Gaya Street was originally known as Bond Street, this is the main street of KK. Fully rebuilt in the 1950s and 1960s, the shop houses were used in the traditional way, with shops on the ground floor and residential units on the upper floors. Today, Gaya Street has the largest number of legal offices, banks and financial institutions of any street in Sabah. It also has many eateries open during the day and night.

The Gaya Street Fair

Every Sunday morning, Gaya Street is closed to traffic for the Gaya Street Fair. For a small fee, traders set up stalls for the morning to sell almost anything-fruits and vegetables, fish, cut flowers & plants, puppies, rabbits, books, clothes, toys, souvenirs & handicrafts, antiques, home-made local cakes & kueh-kueh, food, the famous Tenom coffee, and traditional medicine. There are also mobile health clinics offering minor check-ups, and even politicians who set up desks to meet their constituents. It's amazing what you may find at the Gaya Street Fair.

On any day in Sabah, you'll find a range of markets where you can pick up bargains on handmade crafts, crystals, antiques, the freshest seafood, local cakes, vegetables and exotic fruits, Mostly held in the outskirt towns such as Kota Belud, Tamparuli, Papar and Donggongon, these buzzing open-air markets or Tamu are not to be missed!

Apart (from market goodies, the Tamu is a great way to meet the locals and to buy direct from the people who create. make or grow what they sell. Plus, each Tamu at the different location offers different sights, sounds or smells - for instance. the aroma of keropok besina-kayu (crispy giant-sized tapioca chips) In Kota 3elud; the soothing sounds of the sompoton in Tamparuli and sights of friendly sirih-stained teeth women everywhere.

Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market: While In Kota Kinabalu be sure to check out the Handicraft Market (opens from 7am -9pm daily) which boasts exquisite pearl jewelry and a wide range of ethnic wares such as handbags, table runners, shell ornaments and carved wood furnishings. To stretch your dollar. be adventurous and pick up some local lingo