Take the kids to Kota Kinabalu for a fabulous family holiday full of culture, beaches, delicious seafood and lots of fun. Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah on the island of Borneo in Malaysia, and it’s your gateway to exploring the diverse wildlife, rainforest and jungle of this tropical island like the Kinabatangan River Gomantong Caves and Mulu National Park. There are so many great places to visit in Kota Kinabalu on your Borneo family holiday, and this post will help you with the best things to do in Kota Kinabalu, and where to stay in Kota Kinabalu – we just love it here.

You can easily find flights to Kota Kinabalu from Kuala Lumpur and most Asian cities. From here it’s a quick 15 minute taxi ride to the city centre, and a little longer if you’re staying at a five star resort in Tanjung Aru like the Shangri La Tanjung Aru (which we love!).

Before you go:

Mosquitos:

There is dengue in Borneo so if you’re thinking of exploring further than the area around KK make sure to pack mosquito spray (we use one with deet). Western chemists are in the city so you will find anything you need there. There’s also a western supermarket on Jalan Gaya just down from the Mercure should you be craving any Aussie or western delicacies.

Traveling safely:

We find Borneo incredibly safe but there is a lot you need to know when traveling and this Ultimate guide to travelling safely is 80+ pages of everything you need to know to travel safe like choosing when to travel, health, food, scams to look out for, keeping kids safe and so much more. It’s only $16AUD and you can buy it here. 

VPN & SIM:

Make sure to download a VPN to keep your data safe and so you can access all the sites you want and watch shows from home. Read why you need one here.

If you have an unlocked phone and buy SIMSs on arrival like me then the best one for the island is DIGI. You can get it on arrival at Kota Kinabalu airport.

Insurance:

Please always travel with insurance. We’ve been robbed and needed medical help so insurance is a must for peace of mind and for medical assistance when you need it. We used CoverMore for years and I’ve just found Southern Cross Travel Insurance which is excellent (and cheaper).

Transport:

It’s very easy to get around to all the fabulous things to do in Kota Kinabalu. Taxis are cheap and Grab taxis are even cheaper. Download the Grab app for easy and cheap transport (it’s often so cheap you might consider tipping).

Packing:

You can find a handy packing list here.

The best things to do with kids in Kota Kinabalu.

Mari Mari Culture Centre.

Hands down our favourite thing to do in Kota Kinabalu is the Mari Mari Culture Centre – you can read our review here. It’s the best culture centre we’ve been to because it’s so interactive and it’s just so amazing for kids. Guests visit traditional tribes and not just see how they lived, but try things for yourself – like food and drink, dart blowing, traditional games AND you get to meet a shaman, real tribal descendants and get a henna tattoo. Following your walk through the villages you’ll watch traditional dance and eat a delicious lunch. This is one of the most educational and fun places to visit in Kota Kinabalu.

We’ve been here twice and it really is a must. It’s one of the best things to do in Kota Kinabalu with kids.

We recommend buying tickets in advance as it gets busy, and you do need to go in groups. It’s also handy to have transport included. We recommend this tour from Klook – it’s $35 and includes transport. Kids under 5 are free.

Island hopping at Abdul Rahman Marine Park.

There are beautiful islands are just off the coast of Kota Kinabalu and it’s easy to organise a visit yourself. Just head down to Jesselton Wharf the night before you’re planning to go and talk to the vendors in the building on your left as you enter the wharf area. They offer boat trips out to the islands – there are four to chose from: Sapi, Manukan,  Mamutik and Gaya (reached from Sapi).

You can go to one island or more but you need to book your boats over and back and any connecting boats in between. Once you work out what you want to do and the times you can book your tix or return in the morning for tickets. The boats out generally leave around from 8 – 9am and your ticket will include snorkel and mask. Make a note of the boat you head over on because that’s what you’ll be looking for on your return trip. The islands can get crowded on holidays and weekends but they’re so beautiful that they’re worth a visit as they are definitely one of the most beautiful places to go in Kota Kinabalu for a swm. There are walking tracks too, and look out for monitor lizards that are generally on the prowl for food.

If you’re staying at the Shangri La Tanjung Aru then you can arrange a boat with their Star Marina, and they will even pack you lunch.

Note that you will need to pay a marine park entry fee of RM20 (around 7 AUD) on arrival onto the island. Most have a small café with local food – you can also take food and drink with you.

If you prefer for have a tour organised for you this trip from Klook includes stops at all four islands for swimming and snorkelling and lunch. It’s less than $70 and sounds great to me for next time too.

If you’re staying at the Shangri La Tanjung Aru Resort you can organise these trips through the Star Marina and get a delicious packed lunch and equipment.

Zipline between Sapi and Gaya Island

If you’re a bit adventurous then this zipline is just so, so much fun! You actually zipline from Gaya Island over the blue green water to Sapi Island – it must be one of the most unique activities ever! It’s around $25 AUD and you buy tickets from the same office you pay your marine park entry on arrival. Smaller kids can go tandem with parents and it’s a dual line so you can go next to your friend or family member. If you’re not ziplining you can walk around the track on Sapi Island to the landing point and watch your family cross the water and land on Sapi. This is definitely one of the best things to do in Kota Kinabalu.

Watersports

Join in the watersports over on the islands or like we did at the Shangri La. The harbour is full of activities too and you can book them on the islands, at your resorts or at the wharf.

Tanjung Aru Beaches

The beaches around Tanjung Aru are popular for family gatherings and BBQs and are great for swimming too. You’ll have the second best (after the Sunset Bar at the Shangri La) view of the sunset from here.

 

Seafood hawker markets

Every evening the Kota Kinabalu harbourside seafood hawker markets are open for business. Just follow the esplanade to the centre of town, down near the night markets. Choose your seafood and the way you’d like it cooked and watch the sunset with a beer. The stalls don’t have beer but they will go and get little cold cans for you. Try the coconut and fruit shakes too. Delicious! I wish I had some photos but I generally forget to take pics when food is involved!

Free walking tour around Kota Kinabalu

The Kota Kinabalu Tourist Information Centre has free walking tours at 9am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Wear comfy shoes and take water because it can get hot…but it’s flat and you’ll see Signal Hill viewing point, the Atkinson Clock Tower, Australia Place where the Australian troops camped during World War 2, the Malaysia Monument and more.

The tour runs for two hours but can go longer depending on the pace of the group.

Make sure to book in here as the tour is limited to 15 people.

The North Borneo Railway

Climb aboard this vintage British steam train for a four hour return journey to Papar, with breakfast and lunch included. It’s a really nice ride our of town and into the lush forest, with a couple of stops along the way. We jumped off in Papar and stayed at the Beringgis Beach Resort and Spa for a few days of swimming in the pool and ocean, going down the slide and eating delicious local food from the little roadside restaurants.

Daypass to the Shangri La Tanjung Aru

You can email the resort and ask if they are accepting day guests. Security is very strict but day guests have generally been accepted for a day by the pool and drinks at sunset at the incredible Sunset Bar. Email tah@shangri-la.com or stay a night or two! 

Klias River Fireflies & proboscis

We haven’t done this trip yet but we really want to – and if you don’t have time to get to the Kinabatangan or Bako National Park to see the Proboscis monkeys this boat trip along the Klias River is a beautiful way to spot them and see the fireflies.

Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu

We love this mosque – it’s beautiful, its serene and its great for kids to learn about culture and religion in Malaysia. We really enjoyed hiring appropriate clothes to ensure we were dressed properly when we visited. We just took a Grab Taxi about 10 minutes out of town to the mosque, hired our clothing and walked up to the mosque. It’s a really special experience and we spoke to many locals who were visiting. The outside is also stunning and it’s a lovely cultural and religious visit and learning for kids.

 

Gaya Street Sunday Markets

These markets aren’t really my favourites but they’re definitely worth a wander if you’re in town on a Sunday. They have everything from the usual travellers happy pants, to toad skin wallets and gifts. Please note, if like us you are concerned about animal welfare you may find these markets upsetting in certain areas where pets are sold.

University Mosque

This gorgeous pink mosque is also worth visiting. We haven’t made it yet but the photos of it are beautiful. Just call a grab taxi to take you.

See a movie!

If you see a movie In Kota Kinabalu you will be pleasantly surprised as movies in Malaysia are cheap (around $3) and the theatres and comfortable and have new release movies. You’ll find the movie theatres inside the shopping centres, which are also good to mosey around in when you need a break from the heat.

Try a cooking class

Learn how to make local Sabahan dishes starting with a trip to the markets to source food from locals and then cook up a delicious meal. Tribes in Borneo use many different plants – like ferns – to make delicious dishes and the ginger is divine! We haven’t done this particular class in Kota Kinabalu but we have joined other cooking classes in Borneo and they’re really fun because the food is very different to other cooking classes ad it’s a great way to learn about the cuisine of the island. Here is the class we will join next time we are in KK.

Daytrip to the Tip of Borneo

We love the Tip of Borneo – its where the Sulu and South China Seas meet, it has water like the Maldives and you can see the sun rise and set over the ocean. You can read our review here. We stayed in Mermas Villas which were lovely. I really recommend going there for a few days if you can, but if you can’t you can book this day trip. And if you want to take a an over night tour you can book here. This tour is awesome because it stops at the gong town where we’ve been – you can read all about it here – and the honey farm where we also stopped. The bees don’t sting!

If you don’t want to go by yourself you can take a day trip to the Tip or this overnight trip stays at Merrimas Villas where we stayed and is a great introduction to the area and includes snorkelling at the bays along the coastline.

Spot the street art

You’ll fall in love with KK, just like we did. It’s definitely raw and somewhat vulnerable and it has real heart and the local artists are sprucing up the city with street art and murals on the building walls which is adding lots of character and highlighting historic buildings (there are not many left after the city was bombed extensively in WWII).

Enjoy your time in Kota Kinabalu!

And if you’re feeling nervous about travelling check out our comprehensive family travel safety guide HOLIDAY SAFE: The complete guide to staying safe when traveling with kids It has everything you need to know about traveling safely on our family holiday or extended trip.

Where to stay:

Our number one favourite resort in Kota Kinabalu is the Shangri La Tanjung Aru. It’s the perfect resort for families with multiple swimming pools, waterslides, a water play area and lots of grass and activities. It also has the best bar and sunset viewing spot. You can read our review here.

We also loved the Nexus Resort & Spa Karambuai – its rooms are fab, its swimming pools are awesome too, but its about 15 kilometres from the city so for me it’s a resort-stay for a few days rather than palace to explore the city from.

If you’re planning to explore the city it’s best to stay near the centre. We’ve stayed at the Mercure Hotel – we love the location and rooftop pool, and The Grandis Hotel which is just across the road from the Mercure and has live music at their rooftop pool and huge rooms. It’s above our favourite shopping centre and cinema. We’ve also stayed at the budget Borneo Backpackers which is also centrally located but most hostel-like than hotel.

You can check out more hotels here. In terms of location, if you’re in town I reckon its best to stay nearby to Jesselton Wharf so you’re close to island ferries and a short walk along the harbour to the seafood hawker and night markets. That said, it’s quite a small city so as long as you’re in that general area then you’re not too far from anything.