Kota Belud

You could be forgiven for leaving Kota Belud off your must-see list, but this bustling town makes for a useful stopover en route to Mantanani or Kudat. Other than the gold mosque on the hill, and the presence of cows blithely wandering the streets, the town's Sunday tamu (market) – a congested, colorful melee of vendors, hagglers and hawkers – is definitely worth your camera's time.