Kota Kinabalu offers its own unique wonders. Being a budget
traveler, it is possible to enjoy a 4-day tour of KK on a shoestring budget
coming from Manila to Kota Kinabalu.
Book a sale airline ticket. You can get one from Air Asia for
a little over $32, or depending on any ticket sale available during your online
shopping time. Same goes with the
accommodation, which can be purchased via Agoda or Airbnb. If you still haven't signed up for Airbnb yet, you're missing out on a lot of benefits. Get your $75 gift here. There’s this fairly
new in named Sakot Hostel with
clean facilities and is located within the city. The staff and receptionists were
very accommodating as well. There are other hostels near the area, where you
can get a lodging for around $10 per night for dorm type accommodations. Solo
rooms are also available.
Taxi at Kota Kinabalu is quite expensive as compared to the
taxi rates in Manila. If on a budget, better go for Uber or Grab services
instead. Just be sure that you have wi-fi access, or better yet, get a local
sim with data good for the duration of your stay. Wi-fi is not readily available on the streets unlike in
South Korea, so be sure to purchase a data sim particularly if you need to
access Google Maps, Waze, and other travel apps and social media sites on the
go. The local sims are available at the airport. Choose between Celcom or Digi,
but better ask them the best signal strength with regards to the location you
are headed. A sim good for 4 days would set you back around $5 which contains
1.4 GB of data.
From the airport (don’t forget to grab a map), you can take
the bus to Kota Kinabalu City. The fare would be 5 rinngit (just a little over a
dollar). You can purchase the ticket from a booth in the airport. Just let the
ticket attendant know where you are headed so you can get directions.
Island Hopping
Start off by heading to Jesselton Point. It’s a 10-15 minute
walk from the city. You will see various counters tended by different boat
companies. Locals suggest choosing between counters 8 to counters 10 for more
affordable rates. Choose how many islands you would want to visit. There are
around 5 islands you can visit. But if you want to relax and lounge by the
beach a little longer, you may just go for an island or two.
If you are unsure of
where to go, the boatmen can always give you good suggestions depending on your
taste. I would always go for a more peaceful
island with least number of people, so Mamutik is the choice for me. You can
even set up a hammock if you like.
Expenses:
Airfare and travel tax – $65.49
Accommodation - $40
Food, snacks, and drinks - $31
Bus, taxi, Grab, and Uber - $710
Island hopping fee - $10
Environmental fee - $3
Total Expenses for 4 days: Roughly around $166