Sabah Tourism Building

Just a little distance from Australia Place is the Sabah Tourism Information Centre which is housed in an old two-storey building (one of only 3 remaining buildings which escaped the bombings of WW11). This building was constructed in 1916 specifically to house the printing office.The office here has pretty comprehensive information on travels around Sabah and the staff are very helpful.

Opening times are :

Monday - Friday: 8.00am - 5.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Sunday: Closed

51 Gaya Street , 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia Tel: +6088-212121 Fax: +6088-212075, 219311, 222666 e: info@sabahtourism.com

Jesselton Hotel

Back trekking up Gaya Street is the Jesselton hotel. This hotel has played host to Pope Paul 2 and Muhammad Ali in the earlier years. Lady Mountbatten even dined here. The hotel maintains a small, personal boutique hotel and since opening its doors in 1954 its had a major refurbishment and an additional floor was added to this 2 storey building. The bar is a good place to hang out on hot afternoons where a cocktail will push back the tropical heat and the cool air condition will keep even the most hot tempered at bay.

Gaya Street

old shops line Gaya street

old barber shop on Gaya street

Originally called Dunlop Street , this street is lined with old Chinese businesses.. sundry shops, barbers, stationary shops, food places and a couple of very popular back packers hostels. On Sundays, this place turns into a Sunday Market which starts early and ends late afternoon.

Waterfront

Along the waterfront are a row of restaurants, pubs and cafes. Although when I was there, it wasn't drawing as many people as I thought it would.

Handicraft Market

Also known as the filipino market; is cramped into a single storey warehouse and with many,many small shops in this tightly laid out grid. The handicraft are mostly from the Phillipines with anything from pearls to wooden toys to ethnic materials. It is indeed an interesting place where much haggling goes on. Most of these shops sell the same stuff so shop around for the best quality and price.

 

Closing time: everyday at 7.00pm

 

Fish Market

At the end of this waterfront is the fish and open food market. Right next to affluence, is a contrast of the poor trying to make a living. Most running their businesses here are from the Philippines . and many are illegals. These illegal immigrants may also have lived here for decades and most children are not illegible for school. So you see young boys running errands, stacking, pushing crates of fresh fish on trolleys and other menial jobs so that they can bring home some earnings for their expanding families.

The seafood here is fresh. In the late afternoon , you may be able to see the odd trawler at the docks , unloading their catch. Many local visitors buy seafood from this fish market and have it iced pack for their trip or flight home.

Kadaiku

This is the Sabah Tourism Board's handicraft shop selling all sorts of works from various tribes across Sabah . Beaded wear, jewellery, basketry, wood carvings, T-shirts, traditional wear etc can be found here.

 

Opening times are :

 

Monday - Friday: 8.00am - 5.00pm ; Saturday: 9.00am - 5.00pm ; Sunday: Closed

 

Lot 5, Ground Floor, Block L Sinsuran Complex , 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah , Malaysia . t: +6088-232121 f: +6088-265540, 219401 e: kadaiku@sabahtourism.com

If you need more information on your travels in Sabah , just pop next door. There's an information booth stocked with loads of brochures etc.

If you need to get a taxi from here, there's a taxi stand just across the road from Kadaiku.

 

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