 Where to shop in Kota Kinabalu
Most traders is shopping centres accept major credit cards
Wisma Merdeka
Located: Jl. Hali Saman, next to Hyatt Hotel
Open: 10:00am – 9:00pm
Shuttle Buses for resort guests, operate from Most Hotels to downtown area every hour. Check for departure and return times before you leave your hotel
Local Taxis are cheap and a good alternative for getting back if you wish to return independently.
Ground floor:
Top Lazer best range of copy DVDs Ask or DVD 9, double laminated copies which sell for 15 – 18myr.
Range of handicraft stores stocking Borneo handicraft including woven tablecloths.
Lots of shoe shops with ladies sandals staring from around 20myr.
Girl’s Shop and Cindy’s are 2 outlets with a very cheap cute range of hair accessories for the youngies starting from 2myr. Lots of trendy Barbie Items for the Barbie followers at a fraction of Aussie prices.
Gold / Gems / Diamonds Top Quality Pearls
Money Changers can be found on ground floor
Body Shop and Watson’s, stocking the usual ranges.
Coffee Bean serve good coffee and selection of Cakes and offer internet connection 10myr
Bits and Bites, also located on the ground floor serve an excellent range of local cakes and delicacies
1st floor:
Tong’s Dept Store offer a good range of clothing at value prices including Diesel and Camel Active brands.
This level has all the ladies boutiques and handbag shops that offer a good range of beaded and leather handbags at bargain prices.
Several massage shops are located on level one offering 1 hour full body massage for 50 MYR, reflexology 1 hour session 25myr and a range of other treatments.
2nd Floor:
Houses the food court which is clean and cheap to eat at. Next door to the food court is Malindo, with a range of Malay/Indonesian Specialities in buffet style and it is possible to eat lunch for as little as 5 myr to 20myr.
Antiques shops with an excellent range of Asian Antiques are also located on this floor
Centre Point
Located: Lebuh Raya Pantai Baru
Open: 10:00am – 9:00pm
Ground Floor:
Lots of ladies and men’s shoe shops, huge range of ladies sandals starting from 20 myr. Ladies and men’s walking shoes are available from 30myr upwards. Men’s quality leather polo shoes good range from 150myr. There is also a great range of jeans and denim at bargain prices.
2nd / 3rd Floors:
Pacific Ngiu Keen Dept Store with good range of children, ladies and men’s clothing, Including Diesel, Bonia (quality men’s business shirt 75myr) and Camel Active ranges
4th Floor:
F.O.S. outlet, British India and Designer Brand shops all with a smaller range than Kuala Lumpur but nevertheless a pleasing array for the tourist to choose from
Vinci Ladies Shoes with Matching Handbags are on this floor
Body Shop stocking all the usual goodies Japanese Dream food, excellent range of dishes, and one person will eat for between 25 – 30myr
KK Diamond Centre, offer a great selection of diamonds, precious stones set in gold at reasonable prices
 Wawasan Plaza
Located: Lebuh Raya Pantai Baru
Open: 10:00am – 9:00pm
1st floor:
Dept Store Parkinson Grand offering good range of men’s, ladies and children clothing and shoes.
Lots of small stores cheapest place to buy souvenir T – shirts starting from 18myr
Tops Supermarket is part of this complex and good place to go grocery shopping for odds and ends. Sabah Tea and Coffee are both excellent Sabah products and are packaged suitably to bring home to Australia
Complex Karamunsing
Open: 10:00am – 9:00pm
Ground Floor:
Vinci Ladies and Men’s Shoes
Good range of ladies’ handbags are on this floor
Watson’s Department Store – you can always rely on purchasing one or two items here. This complex is home to the best range of Electronic and computer equipment available for sale in KK
Gaya Street Sunday Markets
Open: Early till midday
Don’t forget to try your bartering skills, when you visit the market!
Every Sunday morning, Gaya Street is closed to traffic for the Gaya Street Fair. Everything from fruit and vegetables, fish, cut flowers and plants, puppies, rabbits, books, clothes and toys, souvenirs, handicraft, antiques, home made cakes, Tenom coffee and traditional medicine can be purchased.
For the tourist there is the usual range of “genuine imitation” handbags at value prices. When you’ve finished browsing, you’ll find a group of blind masseurs, who have set up sidewalk practice offering a half hour foot massage for less than 20myr for those tired feet.
After this, I recommend you step back in time to an old English Raj atmosphere and make your way to Jesselton Hotel at 69 Gaya Street to have lunch in The Wishbone Café. Notable early dignitaries who stayed at the hotel included Lady Mountbatten and in recent years Jesselton has been recognised as one of Malaysia’s leading boutique hotels. Lunch will cost between 20 to 30myr, the food is excellent and the menu includes local delicacies and great fish and chips for those looking to an alternative to local cuisine.
The Jesselton has the best steak in KK at The Gardenia Grill Room Restaurant. For bookings ring 223333
Handicraft Market
Located: Jl. Tun Fuad Stephen
Open: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Located on the seafront downtown KK, this centre offers exceptional value for any looking for pearls and other local handicraft. Pearls can be purchased as a bracelet starting from as low as 3myr. The average string of pearls in white, cream, champagne, navy or black can be bought for 60 to 100myr, and matching pierced earrings start from around 10myr. There are both Freshwater and Saltwater pearls available.
Crystal bracelets start from around 10myr in a range of sizes and colours. Table Runners and place mats from 10myr upwards in a range of dark earthy colours. These are good buying for presents to take home. Tablecloths come in a range of sizes starting from 40myr upwards.
Don’t forget to barter here!
Eating and Drinking
Local beer includes Anchor, Tiger and Carlsberg and there is a large range of Dutch beer, which can be purchased for 10myr for 3 cans. So that’s about a buck a beer.
From 6:00pm, Jl Tun Fuad Stephen on the waterfront boasts the Sunset Café / Bar where you can purchase a jug of beer for 10myr. Local food is good and inexpensive here.
Situated on the opposite corner, at the Hyatt is a Shenanigan’s Terrace, again with happy hour prices similar to Sunset Café, and later in the night local bands entertain with disco music. This bar has just been refurbished to include an outdoor terrace and opens its doors to thirsty partons between 5.00pm to 1.00am Sunday through to Thursday and 5:00pm to 2:00am Friday and Saturdays. From here is one of the perfect downtown spots to see the fabulous Sabah Sunset, so order a drink and stay a while. Cheers!
Adjoining this is Mosaic, a new cool café, 10:00am to 12:00 midnight, a great choice for pastries, gourmet sandwiches, salads, pasta and finger food.
 The Hyatt also has the best Japanese restaurant, Nagisa (phone 221234 for reservations) and a good Chinese restaurant for Dim Sum. I also recommend you try the soft shell crab and prawns with mango mayonnaise while there just so yummy! There is a great delicatessen in the foyer area that specialise in cakes, cookies and make their own local chocolates.Yum!
Further down Jl Tun Faud Stephen toward the Fillipino Market is Nanya Kitchen, a good place to eat Malay/Chinese at night. Average cost 30myr for 3 or 4 dishes.
Next to Fillipino Market is Borneo Traders, a good place to browse for local handicraft – well worth a look for antiques particularly from local shipwrecks.
The Beach Club adjoins, boasting disco, live bands from 5:00pm happy hour drinks and music till 1pm on weekdays and 2:00pm on weekends
Suggested Local Tours
CITY ORIENTATION: A city tour is always a smart move when you arrive in a new destination, For a mere 64myr (around AU$20), I recommend this tour operated by David of Diethelm Borneo Expeditions and you can ring him on 266 353 www.diethelm-travel.com.my Drive by major landmarks such as the highest building, the Sabah Foundation, Chinese Buddhist Temple, Blue Mosque, Signal Hill for a bird’s eye view of the city and surrounding islands. Spend some time at the State museum visiting the galleries on History, Natural history, Ceramics and ethnography. Note: Museum is closed on Fridays. As a replacement, we will bring you to a “tamu” which is a weekly market affair where natives from the interior would gather to catch up on the latest gossip. Learn about their lifestyle from their produce.
Day trips to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park leave every day from the harbours at Shangri La Tanjung Aru and Sutera Harbour. These trips include lunch and the snorkelling is exceptional. A few weeks ago I was there and had large parrotfish around my feet in less than 3’ of water. The deeper you go the better it gets. Little Italy (phone 272 278) were running these trips from Sutera Harbour for 95myr, Great value – less than AU$30. Departure times 9:30am, 10:30am and 3:00pm, returning 2:30pm and 4:30pm
Touchdown Holidays operate a range of luxury craft for all types of excursion; their office is in the lower level at Pacific Wing, Sutera Harbour. Phone 249 276, website www.touchdownluxuryyachts.com
North Borneo Railway – all aboard for a great addition to your holiday every Wednesday and Saturday leaving KK 9:30am for a round trip to Papar Town. Lunch, served in Tiffin Boxes is included on the return journey. Passengers are given passports, which are stamped along the way. The train is a restored British Vulcan steam engine, with capacity for 180 guests. Drinks served on board include Carlsberg beer 12myr or a range of soft drinks and juices 4.50myr. Wine can be purchased by the glass or bottle. Phone 263 933 website www.northborneorailway.com.my
Klias River – Madeline at Borneo Passages runs a great afternoon excursion from KK daily. The tour leaves midafternoon, on arrival, board a river boat to see Proboscis Monkeys, Buffaloes, iguanas and much more. The treat is at the end of the tour when darkness descends and you are taken to see the brilliant fireflies. Absolutely spectacular! The tour concludes with a local Malay dinner before you return to Kota Kinabalu. Phone 250 728 website www.borneopassages.com
 Sandakan – A holiday in Sabah is not complete without either a day or overnight trip to ‘The East Coast’ to see the swinging adventures of the Orang-Utan ‘The Wild Man of Borneo’. For day-trippers I recommend you fly on the first MH service of the day. Once you arrive you will be taken to Sepilok where you will learn more about the Orang Utan before going to the feeding platform around 10am. For those interested there is even the chance to adopt an Orang-Utan at the centre for 25 GBP www.orangutan-appeal.org
The tour continues to the Chinese Temple high on a hill overlooking Sandakan, Agnes Keith’s house a great restored example of pre-World War II daily life followed by great lunch at the English Tea House www.englishteahouse.org.
The Tea House has an interesting selection of gifts and local craft, well worth a browse. Your final stop in Sandakan will be at the Australian War Memorial, a very simple, moving memorial dedicated to 2700 Australian and British prisoners of war who paid the ultimate sacrifice in World War II.
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