Best Sabah | A Local Guide to KK and Sabah

Best Sabah

A local guide to Kota Kinabalu and Sabah, written by someone who was born here and never had a reason to leave.

Best Food

Where locals actually eat. No tourist traps.

Things To Do

Islands, mountains, and everything in between.

Famous Maybank building on Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu

Hidden Gems

Places most visitors never find.

Graffiti mural on building side in Kota Kinabalu

Lifestyle

Living in KK. Cost of life, working remote, the real story.

Sports

Badminton, pickleball, hiking. KK is good for this.

About this publication

Born in Sabah. Still here. Writing about the places worth your time.

No press trips. No sponsored content. No affiliate pressure. Just places I actually go, food I actually eat, and the honest version of what's worth your time in KK.

Sliced Hainanese chicken from Andrew Wong, Damai Plaza KK

Best Food

Best Chicken Rice in Kota Kinabalu -- Andrew Wong Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hidden in Damai Plaza. Massive portions, juicy chicken, and a ginger sauce worth the drive.

May 2026

Bowl of clear beef soup at Yii Siang with tender beef cuts

Best Food

Yii Siang Beef Noodle, Inanam: Best Beef Noodles in KK

RM14 for a huge bowl of clear beef soup. Proper toppings. Yii Siang has been doing this right for years.

March 2026

Above the clouds on Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

Things To Do

I Climbed Mount Kinabalu. Here's Everything You Need to Know.

Booking, training, Kampung Adidas, and what it actually feels like standing at 4,095m.

April 2026

3 JUL 2026 Sabahans Building Things Worth Knowing A 24-hour clinic, a scaffolding supplier, an eco-tour crew, and a KK web design studio. Locals doing real work. Lifestyle 22 JUN 2026 Best Tamparuli Mee in KK: Weng Foh, Damai Fried noodles with egg, char siew and egg rolls. Better than the original in Tamparuli, no drive needed. Best Food 18 JUN 2026 Best Tenom Mee in KK: Towering Tenom Mee Fried noodles in silky egg gravy with fatty char siew. Hidden from tourists, packed with locals. Cheap and big portions. Best Food 10 JUN 2026 The Best Guo Tie and Dumplings in Kota Kinabalu: Ching Jie, Foh Sang Crispy wrapper, juicy pork, fried to order. A locals-only stall inside Kai Shun. RM12 for ten. Best Food 24 MAY 2026 DESA Ice Cream is Now in KK. No Kundasang Drive Required. DESAMOO soft serve at DESA Fresh Mart, Damai Plaza Luyang. Highland dairy ice cream, now 5 minutes from town. Best Food 15 MAY 2026 Hiking Bukit Padang: The Free Hike Right in the Middle of KK Free entry, 40 minutes to the top, real forest the whole way. And that view of KK city when you get there. Things To Do 26 APR 2026 The Best Shopping Mall in Kota Kinabalu: Imago Clean, well managed, great brands and solid food. The only mall answer you need in KK. Things To Do 14 APR 2026 The Best Badminton Shop in KK: AST Sports Centre Decades in the game. Cheapest prices. Best stringing in KK. Right next to the Foochow courts. Sports 22 MAR 2026 The Best Bak Kut Teh in Kota Kinabalu: Yu Kee Deep herbal broth, fall-off-the-bone pork, free soup refills. Yu Kee on Jalan Gaya is the answer. Best Food 12 MAR 2026 Sasa Seafood Restaurant: Best Seafood in Kota Kinabalu? Fresh from the tank, cooked fast, priced right. Around RM40 per head for a full spread. Best Food

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