Budget Travel @ Sabah 06 ~ Kota Kinabalu city at a glance

This map can be found at the airport and local tourism office. Most of the hotels can be booked online at their respective websites or hotel – booking websites e.g. Agoda.com. Most places are reachable by foot. I am describing based on my 5 – year experience of living in this city and from my recent trip. Nothing has changed that much, the city may have become a bit busier if not cleaner. 


Wisma Merdeka and KK Plaza have outlets for cheap home stuffs, nothing amazing inside. Food courts and outlets can seem a bit dodgy with questionable hygiene.  If you want to see the way locals shop, I suggest taking a look at Sinsuran because it’s an open area, on some evenings especially weekends they have open market where you can find variety of local food.  Be wary of pickpockets though. Use the overhead bridge, not just for crossing the busy road but to see what the locals do on it, or join the locals when they cross the road Sabah – style.

Walk a bit further and you’ll find CentrePoint shopping complex. Here is a myriad of cheap non – branded items, slightly upscale shopping at level 4 (Palm Square), supermarket, fast food, craft shops, cinema and the usual stores you may find in a shopping complex. At the basement, if you may, is the food court where you can find tasty local stuffs and seafood. In furthermost left corner is a Malay shop (Restoran Faiza: look for food arranged in stacked manner) where there is a huge selection of dishes eaten with steamed rice, some including deep – fried jumbo shrimps and squids. Some stall serve seaweed and vegetarian, Chinese and Indian fares, Nasi Ayam CP is here too if you’re looking for cheap chicken rice (RM2.90 last I checked, for a plate of rice with a piece of chicken, condiments and a bowl of soup). Nelta is another acceptable option for Malay food. Expect to spend RM 4 – 15 per person here depending on what you’re having. Hygiene can be questionable at times. Foreigners will stand out definitely.

Across the road from CentrePoint side, is the Api Api Apartment. Some are under Promenade Hotel management, some are separate entities owned and rented out by respective owners as homestay. Look through the Net for offers, usually they come cheap and comfortable as the apartments are usually equipped with bathroom, simple kitchen amnesties, some are air – conditioned. Below are various eateries of local food and international cuisines.

If you cross the road opposite of the CentrePoint, you will find the Asia City complex area. Nothing much, but it comes to life during the Ramadhan month as food bazaar will be set up. Around there is the evening food stalls that serve cheap Chinese food.

If you choose to stay at Promenade Hotel (price starts at RM200 ++), you will have yourself in a very convenient location indeed. The hotel itself is a good bargain, the Continental breakfast needs 2 days for you to sample if not all, most of the food. Rooms are comfortable and spacious. Most of the places described above are within walking distance. Marina Court next door is a service apartment cum hotel under the Promenade Hotel management, suitable for family trips, but no breakfast provided which should not pose a problem since many eateries are around. Across the two is Anjung Senja where locals and tourists alike hang out enjoying the sea breeze and good food ranging from cheap local stuffs to pricey international cuisine.

If you want to head out for a day – trip to Labuan (duty free shopping, town exploration by foot) or explore and snorkel around the islands (Sapi, Manukan), head to the Jesselton Jetty by cab and take a boat ride. At the jetty you can find the Restoran Nasi Padang serving tasty Indonesian cuisine for lunch / dinner and some local eateries to snack. Sundry shops are around if you need some emergency basic stuffs.