slothis · English

Waking Up to Nasi Ayam Antarabangsa in Kota Kinabalu

2018-02-14 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

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

The rain was drizzling, and we didn't really get to see the sightseeing spots we had aimed for. At the dairy farm, which was at least somewhat fun, we ended up waiting in line for over 30 minutes just to get a gelato. Seeing his customers so exhausted must have made our driver uncomfortable, because he started talking less and less. Even the usually energetic Filipino guys got a bit cynical, worriedly asking, "The next place will be okay, right?" Feeling the tension, our driver finally pulled out his hidden card.

"Let's go eat!!"

With that one sentence, we turned on "Despacito" again and had a blast dancing in our seats as we drove. But maybe because we were nearing the end of our Uber tour, everyone completely passed out again. I was worried I'd be the only one who knocked out, but it was a huge relief to see everyone else sleeping with their mouths open too.

The village our guide and driver took us to was in the middle of a festival. There were tons of cars and people, but unfortunately, because of the drizzling rain, the little kids all dressed up and getting ready to perform didn't look too thrilled. Still, once the show started, they all smiled and finished their prepared routines. Then, as soon as they came off the stage, they excitedly ran inside the building to get out of the rain. Having lunch in a village filled with such bright energy instantly put me in a good mood.

People waiting for skewers in front of an outdoor cooking counter with a large exhaust fan installed.
Restaurant staff grilling skewers over a charcoal grill.
Chicken skewers browning and smoking on a wire grid over a charcoal fire.
People standing in front of the cooking counter, choosing grilled skewers or applying sauce.
A large pile of glossy grilled chicken skewers coated in red sauce.
Needless to say, the smell of this grilling satay (skewered meat) made my starving stomach act up even more.
A staff member wearing a restaurant apron and another staff member sitting on a plastic chair preparing skewers.
It looks like one person could just grill it, but it actually takes about five people repeatedly doing their specific tasks to make a single satay.
Several people sitting at tables and eating inside the restaurant.
A restaurant sign hanging with a drawing of three chickens and the words Nasi Ayam Antarabangsa.
A white bowl filled with clear broth containing meat chunks and green onions.
I don't know the name of it, but the broth tastes exactly like our samgyetang (Korean ginseng chicken soup).
An order counter with papers showing menu names and prices, such as Kari Kambing (mutton curry) and Ayam Penyet (smashed fried chicken).
Even at a quick glance, the prices are cheap. It's about 3,000 KRW per dish. Seeing the local residents and Malaysian tourists coming here, it seems to be a real local hotspot. The taste is absolutely top-notch, too.
Grilled chicken coated in dark brown sauce piled on a light green plate.
A light green bowl containing a thin red sauce with floating chili seeds.
The dipping sauce for the chicken. It looks unappetizing in the photo, but it's quite salty and packs a spicy punch.
A man wearing a hat standing at a restaurant table, holding a smartphone in one hand and a plate of rice in the other.
A man wearing a hat standing in front of a table, taking a picture of food with a smartphone.
Whether from the Philippines or Korea, we are all crazy about Instagram! If you look at their Instagram feeds, it's full of seriously cheesy photos. Lol.
A group of people sitting around a wooden table eating chicken and soup dishes.
An opaque glass full of ice containing a light-colored drink and two straws.
The drinks were a bit underwhelming.

Maybe he thought we could eat a lot (the guys were all pretty big), but he ordered a ton of food. Because of that, we all struggled to finish everything at the end. After the meal, we each took a cheesy photo to post on Instagram and then left the village. Traffic was backed up on the way back to Kota Kinabalu, so instead of our planned 5 PM arrival, we got back right before sunset, between 6 and 7 PM. I thanked our driver for working so hard to drive us around and explain things all day, but walking into the guesthouse, I couldn't help feeling a bit sad that it was over.

It was almost time for the Filipino friends I had serendipitously traveled with to head home, so they started packing their bags without us even being able to grab dinner together. Watching them pack made me regret not partying a bit harder with them. Thanks for keeping in touch on social media and hanging out with me, guys!


Expenses (Conservatively calculated, multiply by 300 to get the amount in KRW)

Daily expenses: RM 273.95

Total trip expenses: 2,875,000 KRW + RM 1324.78