Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Sabah, a place for you to unwind, relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. There are things you should never miss if you ever come to Kota Kinabalu, one of it is to explore Mount Kinabalu. It is not necessary for you to climb it but if you want to of course you could, it would be a great achievement to climb up the mountain that lives in the Kinabalu Park, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The next best thing that you should not miss is island hopping! That would be at Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. There are 4 islands that are open to public at the marine park such as Manukan Island, Sapi Island, Gaya Island and Mamutik Island.
The most popular island would be the Manukan Island reason why is because it is the second biggest island and the facilities are widely available to cater the needs of the tourists, packed with activities you can do at the island.
Some of the activities you can do includes beach picnic, water sports such as Parasailing, Banana Boat and among the 4 island, Manukan island is said to be the best site for snorkeling, kids will enjoy seeing thousands of fishes and also beautiful corals.
Another unique activity that you could do is sea walking by using a Scubadoo which is a underwater scooter.
For foodies like myself, you should definitely try their seafood. Kota Kinabalu is filled with seafood restaurant that have a wide variety of seafood such as crabs, scallops, fish and so much more! One of the best seafood restaurants is said to be located near the Sutera Harbour Golf Club called Welcome Seafood Restaurant or somewhere at Jalan Sulaman, called Gayang Seafood Restaurant, and both of these restaurants are halal certified so Muslims should not worry.
Other than seafood, if you are in KK on a Sunday, head over to Gaya Street Sunday Market for street food and a little bit of souvenir shopping, they sell it cheaper here than any other places.
For more cultural and traditional, it is recommended that you visit the Mari Mari Cultural Village where you will learn about the five different ethnic tribes such as Murut, Bajau, Kadazan, Rungus and Lundayeh tribes. In this village, visitors will learn the history, culture and traditions of each tribes. You could also watch the bamboo dance performance which is quite exciting to see.
Other than relaxing on the island, Kota Kinabalu is also famous for its hot spring that is located at the Kinabalu Park where you can also find Rafflesia flower on your way to the Poring Hot Spring and Nature Reserve. Do your research before coming to the hot spring because it is usually crowded during weekends and holiday seasons plus there are fees for both Malaysian and Foreigners to enter.
For those who loves to mingle and attend events, do check Sabah Tourism Board, there will be information available for any happening events such as Regatta Lepa which is a water festival where they showcase the floating parade that is held annually in April
Or SabahFest where visitors will enjoy a lot of activities ranging from the traditional music and performances from the ethnic groups to trying out local cuisines to learning how to make a handmade craft to dressing up like one of the local people and so much more. It is held every year during May.
So, what do you think about Kota Kinabalu? Will it be your next destination? We have deals of the month for you, visit our website for more details!
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