Island Hopping: Pulau Manukan and Pulau Sapi - Day 2

Happy moment before going to Pulau Manukan - All fresh!

Day 2 started vibrantly as we were planning for island hopping. Actually, at first we were thinking to go to Kundasang but since our trip duration was very short, we cancelled planning to Kundasang instead we decided to go to Pulau Manukan. Our daughter was very happy after hearing that she can swim in the island. After taking breakfast, we took a taxi to Jesselton Point where speed boat service to the island is available.

We bought speed boat ticket inclusive of tariff and insurance. Two adult and 1 kids cost RM64 to Pulau Manukan. The ticket is return ticket. You must gather at jetty timely during return journey. 

Just before take off!

Instant friends. From Cheras, Penang and Japan!

Speed boat captain - Mr. Aziz

Speed boat service to islands near Kota Kinabalu requires full boarding before take off. You need to wait others if still no one turn up. Normally waiting time not that long. So many tourists are going to the islands. In our case, 8 adults and two kids. The best thing was we'd become instant friends to the other tourist on same boat although we never meet each other before. Other than us, a golf club manager with her 3 subordinates from Penang, newly wed couple from Cheras and to be surprised, a freelancer from Japan!. Her name is Arisa. So we had formed an instant tourist group as going back time is same with the same boat. Our boat captain was Mr. Aziz. He's very professional and smiling all the way is his trademark.

The islands.

There are five islands that you can go from Jesselton point. There are Pulau Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi, Gaya and Sulug. If you want to go more than one island, you need to pay more for that. In our boat, the newly we couple wanted to go to Sapi island and they paid for that. The captain said, due to bad weather forecast on afternoon, He need to settle return trip at 1 trip only meaning that all members should go to Sapi island although we didn't pay for it. We were so lucky that we were able to go to other island with only single island ticket. Maybe this can become good tips if you want to save money. In your team, let 1 or 2 members buy 2 island ticket and others pretend to not knowing the person who bought the ticket. As return will be at the same time, you might be able to be in the same situation with us. Give a try. The duration to Manukan Island were 20 minutes.

Pulau Manukan 

After swimming and snorkeling

Sapi Island 

Sapi Island Jetty

Snorkeling and snorkeling

Clear water and coral fish at Sapi Island

Should bring Nemo back home 1!

Above pictures tells a thousand word. We were so happy spending time in the Island. Although the water was not as clear as Mabul or Sampoerna, we still can see many coral fish or Nemo surrounding us. Such great experience that we never had before especially for our kids. So many tourist are coming to the Island. 

Tired and messy but still can smile!

After spending more than half day in the Island, we finally returned to Jesselton point. Our island happy moment was over. Its time to return to find food and return to hotel for rest before resume our activity. It was very excellent trip and great memory. Sabah Island is very beautiful. Next we target to go to Mabul or Sampoerna if time permits. Enjoy reading. Thanks.

Seafood at Pasar FIlipino - Day 1

Pasar Filipino with fresh seafood background

After taking brief rest and power nap, although we still didn't fully recover from jet lag tiredness, we didn't wasting our time to visit Kota Kinabalu night market or known as Pasar Filipino. The Pasar Filipino is located 0.5 mile from our hotel so we went there by walking. Pasar Filipino is divided to three sections. If you coming from South or from Le Meridien Hotel, 1st you'll meet the fruit and groceries market. Then you'll meet raw fish and meat selling section. After this two, it was the place that we were aiming before coming to Sabah. That was Seafood's selling section.

Fresh lobster! 

Ready-cooked seafood on sale

For seafood lover, this should be the place that you need to put on your list. There were many stalls selling fresh and ready-cooked seafood in Pasar Filipino. Cleanliness might not that excellent but this is normal environment at outdoor seafood grilled outlet. It is better to choose fresh seafood rather than ready-cooked one if you doubt about cleanliness. The price of the ready-cooked seafood and fresh seafood is not much different.  You need to bargain if you want the price cheaper and also you need to look every stall as their price are different. For example, the lobster's price at stall we chose was RM16/100g but other stalls were RM18 to RM20/100g. The price normally inclusive of cooking. You can choose grill or cook. If compare to seafood grill outlet in Peninsular Malaysia, the price was quite high so polish your bargaining skill before coming to Pasar Filipino :).

Our dinner. Grilled lobster, crab and fried squid (not pictured)

Since our kids not much eating seafood, we ordered a lobster, crab and some squid. Lobster itself costs us RM80 (500g @RM16/100g). Total amount we spent was RM115. Lobster and crab were grilled while the squid was fried. It was more than enough for me and my wife. The taste was very good especially the lobster. It tastes sweet and fresh! We were very satisfied for the food and also its fast service.

Happy moment. Seafood time!

We were so happy at this place. Meeting fellow Malaysian from different state. Had brief chat with them. Food also was nice. Till next time, if we have chance to revisit Sabah, we will come here again. After finish eating, we returned to our hotel also by walking. 2nd day will be more interesting as we plan for island hopping. See you in the next update. We'll share Pulau Manukan and Pulau Sapi experience with all of you! Stay with us.

Sabah Vacation Travel Begin - Day 1

Happy moment before vacation

Our 3 days 2 nights vacation begin on 10th January 2014. We didn't go during school holiday due to we expect high number of tourist visiting Sabah. My daughter had to take 1 day leave from School but since it just 1st week after school restarted, I think still not much thing happening in her school. I did pre-informed her teacher as well.

We took Malaysia Airlines since this trip was 1st flight experience to my children and as travel with children is not that easy. Air fare was much expensive compare to low cost airlines but we pay as what we get. Smooth check in and hassle free air craft boarding. If in LCCT, you have to walk quite far before you can board the air craft and also tricky check in procedures. Our flight schedule was at 900am. We departed from home at 645am, reached Putrajaya at 730am. We took KLIA transit train and arrived at 8am in KLIA.
The flight we took was transit flight where it landed in Labuan before proceeding to Kota Kinabalu.

1st flight experience for the kiddos

Our kids were the happiest kids in the world at that time as it was their first flight experience. They didn't fear when the plane screaming during take off and also vibrating during touch down. The were happy through out 3 hours flying although the weather wasn't good. The plane was in huge vibration almost in 2 hours. Hot tea and coffee serving was called off due to safety issue.

Just before landing at KKIA

We arrived at Kota Kinabalu International Airport at around 1245pm. The KKIA is a new international airport for Sabah replacing the old one which now become low cost terminal. KKIA also know as terminal 1 while LCCT is terminal 2. Baggage claim was fast. After immigration and custome clearance, we quickly find an airport taxi to bring us to Hotel in Kota Kinabalu. We didn't want to lost even a minute to enjoy Kota Kinabalu trip. The airport taxi fare to our hotel was RM30 which we consider reasonable. It took us around 15 minutes from airport to our hotel in Jalan Padang, Kota Kinabalu city.

Taxi fare from air port to Kota Kinabalu

Our hotel - Dreamtel Hotel Jalan Padang

The difficult part of planning this vacation was the Hotel. There are many hotels in Kota Kinabalu to choose. You can refer hotel booking sites like Agoda.com or booking.com for available hotel with good discount offering. Normally, online booking will save a lot. We booked Dreamtel hotel through Agoda for special price. The cost for 2 night stay was RM468 inclusive hotel tax charges for triple deluxe room. The hotel is located about 0.5miles from Kota Kinbalu Hot Spot such as Pasar Filipino and handicraft market. Although those hot spots were in walking distance from our hotel, it was hard due to I need to carry my 3 years son weight about 16 kg all the time because he refused to walk by himself. We would like to suggest this Hotel for couple vacation but if you have small kids below 3 years accompanying your travel, we suggest you to stay in the heart of Kota Kinabalu town nearby the hot spots area.

We took a brief rest and power nap after arrived in hotel before enjoying our first night in Kota Kinabalu. Our 1st target after resting was Pasar Filipino or known as Sinsuran Night Market. We have been long admiring the seafood in Pasar Filipino especially its lobster! Please continue to read our story spending time in Pasar Filipino in next posting. Stay tuned!

Welcome To Our Kota Kinabalu Travel Blog

Hi everybody! Welcome to my Kota Kinabalu Sabah Vacation blog. This blog is established to share my experience travelling to Kota Kinabalu Sabah with my family on a short vacation. Since Sabah is very popular tourism place in Malaysia for overseas and local tourists, i hope this blog can give you some information if you have intention to visit Sabah. Although I'm not an English native speaker, I try to write this blog in English so that it can be a reference for those who are not from Malaysia. It could be terrible English but as long as information that you're searching is here, please don't bother to read it. Thanks ya! Enjoy reading and enjoy your Sabah vacation!