Kota Kinabalu

Any good restaurants there for local food and places to visit for family and kids.

There isn't much to visit i'm afraid, most of the things you see listed for tours are actually really poor and a waste of time. We hired a car (just back 2 days ago) both this time and the previous year and visited allot of the tourist things and we where glad we hadn't paid out for a trip with a tour company as we would of felt ripped off. Kinabalu mountain and park are beautiful mind you and we didn't bother with the flight to see the orangutans as the Rasa ria hotel has them and was allot closer but we did most of the other trips.

The waterfront has a row of eating places but the are not local and the shopping centre behind the waterfront restaurants has a few too but again didn't seem to be local food.


Enjoy your stay

If you are staying at the Nexus or Rasa Ria, there are some local seafood restaurants nearby (on stilts) which are pretty interesting. One is called Salut, can't remember the name of the other restaurants. http://www.beautifulkk.com/2007/11/26/salut-seafood-restaurant/

We also took a ferry out to the smaller islands and they were beautiful. I would definitely recommend it.

We love the Banana Leaf restaurant - on the main road that parallels the seafront at the airport end.

Ice cream buffet - on the same block as the last shopping centre on the left as you head towards the port.

Horse riding at Kindawan (spelling?) - run by Dale, an Aussie lady. Great beach rides even for novices. Ring her and she'll pick you up.

Wonderful day at Monsopiad Head Hunters Village - may be dependent on how interactive you want to be. Our kids (9, 11 and 15) had a great day seperating rice, cooking over a fire in a long house, trying on traditional dress, listening to the stories, chasing the chooks. We were there long after the other visitors had left and spent the day with the staff just playing. Ring them direct and they'll pick you up - they are not supported by the big hotels because they don't pay to have their brochures on display. Yes, they have the head still hanging from the ceiling - not horrible, but really religious and respectful.

Islands off the coast. Some lovely coral - but visibility can be poor, water can be filled with Japanese sporting floaties.

We went to the monsopiad village and thought it was very poor and very little to see. Perhaps if you have older kids it's different but as two adults it was very disappointing and not cheap. There brochure was displayed in three different hotels we where in so not sure what you mean about that mob. We went independently anyway as we always hire a car and do stuff ourselves.