Budget Travel Ideas

Kota Kinabalu is one of the most inexpensive tourist towns in Malaysia and features a range of budget accommodation options and eateries along with low-cost sightseeing choices and flea markets. Here are some ideas to make the most of this Sabahan capital on a tight budget.

Sightseeing and Moving Around

The most economical way to travel within the city is to take the local buses. They are safe, convenient, well-connected and cost under RM 3 for even the longest destinations in the city. The bus journey from the international airport to the city center costs a mere RM 1.50. If visitors are looking to hire taxis for moving around in the city, make sure to haggle for reasonable fares as the drivers will always quote an astronomical sum for unsuspecting tourists. Travelers can also rent motorbikes for as low as RM20 a day. Some nice sightseeing options for budget travelers are Atkinson Clock Tower at Jalan Tunku Adbul Rahman, Sabah State Museum and the Sabah State Mosque.

Budget Eating

There are innumerable outdoor food carts selling cheap, albeit tasty, snacks near the main harbor promenade. The several chains of fast food restaurants housed inside malls in Kota Kinabalu are also good options for gorging on filling snacks and mini-meals. Jeff De Corner is an inexpensive eatery located in Luyand that serves quality dishes at affordable prices. Try their beef steak, BBQ lamb and oxtail soup. Visitors can enjoy a hearty meal at under RM 7 at Salim, located on Lintas Square. The popular supper hotspot specializes in local cuisine and offers a nice variety of breads and spicy curries. Pete’s Corner, nestled in Asia City, is a English-style breakfast establishment that caters to a largely western tourist population with reasonably priced dishes. The New Gaya Seafood Restaurant sells nice-tasting seafood at low prices. Try their butter prawns topped with egg yolk and delicious deep fried crabs. In addition to these, there are several street-side cafés that offer good-value-for-money sandwiches, croissants and meat rolls.

Shopping

The entire Kota Kinabalu city is a budget shopper’s paradise, however one of the cheapest places to shop in the city is the handicraft market, which sells inexpensive local artifacts and souvenirs along with colorful batic fabrics, sarongs, musical instruments and rattan handicrafts. Another great bargain shopping haunt is the Gaya Street Sunday Market that sells lovely ground coffee and local spices along with crockery, handicrafts and local attire at give-away prices.

Budget Accommodations

Some popular and decent budget accommodation options in the city are Akinabalu Youth Hostel at Jalan Gaya, priced at RM 56 per night for a room for two, and Asia Adventure Lodge, priced at RM 17 per night for a dorm stay. Borneo Backpackers, located in the heart of Kota, is another very popular budget property featuring a nice roof garden deck, most modern amenities, clean bathrooms, a lounge zone and great service. Rooms are priced from $7 per night. Other good budget stay choices include Hamin Lodge, Holiday Hotel, Summer Lodge, Kinabalu Backpackers and Velvet Lodge.

Kota Kinabalu has no dearth of budget travel ideas and is an enjoyable destination that can be explored with modest holiday funds.