in2it54

Hi all,

It's a done deal. I just grabbed some really cheap airfares to Kota Kinnabulu in Dec 2017 for 10 days - somewhere different to celebrate a wedding anniversary. We are flying in and out of BKI.

Now I'm starting to trawl the internet looking for accommodation, location, things to do and sight seeing. Is there any local experts out there, who can offer some insight ?

I'm looking for a mix - some resort time, visiting local tourist attractions, nice restaurants, boat/car/bus trips, ....... (we are not into extreme sports).

Thanks, E

frobozzelectric

it is so good.

kk is small and very affordable.

boats on jesselton can take you to snorkeling sites, good fun.

nothing fancy in kk but i did enjoy my trip.

nzed

A trip up to the Mt. Kinabalu national park is worth it, and if you have the time a wander around Ranau and the smaller towns in the area is interesting.

RustyC

I'm not a great fan of the town (a bit drab, got flattened in WWII), but accoms can be good value all over Borneo, and KK is a base for doing the tropical thing at islands of TAR national park. And there's also Mt. Kinabalu, typically done as an overnight trip.

My fondest memory with Sabah, though, has to be Sandakan and the English Tea House (very old-worldy, down to croquet on the lawn), the orang-utan orphanage, and above all a trip with Uncle Tan's to the lower Kinabatangan, an incredibly beautiful but highly endangered area that's the "real" Borneo. The flights from KK to Sandakan on MAS were only $25 each way and I made sure to get a window seat on the Mt. Kinabalu side for some incredible views.

KK also has the ferry to Labuan, an unusual sort of island with so-so beaches, good seafood and a laid-back vibe but still a smattering of nightlife (alcohol being much less taxed there)

in2it54

Thankyou !
You have supplied a very informative post. I'm researching all of your suggestions.

Can you remember which side of the plane to sit on for Mt K views ? I'll select seats on all the BKI arrival and departure flights accordingly.

invisible

I've been to KK last year. Honestly, can't imagine staying there for more than one night - as said - drab, horrendous traffic (20 min to travel 500m), noise and pollution. Don't expect any vibrant clubbingg or restaurant scene either.

However if you get out from there and go explore Mount Kinabalu and surrounding park, other parks and tip of Borneo - you are looking towards to have good time.

Last words of caution - December is wet season and expect that every day it will be raining 6h.

889

I pretty much agree that KK itself is not that fascinating; in terms of cities, I like Kuching better.

As to Mount Kinabalu, be aware of the mechanics of getting tickets and arranging sleeping space and a guide. You can't just show up and start the climb. Would have done the climb myself, otherwise.

RustyC

If memory serves it's the left side going from KK to Sandakan and the right side from Sandakan to KK. Assuming no flight-path variations due to weather, etc. I got some really good photos in one direction, while in the other it was on a cloudier day.

I checked Trip Advisor and the English Tea House is still going and rated #1 in the city...it's on a hill overlooking the town, with the view part of the attraction. Uncle Tan's was the backpacker's tour and significantly cheaper than others but maybe too basic and back-to-nature at their camp for some people, but there are other operators as well.


The boat rides in and out are great, there are some hikes, the meals are totally done fresh by staff, and the nighttime boat ride is a real highlight, as it's geared to wildlife sightings (e.g. snakes hanging from trees, etc.) Was lucky to have 2 orang-utan sightings in the wild, albeit high up in some far trees. Am sure other operators have similar things.

KK and Labuan also have good places for seafood...when I went I liked the Port View in KK and restaurant at the Hotel Pulau Labuan in Labuan, but the Trip Advisor rankings are likely a better guide for the current status.

gpeso8

I'm really not a fan of KK. I have a friend who has a house outside of Kudat which we really enjoyed when we visited last year.

We were in Sandakan right after the kidnapping in 2015 which Mrs. Gpeso8 was not thrilled about but enjoyed the city and the food. I've never had an issue with security in Sabah but it is something to consider depending on where you are going.

http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/05...-sabah-recurs/

IAN-UK

To be honest, KK itself is a bit of a a dump: sounds exotic but that could lead to disappointment. Though I guess the city makes a good base. Sandakan has to be far more interesting.

For a city vibe, Kuching has an awful lot more to offer.

wolf72

Comparing Kuching to KK is a non starter. You are trying to compare a city like Kuching which, has it's own plus points and own vibrancy vs KK which is developing rapidly and growing at a staggering rate and is now a tourism hub for tourist from China, Korea and Taiwan compared to Kuching which is still struggling to bring in big volumes of tourist because of the limited products it has to offer.

There is a lot to see and do in Kinabalu if you know what you want to do.

Diving around TAR is boring. I am sorry, but being absolutely honest. If you are a seasoned diver, you don't dive at TAR. You head over to the east coast and dive at Sipadan and Mabul as well as the Atoll's around the area.

Or, you do what some of us are now doing quietly. Fly into Labuan Island (30 minute flight out of Kinabalu) and dive the 3 WW2 shipwrecks at the beautiful island of Pulau Rusukan Besar which is absolutely beautiful. We do day trips out to the island with the local dive company, have a great seafood lunch, get 3 dives in and then a 30 minute boat trip back to the main island on a Saturday and Sunday.

Best part about this? The dive rates are literally 70% cheaper than diving at Sipadan though, you don't see the barracuda's or the sharks or the vast number of turtles but you get the micro fishes and other corals which make the dives worth while.

The only people who generally dive in Kinabalu are new divers getting certified or divers who just can't spend 5-6 days away at Sipadan or can't afford it and just want a short dive experience.

Much of TAR has been fished bombed no thanks in part to the growing community on Gaya Island over the past 30 years. Yes, some coral's are coming back but.....don't expect too much.

And the Manukan, Sapi and Memutik islands are packed with korean, taiwan and chinese tourist most day's anyways so no peace and quiet.