In Kota Kinabalu, you can shop for traditional as well as modern items. One of the city's most popular shopper's stop is Gaya Street. Gaya Street is in the Kota Kinabalu Central Business District, and was known as Bond Street once upon a time.

The Gaya Street area has been a major shopping centre for over a 100 years. You won't find the old shops made of wood here, but businesses are still run by the families who sold their wares in this area many years ago. 

The Kota Kinabalu shopping guide below will guide you on what to buy where and you can also refer to our Kota Kinabalu Restaurant guide to give you more information regarding food and cuisine. The Malaysia Shopping Guide is also a useful tool which will give you general information regarding shopping in Malaysia.

Kota Kinabalu Shopping Guide

Shopping malls in Kota Kinabalu

Most of the malls and shopping areas in Kota Kinabalu are located on the main streets of the city, so it is easy to find them. The shops in the shopping centres have fixed prices, but you will find these highly affordable. Almost all the malls are open from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm.

It is worth getting up early for some real Malaysian shopping at the urban Gaya Street Fair which begins at 8:00 am every Sunday. The fair is held at the lower end of Gaya Street, and the stalls overflow with Malaysian delicacies, ground coffee, t-shirts, handicraft, hardware, and much more, all at bargain prices.

Flea Markets

If you like flea markets, you will find them in many of the villages and towns around Kota Kinabalu. These Sunday markets are known as 'Tamu', and you can find a fascinating array of wares here such as orchids, vegetables, fruits, poultry, handicraft, and traditional musical instruments.

Handicraft Market

Next to the waterfront is the Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market which used to be called ‘ Filipino Market'. This market is well known for pearls, local handicrafts, items of home décor, and lately even crystals. The shopkeepers are warm and friendly and will not mind it if you bargain with them. In fact, you can manage a bargain or two without much effort. Here you will find souvenirs such as t-shirts with Sabah themes, key chains, rattan handicrafts and floor mats, wooden statues, batik items, sarongs, Islamic calligraphy, and brooches. Surprisingly, some of these items are imported from overseas, and Malaysia's neighbours ­- The Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Korea. This colourful, lively place is a wonderful memory you can take back home with you.

Kota Kinabalu Souvenirs

Of course, wherever we go in the world, it makes sense to bring back with us a bit of the cultures we encounter. In Malaysia, you can buy some of the famous traditional handicrafts and cultural souvenirs produced by Borneo's many tribes and cultures. There is so much to choose from - rattan baskets, bangles and earrings made from beads with elaborate designs inspired by local legends, the traditional knife or 'parang', curved into a crescent shape, with a stump forming the handle. For your family and friends, the 'Tudung Dulang', a local food cover made out of fabric to keep away insects, is a perfect gift.

You can also pick up pottery created by the indigenous tribes of Borneo - ceramic stools, cisterns for drinking water, lamps, decorative jars and vases, candle holders, teapots, ashtrays, mugs, even photo frames. You'll also find excellent Chinese pottery here, made by the Chinese settlers of Borneo.

If you are looking for beautiful ethnic clothes, there are sarongs, overthrows, and more, made from 'Pua Kumbu,' a beautiful fabric woven by the Iban people of Sarawak. The exquisite patterns are tied and dyed on vertical threads. Shopping in Kota Kinabalu is a joyful experience and after a day of shopping you will certainly not go home empty handed.