Kota Kinabalu 2026: Fee-Free Travelog ATM & Must-Try Restaurants

Kota Kinabalu Trip

Travelog Fee-Free ATM

An essential part of any Kota Kinabalu trip:

withdrawing Malaysian Ringgit!

If you're using a Travelog card,

you can withdraw Ringgit for free, with no fees.

I recommend a spot in the heart of Kota Kinabalu city

that's easily accessible on foot.

Looking at the locations of Travelog ATMs and these fantastic restaurants,

they're all within easy walking distance,

so you can tick them off all at once!

Since it's close to Yu Kee Cheong, a must-visit restaurant in Kota Kinabalu,

I highly recommend it if you need cash 👍

Travelog Fee-Free ATM Bank - RHB

When I looked for RHB Bank ATMs on Google Maps,

there were surprisingly many in the city,

but I was flustered to find many that didn't work or weren't there in reality;

There was a concentrated area in the heart of Kota Kinabalu city

where banks were clustered.

RHB Bank, one of them, was easy to find.

Just insert your card, select English as the language,

and you can easily withdraw cash.

I tried withdrawing 1000 Ringgit,

and as expected, there were no fees.

It dispensed 100 Ringgit and 20 Ringgit denominations,

which was convenient for my trip 👍

(Smaller denominations are handy)

If you're looking for a Travelog fee-free ATM in Kota Kinabalu, I highly recommend it ⭐

Kota Kinabalu Restaurant Recommendations​

Yu Kee Cheong / Moginum​

Kota Kinabalu Restaurant - Yu Kee Cheong

After withdrawing cash from the bank in Kota Kinabalu and strolling around,

you can enjoy the peaceful city.

It happened to be close to Yu Kee Cheong, so I set it as my destination and

walked there, feeling great because the weather was lovely 😎

07:00 AM ~ 05:00 PM

Closed on Fridays

Yu Kee Cheong might look a bit shabby, but it absolutely gives off a "hidden gem" vibe, and it even had Korean written on it, making it easy to find, haha!

Perhaps because their Kaya Toast is so famous,

loaves of bread were lined up.

The interior of the restaurant isn't huge,

but it's just right for accommodating a good number of people.

Since many Koreans visit, both the Malaysian flag and the Korean flag were hanging,

and the menu even had Korean written on it, haha!

Just a heads-up: no air conditioning ⚠️

Yu Kee Cheong, a famous restaurant in Kota Kinabalu,

has different ordering times for each menu item.

Kaya Toast - 06:00 AM ~ 12:00 PM, 02:00 PM ~ 05:00 PM

Rice Noodles - 08:30 AM ~ 02:00 PM

Satay - 12:00 PM ~ 05:00 PM

Satay is not available for order on Fridays

Since I visited in the morning, Satay wasn't available,

so I decided to order toast and rice noodles.

It's also famous for Satay, so I recommend an "evening open run" (being there right at opening for dinner) too ⭐

There are also coffee and tea options,

as well as juices, so you can refer to them when ordering!

Beef Rice Noodles

A generous bowl arrived with dried dates and

These noodles came packed with a delicious mix of vegetables.

Even for those who love rice noodles, I'd say

it had a flavor profile that would likely hit the spot.

(Personally, I'm usually just 'so-so' on rice noodles, so this was a pleasant surprise!)

If you're looking to warm up your belly with something hearty in the morning, this is a definite recommendation!

I checked out the tea menu and decided to order some coffee and tea.

but to my surprise, the flavors weren't quite what I'd imagined! 😲

It just goes to show, you really need to choose your teas carefully when you're traveling abroad! 🤣

Coffee, on the other hand, usually tastes pretty consistent no matter where you go, so that's always a safer bet.

But seriously, the absolute best thing I had at Yuit Cheong was,

hands down, their Kaya Toast!

I'd heard it was an absolute must-try if you're visiting Kota Kinabalu, so I gave it a shot.

The rich aroma of the kaya jam paired perfectly with the butter,

making it an ideal light breakfast to kickstart your day.

Pair it with some coffee, and it's pure bliss!

Yuit Cheong: No card payments accepted.

Cash payments only.

No cash on hand? Just pop over to a nearby ATM!

Kota Kinabalu Must-Try Spot - Moginum Restobar (Bar)

Just around the corner from Yuit Cheong, you'll find

the lively Moginum Restobar.

7:00 AM ~ 12:00 AM

Closed on Sundays

As a restaurant and bar that opens its doors bright and early at 7 AM,

it was already bustling with a mix of locals and fellow travelers.

I was immediately drawn in, craving a refreshing beer even in the morning,

so I just walked right in! 😂

(Turns out, it has over 1,000 Google reviews – clearly a popular spot!)

Inside, the space was clean and tidy, with a generous number of tables.

Plus, cool air conditioning – a welcome relief!

The menu was a traveler's dream: clearly laid out with helpful pictures,

and the text was nice and bold, making it super easy to pick out dishes.

I spotted refreshing draft beer and something called 'beer fusion' on the menu.

Intrigued, I ordered both, along with a local favorite:

Nasi Lemak.

When your food arrived, the cutlery came served in a bowl of hot water – a thoughtful touch for hygiene that I really appreciated.

This was the Nasi Lemak with Red Sauce Chicken,

and it looked almost exactly like the picture on the menu – always a good sign!

It felt like a perfect breakfast dish, but with the added bonus of peanuts and dried snacks,

it was also a fantastic pairing for an early-morning drink! Talk about hitting two birds with one stone 🤣🤣

The 'beer fusion' was essentially a cocktail,

with a Blanc beer bottle inverted right into it! So creative! 😂

I mentioned to the staff that I love tangy flavors,

and they whipped up a custom version just for me! How amazing is that!!

(Seriously, the staff here are incredibly friendly!)

As someone who's generally quite sensitive to strong spices from different cuisines,

I found Kota Kinabalu's food to be

not entirely to my taste, and a bit on the plain side.

However, if you're someone who enjoys a milder flavor profile, you'd likely enjoy it!

For the Nasi Lemak, fusion beer, and two draft beers,

the bill came to 73.2 MYR (approximately ~$18).

After enjoying all the beer and delicious bites, I'd say

this was incredible value!