KUCHING: The Magnificent Sarawak: Gastronomy Adventures programme has brought together global content creators who are discovering the state’s rich culture, diverse flavours, and welcoming communities through an immersive culinary journey.
Among them is Sabina Makarova, a travel blogger from Russia and based in China.
She first became interested in Malaysia after meeting founder of MULU China, Jasmine Kho from Kuching while studying at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
“I met my very good friend Jasmine, who owns a few Southeast Asian and Malaysian restaurants,” she recalled.
“At that time, I didn’t know anything about Malaysian culture, but she introduced me to Malaysian food and told me so much about the country. I was very curious.”
Her curiosity brought her to Malaysia for the first time in 2015, visiting Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi.
“I was fascinated by nature, the beaches, and the very kind and warm people,” she said.
When Jasmine urged her to explore Kuching, Sabina did—and fell in love.
“The food was amazing, especially the seafood. My local friends were so warm and friendly; they opened the world of Malaysia to me.”
After a brief pause during the pandemic, Sabina resumed her travels as a content creator.
“I want to continue to show Malaysia to my followers because I love it here—the culture, the food, the nature. It’s amazing,” she said, adding that her next goal is to return for hiking and diving expeditions, mentioning Mulu National Park as her next destination.
Meanwhile, Shao Guanhao, a Shanghai-based content creator with nearly a million followers across platforms like Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin, said the Sarawak journey offered him a new way to experience Malaysia.
“This is my second time in Malaysia, but my first in Sarawak,” he shared.
“I travel a lot, so even the long bus ride from Brunei to Miri was fine. The scenery was amazing—very blue sky, very green, like a real picture from a magazine.”
Shao hopes to use the trip to learn about local life.
“I don’t just want to travel as a visitor. I want to understand how people live here, what they eat, and how they see the world,” he said.
On the other hand, South Korean foodie influencer Park Seohee mentioned that one of the most memorable parts of this journey is having her first taste of durian in Kuching.
“I used to think durians are stinky and the ones we got in the supermarkets are really not so great, that’s why I never had any desire to eat it. But it’s a miracle that durian here is actually super delicious and I actually fell in love with durian now.”
“I really enjoyed the gula apong ice cream as well, it’s so good,” she added.
For Romeo Mattia, an Italian content creator who has lived in China for nearly two decades, the programme provided his first real opportunity to experience Malaysia beyond work.
“I first came here in 2007 for business and again in 2017 for a TV shoot.”
“But this is the first time I can really spend time exploring the country—eating what the people eat and learning from them,” he said.
Romeo said what struck him most was Sarawak’s warmth and simplicity.
“The people are super nice and the food—fantastic,” he said.
He also discovered local favourites like midin (jungle fern) and enjoyed the youthful energy of Sarawak’s cafe and kopitiam culture.
“The huge glasses of milk tea, lemon tea—it feels very Gen Z, very TikTok, but I love it,” he said.
From local laksa to desserts and wild ferns, the Magnificent Sarawak: Gastronomy Adventures programme offered these international content creators not just flavours to savour but stories to tell.
For them, the journey was not only about food but also about discovering the warmth and authenticity that make Sarawak truly unique.
