Shopping
Kota Kinabalu City holds many main shopping centers of Sabah.
Most shopping centers offer a variety of different retail
outlets and depending on what the items you are looking for,
each shopping center has their own uniqueness.
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.
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