Kota Kinabalu Off The Beaten Path

woowweee..finally after looking around for a non package..non breakfast included..non samsonites..non per pax(400-900RM) a nite beach huts..I found IT!!!
Manana Borneo...thru a friend I was recommended and these guys dont advertise man!!Solely from the word of mouth and their networks from Perhentians Islands...cool plp and great vibes here...books and hammocks(thai) and a private beach thats no touristy..PERFECT!!At the time we check in there were only 10 huts and a split level Rest/bar...kayaks to rent..snorkeling is amazing...acres of corals with no other boats!!Way worth it then those islands near KK....Electricity are only thru the night..but the Bar chilled out areas spins cool music all day...their trade marks are Ben Harper n J.Johnson...all day man!!Reminds me of Koh Pang Ngan...sweet!!LUV this place n the crews!!PLZZZZ only tell the specual fews...coz I'm definately coming back as Taiwan is home for another 2 years...

One of the most enduring landmarks in KK which has stood prominently on the bluff along Signal Hill Road. Built as a memorial to Francis George Atkinson (the first District Officer of KK). It has the distinction of being the oldest standing structure in the whole Sabah that suvived the air raids and blitz of WWII. The Clock Tower was gazetted as a heritage building in 1983. Till today, it still serves to keep the city's time.

No admission fee is required. Very near to Signal Hill Observatory.

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On your way to Poring Hotspring or Kinabalu Park, you will pass by a very small village called Nabalu. Tourists will usually stop here for their breakfast meal, pee-stop & also to do some souvenir shopping. It's only a row of shops & a stretch of souvenir stalls. At the end of the souvenir stalls, is a watch tower. The tower is old & making creeching sound as you walk up the steps. It serves as an elevated platform for you to view the surrounding Kinabalu mountain range.

There's many variety of local souvenirs, handicrafts or products sold here, like Batik, Malay cloth & wood carving. In terms of breakfast, the choice is limited & quality so so.

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Again, nothing exciting about these 2 towns but the journey was worth taking if you have time to spare and want to get out into the country.New road took us through the Crocker Mountain Range and National Park. a 3 hours journey Boarded coach at KK city central bus station opposite library and cinema.Paid MR$13 for 1 ticket to Keningau and then took a taxi to Tenum for MR$8 per pax. made a mistake. should have bought MR$17 for a ticket on same coach all the way to Tenum. Coach will break for lunch at Keningau and leave for Tenum at 2pm. Last bus back to KK city from Tenum leaves at 4pm. make sure you buy your ticket first at the little booth. will arrive KK city bus terminal at around 7nish.

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Take minibus (11-seater) heading to Ranau from the central bus station opposite the cinema and library . Fare cost us MR$16 per pax. 3 hour bus ride. Bus will pass base of Kinabalu National park.What's there to see in Kundasang? nothing really much. just a small town with a row of shops selling local produce right where your bus stops. a lot of development going on there. maybe visit Kundasang War Memorial.....but i enjoyed the scenic ride so if the journey is more important to you then the destination and you have time to spare, go for the ride!oh yes, on a clear day, you can see Mt Kinabalu towering above you!

Likas is a bay dotted with casuarina trees. Sometime you can see fishing boats & people fishing & picnic leisurely from the roadside. This is the nearest beach from KK town. A good place to unwind or just to relax freely.

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Take no 13 bus to Donggongon town in Penampang from bus stations in front of City Hall or Wawasan Plaza in KK city.Fare per person MR$1.60. From Donggongon, ask for minibus bound for Terawi and inform driver that you wish to get off at the cultural village. minibus will stop you at the doorstep of the village. Bus fare from Donggongon to village MR$1.70. When getting back to KK city, cross the road and wait for the minibus back to Donggongon. It would be better to walk a little further down the road from the village to the bus shelter. Read my tip on tourist trap. worth visiting if you are not a local and if you are interested in Kadazan culture

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Borneo Books is a specialist book store, covering natural history, guide books, maps, environment, forestry, sustainable management, fruits, flowers, herbal medicine, culture, Sabah history & exploration.

A reading area and information point with difficult-to-find information on ecologial and conservation subjects. Workshop reports and scientific reprints can be photocopied for you. It stocks information you are unlikely to find easily elsewhere. The bookstore also displays work by local artists. Paintings and photographs are for sale.

For foot sore customers, it offers an oasis of relaxation and interest with comfortable seating, coffee and tea and interesting things to read.

Cable access is available on request on a reasonable basis. Recharge your laptop and mobile phone at the recharging station.

Address: A235-237 (F), 2nd floor, Phase 1, Wisma Merdeka