Borneo Books Services now has 3 bookshops in the Wisma Merdeka shopping mall in Kota Kinabalu. The big one is up two escalators from the ground floor, on the side away from the sea front, facing the Trekkers Lodge. It is called Borneo Books 2 or BB2   It sells new books. Next to it is our 2nd hand shop. We have a book exchange scheme mainly designed for independent travellers. We give you a credit of 9 ringgit (USD2.50) for a paperback in good condition. You can then buy another paperback within the scheme (20 ringgit - USD2.70), or another second hand book not in the scheme (more expensive) or a new book or map.

On the ground floor, almost directly beneath BB2, is our original shop Borneo Books. It now sells handicrafts as well as books.

BB2 aims to be more than just a bookshop. It has a seating area where you can browse books or the extensive literature about what to do in KK and Sabah, how to climb the mountain or read reports on natural history and conservation in Borneo. You can make yourself a free cup of tea or coffee at the pantry. Free cable broadband is available, and if it is important (checking flight times for example) you can use our online computer. There is a store for luggage.

There is an extensive display of maps, paintings or photos for sale. We provide tubes so these can survive packing in luggage.

Our bookshops specialize in books about Borneo, its wildlife, history, cuisine & exploration. People come from far afield just to experience the satisfaction of browsing in a shop where you can actually see and compare (for example) the different books on birds, reefs or living style in this region. And after the rigours of book browsing you can have a latte  in Coffee Bean or (a few steps further) in the Hyatt, the lobby of which is cool and quiet. .

Kota Kinabalu  is the capital city of the State of Sabah, Malaysia. Situated on the northern part of the island of Borneo. KK, as it is always called, is billed as a Nature Resort City and is the jumping off place for a number of classic ecotourism and adventure destinations (many of which can be researched through our links)

Do consider coming to visit us. Sabah has many quiet and beautiful places and exceptional wildlife and is about the most peaceful and hassle free place you are likely to find. Anywhere. It’s all because the people are so friendly and welcoming.

The nearest coral reef is so close to the shop you can choose a book from our extensive collection on reef fishes and corals and be using it in under half an hour! And the sea is usually bright blue with sea eagles! Mind you, we are in a large shopping mall, surrounded by busy traffic.. Being in a mall  means we are easy to find, and a further bonus is that you can also visit our shop Borneo Craft, which sells any amount of sarongs, basketware and souvenirs. The Borneo Books shops and Borneo Craft are about 300m apart in the same mall, on the ground floor.

KK has a wide range of hotels from luxury to backpackers’ lodges, all at internationally competitive prices. Downtown,there are lots of places to eat out at bargain prices and the food is both good and varied, as in the rest of Malaysia.In the distance, at dawn, you can see Mt Kinabalu (4,095m – 13,500ft), less than 2h away, and just offshore are the islands with the coral reefs. After dark one of the happening places is the waterfront (Anjung Samudera) where a boardwalk links a long line of eateries, bars and restaurants with Starbucks (best muffins in town) at the back.