Kota Kinabalu - Tambunan Highlands

The Tambunan Highlands is about 1 1/2 hour drive from KK Town. It seems to be the forgotten backyard of KK, as not many people go there. There are a couple of attractions here - a Rafflesia Centre and a Butterfly Park, but not many resorts.

To me this area has great tourism potential. The drive from KK is very scenic, and the weather is naturally cool all the time due to the altitude. Imagine waking up to find that you are high above the clouds, the air fresh and cool, and the worries of the world far far away.What a great escape that would be !

Eating in Kota Kinabalu - A Noodle Buffet

On the last day in KK, we were looking around for a place to have lunch and ended up in Tanjung Aru Resort. Tanjung Aru was the first 5 star resort to be built in KK. After so many years, it is still one of the premier resorts in town. I guess quality will never go out of date.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the place had been given a facelift since our last visit many years back. The coffee house has been transformed and is now called Tatu Cafe. Design-wise it follows the current modern cleanline approach with an open kitchen concept. Buffet is obviously the main thing here, with the buffet counters taking centre stage. 

They were having a special "Noodle Buffet" which was interesting. Basically you get to pick and choose your own ingredients, pass it to the chef and he will cook it up in the way that you like. Of course we opted for that, even though the kitchen was going to close very soon. We had to work fast !

We ordered up some fried noodles first. 

Followed with fried kueh tiaw (flat rice noodles) with duck and celery. Yummy !

Fried beehoon (vermicelli) with seafood.

Beehoon soup with prawn dumplings.

Dessert selection was a bit limited, but after all the noodles we were already stuffed so can't complain.

Definitely an interesting experience should you want to try something different in KK.

Eating in Kota Kinabalu - Lunch at Raintree Cafe

We bumped into this charming cafe while wondering around KK Town. It is at Warisan Square - one of the latest developments in KK. The full name of the outlet is actually Raintree Furnishing and Cafe, as it is also a shop selling furniture and home furnishing. 

I always have a soft spot for places with lots of interesting knick-knacks, and Raintree is filled to the brim with very nice artifacts. The menu here is a mix of Asian and Western fare. They also operate as a bar at night.

The cosy decoration and the relaxed ambience make this a great place for a short break. On my last visit I ordered the Nonya Spicy Chicken which came withh plain rice and a side dish of pickles. It was very good - the spicy paste made from fresh ingredients and the chef obviously took great care in preparing the dish. The pickles made a nice accompaniment to the spicy sauce.

Oh, the coffee here is pretty good too !

Kota Kinabalu - Tanjung Aru Water Village

There are many water villages in Kota Kinabalu. In fact these are one of the first things you notice about KK when you arrive. They are essentially squatter villages built over waterways and the seafront. As in many cities in developing countries, squatters are very much a part of the local population. 

I visited one of the villages commonly known as Tanjung Aru Water Village. It is built on the seafront - sandwiched between Tanjung Aru Resort and Sutera Harbour. The Government of KK have not tried to evacuate the population here so far, and I hope they never will. In fact the Government have even helped to provide piped water and electricity to the villages, which is commendable.

Despite what most people think of as squalid and unhealthy, squatter areas serve a basic purpose of shelter for those who cannot afford normal housing, and over time these have developed into communities with their own culture and identity. There are even those who choose to live here not out of necessity, but because this is their lifestyle choice. The water villages are fascinating places to visit.

Sutera harbour is a stone's throw away.

The village is separated from the mainland by a canal.

The houses are built on stilts and connected with wooden plankwalks. Notice the TV antennas and satellite discs - necessities of modern life even at the squatters. 

Kota Kinabalu Hotels - Nexus Karambunai Resort

Nexus Karambunai Resort is located at the Karambunai Peninsula, about 30 km from KK Town. There is only one resort at the whole peninsula, so it is very private and exclusive. The resort has over 3,000 acres of compound. The beach stetch for miles and is quite spectacular - facing the South China Sea. Next door to the resort is an 18 hole golf course.

As we had never been to Karambunai, we decided to go for a visit. When we arrived there, it started to pour. Luckily we had already made it into the lobby before the torrential downpour. 

The design of the resort is not ground breaking - but once you enter the lobby you will be awed by the impressive pitched roof. This lobby roof design is one of the most dramatic I have seen among tropical resorts, including those in Bali. 

Once you arrive at this resort, you don't really want to go out again. This is a place designed for relaxing, just come here to chill out and forget about the outside world for a while. 

There are many dining options at the resort and I don't think the guests would ever get bored with the food. Most of the outlets are quite pricey though. As we arrived late in the afternoon, we were a bit hungry and decided to order a snack. The fish and chip was really nice - made with fresh local fish and served with an amazing freshly made tartare sauce.

For our next visit to KK, we have decided that we must stay here for a few days. Even if you don't intend to stay here, it is worth a visit. 

Eating In Kota Kinabalu - Breakfast at Bonjour Cafe Novotel

The Bonjour Cafe at Novotel is really nice, in fact one of the most beautiful dining rooms I have seen in KK. The breakfast is served here, and it is up to the usual 5 star hotel standard - which is a bonus considering this is essentially a 4 star hotel. In fact I would say it is even better then some of the established premium hotels in Kuala Lumpur. 

The design of the cafe is very modern and chic. Wooden fins which rise from the benched seating to the ceiling gives it a really classy touch, and the lighting perfectly accent the design elements.

There is a wide selection of fresh and cooked items, cereals, breads and fruits. In fact you could spend a whole morning here.

I would stay at Novotel KK again just for the breakfast.

Eating in Kota Kinabalu - Dinner at Salut Seafood

Based on recommendations on some travel blogs, we decided to check out Salut Seafood which is at Salut Bay, about 45 min drive from KK Town, and 30 min drive from 1Borneo. It is a bit out of the way, do get proper directions or a map if you decide to go. While we were driving there, it rained cats and dogs which made finding the place even more difficult. After a couple of wrong turns, we finally found it.

The restaurant is quite far in from the main road. To reach it, you drive through a large prawn farm lined with lots of huge ponds. When you finally arrive at the restaurant, you may be surprised to find that it's just a simple shed. The place is huge though - it could possibly accommodate a few hundred diners in one sitting. When we were there on a Saturday evening, it was completely empty except for our table. Not a very good sign.

The long walkway from the entrance to the dining area.

The famous giant shells at the entrance area.

The dining hall is basic but huge.

The restaurant is built over water in Salut Bay. As it was raining very heavily, I couldn't get any good shots of the bay.

Looking through the live seafood selection, frankly I was disappointed. There wasn't much choice, and what was available didn't look too great either. Since we were already there after such a long drive, we decided to give it a try anyway.

The first thing we ordered were the prawns. These were raised at the local farm. They were fresh and sweet, but farmed prawns have a different taste from ocean prawns and can be a shock if you are eating them for the first time. 

Other dishes we ordered were kangkong, mussels and bamboo clams. They were all fresh, but small and average in quality. The cooking was okay but not exceptional.

Surprisingly these pickled vegies were quite nice.

The Salut Seafood experience wasn't what I had expected. It was cheap compared to KK Town, but the quality of the seafood and the cooking let's it down. Go for the experience, but lower your expectations a bit on the food.

Kota Kinabalu - Marine Aquarium and Museum at University Malaysia Sabah

Did you know there is a Marine Aquarium and Museum at University Malaysia Sabah ? Well now you know. It is open to the public, and entry is free. The size is about half that of the Aquarium at KL Convention Centre, but I guess you can't complain about a freebie.

Actually the Aquarium is not bad. The exhibits are very well maintained and quite attractive. There are some sea creatures which you won't find even at the KLCC Aquarium. 

University Malaysia Sabah is very near 1Borneo. In fact driving from KK Town, you will reach the University before 1Borneo. The campus is huge, and on one side faces the Sepangar Bay. From here you can get a nice view of KK Town.

External view of the Marine Aquarium. Not much to look at from the outside.

The small Museum section.

The marine aquarium is the main attraction here.

A starfish saying hullo. 

Interesting ocean creatures.

Somebody lost their brain ?

These are called "Star of Sepangar". Very interesting and colourful corals.

You should definitely put the Marine Aquarium and Museum on your to do list when you visit KK.

Kota Kinabalu - 1Borneo Shopping Centre

1Borneo Shopping Centre is the biggest development project ever undertaken in Sabah. Opened in March 2008, it is undoubtedly the biggest shopping centre in Borneo with a retail area of over 1.3 million square feet. Besides the shopping mall, there are several hotels, condominiums, an amusement centre, a cineplex and a planned oceanarium. Now, more then  1 year after the opening, about half the shoplots are still not occupied, and the oceanarium is  still on the way. The project may have been too ambitious to begin with, as it is difficult to imagine the sustainability of such a huge retail centre with a limited local population. Nevertheless, this is a great facility for the people of KK as they have another great place to enjoy free air-conditioning on the weekends. 1Borneo is about half hour drive from KK town centre.

One of the more interesting section of the shopping mall is the Old Chinatown which features products from China. Here you can get home decorations, jewelry, handicraft, paintings and carvings at quite reasonable prices.

Kota Kinabalu Hotels - Novotel at 1Borneo

After a few days at the Pacific Sutera, we moved on to stay at Novotel which is part of the gigantic 1Borneo development. The 1Borneo is a huge shopping complex opened in 1998 and has transformed the retail landscape in KK. Conceived as a shopping destination, it will house thousands of shops when it is fully occupied. Right now - more then a year after it's opening, it is still half-empty. Perhaps the developers were a bit over ambitious - even with half the shops open it is still huge !

There are several hotels at 1Borneo. The main ones are Novotel and Mercure. There is also no-frills Tune Hotels where you can get a room for less then RM 90.00 a night, even less if you book early.

Externally the architecture of the Novotel is quite ordinary. Inside is much better. The design is modern and chic - and there's a European vibe to it. 

The design of the rooms is also modern and clean-line. There is a large LCD tv, and one novel touch is the glass partition between the bathroom and the main room. The desk is quite small, but a clever design made it possible to double the work area by swinging the top layer of the desk around.

Facilities at the hotel are quite basic. The gym is too small to even qualify as a gym, it's more like an exercise corner with a couple of machines. The swimming pool at the podium roof is also rather unimpressive.

The Novotel is a place to stay for convenience if you plan to spend a few days at 1Borneo. The best thing about it is the coffeehouse which I will blog about in a future post.

Kota Kinabalu Hotels - The Pacific Sutera

For our last trip to KK we decided to stay in The Pacific Sutera at Sutera Harbour, an integrated resort development with 2 hotels, a golf course, a marina and private residences. The Pacific Sutera is one of the top hotels in KK. It's big attraction is of course the seafront location, lots of facilities, and a huge hotel compound to wander around. The landscaping is really beautiful, and the marina next door gives it a very nice resort vibe.

Going inside, the interiors are not as impressive. The design is a bit dated and generic. I suppose if you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors - which is what you should definitely do in KK, it's not a big problem. 

The view from our room.

The view that you wake up to every morning. In the distance is the Magellan Sutera Resort.

The pool is surrounded by lush landscaping and has great views of the sea.

The Pacific Sutera is a very nice hotel with good facilities, great breakfast and generally good service. The rate is pricey by Malaysian standards - around RM 400.00 per night, but it's a bargain by International standards. Check with your travel agent and they may be able to get better rates.

Eating in Kota Kinabalu - Dinner at Wa Heng Seafood

Having had quite a nice experience on the first night, we decided to go back to SEDCO Square on the second night as well. This time we decided to try another seafood restaurant at the other end of the complex - Wa Heng. The set up is very similar to Twinsky, with lots of glass tanks holding the live seafood at the front of the shop. 

As the crabs were also on special, we decided to order it in 2 styles - steamed and stirfried. Again the crabs were good - fresh and meaty. 

The prawns with egg floss were not as good. A bit small, and very oily. 

The kangkong (water spinach) stirfried with belacan were quite standard and nothing to shout about. 

We also ordered a couple of other items but they were not worth blogging about. The crabs were the highlight of the dinner, and also the best value.

The cooking styles at both Wa Heng and Twinsky are quite similar, and you could say the same for other seafood places in Malaysia. It's like the chefs all went to the same seafood cooking school and graduated with the same marks. The difference is really in the freshness and quality of the seafood, and occasionally you can be surprised with the exceptional quality of the cooking. In KK, I must say the quality of the cooking is quite standard - acceptable but not exceptional. It's a pity given the quality and variety of the seafood.

Eating in Kota Kinabalu - Dinner at Twinsky Seafood

One of the most popular spots for seafood in KK is SEDCO Square in the town centre, now renamed as Seri Selera Kampung Air Seafood Complex. It is basically a large open square which has been covered over with a metal-trussed roof, and surrounded by restaurants on 3 sides. Due to the high roof and open design, the place is quite cool and comfortable even on a hot evening. 

This place is huge and there are probably close to a hundred tables in the whole complex. For seafood there are 6 main restaurants. Besides these there are smaller stalls selling satay, sushi, laksa and other local snacks.

On the first night we decided to try Twinsky Seafood Restaurant which I had read about in some blogs. The selection of seafood here is quite mind boggling and it takes a while to look around and make up your mind. In the end we settled on the trusty crabs which were on special - very cheap at RM 20.00 per kg. We also ordered some clams and an oyster omelette. Since I had never tried mantis prawns, we also decided to give it a try.

Before the main dishes arrived, we ordered some chicken satays from a stall. These were quite good - the meat succulent and well marinated.

The first dish to arrive was the clams stirfried with ginger. These were very fresh and tasty.

The oyster omelette was good, it was cooked Penang style which is quite eggy. The oysters were fresh. Dipped in the chili sauce, this is one satisfying dish.

These are commonly called "Sabah Vegetable" as they originate from here. The texture is crunchy, a bit like young asparagus. The taste simple and nice with garlic.

The crabs were cooked in their house style and were quite tasty. Despite the cheap price, the crabs were of good quality with lots of nice firm meat.

The Mantis Prawns were a disappointment. They were quite expensive - about RM 100 per kg, but a bit lacking in taste. There wasn't much meat inside the shells. Stay away from this unless you just want to give it a try.

You can order a whole coconut from the stalls. Coconut juice is a very refreshing drink for a warm tropical night, and goes well with the seafood.

Kota Kinabalu Seafood

Kota Kinabalu is famous for it's seafood and deservedly so. The variety of seafood here is truly amazing, and they are all live. No self-respecting seafood restaurant here sells dead seafood.

The seafood are normally kept in rows of glass tanks. Customers can choose what they like from the tanks - and whatever is chosen is caught, cooked and brought to the table in a matter of minutes. You can't get fresher then that.

While seafood used to be cheap here, now it is a luxury due to the booming tourist trade. Lobsters are around RM 200.00 per kg, about the same as in Australia. King Tiger Prawns are around RM 150.00 per kg, which is more then 3 times the price in Kuching. Some of the more exotic fish will set you back a few hundred Ringgit per kg. Do check the price before you order !

Fortunately there are still some items which are more reasonably priced. The clams are generally quite cheap, and sometimes you can get great bargains on the crabs. During my last visit they were going for RM 20.00 per kg, super cheap !

The seafood tanks you will find at most restaurants.

Lobsters are super expensive so unless you are splurging, stay away !

Mantis prawns look interesting and are quite expensive. There is not much meat and what is there doesn't taste that great either. Order one or two just to try them out.

There are many types of clams and shellfish.

Some kind of sea bug.

These are called Stone Fish. Obviuosly because they really look like stones. I wonder what they taste like ?

Kota Kinabalu Old Town

In the heart of Kota Kinabalu town centre is a small Chinatown which is probably the oldest part of the city. There are several rows of double-storey shophouses, continuing to newer 5 storey shohouses at another end. Many of the shops still look the same after all these years, plying the same trade. However here and there you can see signs of change, with many shops converted into B&B and lodging houses. One of the most prominent is the Summer Lodge which is next to a pedestrian mall with lots of food outlets and nightspots.

The location is very good as you are right in the centre of town with everything nearby. There is also the old world atmosphere which is quite charming. This is where you can still find some of the true flavours of KK.

Some of the shops look like they haven't changed a bit since their early days.

The prominent Summer Lodge.

Kota Kinabalu Open Air Hawker Street

Along Jalan Tujuh Belas (Road No. 17) next to KK Plaza there is an overhead pedestrian bridge which connects the town centre and the KK Central Market. In the evenings, hawker stalls are set up along the street, taking advantage of the shelter provided by the overhead bridge. There are many stalls here serving a large variety of hawker food, from homecooked "nasi campur" - mixed rice, to noodles, sandwiches, cakes and even durian - the popular "King of Fruits". KK Lites are truly fortunate to have such easy access to cheap and great food in a convenient location.

Great for a snack - deepfried dough fritters, sandwiches and curry puffs. 

A variety of local "kuehs".

Stuffed tofu and bean curd snacks.

There are a number of durian stalls at the end of the street near the Central Market. The durians are typically sold off the trucks, and can be eaten at the tables conveniently provided nearby.

A friendly durian man.

The durian is like a thorny scupture which is quite difficult to open unless you know the trick.

The durian fruits after they have been taken out from the hard and thorny shell. The texture is creamy and buttery, and the taste like good strong cheese with a strong sweetness - and sometimes bitterness which is preferred by some.

Kota Kinabalu Open Air Market

Behind the KK Handicraft Market is a big open yard next to the waterfront. The first time I visited I was wondering what this area was for. Then one evening as I walked past the market I noticed a hive of activities there. It was an open air market which operated in the evenings, with hundreds of makeshift stalls selling all kinds of fresh produce and seafood. Visiting it was a truly fascinating experience, especially the seafood stalls. There were many types of fish and sea creatures which I have never seen before, and they were all going to land on somebody's dinner table.

Even chefs shop at this market.

Each stall is filled to the brim with bounties of the sea.

Coming just off the fishing boats, the catch here are as fresh as you'll ever get.

Some creatures I have never seen before.

There are also many vegetable and fruit stalls here.

Kota Kinabalu Filipino Market

A short walk down Jalan Tuan Faud Stephens from the Central Market will take you to the Filipino Market, now called the Handicraft Market. It is a collection of single-storey buildings along the waterfront. One of the buildings specializes in fresh fruits, another one in dried seafood items. The most popular one here is probably the handicraft market, where you can shop for souvenirs, local hand-made products, t-shirts, jewelry, etc. The stalls are packed very tight and it is like a maze which you have to squeeze through. It is an interesting experience even if you are not into shopping.

The fruit market.

The dried seafood market. The light brown bundles hanging on the stalls are actually dried fish bladder, an expensive delicacy which is usually cooked in a soup or stew. When properly prepared, these are one of the best Asian culinary delights. They usually need to be deepfried, then soaked in water to soften them before cooking. After rehydration, the texture is a bit like a dense sponge, with a mild fishy taste. 

The popular handicraft market.

Necklaces made from seashells are very popular.

You can also get some large seashells to decorate your house.

Another section of the market where you can buy local snacks and fruits.

When you get thirsty after a walk in the hot sun, you can stop by one of these stalls selling iced coconut juice. Really refreshing, and one is usually not enough !

Kota Kinabalu Central Market

The Kota Kinabalu  Central Market is a very large two-storey building located on the waterfront, along Jalan Tun Faud Stephens. This is where KK Lites get their meat, fish, vegetables and lots of other daily essentials. It is an interesting place for visitors, as you will get some insights into what KK Lites put on their tables everyday. What you will find out is that seafood is a big part of the KK diet, whether fresh or dried. The variety of seafood you can get here is truly amazing, especially the dried items. Even restaurants and cafes get their supplies here.

The stalls are very basic and laid out in a grid. It can be difficult to tell where one stall ends and another one starts.

Countless types of dried and salted seafood are sold here. The salted fish, dried prawns and dried small anchovies (ikan bilis) are especially good.

A dried octopus. This is very good for making stock.

These are dried cuttlefish which have been rehydrated. They have a crunchy texture, a bit chewy and are very good stirfried with dried chilis and ginger (Kung Pao Cuttlefish), or made into a local salad with water spinach (Jiu Hu Eng Chai).