Hence, I am willing to share some tips as a local to everyone who wanted to travel in Sabah. Of course, your level of comfort correlates with how much you wanted to spend during your stay here. I've seen backpackers who are satisfied with sleeping in a backpackers, but most travelers would prefer a nice and comfortable trip!
Planning your trip to Sabah
Its actually very easy to book your trip to Sabah and when you came here. Pre-Covid19 era, there are numerous flights connecting to Kota Kinabalu which is the capital. So first thing that you need to worry is the fare from your country to Kota Kinabalu. You can of course start looking at accommodations in Sabah, and places that you wanted to go, so keep that in your list. I know some travel agents will charge maximum for everything, but I'm sure there are good ones there - so decide early if you want to plan your trip without travel agents - benefits - you decide where you want to go and sleep or using travel agents where of course you'll be less worried about everything but not sure what you will get! This is the Sabah Tourism website. https://www.sabahtourism.com/?locale=en
HOTELS
Booking your hotel - so, depending on your budget, you can choose to stay at a 4-5 star hotels, many of them in KK (Kota Kinabalu) - price range 150USD per night and above or 3 stars and lower - but call and ask if they provide buffets or free meals, because some hotels do not include that in their bill! From experience, even some 3 star hotels provide 3 meals a day! So google around the place and see if meals are included, and whether there's gyms and everything. By booking your own hotel, you are in charge the level of comfort of your trip!
INSURANCE and HEALTH
Insurance - travel insurance is a must for most foreigners, please check if you can be admitted to the nearest private hospital in case anything happen! However, a visit to a private doctor's clinic takes about 30 minutes and usually less than RM100 - including medication! If you do get sick and need hospital stays, please google your nearest PRIVATE hospitals such as Gleneagles, KPJ, Rafllesia or JMC if you can, if no, the public hospitals are still available especially for emergencies.
Arriving in Sabah
The airport is just a 10 minute drive to the city centre, so you can just hail a taxi from the airport to your hotel. Make sure you print your map location or show your hotel from google map in your phone! Costs about RM30.
Booking your trips - there are lots of travel agents available throughout the city, you just have to shop around but my tips is GO DIRECTLY to the Sabah Tourism Board Office at Gaya Street, https://www.sabahtourism.com/ and ask them how to get to the places that you want. I am sure they will be happy to give advice to you. Exception: Booking the Mt Kinabalu Climbing of course, you will need to book this in advance!
FOOD
Food - Sabah food is known for its 'freshness' especially if you like eating fish and seafood. If you do eat fish, you might ask around for "Fish Soup with Noodles" - there are 2 versions, spicy and non spicy, its up to you to choose. Otherwise, if you eat meat and everything, you can see Indian, Malay, Chinese Restaurants. If you want a Western Style meal, then my advice is to google Upperstar Restaurant or Secret Recipe Restaurants, there are of course some other types of Restaurants such as little Italy, Pizza places, etc but you just have to google them, that is if KFC, McDonalds, PizzaHut is not your type of food. Otherwise, the fastfoods are there as a last resort!! HOWEVER, If you do choose to go with whatever the travel agent gives, then don't be surprised if the food is below your expectation.
Generally, the further you go from the capital KK, the lesser options of food there are for you. If you go to almost every restaurants, the menu will be fried rice, fried noodles, fried rice noodles, noodle soup, if you are ok with that then that's fine. But if you don't then I am sorry that you might have to improvise., go to a local supermarket and buy produce there. Otherwise, you could ask if anyone can tell you where you can find chicken chop, lamb chops or pizzas, most likely there will be at least one and that will most likely be a decent place for you too!
FOR VEGETARIANS: I'm sorry to say there are very few places that serve vegetarian foods in Sabah. As far as I can remember, there is a decent vegetarian buffet at the ground flood in centre point, you can go to a vegetarian restaurant in Suria Sabah. After all, google is your friend. But when it comes to sitting in a local restaurant, ask them to stir fry vegetables for you with or without eggs, please make sure to let them know that you don't want meat, fish or anything. Just veggies. Sabah is a good producer of vegetables so I am sure they can give you at least 2 types of veggies. However, in general foods for vegetarians are still very limited in Sabah restaurants - especially rural, so do not expect too much!
Tips: you might want to install the FOOD PANDA app or GRAB food to help you order food easily!
TRANSPORTATIONs
- If you do not wish to travel via travel agents, its fine but make sure you know where exactly you wanted to go. If you go to the main taxi station in KK, you will be able to book a whole taxi for yourself or your family. You might even able to negotiate the taxi driver, and ask him if you can book him throughout the day to see for example Ranau, Mt Kinabalu and return to KK in the evening, but make sure you have to agree on a price first.
-I am sorry to say to World Travel Family Blog - we DO NOT HAVE SEPARATE BUS OR PLANE FARES for foreigners and locals. So we paid the same RM35 bus tickets that you took, so please put that in mind :).
My suggestion for foreigners is to use a taxi, however if you are confident in driving, you may be able to book a car, but be cautious as the road condition in Sabah may not be similar to your home countries.
You can definitely use a Coach, especially is you wanted to travel to the interior such as Keningau, Tenom. If you wanted to travel to Sandakan, Lahad Datu or Tawau, my advice is to take a plane as its much quicker and less hassle to you.
TOILETS
This is a big problem not only in Sabah but throughout Malaysia!!! I am sorry to say, but the norms for the toilet here is a hole and running water, and it may not be the most hygienic!! most often than not you will not find a toilet paper, or toilet tissue as they are called here. So be prepared to bring a toilet paper with you wherever you are!! If in anycase, you still need a proper toilet, do not be afraid to go to a nearby hotel or restaurants and ask if you can use their toilet. Sometimes they will be happy to let you use it for a small fee, not more than MYR1! I am strongly against using a public toilet unless you do not have any other choice.
Places to Stay in Kundasang - around Mt Kinabalu
I would stay away from the lodge in the national park as there are no wifi and its very difficult to order food from there. HOWEVER, if you google around, there are nice lodges, hotels and even homestays around the places, you just have to google it and read the reviews! Make sure you ask about wifi, food and consider the distance from your point of reference.
ORANGUTANS
Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary - most people expect that you can hug and touch an orangutan there, but the fact is you can't or rarely are permitted to do so. Yes there will be dedicated times during the day when you can see the orang utan from a glass windowed platform and that is when they are fed by the workers there. I'm not sure if there are still paths that you can walk on, but last time, my experience was not too bad! As I can still see orangutans randomly moving and hanging around the pathway. BUT, if you expect that you will be able to take selfies with them, then no.
Extra tips - there's a nearby sanctuary for Sunbears too, so there's another reason if you want to visit the place.
NIGHT WALKS
You probably have more luck seeing wild animals in Danum Valley, You can google and ask any travel agents that provide such services.
INTERIOR REGIONS
Most tourists do not know that the interior region actually has wonderful places as well. In Tenom in particular, about 4 hours from KK, you can actually go to the Sabah Agricultural Park, which is a wonderful place to see plants, flowers and just a different set of view of Sabah. Here is their facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064870290177. Of course you can enquire more of this at the Sabah Tourism Office. I suggest a one day one night stay in Tenom and there are hotels available in Tenom or nearby Keningau. There is also a beautiful native house in Tenom, The Murut Cultural House, which is worth a visit!
Keningau also has its own charm where you can visit a small museum, there are several good places to hike such as Matanoi Hill, Dongguan Hill, Chanang Hill, and a few riverside picnic places. I'll give you suggestions if you need more information on this. There are more nicer hotels in Keningau and more western food places as well!! Its nicer and quieter than KK if that is what you want. There are also a few lodges at the national park in Keningau, which provide nice views at night - but please make sure you book in advance.
STRAY ANIMALS
Most likely during your trip in Sabah you will encounter free-roaming animals like cows, goats and buffalos. Most often than not, you will see some skinny, sick looking dogs. I do not agree with how these dogs are treated but please know that we see them as pests too but we do not have a heart to kill them! Hopefully, the local authorities will play a greater role in handling this properly! You will most likely see this in rural areas though, so be prepared.
PLASTIC POLLUTION
The Schools and local authorities have played - and still playing their role in educating the public on how to manage waste. Sadly, the waste management system in Sabah is still primitive. We do not have a dedicated bin for each type of waste as in developed countries. Each of us still do try to limit our plastic wastes but having an overall environmentally-friended mentality is still a long way for the overall population.
Unfortunately, this also means that more and more pristine beaches are affected by plastic pollution. This has not only affected beaches in Sabah but around the SEA places as well. However, we do try to limit our plastic waste in the ocean.
PALM TREES
Sadly, this is one of the issues here. Please bear in mind that this is driven by the economic demand and needs of the state. There are other trees planted in Sabah such as rubber, and lots of fruit orchards as well. My hope is that more and more people will diversify their trees in the years to come. However, gazzetted forest reserves are there, and not meant to be exploited by anyone.
MT KINABALU TRIP
As the reviewer wrote, no refund will be given if its raining. YES its true for both foreigners and locals. I know a few friends who had to forfeit their trip - and funds because of the weather, which is totally out of our control. However, you will at least guaranteed a day trip to the halfway of the climb, where the lodge is. Food and accommodation is included however please request vegetarian meals in advance. It is recommended that you bring your own extra food, wrap everything in plastic bags before putting in your bag as the weather is very unpredictable! Always bring extra socks and changes.
OVERALL IMPRESSION
Sabah might not be the place where you would have imagined in the tropics, where you expect to have Hawaiian, Bali like facilities. Please note that it is one of the poorest states in Malaysia (although most would argue if state is the correct term!). Along your bus trips, you will see wooden houses, poorly developed infrastructures and chaos, things might not even be as clean as you would expect to. So be prepared for this. However, for those who do not mind, Sabah can be a totally different place where you can just relax, unwind and get out from big cities!
Comments and Questions are welcomed!