Visiting Malaysia

This was the first time I went to Malaysia in more than ten years I think. I have traveled a lot in this country in the past, visited Kula Lumpur several times, Johur Bahru province, Rawa and Tioman island which is still a good favorite of mine, hiking trip with camping in the jungle and at waterfalls and the island of Penang. Kota Kinabalu has been on my to visit list for long and now it was suitable on my Asia tour. If it was like expected? Yes and now.

Kota Kinabalu city

The city was way larger than expected. High rise buildings and shopping malls. Street markets are still around everywhere where the locals met for dinner but also a lot of McDonalds and Starbucks outlets. Along the coast there is a well maintained biking and walkway which I used for running. It was steaming hot but no big holes to fall in and a fare share of runners at 07:30 on a Friday morning. Malaysia is a Muslim country and one of the most famous sights is the mosque surrounded by water. They call it floating but I cannot agree it looked really floating. There are also several hills to visit for sunset or sunrise but I had a great rooftop pool at the hotel so no need for a hilltop hike.

Kota Kinabalu national park

The main reason I wanted to go here was Kota Kinabalu national park hosting a 4000 meter plus mountain. Nowadays it is only allowed with overnight hikes with a guide and for walking two times 6-7 kilometers I was not willing to invest that time so I viewed it from the park. Good enough. It was beautiful.

It was not very easy to arrange trips here. Not really that you could get a Grab driver to take you around where you pointed one day. I had one that barely could take me from the airport to a major hotel. He was driving wrong and wrong and even more wrong and no google maps since his phone was an old Nokia without being a smart phone. More than one hour the 6 kilometers took. So the Mt Kinabalu visit light version was part of a full day excursion. The group that went were great and we all had a good day and a mix with people from Australia, Singapore and Mexico.

Tourist traps

Here in Sabah there are not tons of natural wonders or iconic places to see so what have the locals made to bring in money from the tourist? Made up attractions. Like visit the Raflesia flower walk. It’s beautiful but also I have seen it in Singapore botanical garden so no need to visit. Or they had a “fish spa” where you could put your feet’s into a river with fishes. Not to exotic to me at least but when driving by I noticed parking were rather full. During my day trip a visit to a farm was included. Neither to exciting to me but 30 minutes there and I honestly thought it was more exciting to see the Chinese that saw cows for the first time than the place itself.

The yoghurt ice cream served was good. Should you plan a visit to Sabah? No need if you have not been to other places in Malaysia. It’s okey, was nice to see and so on but if you are a scuba diver you will benefit more since the underwater world is said to be of another level. Think I captured it all now.

/ Pernilla the travel junkie