The Gaya Street is a street
Sunday market area in
Kota Kinabalu
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
, Sabah, Malaysia. It is dubbed as the
Chinatown of Sabah due to many Chinese
coffee shops
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caf ...
and restaurants situated there. In addition with an
arch gate that was erected since 2005.
History
The street was known as ''Bond Street'' during the
British colonial era, and was established in 1902, after the construction of shop houses there was completed. The street started as a
railway track
A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleeper ...
for the transportation of
rubber
Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, an ...
all the way from Sapong and Melalap rubber estates in
Tenom
Tenom ( ms, Pekan Tenom, ) is the capital of the Tenom District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 5,148 in 2010. It is located about 176 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu and 128 kilometres n ...
which ended at the wharf. The Jesselton Harbour was the main gateway from North Borneo during when there is still no passenger planes.
The market is once considered as the "heart" of Jesselton as major business activities was done there.
Since then, farmers and ordinary folks from the interior and fishermen from the coastal areas would make their trip to sell agricultural produce and other crops in the market, this include the Chinese immigrants as well Filipino and Indonesian traders.
Aside from agricultural products, local food, souvenirs, arts and craft, footwear, antiques and even pets are sold in the market.
Along the market street, it is also the place where the old
Jesselton Post Office (now the main office of Sabah Tourism Corporation (STC)) are located together with the
Jesselton Hotel.
Gallery
File:Bond Street, Jesselton, British North Borneo in 1914.jpg, Bond Street in 1914.
File:Gaya Street, Jesselton, British North Borneo in 1930.jpg, Bond Street with Chinese shops in 1930.
File:Gaya Street during Chinese New Year.jpg, Gaya Street today filled with Chinese lanterns during Chinese New Year.
File:Old General Post Office.jpg, The former Jesselton Post Office building.
File:Kota Kinabalu Jesselton Hotel 9770.jpg, The Jesselton Hotel.
File:KotaKinabalu Sabah Memorial-stone-Gaya-Street-01.jpg, Memorial stone in Gaya Street, laid by the Crown Colony Governor Ralph Hone
Major General Sir Herbert Ralph Hone (3 May 1896 – 28 November 1992) was a British Army officer, barrister and colonial administrator.
Life up to World War II
Ralph Hone was born in Hove, Sussex, and was educated at Varndean Grammar School, ...
commemorate the erection of the first block of permanent shophouses under the new town plan of Jesselton.
Further reading
Of Gaya and Kaya StreetDaily Express
etawau
References
External links
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Chinatowns in Malaysia
Kota Kinabalu
Shopping districts and streets in Malaysia
Restaurant districts and streets in Malaysia
Tourist attractions in Sabah
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