Missing the Tanjung Aru Sunset in Kota Kinabalu

2017-09-23 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Warning: This is a story about failing to see the Tanjung Aru sunset.

After a late lunch, I headed back to my accommodation for a quick rest before going out to see Kota Kinabalu's pride and joy: the Tanjung Aru sunset. Since it's famous for being one of the top three sunsets in the world ~~(who even decides these rankings anyway?)~~, I headed out early to grab a good spot. I heard the sun sets around 7 PM, so I claimed my spot around 6 PM.

Many people gathered at the beach under a cloudy sky

People playing in the water at a cloudy beach with hanging palm leaves

When you enter the beach, it stretches out long to the left. It's not a massive beach, but that doesn't matter since the sunset is the main event here. Most people don't walk far and just gather near the entrance to watch the sunset, so those who want to avoid the crowds head further inside. I didn't want to be disturbed either, so I walked further down, laid out my beach towel, and took a dip in the waters of Tanjung Aru.

I imagined myself looking cool swimming at Tanjung Aru, but in reality, I probably looked like I was soaking in a public bath.

Two people holding an umbrella walking on the beach under a cloudy sky

People standing or sitting and resting on a sandy beach with trees in the background — A few tourist buses rolled in, and the entrance was completely packed.

After a short swim, I sat alone on my small beach towel and waited for the sunset. Maybe it's because I've never sat alone at the beach waiting for something before, but I got incredibly bored. I think I waited about 30 minutes, but the sun just wouldn't set. The sky looked a little red, but you couldn't really call it a sunset. Eventually, I packed up my things, thinking, "I should come out a bit later tomorrow," and headed back to my accommodation.

If I had waited just a few more tens of minutes, I probably would have seen a spectacular view, but strangely, I just wasn't in the mood today. I felt like I'd be disappointed if I saw it right then, so I got in the car without looking back. Since it was only my first sunset here, maybe I just figured, "I can always see it later." Or maybe it reminded me of all the times I forced myself to do things I didn't want to do. Whatever the reason, the truth is that I felt relieved rather than regretful on the way back.

Small sand balls clumped together and a small hole dug in the sandy beach — Traces of crabs working hard to build their homes. They are spread all over the beach.

A beach pavilion and trees seen across a pond covered with water lilies — There's a pond like this further inside Tanjung Aru beach, so there are a lot of bugs.

Three red ants crawling on a green railing with a pond in the background — Real fire ants.

Expenses (conservatively multiply by 300 to get the amount in KRW)

Swim trunks RM 79.9
Wet wipes and other daily necessities RM 19.46
Two sunscreens RM 64.75
Imir RM 4
Three pieces of clothing RM 85
Cigarettes RM 18.1
Water RM 2
Beach mat RM 18
Water RM 1.2
Lunch RM 10.3
Room rate until Aug 30 RM 153
Grab fare from Imago to Tanjung Aru RM 10
Grab fare from Tanjung Aru to Imago RM 10
Sprite and snacks RM 4.7
Dinner mi goreng RM 8

Daily expenses: RM 488.41

Total trip expenses: 2,875,000 KRW + RM 598.41