Top things to do in Kota Kinabalu

We wanted to visit Kota Kinabalu to soak in the local culture and to explore the marine life in the area. We hadn’t been snorkelling properly before and really wanted to include this in our itinerary. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, which was very central and had shops and supermarkets a few minutes walk away, for 4 nights. You don’t really need 4 nights here, 2/3 nights would be sufficient but the extra night allowed us time to rest after a very busy time in Sepilok and the Kinabatangan River.

Mari Mari Cultural Village

The Mari Mari Cultural Village is located 30 minutes outside of the city center and showcases the traditions of 5 different tribes in Borneo. Tickets cost RM130 for an international adult and RM110 for an international child without pick up from Kota Kinabalu. For Malaysian visitors the ticket price is slightly cheaper. When we went there wasn’t an option for pick up in Kota Kinabalu so we got a Grab but now there is an option to be picked up from Kota Kinabalu and driven to the cultural village for an extra RM30. We were given a lift back by a staff member in their car for RM50, the hospitality and helpfulness of the staff was fantastic.

The ticket price includes the entrance fee to the village, a guide, visit to the 5 tribes, activities or food/drink to try at each tribal house you visit, a cultural performance by the staff and a buffet meal, which was delicious! It is a touristy thing to do but we really enjoyed the enthusiasm of our guide and we were able to learn about some of the traditional tribes in Borneo. P.S Someone from each group has to volunteer to be the tribe leader and welcome their tribe to the head leader.

Snorkelling

You can’t visit Borneo without trying either snorkelling or diving of the local islands to get a look at the marine life. You can either build your own package at the ferry terminal or you can book to go snorkelling/diving with a company. If you want to build your own package, you need to visit Jesselton Point ferry terminal where there are many stands selling tickets to visit different islands aswell as renting out snorkelling equipment.

If you choose to book with a company, I can recommend Borneo Dream https://www.borneodream.com/product/guided-snorkeling-tour-in-kota-kinabalu/ , this was the package we decided to book. The ticket is RM265 per person and that includes return boat transfers from Jesselton Point Jetty, use of all the snorkel gear, 2/3 guided snorkel sessions (max 1 hour per session) with a qualified diving professional and lunch at Padang Point, Gaya Island. The advantage of booking with a company is that you get to snorkel from the boat and not from the beach meaning the water is deeper with more chance of seeing different marine life. After lunch you get to relax on the beach for about an hour before heading back on the boat.

We had 7 people in total on our boat and this included the guide and driver so the boat and also being out in the water wasn’t too crowded and we weren't bumping into each other all the time.

NOTE: wear suncream!!! Even if it is very cloudy and doesn’t appear to be very sunny. When we booked our snorkelling tour it was pouring with rain and was almost cancelled. It was very cloudy when we were out on the boat but the sun kept on appearing and we got really badly sunburnt.

Todak Waterfront

Along the Todak waterfront area are a few great photo opportunities. There is the Marlin Statue, the dolphin statue and the I heart KK sign.

The Marlin statue is situated in the middle of a roundabout and is seen as a tribute to the fishing industry and shows the connection between the city and the sea.

The dolphin statue is smaller but also is there to show a connection between the city and the sea.

The I Heart KK sign which is used by many tourists for a nice photo opportunity.

Along the Todak waterfront there is a seafood hawker center serving fresh seafood such as fish, prawns, squid and lobster. It is also a great spot to visit in the evening to watch the sunset.

When facing the Marlin roundabout statue, walk to the left and on the wall infront of the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu there is a painted mural with a Kota Kinabalu sign and a map of Sabah, Borneo.

Tanjung Aru Beach

Tanjung Aru Beach is probably the most popular spot in Kota Kinabalu to watch the sunset. After seeing pictures online of the sunset at this beach, I knew we had to come here one evening to see it for ourselves. The easiest way to get to the beach is using the Bolt Taxi app, it cost around RM30 each way (£5).

I would advise to try and get to the beach 1-1.5 hours before sunset as the traffic at this time is very heavy and the availability of taxis can be limited the closer it gets to sunset. We managed to get to the beach just before sunset and I can honestly say it’s the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.

At Tanjung Aru Beach there are lots of food stalls and stalls selling other things e.g. durian fruit, drinks, clothing, chidrens’s toys etc. We personally didn’t eat here as we had already eaten but the food looked tasty.

We dipped our feet in the ocean, which was the perfect temperature but make sure you bring some flip flops or beach shoes as the sand is quite soggy.

Sunset on Tanjung Aru Beach

Likas Stadium

When visiting Kota Kinabalu and are into football, check the fixtures for Sabah FC. Our trip to Kota Kinabalu coincided with a home game, Sabah FC vs Selangor FC. The atmosphere in the stadium is very different to a UK team (in a good way), however the football skills were on par to a league two team. We had a fun evening watching the match.