My KK Journey: Sand and the City

I flew over 2 and a half hours from Kuala Lumpur to the capital of the east most state of Malaysia- Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. Sabah is known as the 'Land below the wind'- in the past, seafarers described lands south of the typhoon belt as such, and shapes like the head of a dog at the Borneo island. Kota Kinabalu, popularly abbreviated to KK, previously known as Jesselton and was called Deasoka, Singgah Mata, Api Api and Gaya Bay, lies on the west portion of the state. Blessed with richness in nature and diversified in culture, i was anticipating myself to blend in with the greens and blues, and the many shades of colours, in this travel- what more with KK being the gateway to one of my life goals.

Xplorer Backpackers
This backpacker is easy to find. It is strategically located in Gaya Street. The back door is used to enter. Since we arrived KK past midnight, our taxi transport was RM 45. We checked in and here would be our rest place for the next three nights. The rooms were clean and the place was cozy. However, i was rather disappointed with the toilets (no sprinklers, no hooks) and the thin mattress. I was also surprised that there was no individual socket next to our beds; we had to share sockets or use those outside. The place has a small balcony with Wi-Fi, is near the kitchen which serves breakfast and has water dispenser for free refills (a personal 'must'). What i liked most of this place is the hospitality of the people. They were friendly and helpful when asked for directions. Price was RM 25 per bed per night for air-con dormitory.


Back entrance to the Backpackers.

For more details, visit their website.

Kedai Kopi Melanian
Our gastronomic experience began with the famous 'Sang Yuk' Pork Noodle for breakfast. We left the hostel and found this eatery not too far away. It got crowded as we were having our hearty bowl of noodles.
 
I had dry noodles so i can slowly savour this bowl of meat, vegetable and soup (RM 6.50). Since i don't take the 'insides', i ordered only pork meat. They were thinly sliced and the meat was soft. The dry noodles tasted good too.

The last time i was in KK, i didn't like this local food. This time, i had a satisfying meal.

Jesselton Point
After breakfast, we walked almost 10 minutes eastward to the jetty. We went to Counter 8 (Aparu Holiday) as we had discount vouchers given by the Backpackers. I paid RM 23 for two islands, RM 15 for snorkeling gears and RM 7.30 for miscellaneous fees. We paid a one-time RM 3 later on the island for conservation fee. Excited, we collected our gears and headed to find our boat.

Sapi Island
One of the smaller islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, this island is said to be the prettiest among all. I saw schools of fishes surrounding the legs of the wooden jetty as i disembarked from the boat. It was bright and sunny, an ideal day for the beach. We found ourselves a shady bench to keep our items. The sand was white and fine, and the water was clear. There were reefs around, though not as colourful as i thought, that were home to the marine creatures. There was a type of fish that bit snorkelers- it bit me on my leg then my toes, and i learned that it was because we were invading their homes that they were just protecting it. When i dived and saw that fish coming close, i knew i had to swim out. I also accidentally stepped on a fish that camouflages itself on the sea bed, covered with sand. The next time i wanted to show my friend, i couldn't find it- it had disguised itself all too well. At the other end of the island, there were rocks which make for good photography. Since we were visiting two islands, we had a few hours on this island before the boat brought us to the next island.

 Breezy at the jetty: the Sabah and Malaysia flags proudly waved.

Monitor lizards greet visitors at the side of the island- this one posing for the camera. At first, i thought they were fenced but they can actually come out.


 Kids creatively playing with the sand.

This sign just had to be there. Stingers.

The trio.

 White sandy beach meets crystal clear water.

Manukan Island
The larger of the islands in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Upon our arrival, we had lunch and rested before returning into the waters.

A plate of rice, egg and drumstick for lunch (RM 7.50). We should have prepared sandwiches and had picnic there instead.

Here, the reefs and fishes were less until i swam further out (but within the buoys). I saw colourful fishes and clown fish 'Nemo'. I wished i had a waterproof or underwater camera to shoot photographs in the water- i envied a lady who had one and snapped photographs of the fishes. Despite the clear water, i was unhappy to see the amount of rubbish in the water. I hope the authority and the community can work together to clean up to further preserve and conserve this beautiful park.

Though i won't say this snorkeling experience was the best i had, just being able to swim with the fishes (yes, i actually followed some of the fishes until i lose them in the crowd) was a unique, not-your-everyday experience.

The difference in colour in the water shows the presences of little fishes surrounding the boat.

 Splendid sight of blue and green.

 One more shot just before leaving the island.

Jesselton Point at Dusk
Interesting photography as we returned from the island.



Suria Shopping Complex
We met our local friends here before going back to our Backpackers. It is a nice shopping complex with cinema; i think it is one of the more modern shopping complexes in the city. We were there on a weekday so there wasn't many people.

Kam Kee Bak Kut Teh
We unintentionally entered this eatery. We wanted to go to the most popular bak kut teh restaurant but got mixed up and i forgot the name of that shop, so we came here- hey, that's adventure isn't it? Having said that, it was not a bad experience; dinner was okay and this summed up a porky day.

We ordered two different types of soups: original and herbal (RM 9 each). I preferred the herbal because of the flavours and aroma of the herbs but my friends liked the original more. The original had more porky aroma so if you like the smell of pork, this should appeal more to you. Ate with rice, 'yau char kuay' and 'tau fu pok'. 

 Friendly people to welcome us in. We walked around the city at night for a while before heading back to our Backpackers for the night.

Kedai Kopi Yee Fung
We began our city tour the next day with breakfast at Kedai Kopi Yee Fung. Recommended by several websites for their three main dishes, i had the Yee Fung Laksa.

Striking board which faces the main road makes this eatery easy to find.

 Yee Fung Laksa (RM 5.50). Similar in taste to the Sarawak Laksa, the soup here has a powdery texture. Squeezing the lime added flavour to the soup. Good breakfast.

Chicken claypot rice- another favourite of the shop.
 
 Bubbles overflowing in this layered Teh Maderas Ping (RM 2.50). Mix well. Breakfast was complete.

Atkinson Clock Tower
Across the road from the shop is one of the landmarks of KK city. This two-faced clock tower was originally built in memory of Jesselton's first district officer, Francis George Atkinson who died of 'Borneo' fever at a young age.


Adjusted my time to the clock tower.

Signal Hill Observatory Deck
About 15 minutes walk from the Atkinson Clock Tower lies this Observatory Deck which gives a good view of the city.


From the top.

Waterfront
We descended the Signal Hill following a trail and continued walking towards the waterfront. Here, we met the waters again and strolled along the waterfront.

A blue photograph.

One of the more prominent roundabouts with a fish statue at the center.


Bus Station Wawasan
About 20 minutes of walking, we arrived at the bus station opposite Wawasan Plaza and hopped on the public bus to Inanam, our next destination. Price was RM 1.50. Since there was nothing much to do in KK city, we decided to venture out to one of its nearby towns. Taking the public transport was truly an experience, trying to blend in like the locals. It was rather convenient. The bus was not air-conditioned and ventilation was from open windows only. At times, especially when the bus was stationary, it became hot and stuffy. Our chairs were not intact, meaning that when the bus braked, the chair lurched slightly forward. We had to be careful. As i said, this was an experience and if you are not up to the challenge, pay more (much more) for a private taxi.

Note that there are city buses which takes you within the city area which are air-conditioned. We did not use those, instead, we walked.

View of the public bus.


Puh Toh Tze Temple, Inanam
I told the bus driver that we were going to the temple and he stopped us by the roadside right outside the temple approximately 20 minutes later. This temple is the first and largest Buddhist temple in Sabah, and is a popular place of worship for Buddhist in Kota Kinabalu. A pretty but small temple to visit.

A tall statue greeting visitors near the entrance.

Taken outside another hall which houses the reclining Buddha.

Restoran Kin Hwa, Inanam
Using the GPS, we walked on foot for almost 20 minutes towards Inanam town under the scorching heat for lunch. The weather could be so teasing, after lunch, it became gloomy and it started to drizzle.


Located near the bus station in a shoplot area.

Popular for its duck, we were unlucky to arrive late- only one of us had the last order of duck. Having said that, i tried a piece of his and it tasted good- no wonder they were sold out by 1.30pm. Instead, i ordered chicken and 'char siew' (RM 6.50) which were good too. I especially liked the sweet and salty sauce when mixed with rice or the meat. Lunch was good.


Tuaran Mee Restoran, Inanam
Second round of lunch was just across the road, almost at the end of the street, at this restaurant:

Tuaran Mee Restoran serving, er, Tuaran Mee. There are other dishes served too but the famous one is the Tuaran Mee. What is Tuaran Mee? I did not taste or hear about it before but after my first try, i enjoyed it.

Layered teh to quench the thirst.

The highlight- Tuaran Mee Normal (RM 6). It tasted familiar yet distinct at the same time. The texture of the noodle was similar to Yee Mee, slightly hard at the center. The noodles were coated in a somewhat egg-y gravy. Unique flavours and if i have not had my lunch, i would have an entire plate of this. Recommended.


Wawasan Plaza
To return to KK city, we crossed the main road and waited for the public transport to KK city in front of the F&N factory. This time, we took the public van, also RM 1.50, which was slightly better than the bus but still with open windows and not air-conditioned. We arrived in KK city and stopped by the Wawasan Plaza.


One of those fruit stalls selling this packet of fruit and my friend bought it. We are never buying this again. Coated with salt, it has a very peculiar taste and texture.

Tanjung Aru
We returned to our Backpackers to wash up and waited for my local friend to bring us to the well-known Tanjung Aru beach.

We were there by sunset. We strolled along the beach; the breeze caught in our hair. I came here once in the day and it was like any ordinary beach then. By dusk, the place sprung to life with the sun setting at the horizon. Music played from the nearby shops.

Children getting their last dip of seawater before the night falls. After enjoying the sunset, we went for dinner at the food court.

Avocado drink was delicious, though a bit pricey. Milky and filling, good to share.

Grilled sting ray in chili sauce was tasty (RM 35). The meat was fresh and juicy. Worth the order and best taken when it is still hot.

My dinner of Fried Kuay Teow (RM 7). I was disappointed with this as the shop boasted this to be its bestseller and there was a crowd at this shop.

On our way back to the Backpackers, we stopped by and visited Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa. It is a luxurious resort and how i wished i could spend a night here.

Here ends the first part of my three-part 'My KK Journey' series. I had a fun time snorkeling (though it wasn't the best or my favourite), trying out some of the local dishes, sight seeing around KK (i noticed that there are many shopping malls in KK city), experiencing the public transport service and romancing with the sunset at the beach.

My KK Journey: Sand and the City
My KK Journey: Paths of Glory
My KK Journey: 'Terbalik' and the Next Stop

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