Kuching Food Festival is back!
Taking place at the Kuching South City Council from July 27th to August 19th, the month-long festival is one of the most talked about festivals in Kuching.
And as usual, it would not be the same without our Facebook acquaintances posting pictures of what they had at the food festival.
For those who have been to Kuching Food Festival before, I think we can all agree that it is definitely the best festival in Kuching (what with Kuchingites being obsessed with food, and all).
However, going over to the Kuching Food Festival is not without its struggles.
And so, here are some Kajo-worthy tips for those who are heading towards the Kuching Food Festival!
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Pick a theme before heading over to the Kuching Food Festival
Kuching Food Festival will have at least 280 food stalls, 15 of which will be serving halal food. This might be overwhelming for some and it would also not be a surprise if you leave without buying anything. Before going, do set a theme in mind to avoid being overwhelmed with choices. For instance, you might want to try only desserts during your food expedition.
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Do park your car at a safe and nearby parking lot and then walk over to the food festival
Every year Jalan Padungan is congested with traffic due to the overflowing crowd at the festival. While this may be a norm for festival goers, it may be a hassle for others. Therefore, it is advisable to just park your car at nearby parking lot to ease the traffic.
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Come in a group
Exploring new food is better if you experience it with good company. As Kuching Food Festival offers possibly over hundreds of dish types, it would be time efficient to come with friends and family. As you may have different preferences in food, this means you get to sample different types of food in one sitting.
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Bring a portable mini fan
This might sound weird, but it does make sense in this kind of weather and setting. As the festival tends to be overcrowded and hot, it is advisable to stay cool with a mini fan. If you do not have a mini fan, you can easily get one at the festival.
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Wear loose, cool attire
Our hot humid tropical weather combined with the heat from the open-air cooking at Kuching Food Festival can get overpowering. Do stay cool by wearing loose cooling clothing.
6. Bring your own tissue and wet wipes
This might sound insignificant but you will thank me for it. Often, the food stalls will provide you tissue upon purchasing their food. But it might not be enough as you might want to use that tissue to wipe your tables or utensils before eating.
7. Bring your own water bottle
Again, this is mainly because of the heat and is also economical. During your food expedition, you will be surprised how much you will save just by bringing your own water. It also cuts down on extra plastic waste.
8. Be adventurous
Instead of having the usual food you can get all the time outside the festival, be brave and try food that you have never tasted before. By doing this, you can avoid being overwhelmed with the choices of food. Apart from that, you will leave with unforgettable memories of the food you have sampled.
9. Do not eat too much before going for the fun rides
Apart from food, visitors also have the chance to go on fun rides such as the Merry-Go-Round. This may seem fun, but it can be otherwise if you had too much too eat before going on one of the fun-rides.
10. Do clear your table
MBKS has provided chairs and tables for festival-goers to enjoy their special purchases. Even though there are cleaning staff, bear in mind that the festival has recorded up to 280,000 visitors coming in the first week, so clearing the table after you use it will make the festival much more enjoyable for everybody.
11. Bring your own plastic containers
As a part of MBKS’ ‘No styrofoam’ campaign, none of the food stalls will be using styrofoam packaging, so bring along your own containers. There will also be 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) dustbins around the festival site as part of their efforts to promote a green city and an environmentally-conscious people.