One of the unique tourist spots in Kota Kinabalu is the Gaya Street Sunday Market, a highly recommended place to visit. If you are a market lover and want to see the natural, local scene of Kota Kinabalu, this is the place to visit. Over the years, I have been visiting this market and have seen it change dramatically, with more interesting stalls being introduced. This is one market you will not want to miss in KK city.
Gaya Street Sunday Market Photos
Open only on Sundays from as early as 6.00 am, the Gaya Street Sunday Market offers visitors a fascinating insight into local Sabahan culture, with many locals busily purchasing all sorts of items.
The location is along the main Gaya Street in KK town, where over 100 stalls sell a wide range of goods. Listing them here would be a giveaway; therefore, the visitor should explore this place in person, and I am only sharing photos of the Gaya Street Sunday Market. The photos of the market below are all taken with my Nikon DSLR and a standard kit lens.
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| What the market looks like along Jalan Gaya. |
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| A view of the Sunday Market here. |
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| Cute puppies make everyone stop and look. |
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| Sabah Serama Chicken is occasionally sold here. |
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| An assortment of local and domestic pets for sale. |
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| Baby chicks are sold at different ages. |
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| A wide variety of domestic pets are sold. |
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| Handmade wooden chopping boards. |
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| A permanent fixture here is the blind massage service. |
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| Some interesting toy dice are being sold here. |
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| T-shirts on KK sold at the morning market in Kota Kinabalu. |
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| Traditional handmade bamboo containers and other crafts. |
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| A local artist sells his work here. |
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| The famous Sabah chilli padi sauce is also locally made and sold here. |
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| Local Bak Chang, a Chinese dessert. |
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| Sabah souvenirs are on sale at great prices too. |
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| An assortment of bags is on sale here. |
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| A medicine trader sells some odd items. |
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| View of the Gaya Sunday Market at the famous landmark main fountain. |
For anyone visiting Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, this is a highly recommended place to see if you are here on the weekend. Make sure you come around 7.00 to 8.00 am, when the market is in full swing. To locate this market, just check Google Maps and it will show you exactly where Gaya Street is at.
There are several local coffee shops and restaurants where you can also have breakfast; some are authentic. There are halal and non-halal food places here, too. For those on a budget, you can also refer to my other articles on free things to do in Kota Kinabalu, as the list focuses on a walking tour around KK.
And if you are venturing out of KK, you can
read this article on the best places to visit in Sabah, which details newer tourist attractions across the state.
Conclusion
After the market visit, you can explore the other areas around here, namely the craft market and fruit market, and, if you are up for it, you can also explore the other best markets in Kota Kinabalu. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment form below, and I hope you enjoy my article and photography of the Gaya Street Sunday market.
