Almost a private island

Best Things Nearby:
Palau Tiga, the island the first Survivor was filmed on, is a 30-minute boat ride away. The crew and those voted off stayed here during the filming.

Best Things About the Resort:
The beach and Sunset Pointe

Resort Experience:
This open-air resort is right on the beautiful Tanjung Aru beach. With 495 guest rooms, five restaurants, two lounges, and one nightclub, the resort is practically a city inside itself. This is a wonderful place to stay. The service is exceptional, and you can never get bored between the spa, horseback riding, beach volleyball, sunset Tai Chi, Mah-Jong lessons, putt-putt golf, or just relaxing on the beach. There’s plenty to enjoy.

The lobby reminds me of something Ernest Hemingway would write about. Ceiling fans cool the humid air and light-colored furniture line the entrance. You’d never guess that the beach is only a few hundred feet out the back door.

All sleeping rooms have patios with a table and chairs and come equipped with Citronella candles to ward off any creepy crawlies that might decide to visit you in the night. All rooms also include free high-speed Internet. There are two wings to the hotel. The Tanjung wing is the newer addition with slightly more modern rooms. The Kinabalu wing is the original part of the hotel.

There is a business center if you decide you HAVE to work while there.

Pamper yourself at the spa. It offers many different kinds of massages, aromatherapy, facials, and body scrubs. I had a salt scrub. I wasn’t as good as the one I had in Korea, but it was still very nice. I think it cost me like $40.

Sunset Pointe is a small stretch of land that juts out from the resort to, what else, watch the sun set. There's a small bar to have cocktails, and you can order munchies too. It gets packed, so stake your claim early to ensure you won’t be standing the entire time.

The Garden Terrace restaurant has a buffet breakfast every morning with Western dishes, as well as Asian ones. Peppino is my favorite, with fabulous Italian food served in a romantic setting with white tablecloths and candles. The Shang Palace serves classic dim sum and other Cantonese dishes. I LOVE the barbeque pork rolls. Coco Joes is out by the pool. They have cocktails and munchies. The Satay was great, but I really like satay. Blue Note is modeled after the one in Chicago. It’s a great place to grab a cocktail and listen to some good music.

Just writing this makes me want to go back to KK.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

Gaya Street market is only open on Sundays and a great place to get all your souvenirs and inexpensive batik. It’s an indoor local market that has almost anything you want. Take your time to browse through the merchandise displayed and you might discover something you really would like to take home with you.

There are pets - puppies, tortoises, tropical fish, hamsters, birds, rabbits, etc; feng-shui figurines; household items; potted plants; fruit plants - lime, mango, and even a durian tree; fresh flowers; fresh fruit; fresh vegetables; souvenir items - key chains, bracelets, woodcarvings, seashells, T-shirts, caps, etc., and local sweets and yummy strange things to eat. Try the Durian.

The atmosphere is so festive with all the handicrafts, fruits, and colorful garments around. Smell the aromas of local delicacies. It does get hot and stuffy inside due to lack of A/C. Vendors do not take credit cards, and I didn’t see an ATM anywhere, so bring plenty of cash and your haggling skills.

You'll stick out like a sore thumb, but the vendors are eager to make you spend your money. They will almost always bargain with you.