MALAYSIA
MALAYSIAN BORNEO – SABAH •• Kota Kinabalu lonelyplanet.comBed (%088-251901; Waterfront Esplanade) Get
those bedpuns ready: the space that launched
a thousand quips is arguably the fulcrum of
KK nightlife, and it’s a rare night out that
won’t see you ending up in Bed at some point.
Bands play from 9pm, followed by DJs til
closing; it’s best with a crowd, so, as in life, the
more people you can get into Bed the more
fun you’ll have...
Cocoon (%088-211252; Jln Tun Razak Segama) In
the busy corner of town opposite the Hyatt,
Cocoon is a smart bar–restaurant that goes
all bar in the evening when the live bands
emerge. The post-gig DJs have a tendency to
talk over the records, but at least their R&B-
leaning tunes are danceable.
Hunter’s (%016 825 7085; Kinabalu Daya Hotel) A
favourite for local guides and expats, Hunter’s
offers up karaoke, sports on the plasma TV
and balmy outdoor seating in the heart of
the action.Getting There & Away
AIR
In March 2009 Jetstar (www.jetstar.com) and Tiger
Airways (www.tigerairways.com) announced a bevy
of new flights from Singapore, giving Air
Asia some serious competition when it came
to Borneo-bound flights. These days, flying
through Borneo can actually be cheaper than
taking a bus (and obviously much less of a
time suck). Malaysia Airlines (code MAS; %1300 883
000, 088-515555; http://www.malaysiaairlines.com) connects
KK to Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Brunei,
Hong Kong, KL, Pulau Labuan, Sandakan
and Miri, although it is usually much more
expensive than the budget carriers. MASwings
(www.maswings.com.my) services domestic des-
tinations like Mulu, Miri, Sandakan and
Lahad Datu.BOAT
Passenger boats connect KK to Pulau Labuan
twice daily (RM30, with onward service to
Brunei), to Tunku Abdul Rahman National
Park, and a schedule is in the works to link
the state capital to Pulau Tiga. The Tunku
Abdul Rahman Marine Park is linked to KK’s
Jesselton Pier by a 20-minute speedboat ride.
Boats run from 7.30am to 5pm and cost
RM23/13 for adults/children. A two-island
ticket is an extra RM10.BUS & MINIVAN
You need to know ahead of time where you
want to travel to because there are several
different stations around KK serving a va-
riety of out-of-town destinations. In gen-
eral, buses heading east depart from Inanam
(Utara Terminal; 9km north of the city) and
buses heading south leave from Padang
Merdeka Field Bus Station (also called
Wawasan or ‘old bus station’; at the south
end of town). Ask the staff at your ho(s)tel
to call ahead to the bus station to book your
seat in advance.TA X I
Share taxis operate from the Padang Merdeka
Field Bus Station. Several share taxis do a
daily run between KK and Ranau, passing the
entrance road to the Kinabalu National Park
office. The fare to Ranau or Kinabalu National
Park is RM20 or you can charter a taxi for
RM80 per car (note that a normal city taxi will
charge RM150 to RM200 for a charter).TRAIN
At the time of research, the North Borneo rail
line was closed and a reopening date was yet
to be confirmed.MAIN DESTINATIONS & FARES FROM KOTA KINABALU
The following bus and minivan transportation information was provided to us by the Sabah
Tourism Board and should be used as an estimate only as transportation times can fluctuate
due to weather, prices may change, and the transportation authority has been known to alter
departure points.
Destination Time (hr) Cost Terminal Departure Time
Beaufort 2 RM10 Padang Merdeka 7am-5pm (frequent)
Lahad Datu 8 RM40 Inanam 7am, 8.30am, 9am, 8pm
Mt Kinabalu NP 2 RM15 Inanam & Padang Merdeka 7am-8pm (very frequent)
Sandakan 6 RM33 Inanam 7.30am-2pm & 8pm (frequent)
Semporna 9 RM50 Inanam 7am, 8.30am, 9am, 8pm
Tawau 9 RM55 Inanam 7.30am, 2pm, 8pm496