What to do in Kota Kinabalu for the day?

We are going to Kota Kinabalu on the Queen Mary 2 on the 22nd March 2015.

I just did a search of this forum, and from what I have found, I don't think there is much to do here.

so I was just wondering what did you do when you went here?

Any tips/advise/ideas are very welcome :)

We are going to Kota Kinabalu on the Queen Mary 2 on the 22nd March 2015.

 

I just did a search of this forum, and from what I have found, I don't think there is much to do here.

 

so I was just wondering what did you do when you went here?

 

Any tips/advise/ideas are very welcome :)

A visit to Mount Kinabalu is a must. However, you need to check your ships time to see if you can make it. If the ship tour doesn't bring you there, try looking for a private tour.

A visit to Mount Kinabalu is a must. However, you need to check your ships time to see if you can make it. If the ship tour doesn't bring you there, try looking for a private tour.

I don't think the ship is in port long enough to do this trip. Have a look at the other thread on this board - a few suggestions. Tours by Locals might be worth a look as I originally booked a tour to see the orangutans at Rasa Ria(?). Timing was always a bit iffy so I cancelled it.

I agree the trip to the foothills of Mount Kinabalu is the obvious thing from there. We did it a few years ago and would recommend it. It took a full day trip with 2 hour coach ride each way, but was not an excessively long trip. If Cunard is not offering it as a day trip, then it is likely you will not be in port long enough.

I, personally, would not like to risk that length of journey on a private trip. We did not see the town when we went, but people did not seem to think there was much to see, so a trip could be the best way forward - it was a lovely inland.

We took a ship's tour that brought us to Kinabalu national park, the foothills. It came with a nice lunch, and a short walk. I wouldn't risk a private tour because the Kinabalu national park is rather far.

There will not be enough time to climb up the mountain.

We were there in February last year on QM2 and as others have mentioned there didn't seem to be much of interest in the city itself.

Cunard offered a range of tours, 7 in total, lasting from 2.5 hours to 8.5 hours but most were around the 4 hour mark.

I don't know if they will offer the same tours on your cruise but they will most likely be similar. Because we booked at the last minute we took a ship's tour called 'Essence of Borneo' which was OK but certainly not the best tour we have ever been on. It included a visit to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park and a Heritage Village. The Heritage Village was interesting but the Wildlife Park was a bit so-so. Some of the animals seemed to be confined in spaces too small but that's just my opinion. This tour was 4.5 hours and we also fitted in a trip to the Sabah Museum.

Other tours included:

a scenic drive of the city with a short river cruise

a very short drive of the city (2.5 hours)

a visit to the Heritage Village and Museum minus the Wildlife Park but with a visit to a water village instead

an 8.5 hour trip to Kinabalu National Park

a visit to a Mari Mari Cultural Village and

a visit to the Dalit Nature Reserve

I hope this helps with your planning. If you need any further explanations of the tours or the pricing as it was last year (before the AUD went south), just let me know as I still have the documentation.

Thank You everyone for the information and replays :)

I will be here for 7 hours.

I am thinking of catching a local ferry from Jesselton Point to one of the nearby islands; eg: Manukan Island.

No swimming / snorkelling planned, probably just a bush walk for an hour or so.

Does anyone have any advise or experience in the port ?

Thanks.