Kota Kinabalu is an interesting city that lies in the Sabah district of Malaysian Borneo. To tell you the truth, I had never really heard of the city (or the island of Borneo) until Shawn came home one day and told me that we would be heading there for a few weeks.
Fast forward to a couple of years later and I have found that inevitably, I have spent more time on Borneo than I have on any other island. That however is a story for another time.
Since I wrote a lot about the city, a lot of people came to me with queries. One of the queries that was repeated often was about visiting Kota Kinabalu with kids. That prompted me to write this guide. I do hope it helps.
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⏰ Wandering what the best things to do in Kota Kinabalu with kids is? I highly recommend the Mari Mari Village tour with the fireflies. ⏰
Table of Contents
Getting To Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu is a popular city on the Malaysian part of Broneo. It even has its own airport which makes flying into the city really easy. The cheapest flights originate from Kuala Lumpur which should not come as a surprise. You can flights connecting other parts of Borneo.
The cheapest ones originate from Bandar Ser Begawan (Brunei) and Miri and Kuching (Malaysia). This is does help moving around the island. Another way to get to Kota Kinabalu (if you are already on the island is to drive. Since you do have to cross a number of land borders, you will land up accumulating a lot of stamps on your passport too.
Where To Stay In Kota Kinabalu
Since Kota Kinabalu is a rather popular city on the island, there is a decent range in accommodation prices from budget to luxury. We stayed at a hostel on Jalan Gaya where you will find that most of the hostels are. We albeit were not traveling with kids at that time.
While we do understand that not everyone is comfortable staying in a hostel with kids, you may want to consider the private room if you are on a budget.
There are a number of more comfortable places to stay. Some of the ones on the waterfront offer a gorgeous view of the sea and the sunset. It was definitely the high point of my day. Some of the hotels come with a gorgeous pool to indulge in as you watch the sun set over the horizon.
Luxury: The Shangri La and the Le Meridien are great options.
Mid-Range: The Shore CBD
Budget: A Residence @ Between Hilton & Cititle Hotel
Getting Around The City
Getting around Kota Kinabalu with kids is pretty easy since there are footpaths almost everywhere. The heat however can get to you so make sure you carry an umbrella or a hat for shade. I however would suggest taking advantage of the Uber network. The rides are easily available and cheap.
It is definitely the best way to travel with kids. Alternatively you could choose to rent and drive a car. You would find this particularly useful if you are heading out of town for a day trip and there are a couple of places that you may want to consider.
Food In Kota Kinabalu
So many places to catch a meal with your kids in Kota Kinabalu.
When it comes to visiting Kota Kinabalu with kids, you will find that food is the last thing you need to worry about even if you have a picky eater on your hands. Looking for milk? There are loads of general stores on almost every street. Fruits? Head to the fruit market near the board walk and you can pick from an array of tropical fruits.
I wrote a post on food in Kota Kinabalu sometime ago and you will notice that the city has options in so many cuisines. You can go from street food (which is delicious) to luxury dining. From vegan to non-vegetarian and you will also find a ton of different cuisines from across the world in the city. I won’t talk more about it since food is very individualistic, more so when children are concerned.
Though I would highly recommend going through our guide if you are finding it hard to find places suited to your taste buds.
What Should You Pack For Kota Kinabalu?
I honestly found almost everything that I needed in the city so we did not have to carry anything specifically for the location. A couple of things that you should keep in mind however revolve around the weather. It gets really hot so make sure that you carry sunscreen.
Preferably reef safe sunscreen as it has no chemicals which makes it safe for you kids delicate skin and is also great for the reefs that you will invariably visit during your time in Kota Kinabalu. Another great idea would to use an umbrella or a hat when walking about.
If you are headed to Borneo during the rains, then you definitely want to consider mosquito repellent. Remember that it has a tropical climate and mosquitoes can carry a lot of infections that you want to keep far away from your kids.
There are a lot of options of repellent that are available in the city but make sure to check it on a small patch of skin, just to ensure that your child is not allergic to it.
Other things that should make it to your list are swimwear, hiking shoes, sandals, raincoats, etc. Just the basics that come with travelling to a tropical paradise.
Places To Visit In Kota Kinabalu With Kids
There are loads of places that you can visit in and around Kota Kinabalu. In fact, we even have a long list of things to do in Kota Kinabalu that you can explore. The real question however is which of those places would you want to visit with kids and why. With that in mind we dove into the topic and put this list together.
KOTA KINABALU WITH KIDS: Show Them The Culture Of Borneo
We firmly believe that there is a lot of learning that takes place when we travel. Not just with kids but with us as individuals too. One of the ways that we can educate our children about the world around is by exposing them to different cultures.
1. The Sabah Museum
The Sabah museum is a great place in Kota Kinabalu to explore with kids.
The Sabah museum is a great place to start the discussion about the rich cultural heritage that Borneo has to offer. From a variety of exhibits of arts and crafts, to the varied flora and fauna that the Sabah district has to offer, the museum displays it all.
The children will love walking through the reconstructed displays of homes that the tribes used. In fact, if you have time, you can wander around the real-life huts that have been set up on the museum grounds. Just make sure to carry some sun protection and water because it can be quite a walk in the heat.
2. The Mari Mari Village
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 (14 Reviews) Price: $56 per person Duration: 5 hours 📍Meeting Point: Hotel pickup Details: Read more on Viator!
While we have personally not had a chance to visit the Mari Mari village, we have heard a lot of people talk about how it is a great thing to do in Kota Kinabalu with kids. There are numerous tour companies that you can book a trip with.
Many combine it with a firefly tour if you book the evening so you can kill two birds with one stone. Visiting the village is a great way for the children to interact with the tribes and understand their cultures. Most of the tours combine it with lunch so you have a chance to taste the local cuisine.
“Great tour! The guide was very informative in the village And luck was good as well It’s quite close and a good experience for adults and kids.”
Andras (read more reviews now!)
Generally speaking the tours also include a cultural show. This is a great way to understand and learn about the traditions of the Mari Mari village. I think its a very enriching experience and one of the cool things to do in Kota Kinabalu with kids.
3. Visit The Religious Sites
There are so many places where you can head to teach your kids about the different religions in Kota Kinabalu.
Kota Kinabalu is a surprisingly diverse community when it comes to religion. If you do wander past one of the many religious spots, don’t hesitate to explore them further. For me Kota Kinabalu was the first time I entered a mosque. Since I did not know what to expect, I was given a tour of the mosque and it was really interesting.
KOTA KINABALU WITH KIDS: Introduce Them To The Wildlife
One of the reasons why people head to this part of the world is to explore the wildlife that Borneo has to offer. Admittedly that very same wildlife is under threat due to many reasons that range from forest fires to palm oil.
A lot of the species that are found on the island are not found elsewhere in the world. That is why I would highly urge you to head to some of these places in Kota Kinabalu with your kids.
4. Visit The Islands
The islands are great places to visit in Kota Kinabalu with kids.
⭐️ Rating: 5/5 (116 Reviews) Price: $62 per person Duration: 1 day approx 📍Meeting Point: Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal Details: Read more on Viator!
The islands near the coast are great places to visit in Kota Kinabalu with kids of all ages. Each island feels like a break away from the hustle and bustle of life. In fact, if you check, you will see that you can choose which islands you want to visit and how many.
A boat will take you to the island and drop you off there. You can spend the day on the island and allow smaller children to play in the sand or take the elder kids into the water for some snorkeling.
Just keep an ye out for sting rays and sea urchins because we did spot a few.
“THIS EXPERIENCE IS AMAZING!!!! You get to snorkel in 3 different locations over the day (from 9am to 3pm). I saw so many different sea life. Our guide Jimmy was experienced and knowledgeable and really helpful to the weaker / no swimmers in our group.”
Mohima (read more reviews now!)
If you are looking for a bit more luxury consider heading to Gaya island as a day trip or you may even want to stay at the resort on the island. This lesser visited island is quiet, peaceful and has gorgeous over water bungalows that may interest you.
5. MERC
MERC is a great place to teach your kids about conservation of marine life.
The Marine Ecology Research center, more popularly known as MERC is located on Gaya island and is a great place in Kota Kinabalu to visit with kids. They take the kids on a tour and teach them about the importance of reef conservation and show them steps that the organization is taking to regenerate the reef.
The center also shows them different kinds of marine life and educates them about why they should not try to touch them. It is a really cool experience for adults and children alike.
6. Kota Kinabalu National Park
If your kids like the outdoors then Kota Kinabalu park is a great place to head to.
⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5 (43 Reviews) Price: $100 per person Duration: 12 hours 📍Meeting Point: Hotel pickup Details: Read more on Viator!
The city Kinabalu is named after its proximity with the giant of a mountain that hovers over it in the background. A lot of people from all over the world come to the town just to scale its heights. That however is probably not something you should consider with kids. At least it isn’t something that I would.
Don’t however think that the Kota Kinabalu national park is off limits if you are travelling with kids. Instead, I urge you to put it on your list of places to visit in Kota Kinabalu with kids.
While the park does provide the starting point for your trek, it also has a number of trails in varying levels of difficulty that you can undertake for a view of the peak from below.
“Enjoyable trip at Kinabalu Park & Hot Spring. Guide was very knowledge and patient especially doing the Canopy Walk as some of the visitors were slow. We were also blessed to be able to view the Rafflesia at one of the garden farm thanks to the Guide.”
Collins (read more reviews now!)
The botanical gardens also have a canopy walk which kids would definitely find interesting.
Fair warning: Wear appropriate clothing and use covered shoes as when the rain comes down, the leeches come out!
Oh and if you are heading here with older kids or if you are looking for something a bit ambitious to do, then you can actually climb Mount Kinabalu and reach right up to the top.
7. Desa Farm
Kids certainly have a lot of fun at the DESA farm
While I wouldn’t suggest heading to DESA farm just for its sake alone, it is a great place to stop on your way to the Kota Kinabalu park. The farm is where most of the milk is produced in the area and you can wander around and see how the animals live. Even interact with them.
Since it is located a long way off from the city, the scenery is gorgeous. There is plenty of place for children to run around and enjoy. One of the highlights of the trip was the ice cream. You can’t leave without trying some!
8. Low Kawi Wildlife Park
If your kids like heading out to wildlife parks, then Low Kawi is a great place to spend the day.
Another nice place to head out to is Low Kawi Wildlife park. It is a short distance away from the main city and you will need to arrange some form of transportation there. The park covers a surprisingly large amount of land and houses a number of different species of animals and birds.
The thing that I like about the park was the fact that it had large open spaces for the animals. You could watch them from a distance while you walked around. Which reminds me… Make sure that you wear your walking shoes!
9. Catch A Movie
Head to the cinema at one of the local malls and catch a movie. The cinemas are pretty awesome and seriously one of the best that I have ever been to. The cost of the tickets isn’t much. So if you need some down time and want the kids to sit in one place, catch the latest release.
⏰ Wandering what the best things to do in Kota Kinabalu with kids is? I highly recommend the Mari Mari Village tour with the fireflies. ⏰
Have you been to Kota Kinabalu with kids? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments below.
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Ann
Friday 22nd of November 2019
Kids or no kids, that museum looks like a place you can spend a day :)