Kota Kinabalu 3-day travel guide｜Photography and diving

Itinerary:

Day1: Classic check-in in urban areas
🕌 Morning: University of Sabah + Pink Mosque (it is recommended to arrive before 8 o'clock for the best light)
🕌 Afternoon: Floating Mosque (recommended 15:00-17:00 to get the perfect reflection)
🏛️ Afternoon: Sabah Museum (opening hours 9:00-17:00, ticket price 15 ringgit)
🥝 Evening: Gaya Street Night Market + Durian Street to achieve durian freedom (located under the Central Market Overpass)

Day2: Island snorkeling day
🏊‍♀️ One-day trip to Mermaid Island (2 snorkeling experiences or optional scuba diving)
⏰ Meet at the pier at 7:30 am
🎯 Special reminder: Remember to bring sun protection and waterproof camera
✨ Evening: Watching fireflies in mangroves (starts at about 18:00, you can sign up for a group tour)

Day3: Diving experience
🐠 Recommended diving site: Inside the Ocean Park (more ecologically rich)
🏢 Recommended dive shops:
- Scuba Junkie: professional English diving guide, small group of 4 people
- Go Aquatic: Chinese service, suitable for beginners
- Down Below Marine: high-end service, first choice during whale shark season
Evening: Join the yacht for sunset dinner

📸 Photography skills sharing:
1. Pink Mosque:
- Best shooting time: before 8 o'clock in the morning
- Framing tips: use fountains or pools to shoot reflections
- Recommended camera position: 45-degree angle from the front door for the most photogenic view
2. Floating Mosque:
- Prime time: 15:00-17:00
- Composition skills: use the reflection of the sea surface and shoot from a low angle
- Weather advice: Sunny or cloudy days are suitable. It is easier to take perfect reflections after rain.

🤿 Diving guide:
1. Best diving season: March to October
2. Price reference:
- Experience diving: about 350-500 ringgit/time
3. Special diving spots:
- Inside the Ocean Park: suitable for viewing corals and tropical fish
- Manukan Island: suitable for watching shipwrecks
4. Equipment rental: Diving shops can provide a full set of equipment

💡 Useful tips:
1. Gaya Street morning market time: Sunday 05:00~12:30, the morning market mainly sells agricultural products, souvenirs, sapa fruits, and beach bags
2. Gaya Street Night Market Time: 17:00～00:00 every Friday and Saturday, the night market is huge
3. Prepare anti-mosquito drugs. The mosquito bites near the island are very serious and extremely itchy.
4. Magnetic stripe cards are not very easy to use in Malaysia. Try to use chip and contact credit cards/debit cards.
5. There are many Chinese in Kota Kinabalu, and almost 80% of travel communications are in Chinese, so there is no language barrier at all.
Kota Kinabalu