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Kota Kinabalu

The capital of Sabah on the island of Borneo, this Malaysian city is a growing resort destination due to its proximity to tropical islands, sandy beaches, lush rainforest and Mount Kinabalu. Constantly referred to as KK, it is on the west coast of Sabah within the West Coast Division. KK is one of the smallest districts in Sabah but has the largest population and is the largest city in the state.

KK lies by the coast overlooking the South China Sea on a narrow flatland and occasional hills bordered by the Crocker Range which hosts Mount Kinabalu. Hence the urban sprawl is concentrated along the coast towards the north and south of the city.

Understand
Kota Kinabalu is a growing city of around 500,000 inhabitants. Economic growth has resulted in urbanisation of the city reaching adjacent districts of Penampang and Putatan with a total population of almost 800,000. Its growth and importance is due to being the administrative capital, a major transportation hub, growing port, manufacturing hub, growing tourism and because it is the major gateway into Sabah and East Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu was granted city status in 2000, becoming the sixth city. It is the sixth largest urban/metropolitan area in Malaysia.

Kota Kinabalu was known as Jesselton while under British colonial rule from the late 1800s until 1963 when the British left and after Sabah became part of Malaysia. Most of the town was destroyed due to bombings during World War II hence there are not many pre-war historical sites around the city. Before the British arrived, the area was also known by a number of other names such as Deasoka (below the coconut tree), Singgah Mata (pleasing to the eye), Api-Api (fire!) and Gaya Bay.

The people of Kota Kinabalu are Chinese, Kadazandusun, Bajau, Brunei Malays, and there is significant migrant population from Indonesia and Philippines, many of whom are naturalised citizens. There are also many migrant/expat population from India and a growing number from Korea.

Central Kota Kinabalu is often referred to as Kota Kinabalu City Centre or the Central Business district (CBD) or simply Downtown KK and is on the narrow coast overlooking Gaya Island. This is where most hotels, travel agents, transportation bases and most of the action are found. Most of the city centre lies on reclaimed land due to a shortage of land in the area, as it is blocked in by Bukit Bendera (Signal Hill).

District areas which lie within the city centre include Sadong Jaya, Api-Api, Asia City, Bandaran Berjaya, Sinsuran, Kampung Air, Segama, Pantai Street, Gaya Street, Jesselton Point. Just outside the City centre are the Districts towards the South and East are Karamunsing, Sembulan, Tanjung Aru and Sutera Harbour, Kepayan, Penampang, Putatan, Donggongon.

Due to lack of land in the city centre, other important commercial areas have sprouted outside CBD. Some of these areas have been long in existence as small townships (pekan) such as Luyang, Inanam and Menggatal and in adjacent districts of Penampang (Donggongon) and Putatan, and residential-commercial areas such as Alam Mesra, Kingfisher and 1Borneo near Menggatal; Lintas, Penampang Baru and Bundusan.

The climate in KK is characterised by uniform year-round temperature of 32°C (avg. high) and 22°C (avg. low). Rain falls quite often with occasional dry periods. Low rainfall begins in January till April, increasing in May till August, intensifying in September till November and slows down in December. The weather in KK and the immediate area can vary throughout the day/night bringing rainfall for short periods to heavy evening rain. The position of KK is protected by the shape of the coast and harbour and from behind by the Crocker Range of nearby hills. Occasionally the weather rolls in directly from the sea over the city, but mostly the heavy weather blows around and past KK providing some beautiful skies and cloud formations making for stunning sunsets. Away from the on shore breeze travelling further in land by as little as 16 km it can be extremely humid, and rain at this point is very welcome. The weather is a major factor in road/driving accidents and care should be taken, with mobile devices and the internet you can now get weather updates to the spot you are visiting hour by hour.

Talk
Like most other Malaysian cities, Kota Kinabalu is a melting pot of various cultures. Malay is the lingua franca, albeit with a distinctive Sabahan dialect, and better-educated locals are usually able to speak English as well. The ethnic Chinese, who form about half of the city's population, mainly speak Hakka, though many are also able to speak Cantonese and Mandarin.

Some residents also speak the languages of native Sabahan ethnic groups, the most common ones being Kadazan and Bajau. These languages are not commonly used in daily conversation outside of rural communities.

There has been since the 1970s a large influx of Filipinos. Most of these people speak their own languages and Malay, but little English so you may have to resort to sign language to buy what you want.

The other language spoken often is "Bazzar Melayu" due to the mixture of cultures and tribal/village background and the introduction of English. When buying something in the market the language can easily be five words all from a different language.

By plane
There are direct international flights from these destinations to Kota Kinabalu: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (Royal Brunei Airlines), Hong Kong (Air Asia), Manila, Philippines (Cebu Pacific & Philippines AirAsia), Seoul Incheon & Busan South Korea (Air Busan, Air Seoul, Jeju Air & Jin Air), Singapore (AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines & Scoot), Taipei, Taiwan (Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia),

Domestic fights from the following cities: Johor Bahru, Kota Bharu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lawas, Limbang, Miri, Mulu, Penang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tawau. Operated by MASWings, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia.

Airport to city center

 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)
 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)
 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)
 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)

By car
All main roads in Sabah radiate out from Kota Kinabalu; they have to for geographical reasons.

The main road to the Sarawak border at Sindumin heads south from the city through the districts of Kepayan, Tanjung Aru, Papar, Kimanis, Beaufort and Sipitang. From Sindumin (border crossing into Sarawak), the road continues to Lawas and on to Brunei and it is possible to travel from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land. The journey is a minimum five hours to Brunei. Passports/ID have to be shown at each crossing prolonging the travel time. Brunei is a country made up of two enclaves and surrounded by Sarawak this involves five border crossings/checks, each way.

In Sabah a main road north via Tuaran, Kota Belud, Matunggong then on to Kudat known as the tip of Borneo, this is a 3-3½ hr journey each way with heavy traffic and rain storms it can be longer, the road is a metalled/tarmac road all the way.

From Kudat it is possible to drive all the way to Sandakan on the Trans Borneo Highway. Leaving Kudat, Matunggong, turn left towards Kota Maruda, then up towards Pitas the road heads South and East around the far side of the Gunung Kinabalu (Mt. Kinabalu) and joins up at Pamol turn left and continue towards Sandakan. Before reaching Sandakan you can turn south and east towards Kinabantangan, Sukau reserves and on towards Lahad Datu. The road continues to Kunak, Semporna, Tawau Hills reserve and Tawau. Fom Tawau it connects to Keningau to complete the loop back into KK via Tambunan over the Crocker Range into Penampang and KK city. It is expected to reduce the 10-hour drive by three hours. Completion date not set.

The main road to the East Coast (Sandakan and Lahad Datu) branches off from this road at Tamparuli, then via Kundasang, Ranau, Telupid, Pamol, Sepilok and into Sandakan.

Another main road heading southeast leaves the suburbs of Penampang and Donggongon towards Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom. Travel by private car to KK is quite popular with visitors from around Sabah including Sandakan and Tawau, Labuan, Miri and Brunei.

By bus
There are two long-distance bus terminals.

North and East

 * Sandakan — 5-6 hr, RM43.50. Several express bus companies operate buses between the Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal and Sandakan.
 * Semporna — 9-10 hr. Dyana Bus leaves twice daily from Inanam station around 7:30AM and 7:30PM.
 * Tawau — 9 hr, RM55. Several express bus companies operate between North Bus Terminal and Tawau. Tung Ma Express, Andisba Express , Alitopan Express . Buses depart Kota Kinabalu at 7AM, 8AM, 10AM, noon, 2PM.
 * Mount Kinabalu and Ranau — 1½-2 hr, RM25-35. All the above buses pass by the entrance of the Mount Kinabalu National Park, Kundasang and Ranau (for Poring Hot Spring). You can get off or board at these locations. You can also catch buses/minibuses doing the shorter run to Ranau.
 * Kudat — 3 hr, RM50. Minibuses leave once full from Terminal Bas Bandaran Berjaya (Updated August 2022).￼

South

 * Brunei — 6-8 hrs, 45 Brunei dollars (2019). There is one bus per day from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kota Kinabalu. It leaves from the waterfront in BSB at 8AM, but get there a half hour early to buy the ticket. See also Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land.
 * Lawas — 4 hrs, RM20. Sipitang Express Bus Sdn Bhd runs one bus at 7AM daily from the City Centre bus terminal to Lawas in Sarawak. From Lawas, buses depart at 12:30PM. Lawas Bus Company also operates an express bus daily to Lawas, departing Lawas at about 8AM and returning from Kota Kinabalu City Centre terminal at 1PM. Both buses go through Beaufort and Sipitang. You can also make the journey by minivans but you may have to change at Beaufort or even at Papar and Sipitang. Catch them from the minivan station opposite Wawasan Plaza.
 * Beaufort and Sipitang — Sipitang Express Bus departs the City Centre Terminal for Beaufort (1 hr 45 min, RM9) and Sipitang (2 hr 45 min, RM14) at 8:30AM, noon and 2:30PM. The 7:30AM bus to Lawas also goes through Beaufort and Sipitang. From Sipitang, buses depart at 8AM, noon, 1:30PM (bus comes through from Lawas) and 4:30PM and 1 hr later from Beaufort. Lawas Bus Company's express bus between Kota Kinabalu and Lawas. Again, you can do this do this by minivans throughout the day, although they are more frequent in the morning. You may also have to change at Papar if you cannot get a direct minivan.
 * Menumbok — RM18. Multiple bus companies operate express buses between KK and Menumbok where there are ferries to Labuan. They depart frequently in the morning since 6AM from KK City Centre terminal next to the City town hall. From Menumbok, buses depart at 10:15AM and 3:15PM. Minivans also do the journey although you may have to change at Papar and Beaufort.
 * Papar — Regular minivans run to this coastal town 38 km south of Kota Kinabalu.

From south-west interior

 * Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom. Most public transport to this part of Sabah is by minibuses and vans which leave from the minibus station opposite Wawasan Plaza. Again, it's best to get started early 7AM. You should be able to catch a direct minibus from Kota Kinabalu to Keningau, change there for Tenom. Tenom can also be reached by train read that section below, it may be an idea to consider using train, and bus to meet your needs otherwise it may involve staying in Tenom. From Keningau to Tawau possible takes nearly 8 hours. This Sabah route is known as the Trans Borneo Highway.

By ferry
The only regular access to Kota Kinabalu by sea is from Labuan. The ferry service takes about 3½ hours and costs about RM40 (2019). There are two services from Labuan to KK every day: 8:30AM and 1PM. From KK to Labuan, the ferries depart at 08:00 and 13:30. From Labuan, you can continue on to Bandar Seri Begawan in one day if you get an early start. See the Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land page for details. Ferries from Labuan dock at on the northern edge of the city centre. There's a currency exchange outside the ferry terminal, but beware that the posted exchange rates are only for large bills; smaller bills have a worse exchange rate.

Kota Kinabalu is a port of call for many cruise ships passing through east Asia such as Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2, Diamond Princess, MV Arcadia and SuperStar Virgo via cruise lines such as Cunard, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises. Cruise ships will usually dock at Kota Kinabalu Port north of Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal.

By train

 * Sabah State Railway uses air-conditioned trains on a single 134-km route from Tanjung Aru south of the city centre to Tenom in the interior via Beaufort. Four trains operate M-Sa, while on Sunday there are two trains, running between Tanjung Aru station and Beaufort, where you change trains if you want to continue your journey to Tenom. Journey time between Kota Kinabalu and Beaufort is about 2 hr, making it more attractive for travellers to take the bus for part of the journey. The train stops the following places: Kota Kinabalu (Tanjung Aru), Putatan, Kinarut, Kawang, Papar, Kimanis, Bongawan, Membakut, Beaufort, Saliwangan, Halogilat, Rayoh, Pangi and Tenom.
 * The route between Halogilat to Tenom is to be upgraded works were due to start in 2018.
 * Trains for Tenom run from Beaufort once a day at 7:45AM so to take the train to Tenom, you will have to stay over night in Beaufort. Full details on the refurbished train schedule are available online
 * A leisure train service known as North Borneo Railway caters to tourists and uses an old steam train and designed to resemble trains in the colonial era. This is a joint venture project between Sabah State Railway and Sutera Harbour Resort. Trains only travel up to Papar. Tickets cost RM270 and RM170 for children and includes breakfast and lunch. There is road access to the Station entrance, the steam train and the diesel services operate here from the new platforms. There is an escalator to the upper levels which includes a café and a cinema.
 * A leisure train service known as North Borneo Railway caters to tourists and uses an old steam train and designed to resemble trains in the colonial era. This is a joint venture project between Sabah State Railway and Sutera Harbour Resort. Trains only travel up to Papar. Tickets cost RM270 and RM170 for children and includes breakfast and lunch. There is road access to the Station entrance, the steam train and the diesel services operate here from the new platforms. There is an escalator to the upper levels which includes a café and a cinema.

By foot
The city centre is quite small, and you can walk from one end to the other in less than 30 min. The city is set out along a grid system with the long main roads running parallel to the nearby waterfront with intersecting roads forming the local districts within the city. As KK has grown there are dual carriageways that weave around the city on the land available and the new buildings/malls, hospitals, etc. Further from the old city centre the roads do not conform to the original grid planners used.

Safely crossing the street can be an issue, but most streets are at least equipped with sidewalks and there are pedestrian crossings on the main roads. The sidewalks in places can be uneven and the storm gutters are easy to trip or fall into. You can also walk to and from the airport (1-2 hr each way). Even the highways outside of town usually have a walking path or a wide grassy shoulder to walk on.

By taxi
Short fares are around RM10, longer trips around RM20. A whole day shouldn't cost more than RM300. Haggling is absolutely vital in order to get a fair price. Many taxi drivers in Malaysia are infamous for raising their fares, even after a price has already been negotiatied. They frequently attempt to manipulate and deceive unknowing tourists by feigning ignorance and delivering tourists to the wrong hotels, which sometimes provide kickbacks to the drivers. Mentioning a call to the authorities may resolve the situation quickly.

Grab Car operate, with rides costing RM4 for the first 3 km and RM1.2 for each sequential km. Uber merged with Grab in 2018, and they have similar functionality. Typical prices are half those of taxis and there is no need to haggle; the price is confirmed before a ride arrives and you pay cash at the end or via GrabPay (e-wallet).

By bus and minibus
To travel within the city centre, the City Bus is used. The green and yellow City Bus departs from Wawasan Bus Terminal and circles the city center using 4 routes: Route 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B. City Bus fare cost RM0.50 and are quite frequent. However the conductor and driver often encourages more people to get on the bus until totally crowded before it leaves.
 * Route 1A: travels along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens until Jesselton Point and returns along Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Coastal.
 * Route 1B: travels along Jalan Coastal and Jalan Tun Razak and returns along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens.
 * Route 2A: travels along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman via Karamunsing and Jalan KK Bypass all the way to Sabah Trade Centre in Likas and returns the same way.
 * Route 2B: travels along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman until the roundabout near Australia Place and returns the same way.

For the full list of routes, check the Kota Kinabalu City Bus page on Facebook.

By car
Cars can easily be hired on the spot from the hire car counters in the arrivals hall in the airport. Rates can be negotiated so compare the offers. Rental companies do not offer hand-controls for the disabled. Child seats, booster seats are not provided, there is no requirement to wear rear seat belts, you will see children unbelted in the front and rear seats of vehicles. There are also many car rental companies in the city:

Road signs are prevalent throughout KK and Sabah. So driving within KK and towards other parts of Sabah is not difficult. There are however some signages which are only in Malay. Most signs are coloured the same to make your route planning easier. Watch out for local low down cardboard drawn signs if you are looking for flowering Rafflesia or local produce like Durian sometimes there are road side stalls but not always. Signboards in brown colour indicate recreation/places of interest. The KK city has had too build dual carriageway roads, flyovers etc. These are very busy and congested at peak times of the day. However highways leading towards other towns are for a short way dual carriageway roads then into single carriageways which might put your overtaking skills to the test especially in hilly areas. Because many roads are steep when traversing mountainous areas the roads have sudden bends along with the mist/rain and the wet roads fast driving and overtaking at the wrong point results in a lot of accidents. Be very careful when overtaking and no overtaking over double lines. You may be on holiday in a small car, but all of Sabah's roads carry traffic for the cities and communities of Sabah from trucks and coaches to mopeds so be careful. Here is some information on Malaysian road signs and the Malay phrasebook.

Highways are sometimes marked according to their numbers. The following are some of the major highways from Kota Kinabalu:

 * Highway 1 (formerly A2): Highway heading south of KK towards Putatan, Kinarut, Papar, Kimanis, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Sipitang, Lawas, Brunei and Sarawak.
 * Highway 1 (formerly A1): Highway heading north of KK towards Telipok, Tuaran, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Pitas and Kudat.
 * Highway 22 (formerly A4): Highway heading east (from Berungis Roundabout, Tuaran) towards Tamparuli, Kundasang, Ranau, Telupid, Beluran, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Tawau and Semporna.
 * Highway 500 (formerly SA3): Highway heading east of KK towards Penampang, Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom

By boat
There are speedboat services from Kota Kinabalu to the islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park just off the coast of Kota Kinabalu from Jesselton Point Jetty with regular departures to Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Gaya and Pulau Sulug. There are also public departures from the Sabah Parks Jetty behind Wisma Merdeka. Two resorts, Tanjung Aru and Sutera Harbour resort have their own marine excursion shops and also run a service to the islands but it is for paying guests staying at the respective resorts. There are also speedboats for charter where travellers can have the flexibility of time and destination, There are tour operator shops in Kota Kinabalu centre or you can book via the internet. You can also visit Pulau Tiga which is south of KK and not within the marine park, the TV series Survivor was made here. There are other islands further along the coast and out to sea but the above are the easiest to visit as a tourist.

Central part

Southern districts

 * Stilt villages, are houses found along the coast of ethnic Bajau, Suluk, Iranun, Malays, and Ubian people. Some villages are made up of people who have been here since 15th-18th century from Sulu Archipelago (now southern Philippines) who are considered natives under Sabah law. However massive influx if new migrants from this same region beginning 1970s have occupied these same villages mostly due to similar heritage and ethnicity as these local inhabitants. Some new migrants are illegal with no proper documentation. Illegal migrants would normally occupy deeper parts of these stilt villages in slums. These slums are significantly dirtier and dangerous since the people and their homes are illegal. Stilt villages can be found in Kampung Tanjung Aru, Kampung Sembulan, Kampung Kasuapan (Pulau Gaya) and Kampung Pondo (Pulau Gaya). Since there is no real boundary between a traditional stilt village and the slum, visiting these places is generally considered dangerous and very dirty and not recommended even for locals unless accompanied by tour guides. There may be stilt villages further out of the city such as in Mengkabong which are safer and cleaner. If you are interested in slums, perhaps some speedboat drivers in Jesselton Point Jetty who live in Pulau Gaya would be pleased to show you around their stilt village for a little fee.

Sembulan & Karamunsing areas
Areas adjacent to the central part but slightly south of it.

 * Entry on the same ticket as for Sabah State Museum.
 * Entry on the same ticket as for Sabah State Museum.

Tanjung Aru
Tanjung Aru is "the headland", land that projects out into the sea. Tanjung Aru is a Southern District of Kota Kinabalu city. It is 8 km from the centre of KK, a 15-20 minute taxi ride (RM30 in Oct 2017) between Tanjung Aru and the KK centre. The hotel resort is completely separate. The only eating area available now is the food court near the Kota Kinabalu golf club, in the coconut grove.

Likas
Likas — a historic village, now a huge sub-section of the modern city slightly north of central Kota Kinabalu. Partly occupied by mangrove wetlands

Much further to the east of Likas are the following sights:

Further afield

 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.
 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.
 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.
 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.

Scuba diving & snorkelling
Try dives, leisure diving, technical diving and snorkelling are all available from Kota Kinabalu.

Several interesting dive sites can be enjoyed as day trips from Kota Kinabalu with nearby World War II wrecks accessible for scuba diving. Some are in the 24-45 m depth range whilst other wrecks are only suitable for technical diving. Advanced and basic diver training courses are run from Kota Kinabalu by several dive centre operators.

Dive destinations

 * Usukan Bay near Pulau Mantanani, suitable for recreational diving. Located near the fishing port of Kota Belud 30 nautical miles north of Kota Kinabal these dive sites are ideal day trips from Kota Kinabalu. Boat trips north from Kota Kinabalu normally depart from Sutera Harbour Marina or Jesselton Point and take approximately 2 hr. These dives are only suitable for divers that already have PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or similar certification and some previous wreck diving experience is advised. There are three popular wrecks spread over a distance of about one kilometre lying 7 n.m. offshore.
 * Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park offers many snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities between 20 and 30 min from Kota Kinabalu by boat. Dive operators depart from the Jesselton Point Jetty and Sutera Harbour Marina. Islands and beaches are beautiful, even though the water color is very green and not transparent. Underwater visibility can be an issue around the entire park: It sometimes drops below 3 m due to dirty river water from Mt. Kinabalu by everyday-pouring rain. If you are used to snorkelling or diving in good visibility, you may be disappointed.
 * The Gaya wreck lies in 50 m of water within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and is a 30-min boat ride from Kota Kinabalu. The wreck is thought to be that of the Japanese ship Nittetsu Maru.
 * Mayne Rock has large white boulders rising 7 m-15 m from the ocean floor and is surrounded by a coral reef.
 * Palau Tiga offers coral reef dives.

Dive operators

Deep sea fishing
Kota Kinabalu is also one of the best and cheapest places in Malaysia for exciting deep sea fishing trips. Boats depart from the makeshift jetty next to the Kota Kinabalu Central Market, the boats are to be found behind the small night market/parking lot.

Trips of all kinds can be arranged with the charter operators. Popular options include day trips that go for prices that start from around RM 2,000/boat and 2-day, 1-night or 3-day, 2-night trips (you sleep on the boat) that go from RM 3,000/boat. Most boats take around 10 persons per trip. Locals usually head to the Mengalum and Mantanani islands or near some oil rigs that are all a few hours away from Kota Kinabalu. Beginners can also opt for shorter trips to fish in a shipwreck off Gaya Island. For the very adventurous and advanced anglers, there are also several fishing competition held annually. The most popular one is the Labuan IGFA Competition which is usually held around the Layang Layang island (Swallow Reef) area. The trips for this competition last for almost 1 week and cost at least RM 15,000/boat.

The boats are mostly pretty rudimentary medium-sized wooden fishing vessels, don't expect any luxury or too much comfort for those prices. Basic toilets are available on board, but you won't be able to shower for the duration of the trip. Basic meals are also usually available and included in the hire price. Rental of fishing equipment can also be arranged by most of the boat charter providers. Do ensure that life vests are provided for all occupants well before setting out.

If you want to check out the boats before you head out, just drop by the open air parking lot near the Central Market and Hyatt Hotel, most of the for hire fishing boats are parked there. You can also see some of the catch for yourself when the boats return from their trips at around 2PM. You will probably see more boats coming and going on Sunday or Monday.

White water rafting
The nearest place for rafting would be on Kiulu River, Tamparuli, about 1 hour away from KK in the district of Tuaran. The white water is classified Grade 1-2 which is suitable for beginners and children. A more adventurous rafting experience is Padas River near Tenom which is about 2-3 hours south from Kota Kinabalu. Padas is classified as Grade 3-4. There are many tour companies offering day packages for rafting in Kiulu and Padas and would normally include return transfer and meals.

Wetland river cruise
Klias River is in the Klias Wetland Mangrove Forest Reserve which is located on the Kuala Penyu district headland made up of riverine mangrove about 2-2½ hours away from KK. The cruise offers visitors a chance to see various wildlife including the proboscis monkeys, crocodile, monitor lizards, Kingfishers and fireflies once it is dark.

The New Sabah Times (Sabah's newspaper) reported in May 2017 that the Klias river tours were in steep decline from a lack of tourists and were requesting assistance from local government for continued support. Although this decline is affecting tourist numbers the local guides also benefit less. This maybe the ideal time to visit and enjoy the wetlands while it is quiet. There are also other river safaris nearby Klias in Garama and Weston which are also interesting in their own right albeit slightly further away from KK.

Sailing and yachting
The main starting point for sailing or boating is in Sutera Harbour Marina which has 104 berths. Yacht charter is offered by North Borneo Yachting. Tel: +60 88-318888 Kinabalu Yacht Club in Tanjung Aru offer various boating activities, tel: +60 88 240070.

Sports
Likas Sports Complex is the main sporting venue in Kota Kinabalu and Sabah. The complex includes a soccer stadium and fields, hockey fields, badminton courts, tennis courts, squash courts, swimming pool, gymnasium, and many more. The complex also play host many local, regional and international sports event.

There are also many golf courses in Kota Kinabalu including the Sabah Golf and Country Club (18-hole) in Bukit Padang, Kinabalu Golf Club (11-hole) in Tanjung Aru, Sutera Harbour Golf Club (27-hole), Karambunai Golf and Country Club (18-hole) and Shangri-La Rasa Ria resort Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club (18-hole). Driving range available in Lintas and Likas.

 *  Trinity Self-Defence, Lot 12 1st Floor Likas Plaza, Phase 1, Mile 4 1/2 Jl. Tuaran 8. Learn some self-defence skills at a Kota Kinabalu Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Gym classes include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, CMB, Judo and Shootfighting. Experienced trainers. ([mailto:trinityselfdef@gmail.com trinityselfdef@gmail.com]).
 *  Trinity Self-Defence, Lot 12 1st Floor Likas Plaza, Phase 1, Mile 4 1/2 Jl. Tuaran 8. Learn some self-defence skills at a Kota Kinabalu Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Gym classes include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, CMB, Judo and Shootfighting. Experienced trainers. ([mailto:trinityselfdef@gmail.com trinityselfdef@gmail.com]).
 *  Trinity Self-Defence, Lot 12 1st Floor Likas Plaza, Phase 1, Mile 4 1/2 Jl. Tuaran 8. Learn some self-defence skills at a Kota Kinabalu Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Gym classes include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, CMB, Judo and Shootfighting. Experienced trainers. ([mailto:trinityselfdef@gmail.com trinityselfdef@gmail.com]).

Festival and events

 * Harvest Festival, a festival celebrating the harvesting of the rice paddy fields by the Kadazandusun people, called in Bahasa Kadazandusan (Language of Kadazan & Dusun people, accepted as Kadazandusan by KDCA in Malaysia) and accepted in the Malay/Kadazandusun press as Pesta Kemataan. Typically Pesta Kemataan is held during the end of May into early June every year. It is the only harvest festival/pesta kemataan held in Malaysia. One of the most popular venues to witness the celebration is in KK city at the KDCA centre,(KadazanDusun Cultural Association)in Penampang district of KK city.The festival is held to celebrate the sacrifice of their goddess Saviour Hurninodun who by her actions saved them from famine. They also thank their creator Deities Kinoingan and Sumundo for giving them their sacred rice crop.Events include "Unduk Ngadau" beauty pageant, cultural dances, food, and drinking tapai a (traditional rice alcoholic) drink made from rice. The event is widely covered within the press and radio programmes, local malls have "Display teams " performing traditional dance, also they are seen performing within the larger hotels and resorts. The girls and young women wear various traditional clothes from their local districts within Sabah with coloured beaded and metal adornments to denote their status single; married men wear a similar dress code for each separate Sabahan tribe or culture they are from.
 * City Run, annual marathon held around March or April.

Buy
Popular souvenirs include coffee and all sorts of foods made from durian.

Eat
Kota Kinabalu is a cultural melting pot. Here Chinese meet Malays and Bruneis, Javanese, Filipinos and even a couple of Europeans, all of whom have brought along their own cuisine. Try out the many specialties offered at the various kedai kopi (often in buffet form making it easy to order) and shun fast food chains.

For meals, head to the outdoor food stalls fronting the sea or coffee shops along the streets. The less adventurous could make a beeline for fast food outlets in the Centrepoint shopping centre while those with deeper pockets could try the pier-side restaurants just after the open air fish market. The promenade restaurants between the Filipino Craft Market and the fish market are poor value and only frequented by tourists. Try SEDCO Square in the evening for top value.

Budget

 * Fook Yuen, a nice, clean, modern-looking kopitiam with self-service concept offering various types of food such as dim sum, pick-yourself dishes, nasi lemak, and roti kahwin (bread, butter and kaya). They have branches in Gaya Street, Karamunsing Capital and Damai (original branch). All branches serve halal food except Damai branch.
 * Kah Hiong, specialises in "ngau chap" noodles (beef soup noodles). Offers a variety of beef parts such as beef brisket, stomach, stew, omasum, tongue, etc. The main branch is in Kolam Center (Hilltop) in Lintas.
 * Kak Nong, serves Malay/Malaysian food located in Harbour City opposite Sutera Harbour. The restaurant won the Sabah Tourism Award 2007 for the category Best Kopi Tiam.
 * Man Tai Restaurant - in Likas, Dah Yeh Villa. Beaufort-style fried noodles. They serve Chinese style a-la carte dishes as well.
 * Peppermint, a fast-food concept restaurant serving Vietnamese food. Try the spicy chicken rice and beef stew. They have 3 branches: Gaya Street, Asia City and Karamunsing Capital.
 * Pete's Corner, in Asia City in the heart of Kota Kinabalu. A breakfast place which specialises in steaks and other western dishes for RM10-18.
 * Indo Food, on 2nd floor, Wisma Merdeka (near food court), is a nice small restaurant serving spicy Indonesian food. Popular dishes include nasi penyet, ikan asam pedas and soto bakso. A little bit expensive, but not exactly mid-range.
 * Salim Lintas Square (approximately 20-min drive from the city). Supper spot specialising in many local "mamak" foods and delicacies including the Malaysian roti styled bread, cooked over an open flat iron skillet which is bathed in oil. The meal along with a cup of Teh Tarik Madras would range at around RM5-8.
 * Restoran Taufik, located in Kampung Air (opposite Shell), serves cheap Javanese/Malay food such as soto (beef soup), bakso and rojak. More branches in Inanam and Putatan.
 * Yu Kee's Bak Kut Teh, along the famous Gaya Street, its a Chinese operated restaurant that serves pork dishes for dinner time only (usually opens after 4PM until night time). A small single dish costs about RM4, soup top up is free. All types of pork meat and organs served with special Chinese herb soup.
 * Wah Juan, is popular for their "chu chap" noodles (noodles served with pork and pork innards). It's in Pekan Tanjung Aru facing the main road (Jalan Mat Salleh). Served only in the morning and finishes by 11AM. The small restaurant is always crowded and patrons may need to wait for an empty table.

Mid-range

 * Choice, serving mainly Indian Muslim food as well as other Malaysian food. Their briyani rice is quite popular. Branches in Taman Millenium, Kepayan and in the city center opposite Wisma Merdeka.
 * Hi Seoul, pretty good Korean restaurant in Likas Square near Sabah Trade Center.
 * Jothy's Fish Head Curry and Banana Leaf Restaurant, Api Api Centre. An eat with your hands restaurant. A chicken dish RM8, a mango lassie RM4. Fish head curry, fish cutlets, fried fish pieces, chicken nasi biryani, assam soup and dried bitter gourd. They'll bring you a spoon and fork if you wish. Ask for a banana leaf (for additional 50 cents) and eat with your hands. English menu.
 * Old Town White Coffee a modern kopitiam franchise from Ipoh with branches in Menara Jubili on Gaya Street, Karamunsing Capital and others. Popular for their 'hor fun' noodle soup, nasi lemak and, of course, their white coffee. The biggest kopitiam chain in Malaysia.
 * The Stonebridge Galley Provides all day English Breakfast.
 * Charles Cafe Halal food and drink.
 * Sushi Tei, a Singaporean-based sushi franchise with branches throughout Asia Pacific. Reasonably good food and price. Located in Ground Floor, Suria Sabah.
 * Old Town White Coffee a modern kopitiam franchise from Ipoh with branches in Menara Jubili on Gaya Street, Karamunsing Capital and others. Popular for their 'hor fun' noodle soup, nasi lemak and, of course, their white coffee. The biggest kopitiam chain in Malaysia.
 * The Stonebridge Galley Provides all day English Breakfast.
 * Charles Cafe Halal food and drink.
 * Sushi Tei, a Singaporean-based sushi franchise with branches throughout Asia Pacific. Reasonably good food and price. Located in Ground Floor, Suria Sabah.
 * The Stonebridge Galley Provides all day English Breakfast.
 * Charles Cafe Halal food and drink.
 * Sushi Tei, a Singaporean-based sushi franchise with branches throughout Asia Pacific. Reasonably good food and price. Located in Ground Floor, Suria Sabah.

Splurge

 * Nagisa, a Japanese restaurant in Hyatt Regency.
 * Nagisa, a Japanese restaurant in Hyatt Regency.
 * Nagisa, a Japanese restaurant in Hyatt Regency.

Seafood
Seafood in Kota Kinabalu is very popular, so getting a dose of it is a must. Here are some places to try:

 * Ocean Seafood Restaurant, next to the Promenade Hotel and Parkson Grand. The restaurant faces the coastline. You can take a pick on your seafood orders by the fishtanks, or if you prefer, you can let the waiters recommend at your table.
 * Portview Seafood Restaurant, There are 2 branches of this in Kota Kinabalu. One of them is opposite Centrepoint Shopping Centre, called The Waterfront. This one is quite new, a very popular place for tourists and orders can be taken either way similar to Ocean Restaurant. This restaurant is nestled amongst other popular nightlife hangouts, mostly bars and clubs, but also cafes like CoffeeBean. The other older one is in front of a pier.
 * Salut Seafood Restaurant, It takes about 20 min car journey from the city centre to Salut where the restaurant is located near the Sepanggar Bay and Telipok. It is a famous place for cheaper seafood dishes as the prawns are bred by the restaurant owner.
 * Portview Seafood Restaurant, There are 2 branches of this in Kota Kinabalu. One of them is opposite Centrepoint Shopping Centre, called The Waterfront. This one is quite new, a very popular place for tourists and orders can be taken either way similar to Ocean Restaurant. This restaurant is nestled amongst other popular nightlife hangouts, mostly bars and clubs, but also cafes like CoffeeBean. The other older one is in front of a pier.
 * Salut Seafood Restaurant, It takes about 20 min car journey from the city centre to Salut where the restaurant is located near the Sepanggar Bay and Telipok. It is a famous place for cheaper seafood dishes as the prawns are bred by the restaurant owner.

Drink
The main entertainment areas in Kota Kinabalu can be found in KK Waterfront (opposite Warisan Square) and Times Square. Other areas include Pantai Street, Jalan Datuk Salleh Sulong. There are also smaller bars concentrated in the areas of Inanam, Likas, Donggongon and Penampang Baru, these areas are out of the KK city and are not within walking distance of KK city centre they are more local district centres. Types of drinking places popular in Kota Kinabalu are café/coffee shops for breakfast, open air bars, karaoke joints and a few nightclubs. Nightclubs and bars have live bands performing almost everyday except Mondays. Some karaoke joints have private rooms for big groups who prefer some privacy. Some nightclubs and karaoke bars have hostesses especially for male customers in exchange for buying them 'ladies drink'. Intuition would be needed if you need to look for or avoid these establishments as they are not explicit.

Sleep
Kota Kinabalu has accommodation from expensive to cheap. This is such a changing price market the best way to check prices is the internet pages such as Sabahbah.com, MySabah.com Sabah tourism.com, or Trip Advisor searches until you find the price you want.

Budget

Stay safe
Kota Kinabalu is a safe city by Malaysian standards. The crime rate is lower than in the Western states of Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru, or any city of similar size in Peninsular Malaysia. Violent crime is especially rare, and it's generally safe to roam the streets at night, though of course it's still best to remain alert as you would in any other city.

There is moped/scooter ride-by crime in KK.

Connect
The telephone country code for Malaysia is +60 and the area code for fixed-line telephones in Kota Kinabalu and for most districts in the west coast of Sabah (including Papar, Kota Belud, Ranau and Kudat) is 088. Mobile phone numbers normally begins with 01x throughout the country. If a telephone number is not displayed in international format, such as "088-222222" or "012-222222", simply add "+6" before the number, e.g.: "+60 88-222222" and "+60 12-222222". The zero need not be repeated.

Free wifi is available at various points in the city. There are some restrictions: you can use the wifi for free in public areas, i.e. streets. It is deliberately not powerful enough to penetrate shopping malls etc.

WiFi is available in most hotels and hostels across KK. There are also internet cafes in some parts of the city.

Consulates
The following countries have set up consulates in Kota Kinabalu. For other countries, you may need to contact the respective embassy in Kuala Lumpur or nearer consulates in Sarawak. There are British and Chinese Consulate offices in Kuching and British and Dutch Consulates in Miri.

 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * Brunei
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Go next

 * Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park – a collection of islands with beaches, jungle, snorkeling, and scuba diving, easy to visit as a day trip
 * Labuan — duty-free paradise, fairly decent karaoke nightlife and offshore banking.
 * Mount Kinabalu — is 80 km east of Kota Kinabalu, where it's possible to do a 9-km hike to the mountain summit.
 * Kundasang — a cool place with various markets, plantations, farms, resorts nearby Mount Kinabalu. Popular with locals from all around Sabah during weekends and public holidays.
 * Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Semporna cities on the Eastern Coast with rich wildlife and a world-class diving.
 * Layang Layang Island in the disputed Spratly Islands is famous for diving.
 * Kuala Penyu — district, about 2 hours southwest along the coast, contains Klias River, Pulau Tiga (site of the first series of TV show "Survivor") and Menumbok jetty (to get to Labuan by car or boat).
 * Kinarut — a small town 40 minutes south of KK contains quiet beaches, Pulau Dinawan, the 'sininggazanak' statues and still existing wooden shophouses, built around 1930s to 1960s.
 * Maliau Basin — Sabah's "Lost World", located in the middle of Sabah somewhere between Kota Kinabalu and Tawau. Said to be one of the oldest undisturbed rainforest in the world.
 * Experience rural lifestyle around Kudat, Tambunan, Tenom, Kota Belud, all along the west coast of Sabah and within 2-4 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu.
 * Gunung Mulu National Park — a World Heritage Site in Mulu, Sarawak, is 20 minutes away by plane.

title: Kota Kinabalu


text:
Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land

Traveling in a day from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah state in Malaysia to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, or vice-versa, can be easily done by flying, driving, taking boats or by catching the bus. Of course, the level of comfort and how much you end up spending will depend on what mode you choose.

Understand
Getting from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, can be seen as one leg of the "Borneo Overland Trail" which can be covered continuously between Tawau at the southeastern tip of Sabah, and Kuching at the southwestern end of Sarawak. Both states are part of Malaysian Borneo but the trail also requires you to pass through the expensive sultanate of Brunei which lies more or less in between the two states.

The stretch covered by this leg can be both challenging and fascinating; challenging because it involves traveling through some of the more remote corners of Sarawak and Sabah where the roads may not be at their best. Traffic is light and, if you choose a more complicated route, public transport connections require a little more time to work out. The trip can also be fascinating because you will get to see what it's like to live in one of the richest countries in the world. The two endpoints are a striking contrast: the calm friendliness and religious focus of Brunei versus the international beach town atmosphere of Kota Kinabalu.

This itinerary basically just shows you various ways to get from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan within a day and does not leave you much time for any diversions (thankfully, there are not too many, although visiting the Pulau Tiga Park, Klias Wetlands, white-water rafting on the Padas River and even exploring to forests of the Ulu Temburong National Park in Brunei are some interesting ones) and opportunities to experience the relaxed atmosphere of the small remote towns along the way. Give it one or two more days and you will get to feel the places a little more.

Prepare
There isn't really that much for which to prepare as the route goes through many towns where you will be able to get food and drinks -- and accommodation if you get stranded -- without any problems. If you are driving, just make sure that your car is in good condition as there are many stretches where you'll have to wait for a while before you can thumb a lift to the nearest mechanic.

As the route brings you across state and international borders (it's wonderful for passport stamp collecting -- a maximum eight entrance stamps and eight exit stamps if you choose the correct route), make sure you satisfy the necessary immigration requirements. Check with Brunei: Get in and Malaysia: Get in for details. If you need visas, make sure you get multiple entry ones as you'll be hopping in and out of Brunei and Malaysia several times.

The thing you'll probably need the most is patience -- to wait for minivans or buses to show up, to wait for them to fill up, to wait for them to complete their rounds in town just to get more passengers, to wait out connections which don't work out, to wait out breakdowns, to wait in lines at ferry crossings and immigration checkpoints. Once you have mastered that, you'll see a pretty interesting Sabah rural life along the way.

Get in
Besides the two end-points of this itinerary, there are several places where you can join or leave the overland trail from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan.

 * Kota Kinabalu: This is the start of the itinerary and you can get here by air, road and all modes of public transport from other parts of Sabah. See Kota Kinabalu's Get in section for details.

 * Beaufort: This is the next major town where you can join the trail and there are several options:
 * One of the most interesting ways to reach Beaufort is to take the train from Tenom in the interior of Sabah. Tenom can be reached by road from Kota Kinabalu and this allows you to have a much more interesting alternative to the direct Kota Kinabalu-Beaufort stretch. The train snakes along the Padas River and you can also go for a bit of white-water rafting here before rejoining the trail. However, you will not likely be able to make it to Bandar Seri Begawan in a day if you use this alternative.
 * You can also reach Beaufort from Labuan, which can be reached from Kota Kinabalu by boat. From Labuan, you can take a ferry to Menumbok where you can catch minivans to Beaufort. This is another alternative to the direct Kota Kinabalu-Beaufort leg of the journey. Using this alternative route may also prevent you from making it to Brunei in a day.

 * Lawas: The first big town you hit once entering Sarawak, Lawas provides you with a very interesting opportunity to leave the trail completely and head up to Ba Kelalan to visit the Kelabit Highlands. An ex-logging road links Lawas to Ba Kelalan and private four-wheel drives and trucks take passengers to the highlands.

 * Limbang: From Limbang, you can take the Headhunter's Trail and head to the Gunung Mulu National Park. You can then fly out of the park to Miri, allowing you an alternative route that bypasses expensive Brunei.

 * Bandar Seri Begawan: You can reach Brunei's capital by various means. See Bandar Seri Begawan's Get in section for details.

Go
There are several ways in which you can make the journey between Kota Kinabalu and Bandar Seri Begawan.

By air
The fastest and most comfortable, but also the most expensive, Royal Brunei Airlines operates one or two daily roundtrip services between Kota Kinabalu and Bandar Seri Begawan. The flight takes about 40 minutes. Malaysia Airlines and its subsidiary MASwings no longer fly operate this route.

By car
As of January 2010 there are two options for the road journey from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan - road journey along route 1 in Sabah and route 1 sections 83 to 92, or by a ferry journey in Menumbok, a town about 80 km from Beaufort via route 1 and route 502 in Sabah. . The car ferry is pricey but faster - advance booking is essential during public and school holidays.

By road all the way even in your own car is taxing, taking anything between seven and ten hours. A lot of time is spent waiting at border checkpoints, at Sindumin/Merapok, Mengkalang/Labu, Ujong Jalan/Pandaruan and Tedungan/Kuala Lurah, which can get very busy with long lines during weekends and holidays. There is also a ferry crossing which can take time too. The ferry crossing at Trusan, Lawas has been replaced with a bridge.

The journey is described in stages from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan below. If you are traveling the other direction, just take the stages in reverse:

 * Kota Kinabalu to Beaufort (92 km): The drive out of Kota Kinabalu is quite straight forward and well signposted. Road conditions are good and the road heading south from the city is a dual carriageway until reaching the Sabindo Intersection, where there are two possible routes to take - through Papar or around it. Going through Papar saves a few kilometres but are usually full of slow-moving vehicles or even congested during most hours. Taking the old road along route 1 is usually faster although the journey is longer. From this intersection the road becomes a single carriageway two-lane road. The two routes meet at the Benoni Roundabout about 8 km from Papar. The journey continues on route 1 and passes through quiet coastal towns like Kimanis and Bongawan, where it leaves the coast to head to Beaufort. Just before Beaufort a new road has been built to bypass Beaufort. This road can be accessed at the Bingkul Roundabout. You can leave or join this itinerary at Beaufort (see the Get in section above for details), where you can head to (or come from) Menumbok along route 502 (for/from Labuan or Brunei (via ferry)), Kuala Penyu along route 502 (for/from the Pulau Tiga National Park), or catch the train to/from Tenom. There are no border checkpoints along this stretch.

 * Beaufort to Lawas (110 km): The longest leg in the journey, it also used to be the most difficult as there were long stretches of the road which were not paved. This has since changed and although not the best, a continuous ribbon of bitumen now links Beaufort to Lawas. From Beaufort, go onto the metal bridge (turn right if coming directly from KK) across the Padas River and proceed to Sipitang 58 km away. This stretch used to be unpaved but the road surface is now OK. You will pass the turn-off to Weston, a small seaside village which used to be the terminus of the North Borneo Railway. Sipitang, which clings along the beach, has quite a number of shops where you can break for a meal and several petrol stations along the road. The road swings inland heading towards the Sabah-Sarawak border at Sindumin 18 km away. At the end of the road is the Sindumin Roundabout where you should turn left. A smaller two-way roundabout named the Immigration Roundabout follows, reaching the Merapok/Sindumin Combined Immigration Checkpoint where immigration posts for both sides are found in a single building. As you leave Sabah, your passport will be stamped and your immigration card retained. Immediately after, at the other end of the booth (the Merapok side), submit your passport to Sarawak Immigration with a new immigration card to be stamped into Sarawak. (Going in the other direction you hand your passport and card into the Sarawak authorities who will return both to you and then you hand them into the Sabah authorities who will also stamp them and then return them.) This procedure may not apply to Sabah and Sarawak residents but check just in case. Following the checkpoint is a roundabout where the one-street town of Merapok lies. Instead of going straight to the town square, turn left at the roundabout. A road flanked by oil palm plantations goes the 35 km to Lawas. Just before reaching town, you will go onto a cable-stayed bridge across the Batang Lawas (Lawas River). You will also pass the junction to the Limbawang village of Long Tuma and Lawas airport. See Lawas page for more info on the town. Lawas is also a point where you can leave this itinerary (see Get in above) by heading to Bakelalan in the Kelabit Highlands.

 * Lawas to Bangar (48 km): This stretch used to involve a ferry and border crossing, but immigration checkpoints and a new bridge have eliminated them. From Lawas, take the road out towards Trusan, about 20 km away. You will pass through a small complex on the right with shops and restaurants where the old checkpoint was located. Moving on will take you to the Mengkalap Immigration and Customs Checkpoint where you will need to get your passport stamped out to leave the country. Once through that, you need to carefully drive up a steep inclined road which suddenly drops at the other side just before the checkpoint. Adequate signs should warn you about it. You will then reach the Labu Temporary Checkpoint, the Brunei side of the border, where you will be stamped in to the country. From Labu, it's about 23 km easy driving to Bangar, Temburong's administrative center. The journey here is hilly and the air outside could be cold even on a fine day.

 * Bangar to Limbang (20 km): This leg of the journey is short and should be relatively easy as traffic is light. It involves crossing two immigration checkpoints and one ferry ride at the border. From Bangar, head west on the main road. You will arrive at Puni where the old checkpoint, which is a wooden house and wasn't a drive-through facility, can be seen to the left at an intersection. Furthur down is the new Ujong Jalan Checkpoint, which is a drive-through checkpoint. Your passport will be stamped out of Brunei in preparation for your entrance back to Malaysia. After the checkpoint you will reach the Pandaruan River, the border of Temburong and Limbang. The ferry (RM8 or B$4) runs regularly and the crossing is almost ridiculously short. After landing on the Malaysian side, look out for the Pandaruan Checkpoint on the left as there is inadequate signage and blocks on the road to direct you there (the road passes by it). This is a drive-through facility although sorting out permits for cars may require you to park and get out of your car. From Pandaruan, it is a simple drive to Limbang just under 15 km away. You will pass Limbang airport just before entering town from the northeast direction.

 * Limbang to Bandar Seri Begawan (60 km): To head towards the Brunei border at Tedungan, 43 km away from Limbang, you should head southwards out of town past the museum. The road, which is also the road to Nanga Medamit (the start of the Headhunter's Trail) runs parallel to the Limbang River. Take a right turn at the KM10 point (follow Nanga Medamit and Batu Danau direction) and travel for another 13 kilometres before taking another right turn. Going straight will bring you to Nanga Medamit. The road crosses the Limbang River at Batu Danau village and continues right up to the border checkpoint at Tedungan. Just before the checkpoint, there is a collection of shops and food outlets. They basically serve to quench the thirst of beer-starved people coming across from Brunei. Lines at the checkpoint can be phenomenally long, especially during weekends. Once you sort out Malaysian immigration and cross the border, you will immediately come to Brunei's Kuala Lurah checkpoint. Both Malaysian and Bruneian checkpoints have drive through lanes for you stamp your passport but you may have to get out of your car to sort out the necessary car permits. From Kuala Lurah, drive for 3 km to a roundabout near a petrol station. Here, follow the signboards to your destination. If you wish to head to the Bandar Seri Begawan city centre, turn right at the roundabout until you reach a set of traffic lights, then turn left. At the end of this short road turn right. Shortly after is the village of Kampung Bengkurong. Travel to the end of the road to find the main road and make a right at the traffic lights. This road will lead to the city. If you are heading to Miri or Kuching, turn left at the roundabout instead. At the next roundabout, turn right and go straight. You will pass through several kampungs. At the end of this road is the same main road as the route to Bandar Seri Begawan but at a different location. At this traffic light head left, then follow the signs to Jerudong, then to Kuala Belait.

By boat and bus
This is one of the more comfortable ways of making the journey as you do not need to spend so many hours on the "road". The sea is also relatively smoother than traveling on the back roads of Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei (though on some days you may be in for a pretty rough ride). The ferries are not wheelchair-friendly. A person in a wheelchair can make the trip (seated in an airplane-like seat for the duration of the ride), but some very capable help will be needed as it involves a good deal of lifting, carrying and balancing.

Though there are several ferries taking the route between Kota Kinabalu and Labuan and Labuan to Brunei, if you take the wrong ones you may end up being stuck and forced to stay overnight in Labuan.

To get from KK to Brunei in the same day, the following is a possible strategy depending on the day:
 * Since COVID, there is no longer a direct ferry from KK to Brunei or Labuan (Mar 2024).
 * Take a direct bus to Menumbok, which will drop you off just opposite the ferry terminal.
 * The speedboat from Menumbok to Labuan leaves every 1.5 hours, and takes about 20 minutes. It costs RM16 (as of 2024).
 * Once in Labuan, you have the option to take the noon trip or the 3PM trip in which you'll have some time for lunch (and cheap beer!), shopping and perhaps a quick visit to the Labuan Museum, or maybe a cab ride to and from the Labuan War Cemetery.
 * The ferry to Brunei leaves at noon most days, and at 9:30AM or 3PM on some days. It costs around RM60, and takes 1.5 hours (Mar 2024). You must pay a departure tax of RM10 at the ticket office.
 * Once in Brunei, you'll go through immigration and customs at the Serasa Ferry Terminal. You can change money at the terminal. Then you board a shuttle to Bandar Seri Begawan. The shuttle costs B$2 and takes about 40 minutes to arrive at the bus terminal in BSB, in the southeast corner of the city.

From Bandar Seri Begawan to Kota Kinabalu, the following is the best game plan:
 * Take the earliest express bus to the Serasa Ferry Terminal: it leaves at 6:30AM from the last bay in the bus terminal in Bandar Seri Begawan, which is next to the bay for Bus #39. It costs B$1, and the trip takes a quite random time (up to 2 hours including delay on departure), getting you to the ferry terminal just in time to buy a ticket for the 9:30AM ferry departure to Labuan. If you can't find the express bus, you can take bus 37/38/39 and transfer to bus 33; the travel time is similar and the price is also B$1. See Bandar Seri Begawan for details.
 * The ferry to Labuan costs B$17 (B$15 + B$2 departure tax). Unlike the KK-Brunei direction, there is no two-ferry "package," nor can you book tickets in advance. You can change your remaining Brunei dollars to Malaysian Ringgit at the terminal. The ferry ride takes between 1 and 2 hours.
 * When you arrive in Labuan, you will go through immigration and customs; immediately afterwards, go to the ticketing office (on the left after leaving the terminal facilities—not the ticket windows right outside immigration) and buy a ticket for the 1PM ferry, which is the last ferry of the day to Kota Kinabalu. This costs RM39 for lower deck ("economy"), RM44 for upper deck ("first class"). Now you have about an hour to explore Labuan and have lunch. There are some decent restaurants across the street from the terminal. There is a left-luggage facility. The cost is RM1-3 depending on size however there is no tourist information desk in the ferry terminal. Free Wi-Fi is available in the waiting room of the ferry terminal.
 * The 1PM ferry arrives at the Point Jesselton Ferry Terminal in Kota Kinabalu at around 4:30PM. The terminal is an easy 20-minute walk from the center of town.

By bus
The easiest way to do it is the direct bus, which goes once a day in each direction and takes 6–8 hours. In Bandar Seri Begawan, it leaves from the waterfront near the main bus terminal at 8AM, but get there at 7:30 to buy the ticket. It costs B$45 (2019). From KK, it leaves from the KK bus terminal.

Below are more complicated (and therefore slower) variations, which may cause a delay in reaching your final destination.

 * Kota Kinabalu-Lawas-Bangar-Bandar Seri Begawan:

Two possibilities:

Bus to Munumbuk - car ferry to Muara (http://www.pkljaya.com/Fares_Tickets.htm) - public bus to Bandar.

KK to Lawas then Bandar ( same route as 1 but using a variety of transport)

If you are going the other direction, do the stages in reverse. Here is the stage-by-stage description
 * Kota Kinabalu to Lawas: Catch an early bus or minivans from Kota Kinabalu either directly to Lawas or by breaking your journey in Papar, Beaufort and Sipitang. Sipitang Express Bus Sdn Bhd  has a 7:30AM express bus from KK to Lawas (RM20), taking about 4½ hours, allowing you to reach Lawas at about noon. The Lawas Bus Company express bus only departs KK in the afternoon and you will not make it to Brunei within a day. There are no direct minivans from KK to Lawas; you will have to at least change at Beaufort. If you cannot get direct minivans, you can change at Papar between KK and Beaufort, and at Sipitang between Beaufort and Lawas. Express buses leave from the Kota Kinabalu express bus terminal on Jalan Padang near the City Padang (City Field) in the city center whereas minivans leave from the open plot of land opposite Wawasan Plaza at the southern end of town. Minivans are most frequent early in the morning.
 * Lawas to Bangar: You will probably have to do this leg by taxis -- one from Lawas to the Brunei border at Labu and one from Labu after you pass Brunei immigration to Bangar. Don't forget to get the taxi driver to stop at the Mengkalap Immigration checkpoint at Trusan (about 20 km from Lawas) just before the ferry so that you can stamp yourself out of Malaysia. There is no immigration checkpoint at the border. All this will of course turn out to be quite expensive. There may be minivans running up to Trusan or the border although they are not frequent. You could also try taking one of the rickety Lawas Bus Company buses from Lawas to Trusan but that will be as near to the border as you will get, leaving you only with taxis to continue the rest of the way to the border. Once in Brunei territory, taxis are your only option.
 * Bangar-Bandar Seri Begawan: From Bangar, regular speed boats make the half hour journey to Bandar Seri Begawan. These boats leave from the jetty in town and bring you straight into Bandar Seri Begawan. An added benefit going directly from Bangar to BSB, instead of continuing to Limbang, is that it allows you to bypass going through two more sets of immigration checks.

 * Kota Kinabalu-Lawas-Bangar-Limbang-Bandar Seri Begawan: This alternative is pretty much the same as the main itinerary; the difference is only at the Brunei end of the journey.
 * After leaving Lawas by taxi, instead of stopping at Bangar, you should continue by taxi from Labu to western Temburong-Sarawak border at Puni. At Puni, cross the Pandaruan River by boat or ferry and get stamped into Malaysia at the Pandaruan immigration checkpoint. From Pandaruan, you can catch a local bus or taxi to Limbang, about 15 km away.
 * Once at Limbang, head to the jetty and catch a speedboat to Bandar Seri Begawan, which should take about half an hour. These boats leave when full and they are more frequent in the morning. However, if you have come directly from Kota Kinabalu, you may just make it for the last boats at about 4:30PM.
 * If you miss the boat connection, you can catch a bus or taxi to the land border crossing at Tedungan (bus destination "Batu Danau") 43 km away. After clearing Malaysian and Bruneian immigration (the checkpoint is called Bukit Lurah on the Brunei side), catch the purple minibuses to Bandar Seri Begawan. These buses (B$1) operate til about 7PM and the journey is about half hour.

 * Other variations:
 * Kota Kinabalu-Lawas-Bandar Seri Begawan: There is a daily Lawas-Bandar Seri Begawan ferry but they leave very early in the day. If you are coming directly from Kota Kinabalu, you will have to stay the night in Lawas if you want to catch the ferry. The only reason why you may consider this option is to avoid the expensive taxi ride from Lawas to Bangar in Brunei's Temburong district. Indeed, with cheaper accommodation options in Lawas, you may end up spending less by spending the night in Lawas. Also, you will only deal with one set of immigration checks - once by the Malaysians when leaving Lawas and then by the Bruneians when arriving in Bandar Seri Begawan.
 * Kota Kinabalu-Lawas-Limbang-Bandar Seri Begawan: There is a daily ferry between Lawas and Limbang but again, they leave early in the day, requiring an overnight stay at Lawas. Once in Limbang, there is plenty of time for you to catch the direct speedboat, or do the road trip, to Bandar Seri Begawan. This option allows you to skip the expensive taxi rides between Lawas and Bangar while still get to see the geographically unique outpost of Limbang. Again, you will only need to go through one set of immigration checks - either at Limbang Wharf and Bandar Seri Begawan jetty if you take the speedboat, or at Tedungan-Bukit Lurah if you go overland.

Go next
Traveling from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan in a day can be seen as part of the Borneo Overland Trail which stretches from Tawau in the southeastern corner of Sabah, to Kuching in Sarawak.

The usual next stop from Bandar Seri Begawan is Miri in northern Sarawak, which can be reached by road and bus. See Brunei's Get In section for details.

If you are heading to Kota Kinabalu, then it is highly likely that you'll be setting your eyes on Mount Kinabalu. See Kota Kinabalu's Get In section for details. However, before you proceed along the trail towards the mountain, you could make a detour to the northern part of Sabah. Kota Belud has an interesting tamu (market) and Kudat bills itself being at the northern-most tip of Borneo.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land


text:
Ko Tao

Ko Tao (เกาะเต่า), literally 'Turtle Island', is an island on the Central Gulf Coast of Southern Thailand.

Understand
Ko Tao was once a detention place for political prisoners. Today it is one of Thailand's top tourist destinations, along with the nearby islands of Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan. The island is geared more towards relatively affluent divers than backpackers on a budget. Thus, you won't find cheap food stalls here. There are hardly any ocean currents and there is a wide selection of dive sites and dive shops, dive schools, and resorts. Activities other than diving are on the increase and the food and nightlife options are some of the best in the Gulf of Thailand.

Ko Tao is a small island of approximately 21 km2 and receives over 100,000 visitors per year. This is a heavy tourist load for a small island with rudimentary sanitation infrastructure. Everything that can't be burned has to be taken away to the mainland. There is no sanitation department to clean the roads or other public areas, so don't dump your waste thoughtlessly. Avoid the unnecessary plastic bags that are given out mindlessly for virtually every purchase. Water is scarce and electricity expensive, so don't waste them.

Peak seasons in Ko Tao are from December-March and July-August. It is a quite popular destination among Thais also, so it can be nearly fully booked on Thai holidays.

By plane
The nearest airports are in Chumphon, Ko Samui and Surat Thani. Ko Tao can then be reached by numerous ferry and high-speed catamaran services.

Combined flight and ferry ticket
Nok Air sells a Bangkok to Ko Tao, air-sea combi ticket online. It includes a seat on one of their twice daily 86-seater turboprop services between Bangkok (Don Muang, DMK) and Chumphon Airport, followed by a transfer to the ferry pier and a Lomprayah catamaran to Ko Tao.

If you have purchased a separate flight ticket, then various ferry operators have booths in the airport arrivals area selling ferry tickets which include a bus to the pier.

Flight options from Bangkok

 * Via Chumphon Airport - Nok Air fly from Don Muang Airport  to Chumphon twice daily.
 * Via Surat Thani Airport - Thai AirAsia, Nok Air (DMK) and Thai Airways (BKK) fly from Bangkok to Surat Thani Airport.
 * Via Ko Samui Airport - As well as owning this airport, Bangkok Airways operate all flights from here and charge high fares accordingly.

Combined bus and ferry ticket from Hua Hin
Lomprayah has an office on the main road in Hua Hin where you can catch its bus/ferry at 23:30 to travel to Ko Tao arriving at 08:45. The fare to Ko Tao is 1,250 baht (or 1,450 baht for a “VIP 24” bus as of May 2022). After Ko Tao, the ferry continues on to Ko Pha Ngan (1,350 baht) and then Ko Samui (1,450 baht).

From Chumphon
The closest port to Bangkok for the island ferry service is Chumphon. Numerous agents sell tickets for a variety of boats of varying size and speed travelling in from the north. The fastest takes about 90 min, the slowest more than 5 hr.

There are two high-speed ferry operators from Chumphonː Lomprayah and Songserm. Their websites both have timetables and allow you to buy tickets online. They also both offer pickup services from the train and bus stations and from hotels. The fare for a Lomprayah ferry is 750 baht (as of May 2022) and can be as low as 550 baht if there is a special promotion running.

Another option is the night boats, generally leaving between 10pm and midnight, and offering bunks in large dormitories with fairly basic facilities. There are three operatorsː All of these can be booked through the Salsa Hostel in Chumphon (+66 77 505005 or +66 89 4880321), who also arrange pickups.
 * Talay Sub - operates Tu, Th, Sa from Chumphon - 400 baht - +66 81 8945488 or +66 81 0861793
 * Ko Jaroen - operates M, W, F from Chumphon - 400 baht - +66 77 580030
 * Pontaweesin - operates Su from Chumphon - 450 baht

A good solution if coming from Bangkok is to book "Sleeper Train #85"; leaving Bangkok at 19:30 and arriving in Chumphon at 04ː13 and then have a ticket booked for the 07:00 ferry. Both ferry operators can pick you up from the station where you can while away the connection gap of several hours. You can also buy your ferry ticket at the station when you get off the train. Lomprayah have a ticket office at the station and a ticket on a waiting bus is included in the price.

From Surat Thani
Catamarans are operated by Lomprayah and Seatran Discoverywith a travel time of around 3 hr. In addition, overnight ferries are a cheaper transport option. These depart around 23:00 and arrive the following morning at about 06:00 (subject to changes). As most of the boats are former cargo boats the passenger facilities are basic. The cheapest overnight ferries have large common unpartitioned sleeping areas and are cooled by fans only. Sleeping spaces are unallocated so try to arrive early. More expensive night ferries have a/c and partitioned single and double bunks. Your bunk will be assigned to you. Purchase tickets at the pier.

From Ko Samui
Bangrak Pier (aka "Big Buddha Pier") is your best bet if you are arriving at Ko Samui Airport (~10 minutes via taxi). Or are staying in Chaweng Beach area. Seatran Ferry has several trips to and from Ko Tao's main pier (Mae Haad). Seatran has large modern ferries, ~2 hours and 600 baht one way as of 2017. Maenam Pier is on the Northern coast, ¾ hr to 1 hr from Ko Samui Airport. To confuse things, it is also known Lomprayah Ferry Pier. Lomprayah ferries cost 700 baht (or 600 baht with a special promotion) as of May 2022.

Nathon Pier is over on the Western coast of the island, about 90 minutes from the airport by car.

You might make the trip on diving charters from Ko Samui. Many have high-speed boats that can make the trip to Ko Tao in about 1 hr.

Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran or Seatran are the fastest and most comfortable way to get to Ko Tao. They run twice a day from Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Surat Thani, and Chumphon. They also have online booking, useful for checking availability at peak times and all their boats have air conditioning and movies for passengers.

Get around

There is one main road running north to south on the island that connects Sairee, Mae Haad, and Chalok, with many smaller roads branching off from it. Some roads lead over the spine of small mountains that run along the middle of the island and are all dirt, can become impassable after rain, and can be challenging even to a skilled driver. If you are looking for an adventure, the dirt roads are a good place to find it. Also be aware that distances can be quite deceiving due to the quality and elevation changes of the trail. As of October 2016 many of the roads are actively being replaced with freshly poured concrete, though this has led to an increase in speeding compared to the older worn down/dirt roads. The other main thoroughfare is a pedestrian pathway known locally as the "Brick Road" (or "Yellow Brick Road" despite being gray) that runs along the majority of Sairee Beach from Mae Haad to the main intersection of Sairee. Despite being a pedestrian path there's still numerous scooters weaving and bobbing, so be sure to keep an eye out.

You can rent bicycles and motorcycles at many places around the island, though an increasing number of rental shops are running motorbike scams where they hold your passport hostage and insist on you paying large amounts of money for non-existent scratches upon their return — primarily shops on/near the "Up Road" from the Mae Haad pier or near the Sairee 7-Eleven. Make sure you note and photograph all scratches and dents when you take delivery of a rental bike, including the underside of the bike as it inevitably will take a few bumps once off the main road (if the shop is charging less than 200 baht/day for a 125 cc scooter, chances are they're making up the difference elsewhere). Taking passports as the deposit is standard even at reputable shops, though some will alternatively take a deposit of 8000-10,000 baht for a typical 125 cc scooter if you ask.

Reputable rental shops
Some of the hostels also have motorbikes for rent.

ATVs have been banned from the island, though may still be seen roaming the island once or twice during your stay. There are usually plenty of taxis available in both Sairee Village and Mae Haad, however they tend to be expensive for Thailand with a minimum price of 300 baht or 100 baht per person when transporting larger crowds. Longtail boats offer rides to and from hard-to-get-to beaches on the island. They are a more comfortable way of getting to isolated beaches than attempting to ride over the mountains, however they are noisy. A round-island longtail can be as much as 2,000 baht, whereas some short trips will only be 100-200 baht.

See

Take a bike around the island. Shark Bay is a good place to go snorkelling for the day (don't worry, they are only small black-tip reef sharks, harmless to humans). Ko Nang Yuan, Freedom Beach, Laem Thian, Mango Bay, Hin Wong Bay, and Tanote Bay are good day excursions, accessible by road or boat. If you rent a scooter, be prepared to turn around or continue by foot since some roads (e.g., to Mango Bay) may be in such condition that you need a dirt bike or a car to travel them. While there are legally no private beaches in Thailand, some are relatively inaccessible by land making a paid longtail boat a necessity, and some are "owned" or only accessible via "private roads" that charge 100-200 baht entrance fees..

However, to see the best places, go by foot or longtail as some places are inaccessible to motorists. There are a number of good viewpoints around the island such as John Suwan mountain viewpoint in the south of the island, Two View in the centre, and Fraggle Rock in the north.

Freediving
Freedive training and education worldwide is generally done through AIDA, SSI, and Apnea Academy, though PADI offers freediving courses.

Scuba diving
Scuba diving is the biggest attraction on Ko Tao. Diving in Ko Tao is easy, fun, and you can see turtles, stingrays, barracudas, lots of small fish, and reef sharks. There is a small chance you'll see a whale shark.

At Chumphon Pinnacle you are likely to see juvenile bull sharks which used to be misidentified as grey reef sharks. Be careful as the bulls are curious and very aggressive, though for many years thousands of people have dived this site without a single shark-related incident.

Nearly any time of the year except November is good diving weather in Ko Tao and visibility can exceed 40 m. Average visibility is around 15-20 m. In November, visibility is reduced to 5 m and the seas are choppy.

It is possible and perfectly comfortable to swim and dive without a wetsuit year-round. However, as with most diving, a wetsuit is recommended to help reduce the risk of cuts or injury. Avoid contact with coral reefs. Various dive locations around Ko Tao are:
 * Chumphon Pinnacles
 * Southwest Pinnacles
 * Green Rock
 * White Rock
 * Red Rock
 * Japanese Gardens
 * Twin Pinnacles
 * HTMS Sattakut (wreck)
 * Hin Pee Wee
 * Mango Bay
 * Ao Leuk
 * Shark Island
 * Hin Wong
 * Lighthouse Bay
 * Laem Thien

Dive training
There are a huge number of dive operators on the island, many offering budget accommodation (sometimes described as "free accommodation", but this is not really true as you will usually get a discount if you stay elsewhere). The price for PADI open water certification including the new PADI training manual, professional instruction, rental equipment, boat dives, and certification is around 9,800 baht. For SSI open water certification including professional instruction, rental equipment, boat dives, and certification is around 9,000 baht. Insurance and basic accommodation may also be included. Shop around as not all shops teach the course in the same way. Look for experienced dive instructors rather than a low price.

A common method for teaching new divers is to train in a pool first to be taught about 20 basic skills before being taken out into the open water. Others will instead take you to a secluded beach so you will see fish and coral from the start and you might be able to squeeze in a short extra dive in this way, depending on your group and instructor. Some shops have a private pier, some shops depart with a longtail from the beach, and some use the public pier, where you will have to climb across some other boats. Ask, if this matters to you. Most important: find out the maximum number of dive students in a group. Make sure you get an instructor who speaks your language if you are not absolutely sure about your English. These are the little things that will make the difference between an OK course and a great one.

For those interested in becoming divemasters or instructors, here is a link to a video guide about the island life Koh Tao: Thailand's Divestyle Island.

PADI dive centres and resorts

SSI dive centres

Other activities
Over the last couple of years more and more non-divers have discovered the beauty of this island with its secluded little bays and unspoiled mountain ridges. Due to this, and the increasing number of small upmarket resorts and villas nestled in the hillsides there are now a lot more activities available, including sailing, rock climbing (trad routes, sport routes, top rope routes, and bouldering), abseiling, cliff jumping, wake boarding, mini golf, or bowling in Mae Haad, massage and yoga courses, and cooking courses.

 * Hike to one of the secluded bays on the northern and eastern side of the island. On the 2 hr walk through the jungle to Mango Bay you will hardly meet any people. The snorkelling there is good.

 * Mountain Biking There is a shop renting mountain bikes next to the bowling and mini golf course. Mountain bikes are in reasonable condition. 100 baht/day with a 1,000 baht deposit.

Eat
A huge selection of Thai food is available, including lots of seafood. Barbecued fish is one of the local favourites. As a large portion of the population are expats, you will find plenty of other cuisines too. 2011 prices ranging from 60 baht for stuff-on-rice (still possible in 2015, especially if you have a look around the gas station on the main road, about a kilometre south-east from the piers) through to 250 baht for a nice hunk of fresh barbecued fish at a decent restaurant. 30 baht would get you a fresh banana pancake, and 60 baht a bowl of porridge with honey at a budget resort's restaurant. 200-300 baht would get you a bowl of freshly made Italian pasta, and 160-200 baht for pizza. Fresh fruit juices are available at many stalls for 30-40 baht.

Drink
When you get a break from diving, there are a few bars on the island. The bars on the island rotate nights, so the best bet is to ask someone working at dive shop which bar will be crowded that night or check the posters. Many start off the evening at the bars located at the northern end of Sairee, and after they close at 01:00, go onto whichever club is open for the rest of the evening at the south end of Sairee.

Sleep
You can usually find accommodation at the pier when you arrive. However, during peak times it is worth booking ahead unless you want to sleep on the beach or spend the night in one of the more expensive lodgings. If you are planning on taking a scuba diving course whilst on the island, most dive schools have an attached resort and will either discount the accommodation or throw it in for free when you book a course. During busy periods, most resorts with dive outfits will not want you to stay unless you are diving at least every second day with them. If you don't want to stay with your dive operator and use their free accommodation, you may want to ask for a discount.

The majority of the accommodation on Ko Tao are centred around three main areas: Sairee Beach, Mae Haad, and Chalok Ban Khao.

Sairee Beach
This is the largest beach on Ko Tao. On the west side of the island from the ferry terminal on the southwest corner of the island and running almost the length of the island. All along this beach you will find dive schools, resorts, restaurants and bars. The southern and central sections of the beach are well known for their nightlife, and the northern end has a large number of shops and restaurants which lends it to be a bit quieter at night (but with the bars only a short walk down the "Yellow Brick Road".

Mae Haad
All ferries arrive here making access to and from the island easy. Sairee Beach is to the north and Chalok Ban Kao is to the south. Banks and government offices as well as many dive centres, restaurants, and many guesthouses are here.

Chalok Baan Kao
Chalok Baan Kao is a much more relaxed environment than Sairee Beach, while still possessing a great range of restaurants, beach bars and BBQs plus a wide range of accommodation from luxury resorts to budget rustic, beach side bungalows.

Tanote Bay
More populated than other east coast beaches however this doesn't mean it's busy. There is no town or village here and only 4 resorts, each with an attached restaurant and one really tiny shop which is up the hill behind the resorts. There are no ATM machines. There are no really cheap places to eat as there are in Mae Haad.

The sand on the beach is coarse and there is an unbelievable amount of broken glass in it. Likely because of people drinking while sitting on the rocks. Careful where you step and do your bit to pick up some of the glass. The shore is rocky and there is plenty of corral right off the beach. You can rent snorkel equipment for 100 baht per day. There is a large rock just out to sea for those interested in cliff diving.

There are regular trucks that go back and forth 3-4 times per day at 100 baht per person. Ask at your resort for taxi times. Alternatively you can charter your own truck for 400 baht minimum or 100 baht per person.

Stay safe
The number one way to stay safe on Ko Tao is to not drink and drive. Motorbike accidents are so common to the point that the term "Ko Tao Tattoo" is frequently used to jokingly describe the inevitable scrapes and bruises.

Be careful when renting bikes. You must give them the passport as a deposit, and even though you may take photos and return the bike in perfect condition, they may find small "scratches" and demand an exorbitant amount. If you do get in such trouble, at least in Ko Tao the police should be on your side. There's a friendly police officer named Chet who speaks very good English who might encourage you to file a report, saying that this happens several times a day on Ko Tao. Even if you don't file a report, the police can help you negotiate a lesser amount. If you do file a report, contact your embassy and eventually the company will have to release your passport, because it doesn't belong to you but your country's government.

Additionally, when renting bikes, insist on a receipt when you have paid the rental fee, or for every subsequent payment per rental day. Do not trust the shops to write accurate information in their own books. If you do not want to provide your passport as a deposit, some shops will ask for 2,000-8,000 baht as a one-off deposit instead. Again, take many detailed photos of the bike. Be careful about renting from CJ Guesthouse & Supermarket (13/1 Moo 1, Sairee Beach), on the same street as New Way Divers. They will not issue receipts if you do not ask, and later demand that you have not paid the cumulative rental fee when you return the bike. Without a receipt, it will be frustrating and difficult to argue your case. Do not trust CJ Guesthouse and be very careful on this matter even with other shops. Most bike shops on the island rent bikes for 200-250 baht per day.

Should you be unfortunate enough to need minor medical attention there are numerous clinics on the island. These are only clinics and the closest hospitals are in Ko Samui and Chumphon. Any medical condition not treatable locally will require a minimum of two hours ferry travel to reach a hospital. If the weather is bad the physical rigors of such a trip can complicate medical treatment significantly.

The island of Ko Tao has no sewage processing and water contamination far exceeds Western standards at nearly all times. This includes both ocean waters and tap waters. Sewer water drains across the beach and even the roads in several areas, and are easily encountered by unwitting tourists. Beware of wet spots on the roads that persist during dry weather and avoid the mist that arises from vehicles passing over them.

Small scratches or mosquito bites can become seriously infected if swimming, and ear/eye infections are extremely common among divers, more than many equivalent resort locations. Susceptible individuals and especially parents of young children should be aware of these dangers and exercise great caution.

Tap water quality supplied by shallow well pumps should be held suspect even during showering. Low-lying areas in Sairee and especially in Ban Chalok are the most polluted. The eastern areas far from the population centres are the cleanest.

Be also aware of the safety of your hotel room. There are many reports of stolen money, especially at the resorts on Sairee Beach. Normally the thieves, sometimes even hotel staff, sneak into the room while you are out diving and take your cash from your wallet or from your bags.

As always, watch out for the sun. It seems to be particularly strong on the island due to the bright sand and surroundings, especially when slightly clouded.

Watch out for the petrol stations, they like to let the meter start at more than zero: the red petrol station on the road that goes up to the turtle is particularly known for this.

Watch out for dive instructors teaching you the nitrox course without telling you that they charge for it when you check out: Ban's is known for this.

Go next

 * Ko Nang Yuan makes a lovely day trip from Ko Tao
 * Move on to the nearby islands of Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan
 * Visit more than 40 beautiful islands in the Ang Thong National Marine Park close to Ko Tao
 * Take the high speed ferry to the unspoilt beaches in Pathio, Chumphon before flying back to Bangkok from Chumphon Airport.

title: Ko Tao