Fishing Spots ＞ Borneo
2 captains listed · casting available · sea category. A spot in Kota Kinabalu (Borneo) targeting GT/Marlin/Billfish/Tuna. Check the tide, captains and recent catches, then contact them directly via public social accounts. Access, climate and lodging are in the details below.
Book / contact the captain directly @borneofishingcharter ›The gateway is Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI). Flights from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) are the most frequent, and there are also direct flights from Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul and elsewhere. It takes about 15-30 minutes by car from the airport to the city center or to ports such as Jesselton Point. GT/jigging boats heading to the offshore islands (Tunku Abdul Rahman Park) and nearby and offshore waters depart from the city's various ports and from Jesselton Point.
| From | Route | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | Direct flight (AirAsia/Batik Air/Malaysia Airlines) | About 2 hours 37 minutes | The most frequent. A major route accounting for about 31% of all departures from BKI (an average of 183 flights per week) |
| Singapore (SIN) | Direct flight (Scoot, etc.) | Budget flights from around $55 one way available | |
| Hong Kong (HKG) | Direct flight (HK Express, etc.) | Budget flights from around $70 one way available | |
| Seoul (SEL) | Direct flight (AirAsia/Jeju Air/Jin Air/Air Busan) | About 5 hours 45 minutes | Several direct flights by South Korean LCCs |
| BKI Airport | Car (taxi/transfer) | About 15-30 minutes to the city | Fishing boats for the offshore islands and nearby waters depart from the city and ports such as Jesselton Point |
Coordinates: 5.98, 116.07（Open in Google Maps）
GT/Marlin/Billfish/Tuna
GT popping and jigging in the waters off Kota Kinabalu and Sabah are run by charters year-round and can be enjoyed throughout the year. Generally, January-April in the drier season, with calm seas and much clear weather, is easier to move around, and the prime times for fishing in Sabah are roughly January-April and August to early November. During the northeast monsoon period (November-February, especially October-December), when there is much rain and the sea tends to be rough, be aware of weather-related restrictions on boat departures.
◎ peak: Jan–Apr · ○ in season: Jan–Apr, Aug–Nov
See what else is in season now →
Off Kota Kinabalu, the main grounds are around Mengalum Island in the South China Sea. Sailfish and marlin are most active Apr-Jul, while the Feb-Sep dry season brings calm seas and steady bottom fishing for snapper and grouper. GT, the flagship of the trevally family, can be targeted year-round, with everything from half-day to multi-day trips on offer.
Full how-to & tackle on each species page：GT Marlin Billfish Tuna
*Photos are not re-hosted; we link to each social account (R8). Auto-updated with the latest posts.
*Official embeds of each channel's public videos. Click to play on YouTube.
A tropical rainforest climate, hot and humid year-round. Temperatures are nearly constant all year, with daytime highs of 31-32°C and nighttime lows of 24-25°C. Centered on the northeast monsoon (November-February), October-December has the most rain, with monthly precipitation sometimes exceeding 300mm. January-March is comparatively dry. Light summer clothing is fine year-round, but it is reassuring to have protection against the sun and squalls plus a layer for air conditioning.
| Month | Avg ℃ | High ℃ | Low ℃ | Clothing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 24 | Summer clothing. Protection against the sun and squalls. Drier season and comfortable | ||
| 31 | 24 | Summer clothing. Comparatively dry with much clear weather | ||
| 32 | 24 | Summer clothing. Dry season with much clear weather | ||
| 32 | 25 | Summer clothing. Rain begins to increase from late in the month | ||
| 32 | 25 | Summer clothing. The hottest period. Protect against heatstroke and sunburn | ||
| 32 | 24 | Summer clothing. Beware of afternoon squalls | ||
| 32 | 24 | Summer clothing. Beware of afternoon squalls | ||
| 32 | 24 | Summer clothing. Beware of afternoon squalls | ||
| 32 | 24 | Summer clothing. Carry rain gear | ||
| 31 | 24 | Summer clothing + rain gear. The rainiest period of the year | ||
| 31 | 24 | Summer clothing + rain gear. Much rain due to the northeast monsoon | ||
| 31 | 24 | Summer clothing + rain gear. Much rain due to the northeast monsoon |
| Class | Property | Price (approx) | Highlights | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-end | Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu（シャングリ・ラ タンジュンアル） | — | A beachfront five-star resort in Tanjung Aru. About 10 minutes from the airport. Private beach, marina, spa (Chi, The Spa), outdoor pool, and six restaurants and bars (including a sunset bar). A famous spot for sunsets. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| High-end | Hyatt Regency Kinabalu（ハイアット リージェンシー キナバル） | — | A five-star hotel in the city center along the seafront. Overlooks Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and the South China Sea. 288 guest rooms and suites. Located in the heart of the business, shopping and entertainment district with good access. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| High-end | Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu（ル メリディアン コタキナバル） | — | A quality hotel in the city center, on the waterfront. Outdoor pool, four dining options, 412 rooms. Within walking distance of the Kota Kinabalu Waterfront and night market. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | Hotel Grandis（ホテル グランディス） | — | A waterfront location attached to the Suria Sabah mall. Modern rooms with sea or city views. Plans with breakfast available. Well rated and convenient for shopping and seafront strolls. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | The Klagan Hotel（クラガン ホテル） | — | A mid-range hotel in the city center. Well-maintained, comfortable rooms with good value. Free Wi-Fi, room service, and a breakfast buffet available. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | Hotel Sixty3（ホテル シックスティスリー） | — | One of the most central locations in KK. About 100 rooms, all spacious and air-conditioned with contemporary decor. A location convenient for sightseeing and dining. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Budget | Gaya Centre Hotel（ガヤ センター ホテル） | — | A popular budget hotel very close to the shopping mall and major spots. Clean, spacious rooms with sea or city views. Free Wi-Fi, luggage storage, and room service. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Budget | Cititel Express Kota Kinabalu（シティテル エクスプレス） | — | A reasonably priced city hotel. Small but clean rooms equipped with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and comfortable beds. Good access to the city center. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Budget | Victoria Hotel（ヴィクトリア ホテル） | — | A value-focused hotel in the city center. A great location right in front of a supermarket and night market, convenient for sightseeing and shopping. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Name | Cuisine | Budget | Highlights | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome Seafood Restaurant（ウェルカム シーフード） | Seafood (Chinese-style) | — | A popular restaurant inside the Asia City complex. Fresh fish, crab and prawns chosen from the tank. Specialties are butter prawn, chili crab and steamed garoupa. Large platters good for families and groups, with good value. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Kampung Nelayan Floating Seafood Market Restaurant（カンポン ネラヤン） | Seafood (floating restaurant) | — | A spacious seafood restaurant built on the water. A varied array of fresh seafood dishes, also in buffet form. A tourist-oriented venue where you can also enjoy a traditional dance show. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Yee Fung（怡豐茶餐室 / イーフン） | Laksa and local Chinese (coffee shop) | — | Along Jalan Gaya, a long-established institution over 40 years old that represents KK. Its signature laksa is the highlight. One of the most popular in the city, it draws queues and is a local standard. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Seng Hing Coffee Shop（昇興茶餐室） | Tuaran mee and laksa (coffee shop) | — | A famous spot for its specialty Tuaran mee. The stir-fried egg noodles, made with added local rice wine, have a silky texture and aroma. Its vermilion laksa is also popular. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| 5 Star Hainanese Chicken Rice & BBQ Pork（五星海南鶏飯） | Hainanese chicken rice and char siu | — | A standard Hainanese chicken rice chain with several outlets in KK. The main store is at No.1 Jalan Centre Point. Its char siu (BBQ pork) is also popular and easy to enjoy. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Fook Yuen（富源茶餐廳） | Dim sum and local food (self-service cafe) | — | A popular self-service place. It serves local standards such as dim sum like shrimp dumplings, kaya toast, laksa, nasi lemak and curry mee at reasonable prices. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Little Italy @ Capital（リトル イタリー） | Italian | — | A long-established Italian restaurant of 23 years in the city. Hand-made pasta (squid ink pasta, mushroom ravioli), lasagna, tiramisu and more. A calm atmosphere and reasonable prices. An option when you are tired of seafood. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Kedai Kopi Melanian（金沙園 / 生肉麺） | Sabah-style pork noodles (sang yuk mee) | — | A famous spot for Sabah's specialty sang yuk mee. Loaded with ingredients such as sliced meat, meatballs, offal, fried tofu and braised pork trotter. A bowl with a strong local flavor. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
* A “seasonal posting trend” based on public social posts we track (2 accounts, period 2022-06–2026-06, 10 posts). Not actual catch statistics—posting frequency ≠ real catch; treat as a reference indicator with biases (popular-account skew, etc.). Sources are the linked posts.
Nearby spots easy to combine into one trip (straight-line distance). See the map above for locations.