5 days in Kota Kinabalu

Wonderful, fun and cheap holidays in Kota Kinabalu (7.11.09 -11.7.09)

Wonderful and fun because we went to all the must see places in and around KK. Cheap because we booked the flight Air Asia and the Tune hotels early. I organized the tour for family members and we got a cheaper rate as it was the non peak season. Moreover I was the guide and read up a lot on the places in KK. We just booked the van with the driver and we told the driver where we were going. Moreover we get cheap rates (entrance fees) for retirees. The visit to the Lokkawi Wildlife Park was free for those 60years and above and the museum was free for retirees.
Day 1 -City Tour
We arrived in KK airport at 1.30 pm. We then checked in the Tune Hotel. At 2.30 pm we had our lunch at 1 Borneo (next to Tune Hotel). Then we adjourned for the city tour to the Museum,Chinese Temple, Signal Hill,Atkinson Clock Tower,City Mosque, State Mosque and the Sabah Foundation.
At night we went to the Filipino market to see a variety of things being sold from dried seafood to fresh seafood. Barbequed prawns, squids, fish being the order of the day. All sorts of fish were being sold with yelling of 1 ringgit, 2 ringgit all along the seafront.
Later we saw Ocean Seafood Village and went there for dinner. We ordered the seafood direct from the aquarium. We ordered special mantis shrimp (a kati for RM90), steamed groupa, chillies fried elephant trunk clams and 2 dishes of Sabah vegetables. The salted baked mantis shrimp was out of this world as they were fresh and with roes in the centre. The elephant trunk clam was stir-fried with onions and chillies. The fish was steamed and the vegetables fried with belacan . Total cost is around RM308 for 8 persons. The food was delicious and worth the price. We phoned Suppian (driver) and he picked us up and sent us back to the hotel

Day 2 - Kinabalu Park, Poring Hot Spring, Kundasang
We were picked up at 7.30 am and adjourned to KK Park. It was a long journey and most of them wanted breakfast. So we stopped at Nabalu for our breakfast and photostop. I ordered mee soto. The others hesitated seeing that the cafe doesn't look inviting. Lo and behold after the first sip everybody ordered a bowl each and it was the best mee soto I have ever tasted. It was piping hot, the soup was clear and tasty. Cut cucumbers added crunchiness to the beehoon. Everybody praised the mee soto. We bought some groundnuts and asked the lady to cut the pineapples for us. We took some beautiful photos of Mount Kinabalu.
We then continue our journey to Kinabalu Park, The Botanical Garden is an excellent showcase of diverse plants. Many of the plants are not only lovely to look upon but have medicinal value such as the medilla which is used for constipation.
We learned a lot from our guide Lina who explained and named the different types of orchids.The slipper orchid, the smallest orchid, the tongue orchid, the Monkey cup etc,etc.
After the walk we went to Poring for the Canopy walk and the hot spring. On the way to Poring we stopped at Kundasang to buy some fruits. On one side to the road the farmers sell fruits and vegetables on the other side. We bought the red pisang monyet, lemak manis, salak and papaya. What caught our attention are the huge spring onions (as long as my arms). Most of the vegetables are much the same as in Cameron highlands.
At Poring we hiked up about 200 meters to the canopy walk and later to the hotspring.
We had lunch outside Poring. Curry assam fish, venison fried with chillies, chicken and vegetables served hot from the restaurant. After the late lunch, it took 2 hours to be back in KK.
Shopping time at 1 Borneo for the famous Tenom coffee and later dinner at Seremban Seafood Village opposite 1Borneo. The food was not that good and quite expensive.

Day 3 - Monsopiad Cultural Villlage, Lokkawi Wildlife Park and Klias River Safari (Proboscis monkeys and fireflies at night)
It was indeed a hectic day and we left the place early in the morning at 7.30 am to Donggongan pasar minggu. We had our breakfast of wantan and kueyteow. The pasar minggu was very interesting selling all sorts of traditional wares and food. Tenom coffee, yeast, tapioco, traditional gongs etc were being sold. Musicians playing traditional music , hawkers selling their wares like the red flesh Tenom durian seedlings, dried sea food etc
It took more than an hour to reach the Monsopiad Cultural Village. It is a historical site and a place for the dissemination of information of the Kadazan . We were given the welcome drink of rice wine and the guide took us to the House of skulls and the Bobohizan (bomoh). Traditional games played by the people are on display like using the catapult etc. Later we were treated to a show of traditional dances and guests were invited to dance with them.
From here to the Lokkawi Wildlife Park took about half an hour. It is like a zoo with the probocis monkey, tailess borneon gibbon, tigers etc and a bird park.

We took our lunch halfway at Bongawan. A small pekan with a market place. We then adjourned to Sg Klias which took nearly 2 hours to reach the riverside.Here we took a small boat to a bigger boat. Tea was served with the traditional kueh and coffee/tea. We were given a line to try our luck fishing for lobster. Unfortunately it was raining and we stopped fishing. We managed to see probocis monkey along the river swing from tree to tree. We had dinner on the cruise. The dinner consist of crabs, fish, meat, vegetables and dessert buffet style. Late at night at around 7.30 pm the boat turned back and we could see fireflies on the trees. We saw some fireflies flying in the boat.
Back to the hotel at 10.00pm

Day 4- Tunku Abdul Rahman Park , Manukan and Sapi Island

Took a boat to Sapi Island. Had our breakfast there. I went sea walking. Wonderful experience. I was taken to a platform on a boat. I was given a helmet and was helped down a ladder to the sea bed. It was indeed a wonderful experience seeing the corals and fishes swimming around you. The photographer fed the fishes with bread and all sorts of colourful fishes were there. The clown fish on the corals etc. It was indeed a sight to behold. Sea walking is actually walking on the sea bed feeding the fishes, touching the corals and witnessing real sea life .After half an hour back to Sapi Island and took another boat to Manukan Island. The water was clear and fishes everywhere. This time we went Scuba Doo that is riding a motorbike underwater without getting your head wet. Same thing as in sea walking , we saw fishes without walking on the sea bed. It is an experience of a lifetime.
Back to Jesselton Point and we had our late lunch at Ibu Nasi Padang at the jetty. We walked to town to the supermarket and again the waterfront to see more things . Took a bus to Fatt Kee Restaurant. Here we had good and very cheap food. The food was beyond our expectations and everybody was very happy indeed.
Back to hotel and more shopping at the supermarket for Tenom coffee.

Day 5 - Back home
Woke up early to catch the early and only flight to Penang. Some bought fresh fish from the airport. Back home with sweet memories.