What to see & do in or near Kota Kinabalu?

Question

I'm going to Kota Kinabalu in July for 2 weeks and I'd love to hear more about it than is in the guidebooks. Anything in particular that is not to be missed? Anything I should bring? How much money should I budget a day? Is it worth going out the the islands & diving? Guided tours VS doing it yourself for Mount Kinabalu?

All stories and advice appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

Mount kinabalu for climbing it is highly advisable to hire a guide cause of dense mist and you might miss the trail.Stay at Renau,plenty of holiday resort and the place is very cooling cause it is a mountainous region,plenty of local fruit and local food.National park is also nearby with abundant flora and if you are in luck you might be able to see the world biggest flower,the rafflesia bloom for a day and die off ,ask the local national park office at the foot of the mountain..
Pulau Sipadan and pulau Mabul( Mabul Island (hotel on the sea and Sipadan island the world Famous dive site) both island accessible from Semporna about 1 hour flight from KK ask the tour operator for assistance)
Orang utan santuary at Seperok near Sandakan,you can mingle with them during breadfast and lunch hour for the animal.
Danau Valley at Lahat Datu neat Tawau ,the national Park whera you can see wild animals if you are inluck .Need to book in advance.Check with the tour operator,you can also visit the bird caves
Plenty of cheap and fresh sea food over there.
Mulu caves the world biggest caves(can park 7 boeing jumbo747.
National park and back to natures if all these interested you
Hotel Rm150.and food Rm50-75,national park accomadatiom would be affordable only cost of transport need to budget out cause need plenty of travelling time by road
Go to www.airasia.com and book online for budget flight
Goto this travel website www.pinganchorage.com.my for friendly advice

Answer 2

I personally think that there is not much to do in Kota Kinabalu itself, except the fact that they have some pretty good food. Quite difference compared to its West Malaysian counterpart.

It is a convinient base to explore THE main attraction nearby, such as the Mount Kinabalu. The trek to the summit is not that difficult, but depending on your fitness level, it could be a major challenge. The first day of trek requires a lot of stamina as you climb to Laban Rata, totalling about 5-6 hours moderate speed constant uphill trek. The second day, before dawn, involves more steps and finally a bit of scaling before reaching the summit (about 3 hours, quite streneous uphill, and dark). The trick is the descent, because it involves the calves muscle which most people do not use frequently (or even realize it exists!), and boy, more than half of the trekkers think that the descent is worse than the going up.

If you like wildlife, go to Sandakan and do the Sungei Kinabatangan adventure. Uncle Tan has good truly wildlife forest camp, you might get a good look of wild monkeys, crocodile (small ones), Kingsfisher, and other wildlife animals.

There is a national park north of Kota Kinabalu, I heard it was beautiful but i did not go there while i was there. I was so exhausted but happy after mount kinabalu and sandakan i could not do anything else :-)

Answer 3

I advised you to take guided tours as there were many unhappy cases happend and until now never been found.
It is way worth islands and diving, Must NOT miss.
Other than that try out the food and cuisine in the city area especially seafoods as they are cheap and delicious.
If you have extra 2-3 days, you can try go to KUDAT which is located north from Kota Kinabalu also call "Tip of Borneo" where you can see the blue sea and some islands of Philipines.
If you have extra 3-4 days, why dont you try SANDAKAN which is located East of Sabah. Take airplane will arrive about 30-45mins. Good for foods, Orang Utan (ape name), crocodile farms, monkey watching, diving and swiming.
If you have another extra 3-4 days, why dont you try out Tawau which is located South East of Sabah where is famous for its seafoods and natural attractions.
If you have total of about 10 days, you can visit those places but doesnt encounter for any delays and must plan properly. Might be abit rush and budget type.
So, Happy holidays

Answer 4

Well..welcome to Malaysia 1st n foremost hehe..i bet u will enjoy it here.

Well u can climb the mount kinabalu, but i advice u to take tourist package guide to climb up there, for ur own safety.

At kota kinabalu u can also go and see turtle or diving or see the carol. About money, i think u should budget RM 15.00 perday or less..food there kinda cheap and yummy but u must find the right stall..ask the tourist guide.

People there are friendly and they do speak good english..so enjoy ur stay there..good day

Answer 5

kota kinabalu is also known as KK by the locals, just so you know. and u better bring your sunscreen with you. cause it's gonna be really hot. no need for thick clothes. except if ur thinking of climbing Mt. Kinabalu which is in this place call Kundasang (2hr drive from KK). but to climb the mountain, u probably need to start training now. ive climbed it without much training once, i practically ended up with a week of limping and was in major pain the first few nights after the climb. it's not as easy as it sounds. better hire a guide too. they'll carry your bagpacks for as little as rm10, i think. but it'll definitely be a great experience if u decide to climb.

there's so many islands to go too. i probably would suggest Pulau Tiga. the first survivor was filmed there. it's famous for the snakes around the island. maybe should go to Pulau Manukan too. but try not to go to pulau gaya.

the food is pretty cheap. lots of seafood restaurants. there's this place call "Salut" in Tuaran. u should go there. it's cheap and lots of local people go there for seafood. not a very fancy place but definitely worth it.

all in all, it's a pretty nice place to be. if u want to know more just ask. im a local having lived here for 20 years. well, hope you enjoy your trip!

Answer 6

Kota Kinabalu in located in Borneo. What u can do at Kota Kinabalu is mountain hiking , rain forest jungle tracking, visit local tribe villages..

Island, then u must go to Tiga island ( surviver island season 1), Sipadan island ( one of the most beutiful island in world)

Answer 7

Sorry, I don't know. I'm from Pulau Pinang not from Kota Kinabalu. Why don't you go to Genting in Pahang? I went to Genting before, It's was so fun at there.

Answer 8

You will find some of the world's best diving - check out the links below