Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Rashidah and my trip to the waterfront city of Kota Kinabalu was largely a brief, relaxing getaway to one of the more touristy areas we've visited in Southeast Asia.

Kota Kinabalu is the capital of the state of Sabah on the Malaysian side of Borneo. Its name comes from nearby Mount Kinabalu, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its biological diversity; it contains between 5,000 and 6,000 species of plants, an excess of 300 species of birds, and greater than 100 mammal species. Kinabalu comes from the local Dusan language and means "revered place of the dead", while Kota is Malay for "fort", "town", or "city".

The area began developing as early as the 15th century by the Bruneian empire and grew to be a major trading post. With the decline of Brunei over the course of the next few hundred years it became increasingly autonomous. Due to its strategic and commercial importance, the area was under duress throughout WWII during Japanese occupation. Frequent Allied bombings terrorized the area, leaving most of the city destroyed only to be slowly rebuilt over the coming years.

Hanging Out at a Local Café

The city itself doesn't overwhelm you with its beauty, but I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of Asian and western infused restaurants that litter the downtown. Rashidah and I ate well each meal, and were not lacking for intriguing cuisine opportunities.

The highlight of the trip was our day spent at nearby Sapi Island, which is a mere 15 to 20 minute boat ride from central Kota Kinabalu.

Headed to Sapi Island

Welcome to Sapi Island

Entryway Dock

The bulk of the day was spent relaxing on the beach and snorkeling.

Local Monitor Lizard

View from the Main Beach

Kota Kinabalu allowed Rashidah and I an opportunity to read, rest, and relax, in that regard it succeeded. Overall though, I was largely disappointed with the city and Sapi Island. While opportunities exist to venture outside of the city to mountain climb, take a jungle tour, or explore river rapids, the city itself doesn't have much to offer. Similarly, Sapi Island was advertised as having beautiful beaches and diverse marine life, while all I discovered was a comparatively overcrowded, ordinary island - at least based on Southeast Asia standards - that lacked marine and coral diversity.

It wasn't until after I arrived that I realized I didn't fit the demographic that the area targets: families and infrequent visitors to Southeast Asia looking for a "real" jungle experience. Unfortunately unbeknownst to them, they are provided with a run-of-the-mill adventure that lacks the authenticity - and far greater fulfillment - of many other opportunities that exist throughout Southeast Asia.

While we had a wonderful and relaxing trip, I would be reluctant to revisit Kota Kinabalu.