Things to do in Kota Kinabalu
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Kohinoor
There are several excellent restaurants along the Waterfront Esplanade, including this Indian place offering comfortable indoor seating and a breezy outdoor patio. Take advantage of their authentic tandoori oven and don’t forget to grab a side of pillowy garlic naan.
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Night Market
KK’s brilliant Night Market is a place of delicious contrasts: it huddles beneath the imposing Le Meridien as venders hawk their knock-off wares. The market is divided into two main sections: the southwest end is given over mostly to produce, while the northeast end (the area around the main entrance) is a huge hawker centre, where you can eat your way right through the entire Malay gastronomy. If you’ve never seen a proper Southeast Asian market, this place will be a revelation.
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Restoran Sempelang
Eating outside is a Kota Kinabalu tradition and Restoran Sempelang is a great place to do it - right smack in the middle of the colourful Kompleks Sinsuran. There's a lot to like about this bustling Malay eatery: giant fresh fruit juices, English menu, good seafood barbeque (from 18:00 nightly), a canopy to keep off the rain, and friendly staff. As with other restaurants in the complex, your meal will be accompanied by the ubiquitous pro-wrestling videos.
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Grace Point
Take bus 15 out near Tanjung Aru for some local grub at this Kota Kinabalu (KK) mainstay. The development is actually quite chic compared to the smoke-swathed food courts in the city centre – KKers joke that the public bathrooms here are Borneo’s nicest (and it’s true!). Go for the Sabahan food stall (located in the far right corner when facing the row of counters) and try hinava.
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Little Italy
Dear homesick holidaymaker; this is your place. Create your own carbo-lode with a variety of saucey tributes to the Bootland. All things considered, it’s a rather pricey endeavour, but it’s definitely worth stopping by if you’re in desperate need of a rice respite.
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Bed
Get those bed puns ready: the space that launched a thousand quips is arguably the fulcrum of Kota Kinabalu nightlife, and it’s a rare night out that won’t see you ending up in Bed at some point. Bands play from 9pm, followed by DJs til closing.
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Centre Point Basement Food Court
Your ringgit will go a long way at this popular and varied basement food-court in the Centre Point mall. There are Malay, Chinese and Indian options, as well as drink and dessert specialists.
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Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Free wi-fi and proper coffee is the draw at this popular chain. In addition to this branch, there's another in the Waterfront Esplanade complex off of Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens.
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Science & Technology Centre
Just north of the main hall of the Sabah Museum, at the end of the parking lot, the Science & Technology Centre has some small exhibits on the petroleum industry.
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Wisma Merdeka Food Court
Not as large as the one in Centre Point mall, this simple food court is still a good option for a cheap meal up at the northern end of town.
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Upperstar
Opposite the Hilton, this pleasant semi-outdoor bar offers cheap booze and decent pub grub.
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Mari Mari Cultural Village
Located about 25 minutes outside of the city centre, the Mari Mari Cultural Village is the most interactive centre of its kind in all of Borneo. Visitors are taken on a three-hour show/tour (beginning at 10am, 3pm and 7pm), which winds through the jungle passing various tribal dwellings along the way. At each stop, tourists learn about the indigenous way of life, and can try their hand at a variety of interesting (and fun) activities, like traditional bamboo cooking, rice-wine making (and drinking!), fire starting, tattooing, blowpipe shooting etc. But the most fascinating part of the tour is little tribal titbits offered by your guide. For example, in the Dusun tribe, an…
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Cultural village
In the small town of Penampang, about 13km south of KK, this high-quality Kadazan-Dusun cultural village on the banks of Sungai Moyog is named after a legendary warrior and headhunter, whose direct descendants established this private heritage centre in 1996. The hefty entrance fee includes a tour, a dance performance and several activities (similar to Mari Mari). The highlight is the House of Skulls, which supposedly contains the ancient crania of Monsopiad’s unfortunate enemies, as well as artefacts illustrating native rituals from the time when the bobolian (priest) was the most important figure in the community.
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City Mosque
Heading north out of KK, you can’t miss the four minarets and graceful dome of the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, in Kampung Likas, about 4km north of the city centre. Overlooking the South China Sea, this mosque is more attractive than the State Mosque in terms of setting and design. Completed in 2000, it can hold up to 12,000 worshippers. It can be entered by non-Muslims outside of regular prayer times. To get there, take bus 5A from Wawasan Plaza going toward UMS (RM1.50). Just ask the conductor to drop you off outside the City Mosque after the Tanjung Lipat round about. Taxis are about RM15 each way.
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Nishiki
Operated by a Japanese expat, this authentic Japanese restaurant takes full advantage of the city's excellent fish markets. When we were there, the master served up some thick slices of tender yellowjack tuna that were as good as any we've had in Japan. The atmosphere is pleasantly traditional, right down to the sushi counter. There are good-value set meals, sushi sets, and plenty of à la carte choices. You won't find authentic Japanese food for this price anywhere else outside of Japan.
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D Junction
Located just beyond the city centre, this small complex has a clutch of high-end franchised eating options including Royal Chino restaurant (serving delicious dim sum on weekends), Indian Spice Garden (specialising in North Indian favourites) and Umai (a Japanese affair overflowing with spicy sushi rolls and saucy karaoke). There’s a sociable bar on the ground level with plenty of Tiger on tap, and a surprisingly excellent shrimp wonton soup.
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State Mosque
A fine example of contemporary Islamic architecture, the State Mosque is set some distance from the heat and noise of central KK. It’s south of the city centre past the Kampung Air stilt village, not far from the Sabah Museum; you’ll see the striped minaret and Octopussy-style dome on your way to or from the airport. Non-Muslim visitors are allowed inside, but must dress appropriately and remove their shoes before entering.
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Filipino Market
Sandwiched between the Central Market and the Night Market, the Filipino Market is a good place to shop for inexpensive souvenirs. Offerings include pearls, textiles, seashell crafts, jewellery and bamboo goods, some from the Philippines, some from Malaysia and some from other parts of Asia. Needless to say, bargaining is possible here and you should be wary of fake pearls etc. Next door, there is a fruit market that stays open until late.
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Atkinson Clock Tower
The modest timepiece at the foot of the hill is the Atkinson Clock Tower, one of the only structures to survive the Allied bombing of Jesselton in 1945. It's a square, 15.7m-high wooden structure that was completed in 1905 and named after the first district officer of the town, FG Atkinson, who died of malaria aged 28. The tower was once visible from the sea, though there's now quite a few buildings in the way!
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Kah Hiong Ngui Chap
Head to Kah Hiong if you’re craving the ultimate local experience. Tucked away in Kota Kinabalu’s suburban sprawl, this bustling restaurant specialises in ngui chap (beef soup) served with a special chilli sauce. Everyone knows about this spot – it’s a local institution and has been featured on the local TV channel as one of the spots in town for a bite.
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Signal Hill Observation Pavilion
You can wander up to the UFO-like Signal Hill Observation Pavilion, at the eastern edge of the city centre, to escape the traffic and to get another take on the squatters' stilt village at Pulau Gaya. The view is best as the sun sets over the islands. From the top, it's also possible to hike down to the bird sanctuary on the other side.
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Shenanigan’s
Following the international ‘Irish pub’ model, from dodgy draught Guinness to drunk and incapable patrons, this has long been a popular establishment in Kota Kinabalu. Live bands perform most nights from 9pm and the place is totally rammed on weekends. Prices are horrendous (up to RM30 for a small beer) but get better during happy hour.
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Orchid DeVilla Farm
Travellers interested in plant life should consider a visit to the Orchid DeVilla Farm, located halfway between central KK and the cultural village (at ‘Km 6’). The farm specialises in rare Bornean orchids, hybrid orchids, cacti and herbal plants, and services all of the five-star hotels in the region.
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Jesselton Point Hawker Centre
This is a great spot to eat and drink while enjoying one of KK's famous sunsets. There's a variety of Chinese and Malay stalls here with shared outdoor seating and a couple of proper sit-down air-con restaurants, including Benito's which does a great lunch set including a good Aussie steak on weekdays.
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Handicraft Market
The Handicraft Market is a good place to shop for inexpensive souvenirs. Offerings include pearls, textiles, seashell crafts, jewellery and bamboo goods, some from the Philippines, some from Malaysia and some from other parts of Asia. Needless to say, bargaining is a must!
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