Borneo Information
Nightlife
You can start your evening quite early in Kota Kinabalu. Why not go down to the waterfront at around 6.00 p.m., sit down and take something to drink and after a while one of mother earth greatest shows take place when the breathtaking sunset is colouring the horizont in red, gold and purple. Just to sit there at the promenade or in some of the hotel gardens and watch the sun going down is the proof of our saying
here dreams come true!. The magic feeling is strengthened by the breeze and the palm treed islands in front of you. After your soul has got what it wants, it is time for your body.
When the sun is down, it´s time for dining. There are many first class restaurants, especially in the hotels, but why not escape to some eating places that looks a little different for a westerner, but where the food is excellent.
A passion in KK is another word that starts with K; Karaoke Around the city you will find different places where you can sing in front of a big crowd or in private rooms together with friends. In most places there are a good mix of golden oldies and the latest hits. If you are not in the singing mood, there are places with live bands, in the bigger hotels every night. And if you like to stay up real late, you can get another highlight when you watch the sunrise. Not really so breathtaking as the sunset, but still an enjoyable experience.
Beaches
Tanjumg Aru - located a mere 6 km away from Kota Kinabalu, the Tanjung Aru beach is a tranquil stretch of sand that is littered with casuarina trees; hence, its name (Aru is the Malay name for Casuarinas). In the evening, the beach affords a spectacular view of the sun burning into the background, painting the sky in red. Food stalls are aplenty along with a variety of seafood restaurants.
Mantanani - is an archipelago of three quiet islands North West of Kota Belud, a mere one-hours drive away from Kota Kinabalu. While its beaches are beautiful, what attract people to the island are the diving opportunities. Indeed, there are at least three ship wrecks to explore around the island which a large array of sea creatures call home, such as seahorses, shrimps, gobies, octopuses, eels and lion fish. At present, there are about 16 dive sites identified around the island.
Shopping
Kota Kinabalu has of course major shopping malls as well as shopping areas that you find in many other Asian cities, most of them located at the main streets of the city. The five major shopping malls in Kota Kinabalu are: Centrepoint, Karamunsing Complex, KK Plaza, Wawasan Plaza and. Wisma Merdeka. They all have fixed and attractive prices. Most of the malls are open from 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
But here there are also markets that feel genuine and honest, like the urban Gaya Street Fair that starts every Sunday at 8 a.m. You will find the fair in the lower end of Gaya Street; the stalls are till offer a collection of everything you want and do not want.
In most of the towns and villages around Kota Kinabalu there is a Tamu, also known as Sunday Flea Market, where you can find all kinds of stuff from orchids, fruits, vegetables, poultry, handicrafts, traditional music instrument and much more.
A complete range of souvenirs, handicrafts and gift items are found at the big shopping complexes in Kota Kinabalu and even in the Resort's Hotel Shop. Items to look for are antiques, teak furniture, clothing brands, electrical items, rattan, basket ware, beads, mats, pottery, Sabah Tea, Tenom Coffee, birds' nest, mushrooms, tapestries and handicrafts.
