Kota Kinabalu 1-4 March 2015 (Part 1)

One week ago, flew to Sabah, Land Below the Wind. Bought the flight ticket on impulse last year in October. Then about one month before the flight, bought another two tickets for my parents. It’s just too cheap to resist. I didn’t do much research on this trip. Just looked for places to go and look for tour guide. Way too lazy to do research *LOL* Good thing I have friend who recommended a tour guide for us and I booked him for 2-day tour. If you need a tour guide in KK, pop me a message and I can introduce them to you. Managed to get in touch with a few when I was there.

We took the first flight out. Had to go to the airport at 3.30am. Once we reached there, we went to Kuo Man Restaurant (Lot 5, Jalan Tuaran, Batu 1 1/2, 88450, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah). Fish for breakfast! A restaurant with at least 30 years of experience.

Right: fish paste dry noodle.

Left: Fish meat soup with noodle.
Right: Fish paste soup with noodle.

Right: Prawn soup with noodle.

All these cost us RM40+ including drinks. I heard the noodle is home made. I have no idea of this place. I did not research on any place to eat in KK *LOL* Good thing dad’s friend picked us up and bring us here. The food was nice, could taste the freshness of the fish and prawn.

After breakfast, we went to visit Sabah Theological College (didn’t take any photo). The view that greeted us along the way. Magnificent mountain view!

After a brief visit, to Signal Hill we went. Took some photos and left to join a church service at Christ Church Likas.

Around noon, finally we check-in to our accommodation, Promenade Service Apartment (Api Api Showhouse, Jalan Coastal Off Jalan Centre Point, 88000, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 88000). Wasn’t sure where it was apparently it’s behind Promenade Hotel and Marina Court Resort. Just next door to Hong Leong Bank. The place is kind of run down.

The place needs major makeover and maintenance even though the photo I took looks all right. However, the location is very strategic. Do not expect that the apartment is only in one block or can access directly via lift from the lobby, it’s not. There’s many blocks, it’s scattered. For our unit, we had to walk a distant to our block. You’ll be sharing the entrance, corridor, walkway with tenants there but not to worry as there’s security guard stationed at each of the entrance. It was quite cheap, cost us less than RM400 for 3 nights, can sleep 4 adults, spacious enough to add extra beds. It was good enough for us even though was a bit disappointed with what we got. Well… What you pay is what you get, don’t expect too much.

After rest for a bit, my friend called me up saying that she’s going to Tanjung Aru and asked me whether I would like to go with them. Of course I agreed in an instance. I didn’t have to crack my head on where to go anymore. I was trying to figure out how to go to 1Borneo that time and the call came in time. Phew…

Since we had not had lunch, we had ours at the food court there. Full! I didn’t take any food photo ;p We had satay, corn, guava, keropok lekor, and coconut juice. Only the keropok lekor was good. All the rest was rather disappointing. You can “fool” the foreigners but you us, the Malaysians. *LOL* Even my friend, a Sabahan, agreed that the food was below standard.

We decided to pay a visit to Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru. Pretty! Wish someone is here with me… Enjoyed the sea breeze and the view. Really nice place. If I have the budget I would stay here, only in my dream hahaha…

Back to the city after that. Tried figuring out how to go to 1Borneo but found out the free shuttle bus has ceased service since last year. Forget it then… We just walked around the area not sure where to go ;p Tried to find places from my phone but hopeless haha… No sense of direction at all. We went back to our accommodation for a rest while figure out where to go for dinner.

So we ended up at Little Italy (Ground Floor, Hotel Capital, Jalan Haji Saman, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.) by taking a taxi which cost us RM12. Can walk but cannot walk anymore. What’s more, no sense of direction. Didn’t want to think anymore, taxi it is. Everyone asked me to try this place out so here I was.

Left: Ordered salad, Insalata di Rucola (RM20) which consists of lettuce, rucola leaves, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese with balsmic vinegar dressing. Very sour but refreshing.

Right: Ordered pizza of course. Proscuitto E Funghi (large, RM29.90), basic pizza topped with sliced mushrooms and turkey ham. Nice aroma! We should have order the regular one instead of large. Took us quite a fair bit of effort to finish it up. It’s topped with loads of ingredients, very tasty. However, the more I ate, the saltier it got, that’s why it was hard to finish at the end.

Very filling meal. Cost us RM70.55 inclusive of one drink, service charge, and government tax. Verdict? It’s Ok. Environment not bad, food above average. Didn’t get to try other food so can’t really comment much.

Since it’s RM12 to come over, there’s no way for us to call it a night just like that. We walked to Suria Sabah Shopping Mall for window shopping. Then, we took a taxi back which cost us RM15. Basically, if you are to take taxi to Gaya Street area, it’s between RM12-RM15. If you are to walk from where we’re living, Jalan Api-Api, it’ll take about 30 minutes provided if you don’t lost your way hahaha…

That’s the end of day one. Tired… Woke up so early and ended the night at 10pm. Island hoping the next day.