Fort Margherita & the Brooke Gallery

Built in 1879 by Rajah Charles Brooke and named for his wife, Ranee Margaret, Fort Margherita stands guard on the north bank of the Sarawak River — a whitewashed, castle-like fortress that once watched for pirates sailing upriver toward Kuching.

Today it houses the Brooke Gallery, which tells the extraordinary story of the White Rajahs — the English family that ruled Sarawak as a private kingdom for a century — through artefacts, documents and the fort's own ramparts, which still offer one of the best views over the waterfront and the city skyline.

Cross the Sarawak River by traditional tambang from the waterfront (a few ringgit, minutes on the water) or walk over the Darul Hana Bridge and follow the north-bank path — both far nicer than driving the long way round.