If you require further, more detailed information please refer to our safety pages on medical requirements . . . . More

Currency
The Malaysian Ringgit is the local currency and is available in notes of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100.
One Rm is worth approx ?7 or US$3.5. There is a limit n the amount of Ringgit you can bring into Malaysia, currently set at RM1000. You can bring in any amount of foreign currency but when you leave you must not take out more foreign currency than you brought in or more than RM1000.

The Banks are open weekdays from 9am to 3.30pm and some are open on Saturday mornings. Maybank operates a currency kiosk in Centrepoint, Kota Kinabalu which has longer opening hours.

Credit Cards
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in the shopping malls and many restaurants. You will probably be charged an extra service charge and of course it will make a difference if you are haggling for an item- you will always get a better deal for cash!
There are some ATM’s here which will give cash advances on Visa or Mastercard.
Remember if you are planning to travel then you should contact your credit card issuer and tell them where you are going to as it can save embarrassment if they suddenly receive a transaction from a faraway country without prior notice as they may decline it or ask to speak to you.

Electricity and Water
Electricity is on 240v AC and plugs are square 3-pin (as in the UK). Take care if you re buying elecrica goods here as they are often supplied with a 2-pin plug which will require an adaptor.

Water is piped in the main urban areas but it is not advisable to drink it without boiling.

Tourist Information Centres
Malaysia Tourism Information Centre Tel: 088-211732/248698/242064
Lot 1-0-7 Ground Floor, Block 1 Lorong Api-Api 1, Api -Api Centre, Kota Kinabalu

Sabah Tourist Association Tel - 088-260621/212121
51 Jalan Gaya, Sabah Tourism Building, Kota Kinabalu

Taxis
In Kota Kinabalu these are generally red and white and can be found outside shopping malls, hotels and hailed on the street. The drivers all speak some English and will give you an idea of the fare if you ask before you set off. Most taxi’s are also fitted with meters. The current rates are Rm2 for the first 2km and 10sen for every 20 meters after that. A surcharge of 50% is added between midnight and 6am.

Tourist Police
There are tourist police in major centres you can approach for help if you have lost your way or need help for anything at all. They speak english and can be recognised by a checked hat band, dark blue uniform and the letter I (for information) on a red and blue badge on their shirt pocket.

Sending a postcard
Most hotels offer this service and most tourist shops selling postcards will be able to supply a stamp. Mailboxes are red and have separate slots for local and non-local post items. Postal charges differ of course but most cards can be sent for under Rm1.

Time
8 hours ahead of GMT

Sun Protection
We recommend that you ensure adequate sun protection for a tropical climate as the sun is very strong here. Even on a cloudy day in the tropics it is possible to get sun burnt. You can find good protection creams in most of the pharmacy stores here up to factor 50.
Hats are a good idea too and you can buy a variety of hats/caps locally if you need one.
We also have umbrellas here which offer some sun protection look for ones with a silver finish and these will also protect from both the sun and rain.

Food
There are a lot of restaurants in Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding areas which cater to every taste. From European to Asian, fine dining to real local fare. We haven't tried them all yet! but we would like to recommend that you don't stay in the hotel every night, go out and try some of the amazing variety of food on offer here. We have found food here to be very fresh and delicious. If you want to try a local food centre you should be fine, they will ask you if you like it spicy or not and will be very helpful with your choices.
We don't recommend you drink tap water here you should only drink boiled water or the mineral water available in many shops and supermarkets.

Shopping
There are numerous Shopping Malls in the larger cities and towns where you will find an amazing display of items for sale.
Shopping Malls are generally open from about 10am to 9.30pm and are usually air-conditioned.

You will find local handicraft shops in some of the Malls as well as some of the markets.

In Kota Kinabalu there is a Handicraft market on the Waterfront as well as a huge variety of fruit, vegetable and dried goods stalls. It's fun to browse and haggle for an item but they can be hot tiring places so make sure you have plenty of water, sun block and stamina.

On Sunday mornings in Gaya Street there is a colourful street market where you can literally buy anything from a puppy to a pineapple! (Of course you probably can't take either of those home as a souvenir!)

Cinema
There are two multi-screen cinemas in Kota Kinabalu if the weather takes a turn for the worse and you are looking for something to do indoors for an hour or two. They usually have the latest releases and most films are in English with Bahasa Melayu subtitles.

Public Holidays

There are many celebration days in Malaysia as this tolerant society recognises many different religious festivals. Some of these such as Hari Raya, Christmas and Chinese New year are declared as public holidays. As the dates of these festivals can vary from year to year it is best to check to ensure these will not affect your trip.

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