On the second day we set off for the Mt Kinabalu National Park. I was not very keen to stay overnight and climb the mountain so we decided on a day trip at the Park only. To get to the park, you can either take a taxi of take a long-distance bus. A return trip on a taxi will cost you about RM400-450 and a one-way bus ride costs RM20.
The bus stop is beside Padang Merdeka on Jalan KK Bypass. We got there before 7am to ensure a seat on the early bus.
The bus to Ranau stops at Mt Kinabalu half way. As soon as we found the sign for the Ranau bus, we were approached by the drivers, who told us to wait until the bus was filled. We waited for the 12 seats to be filled and left at about 7:20am. Apart from a few other tourists like ourselves, other passengers were locals who were heading for Ranau. Most of them carried a lot of bags which made the van quite cramped. Otherwise the bus ride was quite comfortable and scenic.
It took less than two hours to get to the park and we were dropped off outside the Headquarter of the park. The bus driver gave us his mobile number and told us to wait outside of the park at 3pm to be picked up. I'll discuss transportation for KK later.
We walked up the stairs on the left and purchased tickets for the Park. At most tourist attractions in East Malaysia, foreigners are charged more than Malaysians, often more than double. In this case admission was RM15 each. After collecting the map of the Park we started hiking along the walking trails. The weather was absolutely glorious and dry. The temperature was around 20 degrees with occasional breeze and sunshine. Most of the trails were less than 2 hours walk and very manageable. Some parts were quite muddy and steep though so you do need good walking shoes.
Unfortunately there were clouds that day and we could not get a clear shot of Mount Kinabalu. 
There is a convenient store and a small cafe near the park Headquarter but we brought our own lunch. We left the park at approx 3pm and crossed the road to look for transportation back to KK. We called our driver who said he would be there in an hour as he has just left Ranau. As we were waiting at the cafe next to the carpark, we were approached by a taxi driver who offered us a trip back to KK for RM140. We initially declined but he soon found enough passengers to fill up the 7-seat taxi. We ended up taking his cab back to KK for RM20 each. The return trip was faster and took about 1.5 hours. We were dropped off at the same car park at Padang Merdeka at about 4:20pm.
In the evening we walked along the riverbank and had dinner at the Philippines market. Most stores were serving the same seafood so we picked on with the most customers. We ordered some grilled fish, sting rays, barbecued chicken wings, fried rice and vegetables to share. The seafood was very fresh but a bit overcooked at the side. It was definitely local flavour and we enjoyed it :)
Sunset along the river
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