What an enjoyable and fulfilling day we had yesterday, taking in 12 experiences in Kundasang. Today, we would check out of JR Resort and drive back to Kota Kinabalu for another 4 days of fun in the city.
Check out our Kota Kinabalu Itinerary. If you like a chronological flow of story, read the following posts first:
- Day 1 to Day 3: Things we did in Kota Kinabalu
- Day 4: Journey from Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang
- Day 5: An enjoyable day in Kundasang
Now, let’s continue our travel story on Day 6 of our 10-day Kota Kinabalu trip.

Day 6 Kota Kinabalu Itinerary: From Kundasang to KK
We had a great sleep at JR Resort even if the room and its bed were sub-par. Perhaps it was the cool climate and fresh mountain air of Kundasang that provided us with a quality slumber.

The first itinerary of the day was to take photos with the lovely props at JR Resort.

Even though the weather was super cloudy, the photos turned out decent due to the cute and rainbow-themed props.

Done with photo-taking session, we walked to the cafe at JR Resort and once again, enjoyed a cheap and affordable breakfast.
Then, it was time to bid goodbye to Kundasang and JR Resort. While the hotel wasn’t perfect, we did enjoy our stay here and can’t deny that the spectacular view more than compensated for any inconveniences experienced.
Unusual Phenomenon: Mt Kinabalu’s random waterfalls
(11.40am)
It started drizzling when we began our drive back to KK. About 40 minutes into our drive, we saw numerous waterfalls flowing down the mountains.
Because of the abundance of waterfalls seen, it was evident that these weren’t typical waterfalls but rather phenomena created by persistent rain.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t stop our car as and when we like to snap a photo. By the time we found a parking spot, the view of waterfall wasn’t ideal (too far).
But here’s a video shot – I’d tried zooming in with my phone!
Now, I strongly encourage you to avoid climbing Mt Kinabalu during the wet season (May to December). You don’t want to end up like these climbers.
Mt Kinabalu Viewing Platform offered a wonderful view!
Remember how we had to skip Mt Kinabalu Viewing Platform on our way to Kundasang due to the rain? Well, today was our second attempt.
>> RELATED: Driving from Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang
Let me present the best view I’ve enjoyed in KK…ta da!

Obviously, I’m being sarcastic here. LOL! The only view here is “white” due to the poor weather.
Instead of a gorgeous view of Mt Kinabalu, all I’m seeing were clouds. The information panel shared how Mt Kinabalu is a shy mountain, and that it’s covered by clouds most of the time.
That’s totally true based on our experience. Remember how we could still see Mt Kinabalu during breakfast, but a few moments later, Mt Kinabalu was completely hidden.

A “Fruitful” Stop at Pekan Nabalu Market (near Kundasang)
Our stop at Mt Kinabalu Viewing Platform wasn’t totally fruitless. Nearby was Pekan Nabalu Market which sold mainly fruits and local snacks.

We bought and tried some local fruits, some of which we’d never tried in our life. The first was this fruit known as Bambangan that tasted like mango, but came with a lot of fibre.
The second fruit – a Durian Dalit – looked like durian but much smaller. The seed is red and has the smooth, milky texture of durian, but more fruity in taste.
Unfortunately, it’s an acquired taste that I didn’t manage to acquire due to a lingering aftertaste that reminded me of smelly cheese (even though I’m a cheese lover).
Jurassic Land Kiulu: An attraction along the way
We’d initially included Jurassic Land Kiulu (see location) as a potential stop along the way, to have some fun with dinosaurs. However, this was dropped due to the rain.
If you have kids, do take a look at this kids-friendly attraction located between KK and Kundasang.
Reached Kota Kinabalu after a long drive
(3.10pm)
Finally, after a 3.5 hours’ drive, we reached KK. Why it had taken so long was due to traffic jam in KK.
Famished, we stopped by a random Chinese eatery – 找到吃 – (see location) for a simple local lunch. Ordered Wantan Hor, Sliced Fish Mee Hoon and omelette. All tasted great!

Explored a few places in KK: Kota Kinabalu Itinerary
Before returning our rental car for good, we thought we should use it to visit a few more places. Passed by Sabah State Admin Center and couldn’t help taking a photo of its impressive facade.
Should you rent a car in KK? As Grab ride is cheap, you need not rent a car if your intention is to stay within Kota Kinabalu central. However, if you like to head beyond KK central, such as to Kundasang, then renting a car adds a lot of convenience and flexibility. See latest car rental price.

We then drove to Likas Bay (see location) as we were reminded of the gorgeous view seen during earlier drives. Unfortunately, today’s weather changed the view from bright blue to dull gray. Everything was gloomy.
Our plan of catching sunset at Tanjung Aru Beach was also cancelled as it seemed unlikely we could catch a good sunset with all these clouds in the sky. Let’s proceed to check-in to our hotel for the next 4 nights in KK.

Checking into Hyatt Regency Kinabalu
First impression of Hyatt Regency Kinabalu wasn’t great as it’s lobby was extremely dated and carpark was open-air and required a fee even for guests.
Thankfully, the room was refreshed and looked modern, with a great sea view to boast.
The biggest selling point of Hyatt Regency Kinabalu has to be its location. Not only does it front the beach, the hotel is also within walking distance to a few shopping malls.
Two Hyatt Hotels in KK. Do note there are two Hyatts in KK. Hyatt Regency is nearer the sea and Hyatt Centric is probably newer.
Suria Sabah Shopping Mall: Kota Kinabalu Itinerary
After check-in, we left shortly to look for dinner at Suria Sabah Shopping Mall. Having had local meals for too many days in a roll, we decided to have Japanese cuisine for a change.
At Zanmai Sushi, my partner ordered Oyster Roll and beef, both of which turned out decent. But my sushi set was mediocre with rice that was so hard and dry that I ended up eating just the meat on top.
We then shopped at Bandaras Supermarket within the mall, and called it a day shortly after.
Malls in Kinabalu: Of the few malls we visited, Imago was the biggest and most modern. Suria Sabah was decent And Wisma Merdeka is like Far East Plaza in Singapore – old and dated but still see sufficient footfall.
Map Location For Day 6 (Kundasang to KK)
JR Resort >> Mt Kinabalu Viewing Platform >> Pekan Nabalu Market >> Jurassic Land Kiulu >> EDelicious Eating House >> Sabah State Admin Centre >> Likas Bay >> Hyatt Regency >> Suria Sabah Shopping Mall
That’s all to our Day 6 in Kota Kinabalu. Stay tuned to the next post and see us explore Gaya street and visit what I thought was the best night market in Malaysia.
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May I know when did you visit Kundasang? Was it on weekend or weekdays? I really wanna avoid the crowd but seems like I only have weekend to make a visit.
Anyway, love your posts! Will be visiting Tokyo and Hakone this week and Sabah next year; getting all of the infos from your writings. Thank you :)
Hey Najwa, thanks for reading. We visited Kundasang during weekdays (Wed to Fri). It wasn’t crowded during our visit in Sep – definitely less crowded than in Japan Hakone (also visited during weekdays).