Local Knowledge

Taxis

There are plenty of cabs in Kota Kinabalu and most drivers speak enough English to take you from one place to another. Upon arrival at the airport, you have to pre-book and pay for a cab at the taxi stand inside the terminal. It costs around RM30 (US$9.52) from the airport to Jessleton Point Wharf, jumping-off point for Gaya Island.

Tipping culture

Tips aren’t expected, but minimum wage rules don’t exist in Sabah and a few ringgit to you makes a big difference to the person you’re tipping.

Siesta and fiesta

Banks, offices and museums tend to stick to 8.30am/9am–5pm opening times; food stalls, restaurants and bars keep serving until around midnight and shopping malls will often ply their trade until 10pm. Friday is the national day of rest when many local businesses close.

Packing tips

Mosquito spray in which to douse yourself and high-factor sunscreen; Borneo is equatorial and the UV rays are pretty intense. If you’re planning to trek or tackle the summit of Mount Kinabulu, then walking boots and leech socks are a bonus. Diving fans may want to bring their own snorkel. Don’t worry if you forget something – Kota Kinabalu is well served for international shops and recognisable brands.

Recommended reads

Literary luminaries Antony Burgess and Somerset Maugham wrote prolifically about British-occupied Malaya, but for a more contemporary view of the country, check out the young Malaysian writers making an impact today. These include UK-based Tash Aw, who writes vividly of his homeland in the Whitbread Award-winning The Harmony Silk Factory and acclaimed follow-up novel Map of the Invisible World; Penang-native Tan Twan Eng, whose first novel The Gift of Rain, about the Japanese occupation of Malaya during the Second World War, was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize; Glasgow-based Chiew-Siah Tei, the author of 2008 hit Little Hut of Leaping Fishes, long-listed for the inaugural Man Asian Literary Prize and short story writer and playwright Dina Zaman, known for her collection of essays I am Muslim. Also look out for story writer Saharil Hasrin Sanin, one of Malaysia's best-loved and most influential bloggers.

Regional specialities

Sabah is famed for its melting-pot food culture mixing Malay, Chinese, Filipino and Indian cuisines, with seafood the star. Malay national dish nasi lemak (rice steamed with coconut water and topped with dried anchovy, peanuts, cucumber, spicy sambal and egg) can be found everywhere, often served with 'Sabah veggies' sayur manis (fried green jungle ferns). Indian roti canai (pancakes) are popular for breakfast with curry; hinava (raw pickled fish) is more of an acquired taste.

Currency

Malaysia ringgit (MYR or RM).

Time zone

GMT +7 hours.

Dialling codes

Country code for Malaysia: +60; area code for Sabah: (0)88 for capital Kota Kinabalu and Kudat in the north-west; (0)87 for Inner District and (0)89 for eastern regions Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau (ditch the zero if dialling from overseas).

Do go/don't go

Sabah's hot, humid tropical climate ensures year-round sun and temperatures in the high 20s or low 30s. Monsoon season runs from around October to April, when rain will ramp up. You’ll rarely experience day-long rainfall, but it can dampen plans for outdoor adventure. Climbing the summit of Mount Kinabalu can be freezing at any time of year, so trekkers should bring warm layers and waterproofs.