Plan an amazing trip for Kota Kinabalu one week itinerary. As always, I recommend HeyMondo for great prices and coverage abroad. The reflection of the mosque on the moat is a really awesome photo opportunity. The biggest one, Gaya Island, tends to receive more visitors and has more facilities whereas the smaller ones like Sulung remain more untouched. Sepilok is popular for animal sanctuaries to visit. 1) Snorkeling around the property. Highlight: Morning Cruise / Evening Cruise / Jungle Trekking. I'd be very grateful if you could let me know the best way to spend a week in Borneo. 01.30 pm: Upon arrival in Sipadan-Mabul Resort, you will be welcome with welcome drinks, and you will then have your lunch. They were stunning as they fluttered over the water. Next, fly to Kuching in East Malaysia and spend two days strolling along the riverfront Esplanade, indulging in the local cuisine . In this step-by-step guide we will tell you everything you need to know to travel Kota Kinabalu independently and on a budget. Day 1 Mari Mari Cultural Village, the Sabah State Museum and a seafood market. It was interesting to explore but certainly not a must see. The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly building in Kuching. The hot springs were overrun with screaming children, who threw their rubbish everywhere and completely destroyed the tranquillity. Getting to Sabah is best with AirAsia, a budget airline based in Kuala Lumpur. Overall, the tour offers a perfect balance of adventure, nature, and culture. Day 9 Boat to Mabul Island, scuba diving at Mabul Island. Pingback: Could a trip to Malaysia be your next international holiday? From Kuala Lumpur: Just under 3 hours RM240/$56. We had the place to ourselves and it was stunning. Alternatively check out Zen Garden on Agoda or Zen Garden on booking.com. Also, that sunset is gorgeous! The accommodation is expensive relative to the rest of Southeast Asia. Great post. Like, thousands of them! The biggest warnings are to be careful of macaques cheeky monkeys that will attack you for food and not to swim as there are alligators in the water. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Take a visit to the Desa Dairy farm, situated in the hills around 5km north of Kundasang. The PERFECT 3-Day Itinerary For Kota Kinabalu (If You're Not Into Also, you will read about the top backpacking highlights and the best nature and wildlife spots you shouldn't miss. It is home to green and hawksbill turtles, massive schools of barracuda and big-eye trevally, manta rays, reef sharks (white tip/blacktip/grey), as well as an occasional spotting of whale sharks and hammerhead sharks. Apparently they only give the firefly part 15 minutes though, which seems rather short! could someone please let us know if its worth going in October? Borneo itinerary 1 week tour package (7-day Overland tour of Kota Kinabalu, Kundasang, Sepilok, Kinabatangan & Semporna) enable you to experience the best of Sabahs natural wonders in one week with a . The road in from KK is a continuous steady ascent as it snakes its way up the mountain foothills of the park. Spectacular view from the canopy treetop walkway and thereafter visiting the little New Zealand of Borneo the cattle farm. The last bus returns from Bako at about 5:30pm. Malaysia Kota Kinabalu in Borneo: all about this city in Sabah, Malaysia! The best way to get a taxi in Kota Kinabalu is to use the grab taxi app. We thought that was a bit much. You guys might already know, but I make money while traveling and I found this such a cool place to find a few coffee shops and write away after exploring during the day. Mount Kinabalu dominates the park, and the mountain is actually the biggest in southeast Asia. I got so used to this that I often had to go back through a few sentences because I kept writing KK instead of the actual name. Answer 1 of 7: Hi, Planning a 2 week trip to Malaysia this April. But the tour seemed quite decent you cruise the river looking for monkeys, then you have a buffet dinner, before setting out again on the boat to look for fireflies. Check out. It is a 30 minutes to 1 hour walk. We were enticed to go to Sabah to see orangutans and proboscis monkeys in their natural habitat. Its a full day thing. Here is the perfect Kota Kinabalu itinerary if you are visiting for a few days in 2023. Exploring KOTA KINABALU, Sabah | Malaysia (Borneo) - 4K - YouTube DON'T MISS: The perfect Borneo itinerary for 2 weeks - Wapiti Travel Dont miss our full guide on renting a car in Kota Kinabalu. [1D] Kuching City Tour | Half Day Tour in Kuching, [1D] Bako National Park Day Trip | Kuching Day Tour, KL to Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary One Day Tour, Sekinchan Day Tour Package with Sky Mirror + Seafood Lunch, [Promotion 2022] Sky Mirror Tour Package with Blue Tears, Eagle Feeding & Firefly Tour, Half day Kuala Lumpur City Tour | 3 hours join-in tour, Half day Kuala Lumpur City Tour | 5 hours private tour, Kuala Lumpur City Tour | Full Day Batu Cave, Pewter Factory, Genting Highlands One Day Tour with Cables Car & Batu Caves, Day Trip to Berjaya hills (Colmar Tropicale), Penang Day Trip | Air Hitam + Georgetown in a day, Penang 1 Day Tour | Penang Hill + Temples. The quiet calm of the Borneo islands is another activity you should add to your three day itinerary in Kota Kinabalu. Where: The ferries to the islands leave from the Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal which is on the northern side of the city. 07.00 am: Drive to Semporna (estimated 4 -5 hours). View pricing guide Enquire now Borneo In-Depth (3 weeks) day-to-day itinerary Day 1 Kuching - Damai Day 1 Arrive in Kota Kinabalu and check out the Filipino night market and nearby KK night market. Your email address will not be published. You could take a stroll around the lodge, relax in a hammock and soak up the peaceful atmosphere, or chat with some of the locals to learn more about their way of life. Mid-Range Stay:Billabong Scubahas overwater chalets for 150 RM per person including all meals (price for divers) ($35 USD). The journey from Kota Kinabalu to the Kinabalu valley is likely to take around 4-6 hours by road. One Week in Borneo: The Ultimate Itinerary - TripSavvy As you cruise along the river, youll have the opportunity to spot a variety of bird species, including hornbills and kingfishers, as well as primates like proboscis monkeys and macaques. They dropped off and picked up the car to us, and the rate was a very reasonable MYR90 (AUS$30) a day for their cheapest car. Check the price of Pogimpaan on booking.com (its always worth shopping around). Our first stop on Borneo: Kota Kinabalu. The hike is expensive at $350 $400 per person and with limited permits. [2D1N PROMO] Kapalai Dive Resort RM 880 Per Pax Promo 2022, [3D2N] Kapalai Dive Resort [RM 800 /pax, valid Till 30 June 2022], [2D1N PROMO] Mabul Water Bungalows [RM 800 /pax, valid Till 30 June 2022], [2D1N PROMO] Mataking Reef Dive Resort [RM 990 /pax, valid Till 30 June 2022], [Promotion 2022] Mataking Island Package 4 Days 3 Nights, [3D2N] Borneo Kinabatangan Wildlife Rainforest (All-Inclusive), [4D3N] Borneo Kinabatangan River Safari (All-Inclusive), [1D] Mulu Show Caves (Deer Cave, Lang Cave), [4D3N] Mulu Marriott Package [Promo 2022/ 2023], [4D3N] Mulu Pinnacles Tour Package + Flights : Promo 2023 USD 381/pax, [1D] Miri to Niah Caves Day Trip with Tusan Beach Sunset Tour. Many of these villagers still hunt with blow guns and practise traditional handicrafts like wood carving. From KL Sentral you can continue your journey to your hotel by metro, bus or taxi. There are cabins along the way, so you dont even have to sleep in a tent! Grab Caris excellent and available in all cities in Sabah. 2-week Borneo Itinerary (Malaysia) - Julie Around The Globe 07.00 am: After breakfast and lunch, check out, boat depart from Mabul is at 7am, 11am and 2 pm. Cost: Its only MYR10 (AUS$3.50) to visit the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, which I think is very reasonable and worthwhile. [Day Trip] Bohey Dulang Island, Sibuan Island & Mantabuan Island. Mabul Island has diving as well, which is subpar relative to Sipadan, but its inexpensive and has tons of massive turtles. Le Meridien can be booked on Agoda. Long-distance buses connect the main towns in Sabah including Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Semporna and Tawau. Set just a 20-minute boat ride away from Kota Kinabalus jetty station, this is a must on any Borneo itinerary! Dinner will be prepared at hotel. Although the restaurant on site looked appealing, we crossed the road from the centre and ate at the inexpensive food court next to the beach. Gaya street has many bars and Chineseand Malay restaurants. Cheeky thing! JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. One of the buildings at the cultural village. Mid-Range Stay:The Villageis a new and modern hotel with private rooms for 180 RM ($40 USD). From Penang: Just under 3 hours starting around RM280/$67. However, if it werent for these two things, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to ever visit Semporna. - Double Barrelled Travel. We recommend the three Island trip as it allows you to see plenty of beautiful islands at a reasonable pace. A longer taxi Journey may cost RM50 to RM100. We were, unfortunately, bitterly disappointed. Today, we will also visit Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, where you can see Borneos indigenous proboscis monkeys & gives you the chance to observe these animals up close and personal. You can choose how many islands to visit in the day. You simply point at what you want to eat and they cook it up for you on the spot. They told us the buildings were up the road and gave us a key. The quickest way probably is the KLIA Express, this train brings you in 28 minutes from the airport to Kuala Lumpur central train station ( KL Sentral ). Re: Borneo- 1 week itinerary 9 years ago Save 10 Days in Kota Kinabalu - Travelstride A favorite for visitors and locals alike, Tanjung Aru beach is one of Kota Kinabalus most popular beaches and one of the best spots in town to catch amazing sunsets. 2 Weeks Borneo and Brunei Itinerary in 2023 - BucketListly Blog The best way to get around on this Kota Kinabalu itinerary is to use a taxi on day 1 day 2 and then rent a car on Day 3 and Day 4. Kota Kinabalu is a beautiful city located in Sabah, East Malaysia. Watch out for deals at Horizon on Agoda and discounts at Horizon on booking.com. Borneo Rainforest Sepilok Resort or similar class hotel, Highlights: Poring Hot Spring, Canopy Walk. There are ticket counters where you can buy island hopping tickets and rent masks, snorkels and fins. Day 7 Return to Semporna and take a flight from Tawau to Kota Kinabalu to finish your one-week trip! They didnt check Daves passport or drivers license before handing the keys over, and they didnt offer our deposit back they nearly drove off with it until I asked for it! Travelers should consider the lengths of travel when planning their trip, as it will impact the amount of time they can spend at sites and will limit their free-time. Direct flights to Kota Kinabalu Airport. It costs RM15 to visit (international) and RM2 (Malaysian). Make sure to negotiate. We got back in the car and realised we were running rather low on fuel. If you make a purchase or booking through one of our links we may earn a small commission (dont worry, its at no extra cost to you). It is worth stopping at one of the Rafflesia Gardens to see if they have any Rafflesia flowers in bloom. We were lucky though and saw quite a few proboscis monkeys. Perfect Kota Kinabalu Itinerary For 2 - Dive Into Malaysia This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. We didnt see any monkeys but we saw a lot of forest squirrels, which were cute. Arrival at KK airport, meet and greet by your tour guide and then we will drive for 2.5 hours to Kinabalu Park (Unesco World Heritage Site). Kota Kinabalu sounds amazing and would love to visit it someday. Cost: Its MYR15 (AUS$5) to enter the park and MYR5 ($1.50) to visit the botanical gardens. Youll be able to see different animals and birds compared to the morning cruise as some species are more active at different times of the day. Day 10. Borneo Wildlife in Sepilok & Sandakan 5.