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Kota Kinabalu with Withlocals
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Enjoy Kota Kinabalu like a local
Let our local experts guide you through a handpicked selection of things to do on a private tour. Think hidden gems, insider stories, and all the local vibes. Ready to find your private tour of Kota Kinabalu? Your adventure-packed day is just one click away!
Top tours in Kota Kinabalu
Make your stay in Kota Kinabalu complete with these things to do
Why you should book a Withlocals tour
100% Customizable
Let your local host tailor the tour
completely to your wishes.Private guided tours
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It’s just you and your local host.Responsible
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Private tours with locals in Kota Kinabalu
Our locals will give you the best experiences that Kota Kinabalu has to offer
- With Jae Fatima
Private Half Day City Tour
5.0 25 reviews3.5 hours • city highlight toursfrom €18.24 per person - With Jae Fatima
Night Market Food Tour
4.9 25 reviews4 hours • food toursfrom €23.53 per person
Explore Kota Kinabalu with our incredible locals
Learn about their personal stories and find out how you can explore Kota Kinabalu with locals
- Jae FatimaLaid-back personSee More
Travelers love our locals
What other guests say about our tours and locals
- 5.0
Night Market tour
"Fatima picked us up with her car at our hotel and drove us to the markets. It was great to see these places with a local person because thanks to her knowledge we learned a lot about the food, customs and life in Kota Kinabalu. She adapted the tour to our requests which was excellent! Highly recommend her. She is a wonderful person."
- 5.0
Jae is Fantastic! We had the Best Time
"I’m so glad we booked our tour with Jae. She is so fun, funny, knowledgeable and flexible. And her English is flawless. We had her tailor the tour to meet our needs (a little shopping and a lot of food). We tried lots of different snack and treats (and bought quite a few to take back to the hotel with us as well). We enjoyed a cocktail together at what would have been sunset time, but it was rainy. And we had dinner at a fantastic fish market where you pick out what you want to eat and how you want it prepared. No worries about food safety - Jae has it covered. Delicious and totally safe. The entire experience was a highlight of our trip. And like others have said, I feel like we’ve made a friend. "
- 5.0
Great Tour of Kota Kinabalu
"Jae picked us up on time and showed us around KK. She was great with kids and a safe driver. We enjoyed our time and would highly recommend this experience to those visiting Kota Kinabalu. "
- 5.0
KK Tour with Jae
"Had a great time with Jae. Visited many great locations finally ending up having a superb Fish Dinner in the Market. Would highly recommend Jae. Great experience, Thank you Jae"
- 5.0
Great Local Guide Experience
"Even though we had difficulty with our timing due to the re-booking of a missed flight, we just barely made the tour, and Jae worked with us to make it work out much better than I thought would happen. I was looking forward to good local food and Jae took us to where we could have fresh seafood. We did go to the Filipino market and then I did try Durian (a small one) and frankly I liked it. Then we went out for souvenirs and the night market. Jae was patient with us and I can't thank her enough for giving us probably the greatest first time Kota Kinabalu experience you can have!"
- 5.0
You'll fall in love with Malaysian food
"Jae took me on a tour of the fruit and fish market. We tasted many of the local items that were available for sale. When it was time for really g getting down to tasting the local fare, Jae clued me in on the local secret - while there is plenty of food available in the main market area, the freshest and best is about a block away - it's where the locals go to select the freshest seafood and have it cooked to their liking. Each dish was a local recipe using fresh local ingredients - I was in food heaven. I wasn't too familiar with Malaysian cuisine before, but I'm a fan now! Thanks to Jae's knowledge and willingness to share it. I highly recommend Jae and WithLocals."
- 5.0
Tour of the night market and seafood resta
"I would highly recommend booking this tour. I wanted to find out more about the Malaysian food/meals and Jae was excellent at answering my questions and helped me order a delicious range of seafood dishes. She explained in depth about the Malaysian culture. Don't hesitate to book this! Xx"
- 5.0
Straight to the business overview of KK
"Jae took us for the half day tour around KK. We covered the major points of interest and Jae really covered material and history related to the points. The tour is a good option if have limited time at KK, also probably not so many really amazing place to see. But Jae made this experience kind of personal saving the day (or half day to be precise)."
- 5.0
Fab trip
"Had a great time with Jae, she is so friendly and knew loads so we had a lovely time. Many thanks Jae."
- 5.0
Lovely evening
"We spent a very interesting evening with Jae. She is very easy to get on with and was happy to take us to whatever we wanted to see. We like trying some of the local food and found her guidance invaluable on what we could or shouldn’t eat. "
Enjoy the Best of the Kota Kinabalu
Like a Local
Private & Personalized Tours in Kota Kinabalu with a Local
When you hit the road and land in a new city like Kota Kinabalu, there's an exciting way to dive into its soul: personalized local tours. Forget the typical touristy routes – these tours are like having a local friend show you around all the cool spots.
Imagine having someone who lives and breathes Kota Kinabalu spill its secrets. That's what local guides bring to the table. They know the hidden alleys, the best bites, and stories that never made it to the guidebooks. Whether you're into munching through food tours, wandering the city's streets, or going off the beaten path, a local guide hooks you up with a private tour that's authentically Kota Kinabalu.
The best part? These tours are all about you. No herding in big groups or rushing through places you're not interested in. With private tours, you're the boss. Whether it's snapping pics at iconic landmarks, diving into history, or checking out the art scene, the tour is tuned to your vibes at your tempo.
But it doesn't stop at city limits. Day trips let you escape the urban jungle and explore nearby wonders. And if you're just setting foot in Kota Kinabalu, kickstart tours give you a taste of everything. Think of it as a crash course in Kota Kinabalu awesomeness, guided by a local who knows the city like the back of their hand.
So, next time you're in Kota Kinabalu, ditch the ordinary. Grab a local tour and unlock the city's real magic – the stories, flavors, and places that make it uniquely Kota Kinabalu. Get ready to explore like a local!
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