We had been reading great stories about the North Borneo Sunset Cruise for years – and often saw beautiful photos of it – but we never had the opportunity to experience this attraction for ourselves. That was about to change. During our recent trip through Sabah, we spent a few nights at the The Pacific Sutera, one of many beautiful hotels in Kota Kinabalu. When we checked out their website beforehand, we noticed various cruises from the harbor near the hotel and all had raving reviews. The North Borneo Sunset Cruise – with dinner and drinks – stood out and Sutera Harbor was the harbor where this popular cruise departs daily at 17.30. Later in the evening the KK City Waterfront Night Cruise departs from this same spot as well (daily at 20.00, but no dinner, only drinks!).
We did ask ourselves whether an activity like this would be our thing, as it seemed to be one of those activities typically enjoyed by local tourists. We were however quite curious about the sunset, which should be amazing, and the beautiful view from the boat of Kota Kinabalu and Mount Kinabalu behind it. You also sail towards the beautiful islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, which are also great to see up close around sunset. All in all, it was an amazing trip. For the money, you get a cool boat trip, including truly amazing views during the famous Sabah sunset, as well as delicious food and drinks.
On board
Each cruise has a maximum of 85 guests, which makes it pleasantly cozy and not too crowded. The boat is exactly the right size for this number of people. It has three levels, each with enough space to take photos of the surroundings and of course the beautiful sunset. There is a deck above the lower deck (where the restaurant and the band are) with a lounge area at the very top where you can sit and enjoy the view. In the evening, the boat is attractively lit.
There is a band and depending on the crowd, it can be a wild party one day and a quiet but pleasant affair the next. The band was more than capable of getting everyone involved. Funnily enough, hardly anyone drinks alcohol on board and yet at one point the party was in full swing. If singing along is not your thing, you can always go upstairs to enjoy the view in peace. The party continued below deck even after the boat had docked at Sutera Harbor at the conclusion of the trip, and some of the guests who had come purely for the sunset and the food quietly disembarked and left.
Phenomenal sunset
The boat navigates towards an open part of the sea with a full view of the coming sunset, usually roughly positioned between Pulau Gaya and Pulau Manukan. These two islands are part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, where you can relax and snorkel during the day.
On the day we went on the tour, it had rained heavily in the afternoon, as usual. It was still raining when we boarded the boat. Even when we were floating in the middle of the sea, the weather was not particularly favorable. How different it became when the sun started to set. Suddenly the clouds had disappeared and we had a magnificent view of the approaching sunset. For a moment the sunset did not seem complete (with low-hanging clouds on the horizon), but at the very last moment these disappeared and we had a truly amazing sunset.
I had not been entirely convinced of the added value of the trip beforehand, because the sunset is beautiful with unobstructed views pretty much everywhere in Sabah, but I quickly changed my mind when I experienced this sunset right at sea. It was truly the most beautiful sunset we had ever seen.
Delicious food (and drinks)
You would almost forget that people mainly book this cruise for the breathtaking sunset, because everyone seemed to linger below deck in the restaurant, waiting for the buffet dinner to commence. From the moment the captain announced that the buffet was open, everyone formed a line in order to fill up their dinner plates. A funny detail was that most international tourists waited (and looked in awe) until the first rush was over, while most of the local cruise passengers immediately got up to grab a plate. They seemed to know this game very well 😊.
The buffet was very extensive with many delicious dishes. I have a bit of experience with these types of buffet dinners and found the quality to be of high standard. The choice was ample and when a dish was finished, it was replenished in no time. The desserts were also delicious. Standard (local) beverages are part of your dinner experience and you could order soft drinks, beer or wine (cash payment only) at the bar. The wine (RM20 per glass) was a good-sized glass and also quite tasty (surprising for a simple and affordable house wine). You could also buy the same wine by the bottle for RM168 (you do the math!).
Around the time dinner starts, the live band starts playing, at first nice and pleasant in the background and later on sometimes very much at the foreground to get everyone to participate. If it gets too busy, you can always go outside to enjoy the view over the Kota Kinabalu Waterfront. I was a bit disappointed that I missed most of the Waterfront during the meal, but I made it upstairs just in time to take some great photos. By the time I went back down, karaoke had started. Locals love karaoke and it wasn’t long before the party was in full swing. It was fun to witness, although most tourists watched amused from a distance.
How to book the cruise?
You can book directly through North Borneo Cruises or through one of the many intermediaries. We compared a few providers and discovered that the price was cheapest when booking directly through North Borneo Cruises. The price is just under €70 per person (+/- €40 for children) for international travelers (locals pay a slightly lower price). For a slightly higher price, you can book through the popular Klook.com (the tour is called the ‘Sunset Dinner Cruise‘), which some travelers prefer because it is a large and well-known international company.
How to get there?
If you are already staying at The Pacific Sutera Hotel or The Magellan Sutera Resort, it is just a few minutes’ walk to Sutera Harbor. Make sure you are at the harbor gate (at the desk / “Registration & Boarding Point”) no later than 17:15 to board the boat. If you are late, you risk missing the boat. The cruise lasts from 17.30 to 19.30.
Non-resort guests can also book this wonderful Sunset tour, in which case you will first take a Grab from your accommodation to the Pacific Sutera Resort. If you have a rental car, you can park at the large parking lot at the harbor or directly in front of The Pacific Sutera Hotel. To the right of the hotel is a wide path to the harbor, but you can also walk through the hotel to get to the registration desk. From the hotel lobby, keep to the right until you reach the stairs that lead to the garden below. Once you have arrived at the garden, cross the wooden bridge and keep to the right again. After a minute’s walk you will arrive at the harbor entrance. Everything else is clearly signposted. When boarding, you will receive a wristband so that you will have easy access the port area on your way to the boat.
Tips
- Are you having second thoughts and would you prefer to decide on the spot (at the last minute) whether you want to go on the dinner cruise? Then make sure you are there at 17.00. Keep in mind that the cruise is often fully booked on weekends and that there are not always places available.
- Bring sunscreen, as it can be quite sunny on the boat for the first hour.
- Bring cash because although the cruise includes a delicious buffet dinner and basic drinks, you will have to pay extra for certain extras (such as alcoholic beverages).
- If you arrive before departure time, you can relax at the resort pool or at the lounge bar of The Pacific Sutera Hotel beforehand.
- After sunset, you will continue directly to Kota Kinabalu Waterfront. However, this coincides with the buffet opening, and in our case, we almost missed the view of Kota Kinabalu by night.
- If you decide to book in advance, do so on the basis of a “Rain Check Flexi” ticket. You will get a full refund if the cruise is canceled due to bad weather.
- For a small additional fee, you can book the “Rain Check Basic”. You will not receive a refund, but you can reschedule your sunset cruise to another day free of charge (up to 2 hours in advance).
- If it does rain and you decide to go on the boat anyway, make sure you bring an umbrella or poncho. Also keep in mind that even if it does rain, you still have a good chance of seeing a beautiful sunset.
- There is Wi-Fi on board, so you can easily share photos of the sunset during the cruise. In my case, my 5G connection from Celcom (local SIM card) also worked fine.
- The Horizons Sky Bar is located on top of The Pacific Sutera Hotel. This is a very nice lounge bar with a magnificent view of the sea and the city. They have tasty drinks and snacks and it is the ideal place to have a drink after the Sunset Cruise.
- The same boat departs again daily at 20.00, this time for the KK City Waterfront Night Cruise. This tour focuses on Kota Kinabalu by night. This tour does not include an extensive dinner, which also makes a considerable difference in the price. I have already decided that I will do this tour next time.
- Borneo Excursions is a popular local travel organization that offers trips throughout Sabah. In addition to fully organized tours, they are also accustomed to offering customized trips, for example if you want to do a self-drive through Sabah.
Suggestions?
Got any good tips to share with us? Do you know of any great things to do in Sabah, or tips on the best places to eat? Let us know by leaving a reply below!
