3-day food itinerary
Kota Kinabalu Food Itinerary: 3 Days of Eating
Three days in and around KK: city noodles, a Kadazan-Dusun day in Penampang, and a Tuaran noodle run.
This plan keeps travel short and meals central. Day one stays in the city, day two goes to Penampang for Kadazan-Dusun food, and day three heads north to Tuaran for its famous noodles.
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Day 1. City classics
Breakfast
Ngiu chap for breakfast
Mixed beef noodles from a shop that has made nothing else since 1993.
Morning
Walk the city centre
On Sunday, the Gaya Street market is the place for snacks, kuih and fruit.
Lunch
Tuaran mee in Sinsuran
Wok-fried egg noodles with char siew and a splash of lihing rice wine.
Afternoon snack
Coffee near Gaya Street
Escape the heat with specialty coffee and a scone.
Dinner
Night market grill
Grilled squid and fish at the waterfront night market. Agree the price by weight first.
Day 2. Kadazan-Dusun Penampang
Breakfast
Bakery breakfast on Gaya Street
Roti kahwin and kopi at an old-style bakery-kopitiam.
Morning
KDCA cultural grounds
Visit Hongkod Koisaan, the unity hall, and in May the Kaamatan stalls.
Day 3. North to Tuaran
Lunch
Tuaran mee at the source
Handmade egg noodles fried with char siew. Shops close by mid-afternoon.
Dinner
Seafood farewell
Choose from the tanks and order two or three cooking styles.
Trip tips
- Popular noodle shops sell out early, so put them first.
- Use ride-hailing for Penampang and the suburbs.
- Check halal status per listing; many noodle shops are not halal.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need to eat well in Kota Kinabalu?
Two to three days covers the city's breakfast noodles, a Kadazan-Dusun meal in Penampang, seafood, and a side trip to Tuaran.
Dishes on this trip
Sabahan Chinese (Hakka)
Ngiu Chap
Ngiu chap ('mixed beef' in Hakka) is a Kota Kinabalu beef noodle soup with brisket, tendon, tripe and beef balls in a spiced broth, served with noodles either in the soup or dry on the side.
Sabahan Chinese (Hakka)
Tuaran Mee
Tuaran mee is a Sabah noodle dish of hand-made egg noodles fried hard in a wok until springy and slightly crisp, served with char siu, choy sum and egg roll. It comes from the town of Tuaran, north of Kota Kinabalu.
Kadazan-Dusun
Hinava
Hinava is a Kadazan-Dusun dish of raw fish cured in lime juice and tossed with chilli, shallot, ginger and grated bambangan seed. It is fresh, sour and sharp, and it's served as a side with rice.
Kadazan-Dusun
Pinasakan
Pinasakan (pinaasakan sada) is a Kadazan-Dusun dish of fish, often mackerel scad, simmered without oil in a sour broth of takob akob fruit, turmeric and salt until the liquid reduces and the fish keeps for days.
Kadazan-Dusun
Tuhau
Tuhau is a pungent Kadazan-Dusun and Murut relish made from the stems of a wild ginger (Etlingera coccinea), chopped and mixed with chilli, lime or vinegar and salt. It is eaten in small amounts with rice and fish.
Kadazan-Dusun
Linopot
Linopot is rice, usually hill rice or a mix with sticky rice, wrapped in a doringin, tarap or banana leaf into a neat parcel. It is the traditional Kadazan-Dusun, Murut and Rungus way to carry and serve rice with side dishes.
Kadazan-Dusun
Hinompuka
Hinompuka is a Kadazan-Dusun steamed rice cake made from glutinous rice flour and palm or brown sugar, wrapped in banana leaf. It is sweet, chewy and fragrant, and especially associated with the Kadazan of Penampang.
Kadazan-Dusun
Bambangan
Bambangan is a large wild mango (Mangifera pajang) native to Borneo, with rough brown skin and bright yellow-orange flesh. In Sabah it is best known pickled with salt and its own grated seed, as a sour relish for rice.
Bajau
Latok
Latok is an edible seaweed (Caulerpa lentillifera) made of tiny green bead-like bubbles that pop in the mouth. On Sabah's coasts it is eaten raw with lime, chilli and shallot as a salad.
Keep planning
See every listing in where to eat in Kota Kinabalu.
Food guide
Best Food in Kota Kinabalu: What to Eat and Where
The dishes worth planning a KK trip around, from ngiu chap breakfasts to Kadazan-Dusun lunches and seafood by the kilo, and how to fit them into a day.
Updated
Food guide
Sabah Traditional Food: 10 Dishes to Know
A field guide to Sabah's traditional dishes, from hinava and pinasakan to tuhau, linopot and latok: what they are, how they taste and where to eat them.
Updated