Loading Now

Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

sabah-fresh-prawns-seafood-kk Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah
Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu is one of the popular things for Malaysians or Singaporeans visiting Sabah. I often get asked by friends ‘Where to buy cheap seafood in Sabah’? and here is my story.

Usually when I visit Kota Kinabalu or KK, I would buy my frozen seafood from Fung Seng Seafood Supplier which is about 10-15 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu or KK town.

The beauty about this supplier is that you can go in any time of the day and purchase your seafood and they will have it sent to the airport for you before your flight departs. How cool is that? 


Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

In my case, I usually go to the supplier about three hours before my flight back to Kuala Lumpur. I like taking my time as the place is spacious unlike the one at the KK Airport. Fung Seng Seafood Supplier sells all kinds of fresh frozen seafood and most of the time they are pretty well stocked as they are also in the seafood export business.

One of the highlights here are the frozen lobsters and large prawns sold cheaply. You will never get prices like this over in West Malaysia so if you are a seafood lover, do make a stop at any of the suppliers in KK.

kota-kinabalu-fresh-seafood-supplier-grouper-fish Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah
7 Star Groupers frozen packed

Among my regular choices, I usually buy Fresh Prawns in the medium sizes which sell about RM45-RM48 RM68 to RM75 for box of 20-25 pieces. They have a variety of sizes ranging from small to extra large. The one in the main picture shows a single jumbo sized prawn at about 13″ inches long which retails about RM30-45.

The common yellow sea prawns or tiger prawns (udang harimau) are usually freshly frozen packed and sold in boxes. Each of the items here also have a packaging date to inform you when it was frozen so you know how fresh they were packed.

seafood-shop-kota-kinabalu-sabah Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah
The huge open fridges at Fung Seng

As Fung Seng Seafood Supplier is fairly large, they have huge fridges all around the shop making it easy for you to choose your items. Open top chillers are placed in the middle of the shop where you find all kinds of frozen fish, prawns, lobsters, shell fish and scallops.

For those who do not like cleaning fish, they company has also frozen fillet of various fishes. You can even get the famous 7 Star Grouper (chat-sing-pan) in fillets while a good selection of Cod, Grouper and Salmon fillets are available for sale. 

sabah-fresh-seafood-fish-cod-grouper-kk Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah
Grouper fillets individually packed for sale

The frozen seafood that you buy are carefully and professionally packed by the staff working here. How they do it? They will line the items you purchase with newspaper a few times and then put them in a box packing it tight.

After sealing the boxes, they then secure it with industrial tape or plastic wire wrap. Boxes come in many sizes so you need not worry. After finishing, they then ask you what flight you are taking, AirAsia or Mas and then for your name and flight number as they have stickers to indicate details.

You can hand carry them on board if they are not too big or you can check it in at the airport if you are buying a lot. They also have a service where your order can be dropped at the airport for you. The packed seafood in the box can last you a good 6-8 hours too.

However, there are a few other ways that people buy frozen seafood from Sabah. One common way is people visit the wet market to buy fresh seafood, then they will buy a Styrofoam Box to pack the items and try to check it in at the airport.

sabah-scallops-seafood-kk Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah
Frozen scallops and giant prawns for sale in Kota Kinabalu

This method is tricky as if you do not pack the seafood properly, it might leak and stink up the plane. Some traders claim they know how to do it but please double check before buying. Some would consider this being lazy, but you need to rethink this method carefully.

How Do They Do It? 

Here is how they do it – They fill a plastic bag with crushed ice, put in the fish/prawns and then tie the bag and put it in the Styrofoam box. Then they fill the box with more crushed ice and tape seal the entire box. 
Another way is when they tape-seal the Styrofoam box, they put it in a slightly larger card box and seal it again. Remember, if they do not seal it correctly, it might break. Especially when the baggage handlers throw your cargo around at the airports.

So please be very careful if you choose to use this method. This is why I choose to go to the professional seafood suppliers.

fung-seng-seafood-shop-kk-sabah Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah Fung Seng Seafood Supplier in Kota Kinabalu
Buying Seafood at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) 

As a last minute option, you can still buy seafood from the airport as there is a shop selling frozen seafood there. Sometimes when you go late there, they are pretty much out of stock so best go before late afternoon.

The frozen seafood shops are located just before you enter the departure area at the airport. Hard to miss them.

Seafood Buying Tip: If you buy whole frozen fishes, be prepared to have them cleaned and scaled before cooking. Also check the packaging date as Fund Seng sticks them once they are packed and frozen.

With this, I will list some of the available frozen seafood that you can get here. Prices are way much cheaper than many places I know and the selection is very fresh. The prices below are based on 2010 prices.

  • 7 Star Grouper / Sunu (Prices are about RM48 per kilo)
  • Grouper – Red and Brown
  • Parrot Fish (Prices vary here)
  • Lobsters in various sizes (Prices start at about RM40-50 a kilo)
  • Yellow Prawns – Sizes in Small, Medium, Large (RM58-60) and Extra Large (RM25-35 per piece)
  • Tiger Prawns – Sizes in S,M,L
  • Prawn Meat in sizes S,M,L (prawns with shell and head removed)
  • Sea Cucumbers – S,M,L Sizes
  • Scallops (RM90 per kilo)
  • Cod Fish Fillets and full cod fish
  • Salmon Fillets and full salmon fish
  • Tengirri / Mackerel 
  • Trout Fish (Rainbow Trout)
  • Tuna Fish
  • White Pomfrets 
  • Squid whole or calamari sizes
  • Shell Fish (Lala, Siput, Bamboo Clams)

Address for Fung Send Seafood in Kota Kinabalu;
No. 7 & 8, Jln Bakau,
Inanam Ind Est,
Jln Tuaran Km 8,
88450 Inanam,
Sabah, Malaysia
Telephone: 088-38 0018 / 088-380013
Website: Fung Seng Seafood

  • They accept payments in Credit Cards and Cash. 
  • Most tour guides know of this place so check with them.
  • Foreigners – Please check with your country customs if you are allowed to bring back frozen seafood as they can only last about 6-8 hours frozen packed. 
Buying seafood in Kota Kinabalu is one of the highlights for most local families or couples visiting this beautiful state of Malaysia. The main reason are the freshness, variety and of course, the cheap prices offered.

For me, it has become a ritual every time I visit this place and just before I leave, I would have bought a number of fresh fish which are neatly packed. If you are a seafood lover, nothing beats buying seafood in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 

Share this content:

0 comments

comments user
fufu

i didnt buy when i was there last year… argh…a good excuse to go back again 🙂

comments user
eunice

good stuff! n the seafood r so neatly packed, good for ppl like me who dun like to go wet markets 😛

hey just realised that u've a few posts on Bandung! I'm going to blog about Indonesia now.. I like the cool weather in Bandung. Did you also visit the active volcano in Bandung?

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Fufu, when you get back, there are just so many places for you to check out! Firstly, you need to visit the coffee shop near my place so we can meet up 🙂

Eunice, yeah I did the Bandung articles long ago, forgot to ask you to read them 🙂 Anyway, I went purely for shopping with 5 women! Did not do other places.

Cheers,
David

comments user
Lily Riani

allaa….. i just got back. i f i would have know better.

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Lily – Ouch, I should have posted this earlier. But then again, next time you visit, you know where to go 🙂

Regards,
David

comments user
frozen seafood suppliers

well, that's a good way to put it. nice insights!
works well in clientele explanation and information resource option.

comments user
Ikram

David Jr, well explained. Tq very much for the valuable info. I'm going to KK for the first time this March. Sure will visit FSS.

comments user
Jacy

Thank you for your post. It helps alot where to get the fresh seafood.

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Jacy, thanks and you're most welcome. Now, only if the suppliers knew about this, I could get some complimentary Frozen Seafood 😀

comments user
Buy Seafood Online

This is a good way to preserve seafood and keep it fresh for longer period

comments user
Unknown

This is a great post for Seafood buyers and suppliersthanking sharing for useful news..

comments user
Jesse Yong

Any idea what time they open shop?

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Jesse, they usually open at 9am, but its safer to call them before going or go around 10am.

comments user
willy

if you don't know the place..i can help you to get there…just inform me..

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Willy, the place is in the industrial SME area of Inanam. The best solution I can offer you is to use Google Maps or ask someone local. I usually come here with my tour guide, it's easy plus you can get a small discount.

comments user
batik hafara

We are a provider of Batik Shells (Baby Clamb) is also called Siput Lala (Malaysia) in large quantity. Batik Shells we send in fresh living conditions.

We serve large purchases with a minimum order of 500kg.
We are ready to serve contract purchase up to 2 tons everyday.

Specifications: living conditions (survive in 2-3 days) 100/kg measurement.

Price RM 30 /kg (size 100) >> Only for order minimum 500 kg.
Feel free to request special price

Price does include:
– Cost of transport from Semarang, Indonesia to purpose
– Administration fee for customs and documents cargo / export.

For further information, please contact me:
Ainur Rifan
Email: revaulia@gmail.com
SMS/Call: +6285641571841

comments user
Unknown

Anyone know from where can i buy green parrotfish (Scarus collana)?

comments user
Malaysia Asia

You can check with this supplier if they have it.

Post Comment