Things to do in Kota Kinabalu – A Guide To Sabah Borneo

Planning on visiting Kota Kinabalu? Our guide to Things To Do In Kota Kinabalu has got you covered.

Did you know that Borneo is split into 3 different countries? No, neither did we. Lucky for you, you’ve got us and our amazing blog to help you plan your trip to Borneo😏 Getting back to the facts, Borneo is divided up into 3 different countries which are Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

The easiest way to explain it is like this, Borneo= England, Malaysia= Wales, Brunei=Scotland, Indonesia= Ireland, kinda! 🤷🏼

In the North on the Malaysian side of Borneo is where you will find Sabah. The largest city in Sabah is Kota Kinabalu. Further south on the West coast you will find the sovereign state of Brunei. To the South you have the area of Sarawak with the largest city being Kuching. Around 73% of Borneo is Indonesian, and each country is clearly seen on the map of Borneo below.

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*This post might contain our affiliate links. This is at no extra cost to you, but you would be doing us a solid if you did use them. It shows us your appreciation after we have written this amazing travel guide for you 😏*

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Jump to 

🚌Getting to Borneo 

✈️Kota Kinabalu Airport

🚗The Best ways to travel around Borneo 

🏨Where to stay in Kota Kinabalu 

🚣‍♂️Things to do

🏝️Other Islands in the area

⛰️Mount Kinabalu

🚕Getting from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan

🚗Sandakan to Sepilok

🏨Accommodation in Sandakan

🐵​Sepilok

FAQ’S about Borneo 

Getting to Borneo 🚌

There are several ways to reach the Malaysian side of Borneo. The easiest route is the one we took which was a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu. It only takes 2 hours and is very cheap for an internal flight. We flew with Air Asia which cost us £40 for a return flight.

 

Kota Kinabalu Airport ✈️

To get from Kota Kinabalu airport to the city is easy. It is only a short 10-minute drive to the city centre from the airport. When we arrived, we used the Grab App to get a taxi to take us to our accommodation. Grab is a lot cheaper than using a metered taxi outside the airport. In order to use the Grab App you will need data and a local number. At the airport we purchased a Sim card with a data only plan for $7, from a small shop located at the exit doors of the airport.

The best way to travel around Borneo 🚗 

🚗 Car Rental Kota Kinabalu Airport – One of the most popular options is to rent a car from one of the shops inside the airport. You have two companies to choose from Hertz or Europcar which are both similar in price.

The best thing about renting a car is you have total flexibility with your plans and with the cost of fuel being so low, it works out to be very cost effective. Unknown to us, Borneo is a huge island (the third largest in the world!) with lots of ground to cover. If you are planning to travel all around Sabah, we would recommend making sure you have scheduled in a few days for travelling.

🚌 Bus – Your next option is to take the bus. This is the cheapest way to travel around Borneo, although the slowest. If you are looking to take the bus from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan it is a 7-hour trip which will cost you $14. The bus departs from the Kota Kinablua North terminal.

You can find the departure times here.

Things To Do In Kota Kinabalu

Where to stay in Kota Kinabalu 🏨

The Nexus Resort and Spa 

Luxury 🤑🤑🤑 

 We were fortunate enough to be able to stay at this amazing hotel. From perfect beaches to an award winning spa this hotel has it all.

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We have written a blog post about our time at this resort click below to read more

The Nexus Resort and Spa Blog

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Sabah Oriental Hotel 

Budget 🤑🤑 

 This 4 star hotel is great value for your money. It is located a short walk away from the ocean and on the edge of the city centre.

 

Sky Pod Hostel Kota Kinabalu 

Backpacker 🤑

 If you are on a budget, then this is the perfect place to stay for a night or two. It is close to the airport and has great reviews.

Get the cheapest rates in Kota Kinabalu here

Things To Do In Kota Kinabalu

When it comes to tours in Kota Kinabalu there are a few companies to choose from. If you are staying with a hotel, they normally will recommend a tour company that they are affiliated with. Whilst staying at The Nexus Resort we decided to do the river kayaking which we highly recommend.

River Kayak 🚣‍♂️

This tour gave us an amazing insight into Borneo’s Fauna and Flora. The tour lasted around three hours and we would highly recommend it.

We took a car from our hotel and met our tour guide along the river bank where his boat was waiting for us. We booked the tour through The Nexus Resort, and we were the only ones on the tour which was amazing.

Firstly, we set some crab traps on the river bed and would return later to see if we had caught any. We then hoped into our kayaks and our guide took us along the river into the mangroves searching for wildlife, monkeys and crocodiles. We learnt about the different types of mangroves and how they play a crucial part in Borneo’s Eco System. After an hour of kayaking we returned to our traps where we had caught a small sand crab.

Tip↠  If you book this tour make sure you remember to wear lots of sun cream or long clothing as you burn quickly out on the river as we got to experience!!

Fireflies

The Firefly experience is much like the river kayaking but in the evening. You will be taken to the river where you can watch the sunset over the river and explore the mangroves. Deep inside the river network you will locate the certain mangroves that the fly flies love and you can watch the sky come alive.

If your hotel does not offer this tour then the Amazing Borneo Tour company has very good reviews. They offer an 8 hour tour which includes sunset cruise, fireflies and spotting wild proboscis monkeys. Amazing Borneo Tours

Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu 🕌

The mosque is located on the edge of the ocean and has a large pool of water surrounding it. This means on a clear day when the water is still the reflections are crazy and you can get epic shots like this one.

You can enter the mosque but only with a guide. At the entrance there is a kiosk where you can borrow clothes if you are not dressed appropriately.

📍Location 

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We wrote a blog post about our favourite mosque in Kuala Lumpur – The Federal Territory Mosque

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Islands Near Kota Kinabalu 🏝️ 

Manukan Island and Gaya Island are very close to each other and a short boat ride from Kota Kinabalu. Although we did not get to visit either island (gutted), we wanted to include a sentence or two about each one.

Manukan island 🏝️ 

The second largest island out of the five islands that make up Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. Only a short boat ride away from Kota Kinabalu it is a great place to dive and snorkel. The best beaches can be found on the far easterly tip of the island.

📍Location

Gaya Island 🏝️ 

This island is the largest and closest to Kota Kinablua. A 10-minute boat ride or a brisk swim if you are strong enough (we don’t recommend swimming!). The island has two 5-star resort on it and a number of great hiking trails.

If you are looking to visit these islands a lot of the accommodations provide boat transfers to and from the islands. Alternatively, several local tour companies run day trips to the islands.

📍Location

Accommodation on Manukan Island

Sutera Sanctuary Lodges 🤑🤑

Sutera Sanctuary Lodges is an integration of tranquil retreats, that brings you lodgings and food & beverage services amidst Sabah’s most amazing natural sites.

Accommodation on Gaya Island

Bunga Raya Island Resort 🤑🤑

Unwind in tropical paradise at Bungaraya Island Resort, a luxury getaway perched on the hillsides of Polish Bay on Gaya Island off the coast of Sabah, Malaysia Borneo. Cocooned in pristine rain forest, this award-winning, secluded resort features 48 timber villas in traditional Bornean architecture overlooking a beautiful, white-sand beach.

Things To Do In Kota Kinabalu – Mount Kinabalu⛰️

This is something we really wanted to do, but due to time restraints we were unable to complete the hike. However, one of our good friends did and from what she has told us it is definitely up there with one of the top things to do in Borneo.

A few facts about Mount Kinabalu

↠The height of Mount Kinabalu is 4,095 metres (13,435 ft) above sea level, the summit is known as Low’s Peak.

↠ Like most mountains the weather can change at any moment and varies depending on your elevation. However, the best times of the year to hike the mountain are between February and April.

↠ There are two summit trails, Ranau Trail and Kota Belud Trail. These trail routes are from Panalaban area to the Summit.

In order to climb Mountains Kinabalu you will need a permit. As there are only 185 climb permits per day issued by Sabah Parks, we recommend interested climbers to book early to avoid disappointment. Additionally you cannot hike to the summit alone, you have to be with a guide at all times.

You need to allow two days for the hike as you will spend the night in a cabin on the mountain. This allows you to leave nice and early to catch the sunrise over Borneo.

The cost of the climb through different tour companies are all roughly the same price with an average of $300

You have a few companies to choose from, but the official Mount Kinabalu website has all the up to date information and prices.

Getting from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan 🚕 

When planning our travel routes, we regularly use the free app Rome2Rio. This app searches the internet to find you all the possible routes via every sort of transport available.

✈️ Flying from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan – A quick 50 minute flight and the easiest way to travel, a flight can cost anywhere between $20-$90 one way without check in luggage.

🚌 Bus from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan – The longest way to travel but the cheapest. The bus takes 7 hours and leaves from the Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal Inanam. A ticket is $14 per person one way.

🚗 Drive from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan – Definitely the more exciting way to travel and cost effective if there are a few of you. It is a 4 hour drive and fuel will cost you around $20 one way.

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See what’s in our camera bag here

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Sandakan to Sepilok

When we arrived at Sandakan airport we opted to use Grab (the Asian version of Uber). For us this was the quickest and cheapest way to get to Sepilok from Sandakan, the drive was 20 minutes long and cost us $6.

Sandakan

If you are looking to explore the Borneo Rainforest or the tropical blue oceans, then Sandakan is the gateway to these paradises. Many people book tours whilst they are in Sandakan and use the town as a base. There are lots of different tour operators, but they can often become very expensive.

We chose to do as many of the activities we could on our own, but there are some you will have to take a tour to reach.

Turtle Island🐢

When visiting Turtle Island you have two options of types of tours. Both give you the same experience, however one works out a lot cheaper. Both allow you to access the island and spend a night there, along with releasing baby turtles back to the ocean. Peak baby turtles season is June to October. If this is something you have always wanted to do then continue reading as you have two options.

Option 1 is go with a well known tour company such as Amazing Borneo. By far one of the best companies in Borneo (not sponsored or affiliated). These guys from start to finish will look after you and provide everything you need for your trip. As everything is included as you can imagine the price isn’t going to be cheap. The total cost of the tour is £220 Per Person and this is what you get for that price.

Included – All Entrance Fees, Land Transportation (Seat-In-Coach), Return Boat Transfer, English Speaking Guide, 1 Night Accommodation, Turtle Island Conservation Fee,1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Excluded – Camera and Video Fees, Personal Expenses, Alcoholic & Carbonated Drinks

Option 2 is booking direct with the operators of Turtle Island. The company is called Crystal Quest. You are basically missing out the middle man and therefore will save yourself around £80 Per Person for the same tour. The only downside with booking direct with Crystal Quest is they only have a limited amount of space on the island. There can be a long waiting list to get on. However, if you are organised and contact them well in advance, you can save yourself a lot of money.

 

River Tour🐘

This is where you get to see an array of animals in their natural habitats, from Pygmy Elephants to Wild Orang-utans. Usually these tours are 3 days 2 nights with accommodation and food included. Think of it as a boat safari and coming back on land to sleep and eat.

These tours can work out quite expensive, all though they are great value for money. If you are on a tight budget then we recommend you read our blog post below on how to see wild Orang-utans on a budget.

Accommodation in Sandakan 🏨 

The Four Points by Sheraton Sandakan 

Luxury 🤑🤑

By far one of the best hotels in Sandakan and although we would class it as luxury it isn’t that expensive.  We highly recommend staying here due to its amazing location and infinity pool. Get the cheapest prices here.

Harbourside Backpackers 

Budget 🤑

This place is a dorm style hostel in the centre of Sandakan. For $6 a night for a dorm room you really can’t complain.

Get the cheapest prices for Sandakan here.

Sepilok 🐵 

Orang-utans, Sun-bears and Proboscis Monkeys, these are the main reasons you will be heading to this little village on the edge of the Borneo Rain Forest. We have written a blog post which includes Accommodation, Restaurants, and a guide about how to see these amazing creatures here.

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Click here to read our guide on The Best Place To See Wild Orangutans.

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Facts and FAQ’s about Borneo

Is Borneo safe? 🆘 

In our eyes 100% YES. Like anywhere you travel to you should keep your wits about you and not get complacent. We never experienced any problems in Borneo and always felt safe. If you want to read more about what the official UK government say about travelling to Borneo, click here.

Do I need any vaccinations/injections for travelling to Borneo? 💉 

Before we went travelling we made sure all of our routine vaccinations were up to date. For the average tourist in Borneo you will not need any special vaccinations. The Travel Health website has a full breakdown of the recommended vaccinations you should have before travelling.

Where are the cheapest flights from to Borneo? ✈️

After a lot of research we worked out that Kuala Lumpur was the cheapest airport to fly in and out of Borneo, closely followed by Singapore.

When is the best time to visit Borneo? ⌛

Whilst travelling this is probably one of the top questions people ask us. Obviously it is understandable who wants to go away and get caught up in a week or two of rain. We have broken down the answer down so you can plan your trip successfully.

First is the dry season March to October, you are likely to experience smaller amounts of rain. This is the peak time, and also the best time to see orang-utans in the wild.

If you are planning on scuba diving then April to December is considered the best time, July and August generally has the best visibility, sometimes up to 40 metres. March to May is the best time to see whale sharks.

For turtles 🐢  on Lankatan Island then June to September is the best time.

Where can I see wild Orang-utans? 🐵 

Although there are a number places to see wild orang-utans in Borneo, we would highly recommend visiting the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre. Here you can see wild orang-utans and go to the centre which is located on the edge of the jungle. Just remember they are wild so there is no guarantee you will see any.

What animals can I see in Borneo? 🐘 

Apart from wild Orang-utans there is a endless list of animals to be spotted whilst travelling around Borneo. Some of the most popular animals are Sun Bears, Pygmy Elephants, Proboscis Monkeys, and a lot of bugs and birds.

Do I need a visa to visit Borneo? 🎟️ 

This obviously differs to each country. But for UK residents on arrival to Malaysia you are given a free 3-month visa. If you are planning to stay longer you can apply for an extension. For UK travellers more details can be found here.

For all other countries we recommend you check your government website to check your requirements.

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