A Market Visit in Kota Kinabalu
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Told by Annie Sim, Discover Malaysia Tour Host
Throughout our journey you’ll develop a deepening love of tropical fruits, oodles of noodles, roti canai, teh tarik, satay for days, and more… but truthfully the most outstanding part of the trip will be the relationships and connections that flow so naturally and stepping into that loving community. This is what creates the best place to travel in Malaysia.
One of those relationships that feels like reuniting with long-lost friends is when we’re in Kota Kinabalu (a small town on the island of Borneo) and I get to introduce you to my friends Adam and Joanne. They emanate welcomeness, sharing their passion for food, flavor, and their home with others.
We meet them at the crowded front of the market bustling with people walking in and out as they shop for their daily ingredients. Adam and Joanne welcome everyone with smiles and then walk us through the market introducing us to the Aunties and Uncles from whom they purchase their normal provisions.
You’ll quickly learn that ‘Auntie’ and ‘Uncle’ are terms of endearment, not reserved for family members, but to show warmth and respect to those you encounter in everyday life.
As we walk through the market, we open the doors to curiosity and fire off questions to Adam and Joanne. Pointing out different fruits, asking about what they are used for, and of course, buying them so we can give them a try later in the day. Try and keep up with Joanna and Adam while simultaneously trying to drink in everything the stalls have to offer.
We’ll stop at the stall filled with slippery, fresh-caught fish, stingrays, and squid, and ask questions about all the different kinds of fish and seafood. Make sure to watch the way that the vendors divide their responsibilities, some scaling fish on large wooden chopping boards on the floor, wielding butchers’ knives larger than you’ll ever see.
We walk through the fruit stalls, spotting myriad different shapes, colors, and sizes of fruits that are completely foreign to you. If we’re lucky, the vendors might just open a mangosteen on the spot for you - and I promise you’ll immediately fall in love with its sweetness and tang. A flavor and smell that reminds you of a mixture of a clementine and a kiwi, infused with some other magical, unique flavor.
After a stroll through the market, we settle in at a local’s local kopitiam (coffee shop). We gather around a table in the signature Malaysian orange plastic chairs and begin our ordering. This is an education in itself as Joanne explains the numerous different ways coffee (and tea!) can be ordered like a local…putting even the masters of coffee in Italy to shame.
Sipping on your preferred variety - iced? Hot? Sweetened condensed milk? With water? You get to choose. We all recognize the ‘bingo card’ of coffee options we have to explore over our next few days in Malaysia.
While the options abound for our next foodie stop (and Adam & Joanne are the pros, running the foodie site ‘Sabaheats’), there isn’t anything available to the public quite like having a snack at their own home. As Adam & Joanne open their doors, the warmness I previously mentioned is apparent.
Their house is a place of love and of living - photos of family and friends adorn the walls, books live on the shelves and Adam’s mom’s favorite music plays from a distant room. Truly, one of the best places to travel in Malaysia. They tour us around their garden, sharing the pursuits and experiments they’ve tried growing. Then we gather in the kitchen as Joanne unwraps the recent newspaper to use as a covering for the table. And - we dig in.
Our earlier purchases of fruits are poured onto the table, making space for Joanne to demonstrate how to peel, open, or eat each new piece. Tea is poured and sipped. Those feeling brave and bold, are welcome to try their hand at hacking the durian open with a butcher’s knife outside the front door. If they’re successful, we’re all made abundantly aware as the pungent fruit’s smell fills the home.
You’ll sit back at the table sampling little bites of fruits and process the newness of the market mixed with the familiarity and warmth of friends you experienced during the day. It gives you an insight into the loving community of Malaysia and a fuller picture of what Malaysia has to offer.
Learn more about the other best places to travel in Malaysia that travelers visit on our Discover Malaysia trip!
Travel with us around the world on one of our multi-day small group food tours. Check out our itineraries to Italy, Japan, Peru, and more! Join us as we visit tea farms in Japan, sip on limoncello in Italy, and savor ceviche in Peru.
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