That evening after the climb, we checked into Promenade Hotel in KK city for 2 nights.
Thanks to JT who suggested that we stay in KK city after the climb rather than bring our shopping to the mountain.
First night we had dinner at Welcome Seafood restaurant. Our Taiwanese bunk mate recommended it and so did our travel agent. It was good and importantly very near the hotel. About 6 mins walk behind the hotel (there’s a lane on the left) where you pass a seedy building with reflexology and laundry shops. There’s a decent Muslim eatery where you can get fish and chips and tea on the ground floor once you walk straight through to reach two huge thoroughfare. Cross the 2 roads (no traffic lights) and you’ll see Welcome restaurant.
If your legs are not giving way, opposite the hotel is a huge department store Oceanus Waterfront mall with typical eateries that Singaporeans are familiar with: Nandos, Secret Recipe, Starbucks. Things are quiet. Not many shops are open. Sushi Tei’s shutters are down.
Hotel
On my previous trips I stayed in the Shangrila and Le Meridien Hotels.
The Shangrila is waterfront resort (there are 2) with the service and price point of such a hotel. Promenade is half price of one and one quarter price of the other. Le Meridien has excellent breakfast and excellent steak. It is like a business hotel of international standards. Whereas Promenade is about 60% the price point of Le Meridien, it’s rooms are clean and recently renovated and the shopping mall is close by.
If you came to enjoy the sea and sand, that’s not what you get in Promenade. Its very conveniently located if you just want to get a feel of the city.
Things to do
Walk along the waterfront
Have a drink and enjoy the evening seabreeze at Shangrila Tanjung Aru beach
Visit the central market (opposite Le Meridien hotel)
Borneo Bookshop for books on natural flora and fauna (Wisma Merdeka)
Sign up for free guided tours at Padang Merdeka
Boat trips to Sapi island (be warned that tourists have been kidnapped by Philippines pirates for ransom)
English books: Times and Popular (Suria Sabah – next to Hyatt and Wisma Merdeka)
English movie on 8th floor of Suria Sabah (8.50RM note that the shows are not the latest.)
You’ll see this word “Kedai Kopi” in front of every eatery’s name. It means coffee shop. Casual dining of local food.
Tung Feng Seafood restaurant was our first stop after arriving at the airport. Perhaps it’s inconvenient if you’re situated elsewhere. Recommended by our guide. We were happy with the fish noodles and the ko lo noodles. (Best we had during our short stay.) Fish lips, fried prawn fritter. It was around 1130 but still got a table for 7 of us. Service was prompt probably because it was Sunday ? For 7 of us the meal came to 166 ringgit including drinks.
Fish lips
Even though its a restaurant, it’s casual and there’s no airconditioning so come in short-sleeves.
Address:
Ground Floor Lot 1,
Inanam Square, 88450 Inanam. Kota Kinabalu. Sabah
Found a writeup on this website:
http://www.everydayfoodilove.co/2010/11/kedai-kopi-wah-juan-tanjung-aru.html?m=1
Things in KK is quite expensive especially compared to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. I was told it’s because imports go through Klang and then to East Malaysia which adds on extra tax and transport cost.
Noodles and more fish noodles.
Yummy gluten free fish noodles.
Fish noodles
Unspoiled seafront.
Monkeying around.
Pot Gardening 