Muara Tebas
Seafood, Temple & Views Near Kuching

view of the Ching San Yen Temple

Muara Tebas is a small fishing and trading village which is strategically located at the mouth of the Sarawak River, where it flows into the South China Sea. The main employer here is probably the coast guard / maritime enforcement station which keeps an eye on vessels entering and leaving the Sarawak River. For day trippers from Kuching, there are a few attractions worth visiting.

interior of the Qing Shan Temple

Ching San Yen Temple

On a small hill overlooking the riverfront at Muara Tebas stands a Chinese temple called Qing Shan Temple or Ching San Yen Temple. According to the Tourism Malaysia information board outside, it was built over 200 years ago. Newly arrived travellers stepping foot on Borneo soil gave thanks here after safely crossing the South China Sea. It has Buddhist statues of Sakyammuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha and also venerates other deities including the Sea Goddess Macho.  The temple has been renovated a number of times and is currently having a new extension built.

There is a Muslim cemetery close by the temple.

New temple buildings under constructionNew temple buildings under construction as at May 2025.

In the landscaped garden around the temple are a giant pair of golden ovals. According to a plaque, they represent the footprints that Lord Buddha 'left behind when he descended from the Tavatimsa Heaven after preaching Abbidhamma to his mother. The imprint symbolises the one hundred and eight auspicious signs of his soles. The footprint is one of the sacred items in Buddhism and is commonly found in Burmese temples.' 

Representation of Buddhs's footprints

Seafood

Probably the main attraction of Muara Tebas for most visitors is the seafood and there are a pair of restaurants on the waterfront called Sin Soon Lee Seafood and Muara Tebas Seafood. I tried the latter and it was very good and reasonably priced with the seating area built on stilts above the shoreline.

live fish swimming in a tank at the restaurantDon't eat me please, I'm too beautiful!
giant crayfishGiant lobster (crayfish)

Walk to Chinese Cemetery & Telecom Tower

After filling yourself with seafood you might need some exercise. At the northern edge of the village (marked Bukit Lasak on the map below) you can walk on a quiet tarmac road as far as the telecom tower . Along the way you pass a good view point (marked as Hidden Gem on the map below) from where you overlook the mangrove coastline and Selabat Mudflats Nature Reserve. Once you reach the telecom tower, steps lead down past the Qin Shan Yan Chinese Cemetery (marked 青山岩华人义山 in Chinese characters on the map below) towards the sea. The walk took less than an hour, there and back.

View of mangrove mudflatsView from the 'Hidden Gem'

How To Get to Muara Tebas

The village is about 27km from Kuching Waterfront and should take around 40 minutes by car.


The location is marked on this map:

Parking

Parking spaces are limited. There are a few spaces in front of the temple steps and one of the villagers will come and collect the fee of RM5 per vehicle. There are also a handful of spaces in front of the seafood restaurants.

Nearby

Bako National Park

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