Jalan Sabah Bah! Part 2

We woke up bright and early the next day....really bright. 6 am was like 7 am. Geographically, East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) is ahead by 1 hour from Malaysia i.e different time zone. But because it is part of Malaysia, the time zone is standardized. Breakfast at The Promenade was good. The buffet spread was a good balance of local food (Nasi Lemak, Mee Goreng etc.) and Western (pancakes, sausages etc.). With tummies filled to the brim, we headed straight to Jesselton Point for island hopping.

Naughty girl

Jesselton Point is less than 10 minutes drive from Promenade. There is an open air car park nearby. To be honest, it didn't look like a safe place to park though. If you don't have kids, I suggest you walk or take a taxi (not sure how much it'll cost). The complex is very well maintained. Once at the jetty, we headed straight to the ticket counters. Do shop around for the best deals. The displayed prices are all the same, but do ask for discounts from the sales person. We met a wonderful lady which offered a pretty good deal. Plus she was kind enough to give suggestions on which islands to go to.

There are three islands you can 'hop' to. Manukan, Mamutik and Sapi. Prices range between RM 23 (1 island) to RM 43 (3 islands). We got quite a good deal for RM 124 for 2 adults and 1 child including snorkelling kits. We decided to go for only 2 islands. The sales person suggested Manukan and Mamutik as Sapi Island had too many stray dogs and was dirty (not sure how true it is).

We set off from the jetty at around 11 am. The trip took less than 30 minutes by speed boat. The boat ride was rather comfortable. It wasn't as bumpy as we thought it would be. It was comfortable enough that Alyssa managed to sleep through the journey. Between the two islands, I liked Manukan Island better. There were more fish in Manukan and it was a little bit cleaner. However I think it is too over rated. The corals around the island were dead. It was a disappointing site. I swam as far as I could from the beach but you can barely see sea life. The only way to see the marine creatures is by using bait i.e. stale bread. For me, Perhentian Island (Terengganu) is still the best place to snorkel. Will I come here again? Most probably not, unless the Sabah government do something about it. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful time as a family.

Before jalan

The boat going really fast

Dah sampai!

She loves the water

Before heading back

Sleepy baby

It all ended at around 2 pm. Everyone was really tired. Island hopping to two islands was more than enough. We headed straight back to our hotel for a quick rest and some light lunch....great food was in store!!!

Before heading for THE feast, a holiday is never complete without the customary souvenir shopping. Look no further than to shop at the Filipino Market. I had a hard time finding this place. There is NO signboard directing to THE Filipino Market. Its not even on Waze. What you CAN find is Pasar Kraftangan Kota Kinabalu and all the stalls nearby. Whenever in Kota Kinabalu tourist will look for pearls. I am not a big fan of pearls but my wife spent quite a hefty sum on these 'stones' for relatives and friends. I could hardly tell the difference between a 'sea' pearl and 'river' pearl. So guys, just let the ladies do the shopping. Jangan tunjuk pandai.

Like most Malaysians, I LOVE TO EAT, especially seafood. Gayang Seafood Restaurant is located 30 minutes away from our hotel. It was a long drive (almost thought we were lost) but it was worth it. It serves typical Chinese style seafood, straight out of the aquarium. We loved this place because it tasted better and cheaper than New Gaya Seafood Restaurant. 

Best!

What did we order for the night?

1. 500 grams Chilli Crabs

2. 500 grams Butter Prawns

3. 500 grams Soft Shell Crabs

4. 500 grams Steamed Oysters

5. A plate of Sayur Manis

How much did it cost? RM 97. Sedap!!!!

The only thing that wasn't to my liking was the oysters. Why is it so expensive? I have no idea why anyone would eat raw. Why did Mr Bean like it so much?

Dinner is served

Fresh seafood

 I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Kota Kinabalu. If you don't have a car...rent one!
As the proverb goes "Gendang gendut tali kecapi, kenyang perut suka hati" (I have no idea how to translate that)

Jalan Sabah Bah! Part 1

After Hong Kong, the next big vacation was Sabah. We bought our tickets way back in July for RM 576 (return tickets for two). However, a few months before the trip we decided to bring Alyssa along. Apparently Air Asia does not have children fare. So we had to fork out RM 428 just for her.

Do remember to check in BEFORE check in your luggage (if you have any). Use the computers provided at the entrance. Otherwise it will cost RM 10 when you check in at the counter. I don't know why they have this system but that's the way it is. The staff at the counter can be rubbish and rude. You get what you pay for.

We set off from LCCT on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. The journey took roughly 2 hours and 45 minutes. We were worried of Alyssa. It was her first journey on a plane. Kids can get restless on a plane, especially during ascend and descend. But Alyssa was being her happy self. She slept through most of the journey. I must say, I am very proud of her :)

Happy baby @ LCCT

We're going on an airplane!!

Zzzzzz

Baru bangun

Arrival at Terminal 2 Kota Kinabalu Airport was not much of a hassle. Our rental car showed up in time too. We rented a Proton Saga BLM 1.3 FLX for 3 days for RM 300 from Sewabah.com. I would say it was money well spent. The car was in a generally good condition (I wouldn't expect too much from a Proton though). However, if you have unlimited budget, I suggest you rent an SUV or 4x4 vehicle. The roads can be quite treacherous, especially on the way up Kundasang.

Our faithful car

 We stayed at Promenade Hotel for the first 2 nights for RM 240 per night, including breakfast. It is relatively old hotel but it offers one of the best locations. Restaurants are plenty nearby. The Filipino Market is 10 minutes away by foot and Jesselton Jetty is a short drive away.

Once settled down, we set off to seek the perfect sunset. We were told that Tanjung Aru is the perfect spot to see the sun set. However, the bloody Waze (GPS app) couldn't point out where it was. All is not lost though, after a short drive around KK armed with my exceptional navigation skills we found a great spot near Sutera Harbour Beach Resort. It was a beautiful sight. Words and pictures can't come close to the actual beauty.

Photo bombed by Alyssa's finger 

Beautiful

When you're near the sea it's only right for you to seek the best seafood. The first night, we went to New Gaya Seafood in Inanam. We spent RM 174 for whole lot fresh seafood. It is a typical Chinese Restaurant where you can pick your seafood right off from the aquarium. What we ordered:
1. 500g of fried soft shell crabs
2. 2 pieces of chilly crabs
3. 500g of baby lobsters
4. A plate of sayur manis
5. 2 bowls of rice
6. Bottomless chinese tea

Mouth watering..but not the best yet

 We were stuffed to the brim. The food tasted great, but I would not recommend this place. I'll recommend another place...in the next post ;)