KOTA KINABALU (Sabah State) -- (60-88)

This happy-go-lucky resort town on the South China Sea is almost entirely new, having been destroyed and rebuilt following Japanese occupation in WWII. The waterfront is currently seeing another surge of development, but, luckily, buildings are height-restricted due to the close proximity of the airport. Seafood feasts, island hopping, and unspoiled nature are the main attractions in the vicinity. There is also more than a little gay life bubbling under the surface. KK is a great place for a romantic get-away with your partner or special someone, but it's also easy to make new friends with a smile.

Super cheap Asia Air flights get you here in only 2.5 hours from Kuala Lumpur so it's a great escape from the urban tangle of the capital. There are also three non-stop flights a week from Bangkok.

Muslims are in the minority in Sabah, so KK feels less uptight than West Malaysia. Respectful and properly dressed visitors may even be permitted to enter and photograph the interiors of some of the city's large mosques, a rewarding cultural experience if you have the opportunity.

KK's population is around 350,000 (that's about 15,000 Utopians). There are more than three dozen indigenous ethnic groups in Sabah, so the people here are a rainbow in themselves.

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• Men in Kota Kinabalu message forum

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Kota Kinabalu is easy to navigate using our Utopia map:

Click here for Kota Kinabalu hotels and accommodations.

• Magma Sports Club (mixed)
  A fun pub with a pool table and karaoke. Popular with gays.

  Q Bar 50 Gaya St, 230-722. Top marks for the world-class design of this straight-friendly gay bar (Wallpaper, are you listening?). Cozy round bar (in the shape of a "Q", of course) for optimal eye contact. Pool table. A plush Thai-style corner den for bears and pandas (greatly sought after here in Sabah), plus a 2nd comfy corner area designed for groups of friends. They take special pride in their beautiful and sparklingly clean bathrooms. Opens daily at 8pm. Easy lounge music until 10pm when it starts to get busier. DJ plays dance beats after 11pm with house music. Twenty varieties of wine on hand in the cooler. Theme parties monthly. Management and staff couldn't be friendlier. Crowd is young professional with a happy mix of ethnicities.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Went to the Q Bar on Fri night (after midnight) and had a blast there. The drag show was good. People were friendly and drinks where cheap (US$10 for a jar of strong Long Island Iced Tea; US$4 for beer on tap). Went back on the following Sat and people were a lot more shy. An on-going show would help blend in otherwise shy Asians." -- sohocub, Mar 10, 2009

  "There are Diva Shows every Fri. Great performances! And Q bar is mostly packed only on Fri, Sat and the eve of public holidays. It is also known as an after hours club so the crowd only starts pouring in after midnight on weekends, except Fri." -- colonnades, Dec 28, 2008

• Shenanigans (mixed)
  B/F Hyatt Hotel. Mixed pub popular with gays, particularly Chinese.
• Upperstar (mixed)
  Jln Datuk Salleh Sulong (just opposite the foot of the Hyatt Hotel driveway). Gay clubbers rendezvous here first to fuel up on the cheap drinks before heading across the street to Shenanigans (whose drinks are very expensive by local standards). The balcony is the breezy place to people-watch.

Comments from Utopians:

"Checked out the Blue Note. Not very gay but a very chic place to have a drink. Kind of dead except for us." -- sohocub, Mar 10, 2009

"Blue Note at Shangrila's Tanjung Aru Resort, is a mixed place that recently revamped itself and became one of Kota Kinabalu's hottest clubs. International DJs spin there weekly. It's a chic hangout for a night of fun and drinks." -- colonnades, Dec 28, 2008

• Anjung Senja hawker center
  Waterfront opposite the Promenade Hotel. A great place to eat and catch the eye of friendly locals at the same time. Evenings.
• Centrepoint shopping center
• Hyatt Hotel entrance
  The pedestrian pathway connecting Jln Datuk Salleh Sulong to Wisma Merdeka is very cruisy. Sit in Mosaic café at one end or hang out near the shopping mall entrance at the other end.
• Long distance bus terminal at night, transgenders
• Prince Philip Park, Tanjung Aru. Near the pond and the circle with fountain. Late night, very cruisy. Some hustler decoys.

Mosaic (Italian food, coffee, ice cream and cakes) Jln Datuk Salleh Sulong (just at the foot of the Hyatt Hotel driveway). This sleek and modern air-conditioned restaurant and café is the perfect place to cruise the foot traffic heading in and out of Wisma Merdeka while sipping a cappuccino or demolishing one of Mosaic's delicious sweet treats. Where are we again? Melbourne? South Beach? Oh, yeah, Kota Kinabalu. A stack of Gourmet magazines is on hand if you get bored, but we think you'll want to view all the Asian poetry amidst the passing parade, so grab the corner table in front of the picture windows and practice your deadliest Memoirs of a Geisha glance. Very cute and friendly staff.

• Restoran Rasa Nyonya (Nyonya and traditional)
  G/F 50 Jln Gaya, 218-092. This local place serves up tasty authentic peninsular cuisine. Dine by 9pm as they close early. After dinner, hop over to Q Bar next door for a cocktail.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Little Italy in the Capital Hotel, Jln Haji Saman is an Italian-owned restaurant that serves the best Italian food in town. It has gay-friendly staff as well. Food prices range from R$10 for a salad to about R$70 for a main course. Worth a try! @mosphere Restaurant & Bar is on 18/F at Menara Tun Mustapha, Likas Bay. KK's most modern restaurant, located in the tallest building, serves wonderful western and Asian cuisine that can rival any 5-star restaurant worldwide. The bar has happy hours daily from 9pm onwards and serves the cheapest cocktails in town during happy hour (R$14 after tax and service). Food, however, ranges from R$26-200. It is the new happening location in town. However, the locals know which area serves the best dishes. So if you're lucky to make a friend you will really get a taste of how Sabahans eat." -- colonnades, Dec 28, 2008

• Hyatt Regency Sauna (mixed)
  Hyatt Regency Hotel. Some of the customers are local gay guys. Dry sauna, steam room, large and private showers rooms. Be discreet.

• Small gay shop on 2/F of KK plaza sells clothes and gay kitsch.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Warisan Square Shopping Center is a new addition to Kota Kinabalu and carries various international brands of clothing and food chains. It is a nice place to shop, as places like F.O.S can be found there. There are also two international hotels inside that mall. One Borneo Hypermall at Jln Sulaman, is East Malaysia's biggest shopping mall and has various international brands that sells clothing at bargain prices such as F.O.S which carries things like Juicy Couture and Polo at dirt cheap prices, MO outlet which carries Boss, DnG, and Aigner. Various international food chains. 5-star hotels like Novotel and The Courtyard can also be found there as well as budget hotels like Tune Hotel. It's worth a visit. They have also East Malaysia's largest Cinema." -- colonnades, Dec 28, 2008

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