They can be found hanging about hotels, shopping centres, one or two actual taxi stands dotted around town or really anywhere where you can flag them down safely (and sometimes not so safely too).

Here’s a short list of fast facts you should keep in mind about Sabah’s taxis:

• standard taxis are white-on-red, with a few yellow or blue ones around. Look out for the “Teksi Bermeter” sign on the roof;
• although teksi bermeter means metered taxi, Sabah’s taxis don’t use meters. Instead fares are based on a zoned distance chart;
• Starting from 1 January 2011 taxis in Kota Kinabalu once again have to use their meters. RM10 flag-fall for the first 3km/9 mins, plus 12c for every 100m/18 seconds after that. You’ll notice that now short distances will cost you a lot, but longer distances should be a bit cheaper than they used to be.
• the exception is from the airport – you buy a coupon for your destination based on the list posted at the taxi kiosk and hand it to the white airport limo at the taxi rank outside;
• normal taxis are allowed, by law, to carry no more than 4 adults;
• additional surcharges to and from airports and hotels apply;
• a 50% surcharge applies to all fares from around midnight to 6am;

The prices below apply to and from the Airport’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 2:

Zone 1 @ RM25

Prince Philip’s Park, Tg. Aru Beach, KK Yacht Club, Tg. Aru Town, Sembulan Town

Zone 2 @ RM30

Kota Kinabalu Town, Winner Hotel, Jesselton Hotel, Sutera Harbour, Api Api Centre, Asia City, Centre Point, Karamunsing, Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, HSBC Bank, Taman Fortuna, Sabah Muzium, Colonade Condo

Zone 3 @ RM35

Likas Sport Complex, Signal Hill, Putatan Town, Likas Square, Taman Hilltop, Damai Centre, Lintas Ssquare, Foh Sang

Zone 4 @ RM40

Beverly Hill Apartments, Pekan Donggongon, Bukit Padang, Sabah Golf & Country Club, Inanam Town, Yayasan Sabah, Sabah Medical Clinic, King Fisher Park, Kolombong

Zone 5 @ RM45

Menggatal, University Malaysia

Zone 6 @ RM50

Pekan Kinarut, Kinarut Beach Resort

Zone 7 @ RM55

Telipok, Putera Jaya, Bukit Setia

Zone 8 @ RM60

Sepanggar Bay, ILP, Telipok Jaya

For a mere RM0.50, you can hop on any of the 4 routes and get to anywhere in the central business district between the Wawasan bus terminal and Jessleton Point, Sabah Trade Centre or the Bejaya Palace Hotel. Assuming you can find a space, of course.

With reportedly 15 buses on the route, the target time is a bus every 5 minutes. However, if you know Kota Kinabalu traffic you’ll realise that isn’t always possible, and practically the buses appear between 5 and 20 minutes.

For the price, however, and considering the air-conditioning of the brand new buses, the Kota Kinabalu City Bus just can’t be beat.