Kota Kinabalu is the capital of the state of Sabah, located in Borneo, Malaysia. It is in the northern part of the state and is a coastal city. The city is famous for its fabulous open air markets, delicious seafood, easy access to Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park and so much more.
HOW TO GET TO KK FROM OUTSIDE BORNEO
Traveling to Kota Kinabalu depends on where you are coming from. Most people will fly into Kota Kinabalu to start exploring Sabah. Because the KK airport is an International airport, it is easy to get to from all over Southeast Asia. For example, below are some flight options from major nearby airports.
From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:
- Flight Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes (direct)
- Price: Approximately $30-50 USD if you book in advance.
- Airlines: Air Asia
From Denpasar, Indonesia:
- Flight Time: 7 hours and 35 minutes (with one Layover in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore)
- Price: Approximately $90-150 USD ( book at least 2 weeks in advance for the best deals).
- Airlines: Air Asia
From Manila, Philippines:
- Flight Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes
- Price: Approximately $70-100 USD (2 weeks booked in advance)
- Airlines: Air Asia
HOW TO GET TO KK FROM INSIDE BORNEO
If you are already on the island you can find cheap flights inside of Sabah and Sarawak, the two Malaysian States of Borneo. The main airports you can take flights to and from include:
Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu:
- Flight: 45 minute flight and costs $15 – 40 USD
- Bus: Travel time is around 6 hours and costs about $10 USD.
INSIDER TIP: Use this airport to get to Sepilok and the Kinabatangan River.
Learn about Sepilok HERE and Kinabatangan river HERE
Tawau to Kota Kinabalu:
- Fly: 55 minute flight and costs approx. $20 – 40 USD.
- Bus: Travel time is around 12 hours and costs about $19 USD
INSIDER TIP: Use this airport to get to Semporna. Learn about Semporna HERE.
Kuching International Airport to Kota Kinabalu:
- Fly: 1 hour and 25 minutes and costs around $10- 40 USD.
- Bus: around 20 hours
INSIDER TIP: Best airport to go into Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Miri Airport to Kota Kinabalu:
- Fly: 50 minutes and costs around $10-20USD
Overall, taking flights within Sabah and Sarawak are short and very inexpensive when you book at least one week in advance. If you book even a week in advance and time it out so you are flying on Tuesdays or Wednesdays your ticket can cost the same or less than a bus ticket and take a third of the travel time.
WHERE TO STAY IN KOTA KINABALU
Transportation To and From the Airport
If you arrive at the Kota Kinabalu Airport the cheapest option is to take a bus to one of the city bus drop off stops around the city. The cost is 5RM which is a little over a $1USD. If you arrive during the day you can easily take this option to your accommodation. If you arrive at night the best option is to take a GRAB which will cost you around $12-15 RM which is $3-4 USD.
ACCOMODATION:
While staying Kota Kinabalu I had two encounters with BED BUGS!!! It was awful. You learn all about how to get rid of bed bugs while traveling HERE.
When I came back to KK the second time however I finally found a get place to stay. I stayed at B&B @21 Hostel. It is a simple hostel but it is CLEAN, has working air conditioning, costs around $6 USD / dorm bed and provides an included breakfast. The staff is super friendly and there is a kitchen and the hostel is located within walking distance to all things interesting in KK.
WHERE TO EAT in KOTA KINABALU
There are a lot of delicious places to eat in KK. Here are 5 Places to Eat in Kota Kinabalu:
El Centro
More of an Tex-Mex feel and taste, El Centro is the place to go if you are craving some tacos and burritos. I went a number of times and each visit was worth the trip. Learn more about El Centro on TripAdvisor HERE.
MUST TRIES: The Bean and Grilled Veggie Burrito, Spicy Black bean Tacos, Fresh lemonade and the Spicy Chickpea Burger.
Welcome Place (Asia City)
By far one of my favorite places in KK. Welcome Place has some of the best and well priced seafood I have ever had in my life. Be sure to go with a big group so you can try more delicious dishes. TripAdvisor review HERE.
MUST TRIES: Lobster, Prawns, Soft-Shelled Crab
Nook Cafe
Nook is a great spot to pull up a chair and get some work done. Best for nomads but also great for travelers looking for a nice place to chill and have some delicious food. TripAdvisor Review HERE.
MUST TRIES: Chai Latte, Veggie Tacos,The Yogurt Granola Bowl and the Chocolate Cake.
Woo Cafe
Another great spot for nomads and to try some local sabah food. The atmosphere is inviting and there is working Wifi and Aircon. TripAdvisor Review Here.
MUST TRIES: Chocolate Tart, Sparkling Lime-Lemonade, Chai Latte.
October Cafe
Last but not least is October Cafe. By far one of my favorite cafes to work and chill at through all of Kota Kinabalu. The coffee is excellent both is flavour and price. TripAdvisor Review HERE.
MUST TRIES: Cappuccino, raisin scones, cinnamon muffins.
WHAT TO DO IN KOTA KINABALU
The city of Kota Kinabalu is located less than an hour away from lots of great tourist attractions. Inside the city there are only a handful of interesting things to do.
City Mosque
The City Mosque is a beautiful landmark of Kota Kinabalu. It is worth a visit when visiting Kota Kinabalu but it won’t take the full day. I recommend not going on Friday as Friday is the religious day and there will be a lot of people at the mosque praying. It costs 5RM to enter and women and children need to be wearing a full body robe which they rend.
Clock Tower
The Atkins Clock Tower is a Historical landmark of Kota Kinabalu but there really isn’t much to see. Unfortunately the clock tower hasn’t been taken care of so the tower looks a bit ruined down. The tower is located right next to the stairs leading up to the View Point, so if you have time you can combine the two.
View Point
The Kota Kinabalu Viewpoint is a great spot to start you exploration of KK. You can reach the viewpoint in two ways.
1) take a grab to the top
2) walk up the stairs pictured above.
Each option is still short and easy but if you have any mobility issues I would recommend taking a grab. The viewpoint is free to enter.
Sunday Market
The Sunday Market is open from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. You will want to try to get there before 12:00pm as the vendors will sometimes start packing up around that time. At the market you can buy souvenirs, clothing, randoms stuff and plants. It is fun to walk around and is in walking distance of the Clock Tower, ViewPoint and B&B@21 . It is free to enter.
Night Market
The Night market is open overnight at the pier. You can easily find some yummy dinner and dessert here. As well has your produce for the week. Like all other outdoor markets be sure to haggle a little bit to get a fair price.
Mari Mari Cultural Tour
If you are interested in learning about the indigenous population of Sabah then the Mari Mari Cultural Village is the place to go. The Mari Mari Cultural Village is an outdoor museum. It has set up replica houses and community areas that come from each of the five main Indigenous populations.
When you arrive a guide takes you through the museum and talks about what each community was known for. You get to try all the delicacies that that community was known for.
To visit the Mari Mari Cultural Village you have to sign up at least one day in advance. You can chose the morning session 9-12 or the afternoon session 2-5. Your ticket will include the tour, lunch or dinner, and a show of traditional cultural dances.
Diving Day in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
There are tones of Dive Centers around Kota Kinabalu. That being said the diving in Tunku Abdul Rahman National park is unfortunately not that great. Because of the underwater bombing, the coral and marine life are either diving or sparse. If you are very keen to dive anyways I would recommend diving with Scuba Junkie or DownBelow Divers.
Otherwise I would save your money and just try island hopping instead. The diving on the other side, just off the coast of Semporna is a lot better.You can read about it HERE: Semporna Diving: Tun Sakaran Marine Park
Island Hopping in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Kota Kinabalu is a coastal city that is within reach of spectacular tropical islands. The best way to see the islands is to make a day of it. You can chose to see one island at a time or you can island hop and see 2-4 in one day. Learn more HERE: Kota Kinabalu Island Hopping
Mount Kinabalu National Park Day Trip
Mount Kinabalu is located just a short 2 hour drive from Kota Kinabalu. Many people come to Sabah to climb the mountain and will end up staying in the small town the night before hiking up the mountain. If you don’t want to climb you can chose to just walk around the National Park.
You have two options: You can go to the small town and stay there while exploring the National park trails or you can just go for the day and then come back to KK for sleeping. Speak with your hostel when you arrive to see what it would take for a day trip and to decide if it is worth it.
Fireflies River Cruise
Another day trip from KK is the Fireflies River Cruise. I decided to skip this River Cruise and instead went to the Kinabatangan River for a 2 night River cruise. You can read more about the Kinabatangan River Cruise HERE:
CONCLUSION
Overall, Kota Kinabalu is a small but great city to visit. Think of it as the gateway city to exploring the rest of Sabah. You can get to anywhere from Kota Kinabalu and it is the best place to fly home or to the next location from.
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