REVIEW 5-DAY 4-NIGHT MALAYSIA ITINERARY LUNAR NEW YEAR 2025 🇲🇾🇲🇾 (Detailed)
I recently took a trip to East Malaysia – Kota Kinabalu from the 2nd to 6th day of Lunar New Year. Since most people usually travel to West Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), and East Malaysia's beautiful beaches and islands are less frequently visited, I wanted to share my itinerary hoping it will help many friends consider choosing East Malaysia, as well as some notes I gathered after the trip, especially regarding travel during Lunar New Year.
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[FLIGHTS] ✈️✈️
My group of 3 had flights from Ho Chi Minh City → Kota Kinabalu (KK), and from Kota Kinabalu (KK) → Ho Chi Minh City round-trip at approximately 5.8 million VND/person.
I flew with Air Asia, Malaysia's famous budget airline. The outbound flight was on time, the return flight was delayed one hour. Carry-on luggage was relatively comfortable, seating was tight with limited legroom, but at this price it's acceptable. You can pay extra to choose emergency exit row seats for more comfort. Staff service was professional.
Food and drinks on the plane cost from 10 RM++ (note: no pork/beef available)
*Note: checked luggage isn't really necessary – bring light, breathable clothing as Malaysia's weather is quite hot.
Malaysian airport security screening happens twice: once when entering the procedures area to scan luggage, and again before boarding. Liquids in carry-on must be under 100 ml, no more than 10 pieces, must be in a clear zip bag, and placed separately in a tray during scanning.
[ACCOMMODATION] 🏨🏨
Most hotels, apartments/hotels/services in Malaysia will message you via WhatsApp beforehand, so download it in advance as they'll need to confirm information and send notifications.
- First 3 days: Ming Garden Rating: A complex with both hotel and residential units. My group booked an apartment-style rental like Airbnb – small room, humid, not bright enough, no hot water machine, but has refrigerator/kitchen, washing machine, pool/gym. Location near the city center but not in a traffic-prone area. Self check-in. The downside is that being an apartment, there are no toothbrushes, shampoo, shower gel provided, and no breakfast. Bakery counter has 50% off after 6pm.
+ Last 2 days: Sky Hotel Rating: Rooms aren't new but clean, with panoramic KK views and spacious rooms with bar counter, kitchen, refrigerator, hot water machine fully equipped. Infinity pool, gym on rooftop open from 8am to 10pm. Hotel has breakfast but not very diverse – mostly congee, noodles, braised chicken, sausages (note: no pork/beef).
[ITINERARY] ✍️✍️
🔸Day 1: SG - KK (KK Airport – Suang Tain Seafood – Filipino Night Market)
- I took a 1:35pm - 4:45pm flight. Immigration procedures were quite quick, customs didn't ask much, just passport and stamp. (Need to declare online beforehand)
- Booked Grab home from airport, about 20 minutes away. Self check-in to apartment (host left key and elevator card in mailbox). After personal hygiene, walked around the apartment area to learn the neighborhood, then grabbed Grab to eat seafood at Shuang Tain Seafood restaurant.
- This area has 2 restaurants both very crowded and famous:
- KK Market outdoor restaurant, with both tourists and locals, flavors seem more Malaysian-leaning, plus cultural performances with traditional Sabah indigenous dances and interaction where guests can eat while participating in cultural and artistic exchange – quite fun.
- Shuang Tain Seafood serves only air-conditioned seating, established in 1983, owned by ethnic Chinese so Chinese-style flavors are relatively familiar to Vietnamese and target customers from China, South Korea, etc. The restaurant was quite crowded – my group waited nearly 1 hour for a table. However, dishes came out very quickly. Service staff don't speak Chinese, only Malay and basic English. Order at table or choose fresh seafood at the seafood counter area like restaurants in Vietnam. Service attitude was quite professional. My group ordered about 6 dishes: squid in butter sauce, grilled tiger prawns, stir-fried mixed vegetables, spicy razor clam, fragrant fried rice, crab with salted egg sauce, clam soup. All dishes were well-seasoned, not too oily, total cost over 400 RM (including beer). Afterwards walked past the Filipino Night Market area – a night market selling everything from vegetables, fruits, dried fish to grilled seafood. Smoke everywhere, and food safety hygiene seems questionable so those with sensitive stomachs should consider. Most crowded at the durian section. Most expensive are Blackthorn, Musang King then other varieties. Chinese customers buy a lot, and buy in groups. Sellers capitalize on Chinese customers' love of excitement, so every time they open durian they shout very loudly creating a sense of anticipation like opening a mystery bag. Afterwards took Grab back to hotel ending day 1 in KK.
🔸Day 2: Mari Mari Cultural Village – City Mosque – Hill Top Food Court
- 7am my group went to Kim Heng Lee in an old residential area for breakfast with Teochew-style pork noodle. Food was quite good. Then took Grab to Mari Mari Cultural Village ethnic village.
**Note: Staff at the gate will ask if you booked tickets in advance, likely to coordinate with guides. Since my group arrived early, after some explanation, staff also sold tickets to my group at 130 RM/person including lunch (slightly cheaper than buying on Klook).
- Located in a remote forested area in Kiossom, about 30 minutes from Kota Kinabalu city (KK city, Malaysia), Mari Mari cultural village tells interesting stories about the culture and lifestyle of 5 indigenous ethnic groups in the Sabah region including: Bajau, Lundayeh, Murut, Rungus and Dusun.
- Tourists experience unique traditional activities at Mari Mari such as tattoo painting, trying to make fire from wood, making rice wine, hearing stories about local beliefs, enjoying special cuisine and cultural exchange…
**Notably, this is also the village that preserves the mysterious and chilling head-hunting ethnic groups.
- Around 1pm, lunch buffet was quite good (again no pork/beef). At 2pm my group took Grab back to KK city, visited the Islamic Bandaraya Mosque. Entry ticket 5 RM, plus 5 RM to enter the mosque interior. If you're not interested in Islamic architecture, you can go to Old Town cafe (nice cafe, many photo spots, sells light snacks, should try their signature White coffee) then walk around the seaside park waiting to watch sunset.
- Around 6pm went to Hilltop area for dinner. This area has shumai (pork dumpling) and Chinese-flavored dishes quite good, most famous are Fat Kee and Hilltop. Ending day 2.
🔸Day 3: Kiulu River (Whitewater Rafting)
- Morning of day 3, we went for breakfast at Guan's Kopitiam near the hotel. Food was good, price a bit high. Because we were busy with breakfast, we almost missed the shuttle pickup from the tour company at the hotel. Ticket price booking on Klook or directly with the company is around 120 RM (shuttle, lunch)
- The shuttle then took us to the rafting area at Kiulu River (difficulty level 1-2). Those who are fit and want to try something more hardcore can book the Padas River tour (difficulty level 5). The day we went, water level was low, weather was cool, not too sunny, ideal for outdoor activities.
- Tour staff distributed life jackets, helmets and taught basic techniques to guests before the experience. One raft has 6 guests and 1 professional guide so it's quite reassuring. Basically level 1-2 was quite gentle, going with the water flow, except a few sections with strong confluence where water splashed everywhere. The guide stopped for about 10-15 minutes under a hanging bridge so everyone could freely swim, take photos. There was also 1 professional photographer taking photos/videos for the group on shore, images and clips were sent via email after the tour ended.
**Note: Need to prepare a quality waterproof phone bag to ensure your phone doesn't get wet during rafting.
- Around 1pm, lunch buffet was quite good (again no pork/beef). After lunch, the shuttle took the whole group back to the hotel in KK around 4pm. At 6pm walked out to Suate Avenue for Shu Tianxia hot pot that was quite good – 3 people spent nearly 300 RM. Ending day 3.
🔸Day 4: 4 Island Tour
- Morning of day 3, we went for breakfast at Food Yuen on Gaya Street. Self-service style restaurant, diverse dishes from Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, relatively stable prices near the hotel. Food was good. Then walked to Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, where you can buy ferry tickets to the 4 islands. Depending on time availability and itinerary, you can visit all 4 islands in a day or split across multiple days. Ferry tickets from 45 RM++, conservation fee 25 RM/person. Other activities if you participate are calculated separately. All prices are publicly posted transparently so no fear of overcharging. On the islands, seawater is clean with no trash, amenities are minimal, so consider preparing food and drinks to bring to the island if you only buy ferry tickets without joining a tour. The last ferry picking up passengers leaves the island at 4pm. If you miss this, you'll have to spend the night on the island. At 6pm we ate Bak Ku Teh, a Malaysian specialty, at Sing Kee restaurant near the night market. Afterwards walked to buy some souvenirs at Imago mall on the way back. Ending day 4.
🔸Day 5: KK - SGN
- Last day so at 8am we leisurely had breakfast at the hotel, packed luggage. Around 10am checked out, took Grab to KK airport. 3:35pm landed at TSN airport, ending the spring trip to the Kota Kinabalu islands. Since time was limited, our group still didn't explore many spots, so scheduling another trip later.
[FOOD & DRINKS] 🥙🥙
- In general, you should look for Chinese restaurants as the flavors will be easier for Vietnamese people to accept. The restaurant list I mentioned in the itinerary section. __ Source: Timmy Tri Phan #review
