Are you feeling the urge to just get away from it all and pack your things to go on a much deserved or long overdue vacation? Yes? So, what’s stopping you then? More often than not, the reason would be budget constraints.

The good news is traveling in this day and age is no longer just for the Rich and Famous. An average person or a regular employee can go on trips not only domestic ones but international trips as well.

Whenever I travel, I always make it a point that I do a lot of research so that I can make the most out of my trip without blowing off my entire year’s savings. This is why I’m very thankful that there are now quite a number of budget airlines that service the Philippines, my country of origin. These airlines include Air Asia, Tiger Airways and Jet Star. The destinations are interesting enough even if limited.

I decided to go on a trip late last year and was able to work around a limited budget for my trip. My destination of choice was Kota Kinabalu or KK, as it is popularly known.  It is the state capital of Sabah in Malaysia and is fondly described as a “pleasant Borneo surprise” as it is unexpectedly set between the magnificent South China Sea and rich tropical rolling hills.

For this trip, I just went online to make the necessary arrangements. The only budget airline that flies to Kota Kinabalu from the Philippines is Air Asia. You can check out the flight schedule and prices online by visiting their official website: www.airsia.com. You can also book your ticket online using your credit card and a copy of your electronic ticket will be sent via e-mail within the same day. Yes, it’s that easy! Tickets can go as low as US$50, that is, if there are special airline promotions or if you book really early. Given the very low fares that are being offered, you would have to make do without some of the comforts that are offered by regular airlines like reserved seats, extra baggage allowance, in-flight meals and entertainment. Each passenger is only allowed 15 kilos of check-in baggage. They are very strict about this baggage limit so it would be wise to travel light to avoid paying for excess baggage which would mean less shopping money for your trip.

After purchasing my ticket online, I immediately checked out the various budget accommodations in Kota Kinabalu. KK offers a wide range of accommodations from the ultimate world-class 5 star resorts and hotels to backpacker hostels and seaside chalets.

I decided stay at the Summer Lodge. I was able to book a room with them with an attached bathroom for only RM 78.00 (US$ 25) per night. It can be lower if you are willing to sleep in a dormitory type room with other backpackers and use a common bathroom. The rate that was given to me already included free breakfast, free flowing coffee, tea and drinking water, towels, and linens. That’s not all. The best part was they have available computers with internet connection which guests can use free of charge. I must warn you, though, that there are no elevators at the Summer Lodge. You would have to carry your bag up a couple of floors. Given that this is a hostel, nobody can carry your bags for you even if you are willing to give a generous tip. If hostels are not your type of accommodation, and you want the more relaxed and pampered atmosphere of a hotel or resort in Kota Kinabalu, there are still several to choose from.

Another important thing that one must remember when traveling to Kota Kinabalu from Manila, is that Air Asia planes take-off from the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport which is located at the Clark Air Base, about 2 hours away from Manila. You can take a private car to Clark or ride a bus. In my case, I called the Philtranco Bus Company to reserve return tickets (Manila – Clark – Manila) about two weeks before my scheduled flight. You can pay before riding the bus on the day of your trip.

Once you get to KK, the first thing that you have to do is get a map of KK so that it would be easier for you to explore. You can get a free town map from the airport, at the Sabah Tourism Board along Gaya Street or download one over the internet.

Transfers to and from the airport may be arranged with your hotel. As I wanted to make my arrival in a foreign place as hassle-free as possible, I decided to book my airport transfer with Summer Lodge. They charge around RM 20 to RM 40 (US$ 6 – US$ 13) per way depending on the time of your arrival. There are also a lot of taxi cabs at the airport and you can save around RM 5 to RM 10 (US$ 1.50 – US$ 3) if you take one.

As for money changers, I found two locations that offer pretty good exchange rates. One is in Wisma Merdeka Mall and the one is at the Centre Point Mall. This might have to be your first stop after checking in your hotel/hostel as malls usually close at around 9:00pm.

For food choices, there are a lot of fast food chains like KFC or McDonald’s and food stalls in malls where you can sample local cuisine and delicacies.

Experience al fresco dining at the KK Waterfront where they serve a seafood dishes at reasonable prices. You can try out a delectable seafood dish, good for two persons, for as low as RM 20 (US$ 6).

There are also restaurants that offer Sate, a Southeast Asian dish of marinated bite-size pieces of meat which are skewered then barbecued and usually served with a peanut - flavored dipping sauce. Sate is sold per stick at RM 3 (US$ .95). You can try the pork sate, chicken sate, beef sate and the lamb sate which is my personal favorite.

Aside from food tripping, there are tons of other things for you to do while in KK. First, you can do a walking tour of the city and visit the Sabah Tourism Board along Gaya Street to find out about interesting places that you can visit and to familiarize yourself with KK’s rich history. You can also ride a speed boat and visit the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park which is a cluster of five islands – Palau Gaya, Palau Sapi, Palau Manukan, Palau Mamutik and Palau Sulung.

If you prefer, you also join tours that are organized by local travel agencies. Here’s a listing of the different tours that you can choose from: Kota Kinabalu City Tour, Sea Walking Tour, Rungus Longhouse in Kudat & Tip of Borneo Tour, Borneo Kellybay Tour, Kinabalu Mountain Climbing Tour, Monsopiad Cultural Village Tour, Sabah Wildlife Park Tour, Mt. Kinabalu & Poring Hot Springs Tour, or the Beaufort Klias Proboscis Monkey Wetland Tour.

Whatever it is that you decide to do and whatever budget you might have, you’ll surely enjoy KK – its colorful culture, the fun – loving people, the amazing islands, and the exotic animals. You’ll love KK so much that you won’t help but wonder while boarding your return flight when you’ll be back and what other adventures will await you.

So what are you waiting for? Isn’t it time to pack those bags and ride the jet plane?

For more information:

Philtranco

Telephone Number: +632 – 8518077 to 78

Website: http://www.philtranco.com.ph

Sabah Tourism Board

51 Jalan Gaya, Sabah Tourism Building

Telephone Number: 6088-212121

Fax Number: 6088-212075

E-mail: info@sabahtourism.com

Website: www.sabahtourism.com

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board

Lot 1-0-7, Ground Floor,

Block 1, Lorong Api-Api 1,

Api-Api Center, 88000 Kota Kinabalu

E-mail: mtpbbki@tourism.gov.my

Posted in Airlines, Food, Malaysia, Things to do

This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 12:01 am and is filed under Airlines, Food, Malaysia, Things to do. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.