Kota Kinabalu: Klias River Cruise & Fireflies with Dinner

4.55

(129 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to feel so calm just sitting by the water in the Klias Peninsula, but that’s what happened. The drive from Kota Kinabalu took a while—maybe two hours?—and I dozed off for part of it, waking up to see palm trees flickering past the window. Our guide, Hafiz, greeted us with a grin and poured me tea before I’d even figured out where to sit. The snacks were sweet and sticky (no idea what they’re called), but honestly, I liked them.

The first river cruise started late afternoon. It was humid but not uncomfortable—there’s always a breeze over the water. Hafiz pointed out proboscis monkeys lounging in the branches; their noses really are as odd as people say. One of them stared right back at us for ages. There were other boats nearby but it never felt crowded or rushed. At some point I caught a whiff of something floral—jasmine maybe? Or just the mangroves doing their thing.

Dinner was a buffet of Malaysian dishes (I piled my plate with rice and something spicy—I should’ve asked what it was). We ate outside while dusk settled in, which made everything feel slower somehow. Then came the second cruise: drifting along in near-darkness, watching fireflies blink on like tiny lanterns all around us. It’s hard to explain how quiet it got except for insects and someone’s laugh from another boat. I still think about that light show sometimes when I can’t sleep.