Kota-Kinabalu Shopping

Kota Kinabalu is considered to be a shopper’s paradise with shopping malls and street-side markets selling designer and traditional goods.

The Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market is popular for local handicrafts, whereas the shopping malls around the city have designer stores that sell branded products at either discounted or fixed rates. The shops in Kota Kinabalu sell everything from books to souvenirs and antiques, home equipment and electronic goods, designer clothes, computers and fresh food.

There are five major shopping malls in the city - the Kota Kinabalu Plaza, Centre Point, Wawasan Plaza, Karamunsing Complex and Wisma Merdeka. Malls remain open for 12 hours from 10 am and have fixed prices.

Centre Point is the largest shopping mall in the centre of Kota Kinabalu that is located on a 4-acre site beside the regional bus terminal. The Merdeka Complex has antique shops selling grandfather clocks, colonial hats, potteries, watches, irons and other antiques.

The urban Gaya Street Fair at the lower end of Gaya Street has stalls selling a bit of anything and everything. The Sunday Flea Market also called Tamu has everything on display for buyers including orchids, vegetables, fruits, poultry, traditional music instrument, handicrafts and many other things. Both Tamu and Gaya Street Fair are held on Sundays.