Kudat
Discover Kudat
It's a 3hr minibuses ride from the Bas Bandaran Berjaya terminal in Kota Kinabalu. (RM50, Updated April 2025). Buses leave once full. Aim to be at the bus station between 7am - 8am. You can go by taxi, self-drive or with a tour agent. Four-wheel drives and saloon cars with permits are stationed near the Indian Restaurant opposite the Health Clinic in Kampung Air. Four-wheel drives can take between 7-8 passengers at RM20-25 per passenger return, while saloon cars take up to 4 passengers and charge RM240 for a return trip to Simpang Mengayau.
Taste of Kudat...
There are multiple seafood places along the coast and around the Esplanade.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsKudat is 190 km from Kota Kinabalu, about 3 hr by car. It's a 3hr minibuses ride from the Bas Bandaran Berjaya terminal in Kota Kinabalu. (RM50, Updated April 2025). Buses leave once full. Aim to be at the bus station between 7am - 8am. You can go by taxi, self-drive or with a tour agent. Four-wheel drives and saloon cars with permits are stationed near the Indian Restaurant opposite the Health Clinic in Kampung Air. Four-wheel drives can take between 7-8 passengers at RM20-25 per passenger return, while saloon cars take up to 4 passengers and charge RM240 for a return trip to Simpang Mengayau. Grab does not operate in Kudat, but Maxim does. Maxim drivers seem to hang out around carpark across the road from main bus station in town (near the KFC). They can drive you to Simpang Mengayau but are unwilling to do it for the 25RM that the app shows, asking for something between 40RM to 70RM (April 2025)....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
You can go by taxi, self-drive or with a tour agent. Four-wheel drives and saloon cars with permits are stationed near the Indian Restaurant opposite the Health Clinic in Kampung Air. Four-wheel drives can take between 7-8 passengers at RM20-25 per passenger return, while saloon cars take up to 4 passengers and charge RM240 for a return trip to Simpang Mengayau. Grab does not operate in Kudat, but Maxim does. Maxim drivers seem to hang out around carpark across the road from main bus station in town (near the KFC). They can drive you to Simpang Mengayau but are unwilling to do it for the 25RM that the app shows, asking for something between 40RM to 70RM (April 2025). They do not know the places to stay around that area so be prepared to show them on the map. To return from Simpang Mengayau you will likely need to arrange a taxi via your accommodation. Be sure to check out the Rungus handicraft, particularly their intricate beaded work and handwoven Tinohian cloth.
Money & Budget
Be sure to check out the Rungus handicraft, particularly their intricate beaded work and handwoven Tinohian cloth. When in Kudat, make a trip to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, the tip of Borneo. This is the meeting point of the South China and Sulu seas, with a rich historical and cultural background. The dramatic vista of the endless sea and blue skies will take your breath away. There are multiple seafood places along the coast and around the Esplanade.