Sunset views & stunning seaside scenery guaranteed — 6 local Sabahan street food spots recommended by residents

Text and photos byKaohsiung Food Map

Photography by Ah Xiong, Written by Xiao Gao

Ah Xiong and Xiao Gao, veteran entrepreneurs, often work day and night without a break. Their usual way to unwind is to take an annual long holiday. So this time, we carved out a solid 10-day break for a blue-sea-and-sky trip through East Malaysia — 4 days in Sabah, 4 days exploring Kuching, and 2 more days racing off to the offshore islands of Sabah. And throughout, we had the guidance of a lovely Sino-descendant local, my Sabahan friend A, who led us to the Sabahan street foods, crab delicacies, and jaw-dropping sunsets and sea views that the locals swear by.

Day one was truly a foodie fest — right after landing, we actually ate at six different eateries in a row... Since we were traveling during the day and writing it all up that very night, here’s a quick share of the local snacks and beautiful sights we enjoyed along the way (apologies for lots of photos and little text ^^):

First Sabahan street food — Shrimp noodles (NT$56)

Second Sabahan street food — Malay cake, about NT$40 each

Third — Sabahan sunset & seascape + food combo — Fried fish (NT$150), buy-one-get-one-free beer (NT$256), cocktails (NT$144–160)

Fourth — Local Sabahan-style delicious crab seafood — Crab (per piece, NT$48), scallops (NT$256), shrimp (NT$280), shrimp veggie dish (NT$144)

Fifth Sabahan street food — Three-color ice (NT$64)

Sixth — Sabahan beach bar — Shisha + white liquor (NT$320)

First Sabahan street food — Shrimp noodles (NT$56)

Shop name: Ah Lin Penang Shrimp Noodles
Address: Wisma Merdeka (Sabah’s oldest mall)

Both shrimp noodles and dry stir-fried noodles cost NT$56. The shrimp in the shrimp noodles are super fresh with a strong shrimp flavor, and the broth is mildly spicy and bold — Xiao Gao could only finish about half of it. The dry stir-fried noodles are also intensely flavorful, with their dark noodles coated in a signature sauce. It was delicious at first but got a bit heavy by the end. Overall though, they’re cheap and tasty.

Second Sabahan street food — Malay [?] about NT$40 each

Shop name: Bit & Bites
Address: Wisma Merdeka (Sabah’s oldest mall) or widely available

We bought three pieces — one sweet green version, one savory one, and one with... [unclear] — each priced between NT$0–40. Xiao Gao particularly loved the sweet version made with a natural sauce derived from local green leaves, topped with a syrup resembling brown sugar.

Third — Sabahan sunset & seascape + food combo — Fried fish (NT$150), buy-one-get-one-free beer (NT$256), cocktails (NT$144–160)

Shop name: Sky Blu Bar
Address: Rooftop of Suria Mall

Highly recommend the fried fish — three large, fresh pieces of fish. Not only is the crispy skin delicious, but the flesh inside is also tender and sweet. Each piece is so big it’s almost the size of Xiao Gao’s face.

Fourth — Local Sabahan-style delicious crab seafood — Crab (per piece, NT$48), scallops (NT$256), shrimp (NT$280), shrimp veggie dish (NT$144), juice of clams + juice of clams with shells + lemon juice x2 (NT$40)

Honestly, this plate of delicious crabs brought Xiao Gao to tears of joy — a whole crab, as big as a palm, super meaty, fresh, and flavorful, for just NT$48. NT$48. NT$48!!<（这一家店我先快速略过，因为我打算第二天会再过来再大啖一番啊!!!）

This place serves seafood that’s fresh, delicious, affordable, and not at all shady — that’s the key point!!

Shop name: Seafood Restaurant 大茄来

Fifth Sabahan street food — Three-color ice (NT$64)

This is a homemade three-color fruit ice created by a local Chinese family. We ordered the famous three-color ice and the Milo avocado flavor. Each cup is just 64 TWD, with an almost waterless, thick and creamy texture!!

Address: Shop 6, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (this is the only one!)

The sixth spot in Sabah — beach bar with shisha + white wine (320 TWD)

Any of these spots lets you sit back, enjoy the sea breeze, listen to the waves, sip on drinks or beer. It’s all about soaking in that relaxing evening vibe.

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive after drinking.

Address: Along the shore of Tanjung Aru Beach next to Kota Kinabalu Airport, Sabah

Day 1 END — truly a foodie group, no doubt… But this day’s itinerary was almost all hits, featuring nothing but local snacks and must-try food spots!

Kaohsiung Food Map

Author Introduction: Kaohsiung Food Map is run by Ah Xiong and Xiao Gao, who share southern Taiwan’s local cuisine and cultural flavors. They also occasionally introduce travel destinations around the region, sample signature dishes from various places, capture beautiful scenery, and share Taiwan’s food culture and unique human warmth with everyone.

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