Overall there are 5 large and 2 medium shopping malls. The largest is Centerpoint which is located on a 4 acres site and has been operated since the early 90s. The second largest is the Karamunsing Complex and the newest mall is the KK Plaza Mall which was only opened in 2001 and is located just adjacent to the Kota Kinabalu City Central Market. Other smaller malls are Wawasan 2020 Mall; the Likas Square Mall which is slightly out of the downtown area; and Wisma Sabah is located just adjacent to Merdeka Complex and is mostly patronized by tour operators and dive companies. Although most of the shops in these complexes carry fixed priced items the goods sold are all reasonably priced especially during the Mega Sales months of March, August and December. Most shopping complexes open from 10:00 am and close at 10:00 pm.

Apart from shopping complexes, areas such as Segama, Sinsuran, Asia City, Gaya Street, and Api-Api Center are also shopping areas good for electronic products. The Filipino Market is a place to buy handicrafts but if you are looking authentically Sabahan-made products then the Sri Pelancongan Sabah shop located at Sinsuran Complex is a good place to stop by. There is also a water village along the sea front known as Kampung Ayer where a bustling Central market sits mid-way along the waterfront. The fish market here teems with incredible varieties. In the early morning, fishermen unload their catch directly onto market tables. Kadazan women display fresh fruit and vegetables brought down form the farms in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu.

Antiques
Antiques shops are very popular among tourists and you will be surprised of what you could find such as old grandfather clocks, watches, colonial hats, irons, potteries, and many more. Please be sure that you have some prior knowledge of antiques before hand or shop around for prices before deciding to buy something. Merdeka Complex has the most antique shops and Wawasan 2020 also has one big outlet.

Books and Magazines
The largest collections of books about Borneo are at numerous bookshops in Merdeka Complex. Books for sale includes culture, wildlife, nature, flowers and plants, many tropical design and gardening books as well. These books are very popular for visitors as souvenirs and most of them have spectacular photographs.

Brand Fashion Wear
Most brand products such as Calvin Klien, Dockers, Guess, British India, Timberland, U2 and etc are all located at Centerpoint Mall. It is best to catch them on sale during the Mega Sales Festivals.

Cell Phones and Telecommunications
Many cell phone shops are also available in abundance in all shopping malls. KK Plaza presently has the most number of hand phone shops under one roof. If you are here for a long stay and wish to use a cell phone, the best is to buy a prepaid cell phone card and you get immediate access. Presently, Celcom (Tel Co.) has the widest coverage. GPRS access in only available from TimeCel at the moment but will be available with other Tel Cos very soon. Prepaid phone cards can be purchased on most hand phone outlets at RM50 and RM100.

Computer and Accessories
The most complete variety of computer hardware and accessories are located at Karamunsing and boast some of the cheapest prices in the city. If you are interested to look for parts and etc, Karamunsing is the place. However, if you are interested in Pocket PC or PDAs, these items are quite limited.

Electronics Items
VCDs, DVDs, Hi Fis in Sabah are considered one of the cheapest in Malaysia. If you are interested to purchase these items, there are many electrical shops located at Karamunsing and Centerpoint.

Factory Outlets
Factory outlet stores are only available at Centerpoint and is very popular among visitors and locals as many brands such as Polo, DKNY, and etc. Some of these outlets also offer good wind breakers and winter clothing for those who are interested in climbing Mt. Kinabalu.

Handicrafts
If you are interested in exploring Borneo's handicrafts and souvenirs, the Karamunsing Complex has the largest handicraft centers among all the malls. However, most malls such as Merdeka, Centerpoint and etc have many handicraft shops as well.

Sports Gear
Sports wear such as runners, hiking boots, and etc are also available at most of the malls. Centerpoint presently has the most varieties with Nike, Adidas, Fila and Reebok outlets. Do check some of the offers as you may get to purchase a pair of good runners at bargain. There are also some good fishing gear outlets in Centerpoint and Merdeka.

Watches and Jewelry
Watches are also offered at competitive prices and most of the famous brands are available at most of the malls. Centerpoint and Merdeka have the most variety of brand-name sport watches. These two malls also have the most variety of jewelry for sale.

Dining & Restaurants
One can never go hungry in Kota Kinabalu, and that is not an overstatement. Between Indonesian, Filipino, Western and Chinese foods, there is a ton of choices, especially known for its seafood, the city has no dearth of restaurants and eateries that serve a wide array of gastronomic delights, from Western to Oriental, American to Continental, contemporary to traditional and cheap to the very expensive. Dining out is an adventure in itself!

Go local is the advice to heed for a memorable sojourn. A walk through the city streets and alleys takes you from one coffee shop to another. These provide a great way for the discerning visitors to savor Sabahan dishes, minus the exorbitant prices charged by major hotels, and experience everyday life amongst the residents here. Restaurants, however, offer a wider variety as they are much bigger, and cater to a different set of clientele altogether.

Varieties of food presented in the local stalls are, for example, the nicest Roti Panggang (fresh baked buns filled with red beans, kaya or chicken) offered in KK's Chinese coffee shops or the Filipino favorites such as steamed cassava with grilled fish or agar-agar with sesame seeds, Fishballs and fish meat that are used a lot in most of the curries. You can also get very nice papaya salads at most of the lunch stalls. Also, if you order rice at any of the stalls, a pleasant light soup is usually served with your meal.

Sinsuran Market
The market to the right of the Sinsuran handicraft stalls tends to have very good food during the day. The night market is unsurpassed and the stalls are all very good. Here you can find Indonesian, Filipino and Malay cuisines and also a lot of cakes and very nice ABC (crushed ice with mixed candies).

Segama Night Market
A bit more of a Chinese-influenced area, you can also get some Malay food. The Segama Night Market is located right under the big overhead bridge that extends to the market from nearby Milimewa Department Store.

Kampung Likas
On the road to the mosque, along the waterfront, many stalls set up selling Malay gastronomy and seafood. The place provides a really nice scenic view of the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Take any bus to Inanam or Kampung Likas and you will see the stalls next to the beach.

Centerpoint Mall
If you are too tied from shopping, the Centerpoint Mall also provides eateries with lots of very nice and relatively cheap local foods in the lower floor in front of the local bus station.


Entertainment & Nightlife
For the larger fraction of the population, nightlife still means sitting around over a good meal, having an outdoor barbecue and maybe nursing a drink or two with family or friends. But that is not to say Kota Kinabalu is a city that sleeps at night. Today, it has moved on with the times, and does have a fair share of happening pubs and discotheques.

Shenanigans, KK's and Tiffiny are great places to go to for dance and loud music, while Something AL's offers great live performance and a friendly atmosphere. But if you prefer a nice and quiet place to wind down, head to the Havana Club at the Magellan Sutera & Spa Resort. This club has about 200 exquisite cigars from all over the world. Just order a drink or two, choose a cigar and puff away in the company of soft music playing in the background.

Karaoke bars are plentiful in the city too, but only one comes with great seafood. Jaws Seafood Restaurant & Karaoke lets its diners sing their hearts out while waiting for their orders. A superb concept and a great stress-reliever, too!

Bowling is yet another favorite among the young here. The Centerpoint has a 28-lane bowling alley that opens daily till late at night.

Getting Around
Kota Kinabalu city is well-planned with an efficient road system. Getting around in Sabah is easy. Depending on the intended destinations that you wish to visit, for example, travel to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport takes a mere 10 minutes and the new highway to Kota Belud will ensure even more convenient access to leisure spots like Karambunai, different modes of transport are available such as:-

Car Rentals
Car rentals are easily available at major towns and city especially the best point to hire a car is from Kota Kinabalu. Types of vehicles available ranges broadly from a basic sub compact sedans to vans and coaches depending on your travel needs.

Public Transport
There are two types of public transport. One is the normal short distance within the city or town limits and the other is the long distance taxis and buses which is the most economical way to travel to destinations around Sabah. The journey will take longer but it is well compensated by the scenic of the surrounding environment along the journey.

KK has an extensive bus and minibus system. There are bus terminals behind the City Park (Jalan Tugu near Post Office) which go to Penampang. Also, there are plenty buses from the stop behind Centerpoint for Tanjung Aru and Tuaran. Fares depend on the distance. Most inner-city rides will be less than RM1. Minibuses cost about the same as the bigger buses but leave more frequently. Most places in the surrounding areas such as Tambunan, Ranau and Kota Belud can be reached by buses from the regional bus station.

Railway
There is only one train line that connects KK to the town of Tenom on the west coast of Sabah. Trains are still very basic in Sabah and are still confined to that were in service since the colonial period. This gives travelers additional touch of nostalgia when taking the west coast tours of Sabah where you could stop by small towns and enjoy the scenic environment at your own pace. The towns along the west coast like Membakut, Tenom, Papar, Bongawan, Beufort and Tenom have merely changes since the colonial period.

The route from Beaufort and Tenom is especially exciting as this route will travel through tunnels and forest and the hill slopes of the Crocker Range. This is a standard route for travelers taking the white water rafting adventure tours at the Padas River.

The ultimate is the North Borneo Railway which has recently been revamp to operate a 90-Ton Mid-Century Steam Train - "The Vulcan" which will take visitors along the west coast railway line. This train is very popular among tourist, early reservation is recommended.

Boats and Ferries
Island destinations such as Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Turtle Island Park, Sipadan, Langkayan, Kapalai, Mabul, Pulau Tiga, and Labuan are accessible by fast ferry services which require pre arrangements for some destinations. This includes islands such as Pulau Tiga (From Kuala Penyu Town), Turtle Islands from Sandakan Town, Mengalum and Mantanani. Layang Layang Island is only accessible via air. Labuan Island is also accessible by ferry from KK city and Menumbok town near Kuala Penyu and Klias region. Ferry to Labuan has two departures daily. The journey takes 3 hrs.

Ferries to the TAR available from KK City Ferry Terminal near the Sabah Ports Authority and Marine Police Jetty and they are no schedules. You can hop on and hop off anytime you like. Please ensure that you board a boat with proper insurance and conditions and make sure you wear a life vest as it is required by Marine Department.

Marinas
For seafarers and sailors, they are marinas available around Sabah. The most prestigious is Sutera Harbor Marina located in the heart of the city. Another place to berth around KK is the Tanjung Aru Marina located at the Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort. Many sailors just berth in front of the city near the Waterfront Esplanade.

In Sandakan, there is the Sandakan Yacht Club. In Tawau is the Tawau Yacht Club. Labuan Island has also another world class marina at the Labuan Waterfront Hotel. For major repairs, three boat yards are available in Kuala Penyu, Labuan and Kudat.

Air
Most major towns in Sabah have airports for domestic travel. Heli-charters available from Sabah Air at Kota Kinabalu are available to some destinations on the islands for those who wish to take aerial tours or to save traveling time. For Layang Layang Island, it is only accessible by air from Kota Kinabalu from the old air port terminal.