Sarawak Botanical Garden
Taman Botani Sarawak

sign saying Taman Botani Sarawak

Sarawak Botanical Garden is a good place for a walk, jog or cycle in oxygen-rich air amid lush vegetation in the heart of Kuching. It may not be the best Botanical Garden in Malaysia - the ones in Penang, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Taiping might be bigger or more scenic or better manicured but it does have well-maintained trails, it's free and it is easily accessible from the Kuching Riverfront. The Sarawak Botanical Garden was only launched in 2016 on a 206 acre site which was formerly a police training centre. Being relatively new, it will take some time for the trees and planting to become fully established so it should become even better in the coming years provided it continues to be well looked after.

a willow style tree next to a lake

The landscaping includes a large lake with an industrial-style steel walkway above allowing visitors to look down on lotus flowers, waterlilies, fish and insects.

industrial style steel walkway above a lotus pond

A number of gazebos are located around the park, designed in local styles such as a Penan Gazebo, an Iban Gazebo and a Malay Gazebo.

sign saying Fruit Orchard with metal models of fruits

The Fruit Orchard is a highlight featuring local tropical fruit-bearing trees including:

  • Neesia synandra (bengang or mock durian) is a large tree reaching up to 60 meters in height. Native to the Malay archipelago it is found in mixed dipterocarp forests and swamps. It is known for its hairy purple fruits enjoyed by hornbills and orangutans.
  • Castanopsis evansii elmer (barong-barong tree) is an evergreen tree in the beech family (Fagaceae) native to Borneo and Palawan in the Philippines. It grows to over 30 meters and has prickly fruits with edible seeds.
  • Garcinia beccarii is another tree native to Borneo with fleshy yellow-orange-red edible fruits. Named after the Italian botanist Beccari who spent time at Mount Matang near Kuching and elsewhere in Sarawak from 1865-1868.
  • Mangifera decandra is a species of mango tree found in Borneo and Sumatra bearing large sweet-sour flavoured fruits.
  • Mangifera indica is the more commonly known type of mango tree capable of growing to a height and width of 30 m.
  • Syzygium samarangense is another tropical fruit tree bearing clusters of waxy red fruits which go by many names such as rose apple or Jambu Air in Bahasa.
  • Artocarpus sericicarpus (Jarrett), commonly known as hairy jackfruit, is a large tropical evergreen tree (up to 40m) native to Borneo, the Philippines, and Sulawesi. It produces edible, sweet, white-fleshed fruit with a hairy, spiky rind and edible, nutty-flavored seeds.
  • Archidendron pauciflorum or the jengkol tree produces beans that are used in cooking and medicines although said to be mildly toxic.
  • Varieties of mangosteen and lychee trees are also represented here.
jagged rocks in a scenic garden

The Limestone Garden showcases a number of free-standing rocks with interesting shapes on which various plants are growing. However, only a couple of the 'rocks' are real limestone and mostly they are fibreglass replicas. They look quite realistic though.

path winding its way around the hanging garden

The Climbers Garden or Hanging Garden features climbing and epiphytic plants such as allamanda and bougainvillea arranged on trellises or lattice frames forming archways and tunnels which you can walk underneath.

The Bamboo Garden displays various types of bamboo plants.

Bamboo sign next to clumps of bamboo

Similarly, the Fern Garden boasts a wide selection of native and regional ferns.

Other sections of the garden are the Banana Grove, an arboretum, a heath forest and Margherita Valley.

lush trpoical leaves with oval holes

Other Facilities

  • Outdoor Gym
  • Futsal Court
  • Childrens Playground
  • Skatepark

Opening Hours & Admission Charges

Open daily from 6am to 6pm.

Entrance is Free.

How To Get to Sarawak Botanical Garden

On Foot

From Kuching Waterfront, take the path or steps next to the water cascade beside Dataran Ibu Pertiwi (the giant flagpole).


By Car

The exact location is marked on this map:

Address

Taman Botani Sarawak
Q104-4, Kampung Istana, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak


Parking

There is a free car park just inside the entrance to the Botanical Gardens near Wisma Bapa Malaysia.

There is another free car park near Fort Margherita and the DUN building.

Nearby

map showing the landmarks in the vicinity of the Sarawak Botanical Gardens

This map shows the location of the Botanical Garden in relation to surrounding attractions such as:

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AUTHOR BIO

cartoon of author with an orangutan

David (the one on the left) is the writer behind Malaysia Traveller, sharing firsthand travel advice from over five decades of living and travelling across Asia and the Middle East. Based in Malaysia since 2009 and now in Kuching, he has published 700+ pages, personally visited every place he covers, and uses only his own photos. Readers can learn more on his About Me page. He also shares updates on Facebook and YouTube. He loves uncovering overlooked places even many Malaysians have never visited.