Thanksgiving weekend at Kota Kinabalu 2012
I've had a couple of friends who've already been to Kota Kinabalu even before Cebu Pacific offered direct flights there. They got there via Air Asia that operates at the Clark airport. Now that Cebu pacific offers direct flights and thanks to a seat sale offered by Cebu Pacific, I've had the opportunity to see and visit the place as well.
Other than the MYR 30 that we paid, there is also a terminal fee of MYR 7.20 that will be paid and a MYR 10 entrance fee. The entrance fee is a one time payment and will apply to all the islands that you will be visiting. Also, the tours are scheduled. There are boat schedules and its up to you how you'll be able to manage your time. The earliest trip going to the islands will be 8:30AM and the last trip going back to KK will be at 4:30PM.
Atkinson Clock Tower
Just a short walk from the observatory is Atkinson Clock Tower. The tower is named after the first district officer of Jesselton, Francis George Atkinson.
Shopping
Having stayed at the Gaya Centre hotel had its advantage when it comes to shopping. The hotel is in between two shopping malls, Suria Sabah and Wisma Merdeka. I wasn't able to visit Wisma Merdeka but I was able to go around Suria Sabah. The mall houses familiar brands like Esprit, Coach, Pandora, Rip Curl, Cotton On and Levi's to name a few. The mall also has a department store, food court and a cinema. There's also a Starbucks there for the coffee lovers. I was able to get myself a bracelet from Pandora and shirts from F.O.S..
Tip: There's a money changer at the lower level, just in case you need then extra cash for shopping. Also, there's a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch at Wisma Merdeka in case you prefer that than Starbucks.
Other than Suria Sabah, we also visited the 1Borneo Mall. You will need to take a cab (MYR25) to be able to reach it since its a little far from where we were staying. The mall has brands like Calvin Klein, Guess, FCUK, Lacoste to name a few.
Tip: There's also a money changer at 1Borne Mall if you need to have your PHP's converted to MYR.
If bargains are your thing, then the Gaya street market every Sunday morning will be your thing. Be sure to be there before 9AM so that you can beat the crowd. The market has everything from apparel, souvenirs, toys, plants, pets, food, fruits and vegetables, jewelry, etc. Haggling is the name of the game so make sure to you utilize your haggling skills. The more you buy the bigger the discount.
Tip: If you are shopping with friends, ask them if they also like something you want to buy. If they do, try and buy the item together instead of separately. The more you get, the better chances of a higher discount will be given to you.
Tips:
Things to do and Places of Interest
Beach
Ofcourse being the beach lovers that my friends and I are, going on an island hopping tour was first on our list of things to do in Kota Kinabalu. The hotel where we stayed at is just walking distance from the Jesselton Ferry terminal which is where you'll get a boat that will take you to the different islands. The tours will be provided by different operators although the same islands will be visited. When you get to the ferry office, try and shop around the different offers. We selected Beach Bums with a packaged tour to 2 different islands. Instead of MYR 33, they gave it to us for MYR 30 each. The itinerary will include the islands of Pulau Sapi and Pulau Manukan.
Tip: There's a nearby convenience store at the ferry terminal where you can buy your essentials for your island hopping trip like water and snacks. You can also buy some snacks at the ferry terminal.
The first island that we visited was a small island called Pulau Sapi. We spent most of our day here on this island just swimming and lounging by the beach.
The next island that we went to was Pulau Manukan. Since we were already swimming for most of the day and didn't get lunch at Sapi island, we just decided to eat at Manukan island. The island is home to the Sutera Harbour lodges so you have the option of staying there. There's also a souvenir shop to get your pasalubongs and a restaurant to satisfy hungry tummies after all that swimming.
Tip: The last trip from the island back to the city is 4:30 PM. Make sure to ask what time time you will be picked up and also, make sure to ask around if your boat has arrived so that you won't miss it.
Signal Hill Observatory
Want to see the city from the top? Try seeing it through the Signal Hill observatory. From there, you can see KK from different views. You'll reach the foot of the trail near the back of Jesselton Hotel. We went there on our last day early morning so that it won't be too hot when we climb to the top. Also, make sure that you apply insect repellent since the pathway will pass through a lot of plants and trees.
Tip: The last trip from the island back to the city is 4:30 PM. Make sure to ask what time time you will be picked up and also, make sure to ask around if your boat has arrived so that you won't miss it.
Signal Hill Observatory
Want to see the city from the top? Try seeing it through the Signal Hill observatory. From there, you can see KK from different views. You'll reach the foot of the trail near the back of Jesselton Hotel. We went there on our last day early morning so that it won't be too hot when we climb to the top. Also, make sure that you apply insect repellent since the pathway will pass through a lot of plants and trees.
Atkinson Clock Tower
Just a short walk from the observatory is Atkinson Clock Tower. The tower is named after the first district officer of Jesselton, Francis George Atkinson.
Shopping
Having stayed at the Gaya Centre hotel had its advantage when it comes to shopping. The hotel is in between two shopping malls, Suria Sabah and Wisma Merdeka. I wasn't able to visit Wisma Merdeka but I was able to go around Suria Sabah. The mall houses familiar brands like Esprit, Coach, Pandora, Rip Curl, Cotton On and Levi's to name a few. The mall also has a department store, food court and a cinema. There's also a Starbucks there for the coffee lovers. I was able to get myself a bracelet from Pandora and shirts from F.O.S..
Tip: There's a money changer at the lower level, just in case you need then extra cash for shopping. Also, there's a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch at Wisma Merdeka in case you prefer that than Starbucks.
Other than Suria Sabah, we also visited the 1Borneo Mall. You will need to take a cab (MYR25) to be able to reach it since its a little far from where we were staying. The mall has brands like Calvin Klein, Guess, FCUK, Lacoste to name a few.
Tip: There's also a money changer at 1Borne Mall if you need to have your PHP's converted to MYR.
If bargains are your thing, then the Gaya street market every Sunday morning will be your thing. Be sure to be there before 9AM so that you can beat the crowd. The market has everything from apparel, souvenirs, toys, plants, pets, food, fruits and vegetables, jewelry, etc. Haggling is the name of the game so make sure to you utilize your haggling skills. The more you buy the bigger the discount.
Tip: If you are shopping with friends, ask them if they also like something you want to buy. If they do, try and buy the item together instead of separately. The more you get, the better chances of a higher discount will be given to you.
If your looking for fine handicrafts, check out the Borneo Trading Post store. They have a wide array of handicrafts created locally.
Where to stay:
Where to stay:
Thanks to Agoda (Agoda.com), we were able to get a good price for our accommodations at Kota Kinabalu. We stayed at the Gaya Centre hotel which had a very good location. The hotel is beside the Suria Sabah mall, close to the Sunday Street market, and overlooks the bay. The hotel has the following amenities as well - restaurant called the G Cafe (located at the 4th level), bar called the G Lounge (ground level), wi-fi access at the lobby area (including the bar area) and Internet access at the rooms via cable.
Tips:
The KK International airport has a Maybank that directly converts Peso to Ringgit, so no need to worry about getting dollars and having them exchanged there.
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