In transit through Kota Kinabalu

I have an overnight stay in KK and want to make the most of it - so it is off to the sea front to find out what makes this settlement tick…
It would appear that the answer is sea food ;)
The night market located on the docks has a veritable shmorkes board of sea life fresh from the boats and ready to be cheaply and quickly grilled to your taste… It is a thriving place with the hubbub of conversation and clamour of stallholders overlying the ever present smell of fresh grilled seafood and do not be surprised to see the odd rat darting in the dark corners near the waste bins.
For a more upmarket experience for those unable to cope with plastic chairs and wooden plank tables - try the ‘Port View’ sea food restaurant right next door - the front entrance has a huge array of aquarium sized fish tanks and almost every conceivable seafood is available fresh and still swimming!! (There were Giant Lobsters, crabs, mantis shrimps, tiger prawns, grouper fish, shell fish and even a shark). Just point at what you want and it is hauled out of its tank and cooked/grilled to your taste there and then - all in the luxurious surroundings of an AC restaurant.
Kota Kinabalu has obviously developed rapidly with large malls appearing with multiplex cinemas and 8 floors of shops! So KK feels westernised with ‘Starbucks’ and ‘Coffee Bean’ American outlets meeting your caffeine needs while ‘KFC’ seems to be a popular eating place for the younger generations.
If you are prepared to go on a little trek there are three local museums on culture, art and religion. However, I did not have time to check these out. On returning to my dorm room I found that I was sharing with two Australian girls at the end of a university placement. The AC dorm room at ‘Step In lodge’ is excellent with large beds, AC, comfortable mattresses and electric showers - all for £8 night including good breakfast of cereal, toast, fresh fruit and brewed coffee. As a ‘flash packer’ this was ideal and I would stay here again as it is also ideally located for the night market and coffee shops…