My vacation since Covid-19 hit was to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. This was a tick off my bucket list. I am born and raised in Malaysia and yet have not taken the opportunity to visit this beautiful place. I spent about 8 days in Sabah and my visits were mostly confined in Kota Kinabalu city. Let me take you through my experience and what I would recommend doing there.

city

Kota Kinabalu city in my humble opinion is small. While it stretches along Jalan Tun Razak from Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal to Imago Shopping Mall, it had more town vibes, and this is me comparing to what I’m used to. The malls were plenty around but nothing to shout about. The streets in the city center were walkable which made up for the lack of a good transport system. When I was there, I felt a sense of calmness in the city. It’s a little quiet but busy at the same time. Traffic is heavy during peak hours and shops are filled with people during lunch time.

Some attractions within the city included the Gaya Street Sunday market and Todak Waterfront. The Gaya Street Sunday market was mainly just a food market with some live music. It’s a good choice if you would like to try varieties of different foods. There some quaint little cafes located along Lorong Dewan. The one I tried which I really liked was Little Sulap. It’s one of the cafes in the city that serves up local delicacies. That included dishes like Ambuyat, Hinava (a traditional dish of Kadazan-Dusun which is basically fished cured with lime), Butod (silk worm) and Bambangan pickle. Unfortunately at the time, they only had ambuyat available. A great place to try the local delicacies within the city, I definitely recommend it!

You could also choose to visit the Philipino Market (also known as Pasar Besar). This market overlooks the ocean and has many tiny shops selling a range of items. The tiny lanes in between could feel like you’re walking through a maze and may not be for the claustrophobic. I personally did not fancy it too much. At one end of this giant bazaar, there are food stalls, selling freshly caught seafood which are cooked on the grill for you. The smoke from the grill was a bit overwhelming for me personally and while it was tempting, I did not get any. In fact, I found the Tanjung Aru beach night market to be much more appealing. I was amazed to find sea grapes at such an affordable price!

Out of the city

It is a bit regretful that KK (Kota Kinabalu) hasn’t shown much progress in development compared to other bigger cities in Peninsula Malaysia. Much like the other cities in Peninsular Malaysia mainly in the east, feels a bit neglected and forgotten. While this is so, I truly appreciate the efforts by the Sabah government to preserve the Borneo forest, which houses the infamous Orang Utan and Rafflesia (largest flower in the world). These are the few places I feel that’s worth a visit:

Desa Dairy Farm

I found the best way to get here is by renting a car. I found MMB to be one of the most affordable. Their service was impeccable (they do pick up and return at ANY hotel in KK city) and super friendly. I would definitely rent from them again. Desa Dairy Farm is located in the city of Kundasang. It’s an uphill drive of an approximately 2 hours.

I really enjoyed the farm. It is well-maintained, clean with a very picturesque view. If you’re lucky, on a clear day, you would be able to see the tip of Mount Kinabalu. It is interesting to note that the cattle here are of the Holstein Friesians breed, the highest milk producer of all cattle breeds. The milk produce supplies the whole of Sabah and you can easily purchase them in the grocer. While you’re here, I’d recommend you to try their gelato, made with Desa milk. Only available exclusively at the farm.

Mari Mari Cultural Village

I usually avoid tours like these because it’s been reported that some of these tours can be inhumane. Having these local tribes live in a controlled area just for a showcase isn’t something I’d advocate. However, I must say this tour was actually very tastefully done. It didn’t play out like a zoo where you just watch from the outside. It’s a simple walking tour accompanied by a guide who was very friendly and knowledgeable. We were shown houses, the way of life and sampled some local delicacies. The one I enjoyed most was the rice wine also known as ‘tapai’. It was really sweet and very strong.

Try Sinalau Bakas

Whether you’re on the way to Desa Farm or on the way back, you may spot a few stalls along the way covered with white clouds of smoke. If you wind down your window you will be greeted with delicant BBQ smokey meat. Sinalau, meaning ‘smoked‘ and Bakas meaning ‘jungle boar‘ is one of the most iconic dishes of the Kadazandusun people. At the stall, you can choose the piece of meat you’d like which is already half cooked. They will proceed to smoke the choice of your piece until fully cooked. It is highly recommended to eat in the stall while it’s fresh. Just be prepared to wait about 20 – 30 minutes of smoking.

Sabah Parks

There are established and protected parks in Sabah which helps preserved the biodiversity of the Borneo wildlife. There are also multiple protected marine parks and one popular among tourist is the TAR marine park (Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park). It consists of 5 islands which are open for visit and marine activities. Each park is unique on it’s own and you can read all about it in their online brochure.

TAR marine park is the easiest to get to if you’re in KK city, which is one of the reasons why it’s the most popular among tourists. There are ferries from Jesselton Point to take you to the islands in TAR marine park. You can choose to spend a whole day in one island or even hop between islands. Be sure to check the schedules and island transfers to plan your trip. We saw there were also tiny accommodations in some of the island. I’ve read that locals tend to camp overnight which is something I’d love to try one day.

Other Recommendations

For sure 8 days wasn’t enough to explore Sabah. I would love to come back to spend some time in Kundasang. There are plenty of campsites and beautiful night scenes (millions of stars and the milky way) which you’d never think you’d see in Malaysia. If you’re interested in these camping and milkway experience, I highly recommend you check out Sesat in Malaysia. Leon has amazing recommendations on campsites and he also organizes an astrophotography camp out class where you’ll get to learn how to capture those beautiful night sky pictures.

Sticking to the nature theme, the Borneo forest is also home to some endangered animals such as the Orang Utan and the Sun bear (smallest bear species in the world). It might be worth visiting the conservation center located in Sepilok Forest Reserve. Another thing not to miss is to see the Rafflesia. It’s only the largest flower in the world but be warn that it is also the stinkiest!

It is also said, that Kota Kinabalu has one of the world’s beautiful sunset. The city faces the west and with it’s relatively flat city, overlooking the vast ocean, it really was a sight to behold. I decided to end my trip with a luxurious stay at the Shangri-La hotel in Tanjung Aru. I must admit, it really is one of the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen in my life.