Kota Kinabalu

Well, this one will fit into the "What not to do" category.  Kota Kinabalu is a nice place.  It is laid back and friendly.  It's small.  The province of Malaysia where it's located is isolated from the peninsular part of Malaysia.  It sits on the island of Borneo.  And there seems to be a lot to do here.  There is Mount Kinabalu nearby, and islands just out in the bay nearby as well.  World class scuba diving sites are nearby and snorkeling abounds.  There are jungle treks and wildlife encounters, animal rescue centers and river cruises.  One of the things to do is to visit Mount Kinabalu National Park.  Mount Kinabalu is the tallest mountain in South-East Asia, that isn't a volcano.  It stands 4095 meters high and is apparently reasonably easy to scale, requiring no special equipment or training.  There are viewing platforms from which to see the mountain as you get closer. 


There is a hot spring spa area where you can bathe in the waters of the mountain. 

There is a botanical garden where you can see many of the plants that grow on the mountain, among them pitcher plants, and orchids.










Maybe you want to do a canopy walk on a suspended walkway high above the jungle floor.  That's possible, too.










And all of this may or may not be of interest to a visitor who is on a tour.  The tour is expensive and not all of it will appeal to everyone.  There is a better way.  Find a couple people who want to go and do some of these things.  Then go find a taxi driver.  You can hire his services for about 300 Ringgit for a day.  (That's about 100 dollars.)  Have the taxi driver take you to the things you want to do and do them.  The entrance fees will be extra, but in the end should cost you about 120-130 ringgit, depending on what you decide on doing.  And you don't have to do the things that don't interest.  It is a much better way of doing things in this area.  And I think it applies to all of the activities of Kota Kinabalu.  I will try it that way for my next jaunt and see how it goes.