When looking for a place to go hang out during your break, I think Kota Kinabalu has the best to offer in terms of value for money. I have never thought to like this place so much the last time I went there although I went to visit Kota Kinabalu back when I was in secondary school before. The saying that 'it's not about the place but it's about the people who are in it' sounds very wrong now. It supposed to be 'it is about the nice people at the nice places' that makes you happy.
What exactly Kota Kinabalu had done to me? Does the city offer me the best roller coaster ride in the world? Or just simply beautiful beaches where hookers are all around? Or alpine snow at the mountainous ranges?
No. There were no roller coaster or snow. No hookers too.
You can have the best of three worlds in KK: there's the city itself, the highlands and the islands. The highlands boast to have the third tallest peak in Southeast Asia. Gunung Kinabalu is only 2 hours drive from the city centre. If you cannot afford to go up to the peak, there is always a town named Kundasang for you.
In Kundasang, where the people live in a very nice climate, is always there for you to be mesmerised by the nature's beauty. One's journey is not complete without going to the Cow Farm at the top of the Kundasang valley. The views were super duper beautiful to the point where you don't want to leave the place. Maybe tears will come down to your cheeks when you see the beauty of the place. Over kan?
There's the hotspring in Poring which is located around 20 minutes drive from the farm. Although not as beautiful as the cow farm, the canopy walk there proved to be a new experience for some of us. Besides, the canopy walk is hanged so high at the top and I bet each of you going there will feel a little bit scared.
The islands- located just 20 minutes to get to by boat. The fee is quite reasonable too if you travel in a group. And it's the national marine park which is just near to the city centre but a little bit secluded from all of the hustle bustle of the city life. The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park has some of the most unique corals and sea creatures. Unfortunately for divers, the corals are not as pretty as those found in Tioman or Sipadan. You just can snorkel at the Mamutik, Manukan, Sapi and Gaya Islands. Believe it or not, my friends and I went to all of the four islands. And what activities we did over there?
Para-sailing was obviously the most interesting for me. Woosh! Being at the top flying looking at the sea which seemed to have no end and the although my sight was blurry (the person in charge asked me to take off my spectacle), it was such a beautiful moment.
Banana boat proved to be the most fun of all. Why not? Screaming, shouting and falling down on others in the open sea were surely hard to forget. One of our friends cannot even swim and he did it!
The city itself is so nice. It is the aura of Kota Kinabalu that makes me fall in love with it. The city surely know people like to shop! Shopping malls which are far far far better than other places in Borneo are the places that you must visit!
Again, in one word to describe KK- AWESOME!-The Chukai Insider