoons. Share a bowl of Jagung Milo (Milo with corn) – a shaved ice dessert you can’t get anywhere else but in Kuching – with your sweetheart as you enjoy each other’s company. There are about 18 other variations of ABC, too, such as Jagung Longan (longan and corn) , Kacang Susu (condensed milk and nuts), and the slithery, sugary classic Cendol (green rice flour jelly served with palm sugar syrup). If you’re seated inside, you can also catch the dessert mixologists in action as they assemble the delectable bowls of snowy mountains that add to the variety of Kuching food to try.
Sky Full Of Stars
Impress your date by taking them stargazing, so you two can lie down and behold the constellations in the vast sky, just like Joel and Clementine did in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, minus the frozen lake, of course. There are a few strategic locations in Kuching, but Damai Beach is easily the best choice for this. There’s hardly any tall buildings in sight, so you’ll get an unobstructed view of the spectacular cosmos. Bring a picnic blanket, or just lay on the sands, and take in all the serene pleasures of staring at the Milky Way next to your soulmate.
Blue, Blew Away
So you and your date are into the great outdoors? Why don’t you try and embark on a trek to Blue Pool, Santubong? The not-so-secret spot has drawn attention from the masses as of late, all eager to witness the dazzling, crystal blue pond first-hand. To get there, first, you need to travel to Permai Rainforest Resort. Once you’ve reached the resort, you’re free to pick a suitable route from several trails, depending on your endurance. It will take roughly around one hour and a half before reaching the Blue Pool, and I can vouch that the journey passing through the lush rainforest makes the trip worthwhile. The pool itself is rather shallow, so you definitely can dip your feet in after the hike. Some claim that the intensity of the colour of the pool changes throughout the day. Thus, it’s better to start your hike early in the morning when the sun is up so you and your date can witness the hidden pond in all of its captivating glory.
Hot and Bordered
Now here’s an excuse to go on a road trip with your date. Make your way to Pasar Serikin, located in the border town of Sarawak and Indonesia. The weekend market sells just about anything under the sun. The streets here are lined up with stalls by local and Indonesian sellers trading toys, clothes, handicrafts, batiks, exotic traditional medicines, gemstones, rattan furnitures – just to name a few. Basically, bargain lovers will have a ball here as everything is dirt cheap. It’s a great location for you and your date to roam about. Plus, you’ll get the chance to experience the culture there up close and personal. By the way, it gets pretty hot in the afternoon, so do bring an umbrella or a cap, and make sure to wear your sunscreen.
Don’t forget to bookmark this article in case you run out of ideas on how to spruce up your future dates, especially when in Kuching. These might not be the fanciest date ideas you can pull off but at the end of the day it is the memories that matter, after all.
Izzat is your regular 20-something, currently trying to navigate his way through the murky waters that is adulting. When he’s not hunched in front of the computer trying to catch deadlines, you’ll find him buried under the sheets watching films, or doing what he does best, which is sleeping.
