Kota Kinabalu accommodation from AU$73

The perfect way to get stuck into the culture of the city is to visit the Gaya Street Sunday Market. Held every Sunday morning, the market hawkers sell off anything including local handicrafts, fruit, sweets, pets, plants and more. Influences from Malaysia's multicultural population can be seen everywhere in the market and this gives you the perfect opportunity to begin to understand the life and society of the city, otherwise known as KK to the locals. For an air conditioned shopping experience, the Centre Point shopping mall is also worth paying a visit to. We wouldn't blame you for retreating to your Kota Kinabalu hotel to rest those shopped out feet afterwards.

Borneo is home to some incredibly diverse nature and one of the best places to get up close to this is the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park. The botanical gardens and the zoo boast some fantastic local plants and flowers as well as animals which traditionally reside on the island. However, to truly experience nature at its best, a trip to the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park is essential. Just off the coast of KK this National Park consists of five tropical islands each with glistening white sand beaches and thick jungle. Some of the islands have accommodation but we recommend you rent a tent and camp overnight underneath the stars and with the sound of nature keeping you company.

Back on the mainland the Floating Mosque is another highlight of the city and easily reachable from your hotel in Kota Kinabalu. The grand Mosque gives the illusion that is it floating because it is built on a man-made lagoon and this provides budding photographers a great chance to take an eye-catching photo.