About Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu is a city situated strategically on the West Coast of the Malaysian state of Sabah. Locals here often refer to Kota Kinabalu as ‘KK’ in short. KK is a charming modern city offering international-standard hotels and resorts. KK is also the gateway to one of Southeast Asia’s tallest mountains, Mount Kinabalu and also serves as the gateway to the rest of Sabah. To go around and out of KK, public transportation such as taxis, buses, trains, and e-hailing services are available. Visitors to KK can explore nearby attractions ranging from islands and beaches, museums and art galleries, cultural villages, local markets, and notable landmarks.

Kota Kinabalu is the hub and gateway for all who wishes to immerse themselves in the natural splendours of Malaysian Borneo. Kota Kinabalu’s early beginnings were as a small fishing village called API-API. It is formerly known as Jesselton in 1899, while under the British colonial ruling. The town was renamed Kota Kinabalu in 1967, after the majestic Mount Kinabalu. The very few historical landmarks left are the Atkinson Clock Tower and Sabah Tourism Board building (formerly Jesselton Post Office), obliterated by bombing at the end of World War II. These historical monuments with the mix of fast-modernising city and huge towering old shady trees lining the edge of Signal Hill make Kota Kinabalu unique in aesthetics, a charismatic blend of both old and new. The bustling Kota Kinabalu resort waterfront, complete with a marina and golf course and host several trendy bars, restaurants, and hotel lines. Along the same stretch, one can soak in the lively culture of the locals by visiting the traditional wet market, fishing boats, and hawker stalls.

Kota Kinabalu Geography

Kinabalu is in the East Malaysian state of Sabah (British North Borneo until September 1963), which is on the island of Borneo's northwestern tip. The mountain range runs the length of Sabah's west coast, with the park itself covering 754km2 (300 square miles). The huge structure of Mount Kinabalu dwarfs everything around it. Mount Kinabalu, at 4095 metres (13 435 feet), is the highest point between the Himalayan peaks and the highlands of West Papua's Penunungan Make, or Central Range, which stretches for 2500 kilometres (formerly known as Irian Jaya). The region is made up of a small coastal plain with an average width of 10 kilometres and low-rise hills. The elevation ranges from sea level to 1,951 metres above sea level near Mount Alab's top. There are many islands off the coast of Kota Kinabalu that are close to the city's central business district. Tunku Abdul Rehman National Park covers a large portion of these islands. At 56 kilometres from the Kota Kinabalu Central Business District, Mengalum Island is the farthest limit of any dry land inside the Greater Kota Kinabalu region.

Poring Hot Springs (550m/1805 ft), located on the park's southern border, has the lowest elevation in Kinabalu Park. As a result, the temperature drops from 25°C at hot and humid Poring to 4°C at the chilly and crisp Mount Kinabalu peak within a relatively small space. Clouds are trapped in many places of the Park due to its great altitude, and it receives substantial rainfall for several months of the year.

Tourist Spot in Kota Kinabalu

The greatest view of Kota Kinabalu and its surroundings may be had from the Signal Hill Observatory viewpoint. Tun Mustapha Tower is another option. This large, cylindrical-shaped structure is difficult to miss. It is mostly a government building, but there is a revolving restaurant on the 18th floor where you can have a drink or a meal while taking in the spectacular views of the city and the sea below. If you want to snorkel while in Kota Kinabalu, the Tunku Abdul Rehman National Park is the finest place to go. This marine park is made up of five small islands off the city's shore. This park is ideal for a day excursion, but it is also possible to stay overnight.

• Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is a state park located 3 kilometres off the coast of Kota Kinabalu in Gaya Bay. Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, named after Malaysia's first Prime Minister, was established in 1974 as Sabah's second national park. The park encompasses a 50-square-kilometre region that includes five islands, their surrounding reefs, and the sea. The names of the islands are evocative of their early discoverers and history. Pulau Gaya ('large'), Manukan ('fish'), Mamutik ('shell collecting'), Sapi (the sound of a mowing buffalo), and Sulug (the sound of a mowing buffalo) (commemorating the ancestry of the Sulu peoples of Sabah). Its primary goal is to save their biodiversity, flora, and marine ecosystems. The islands are part of the Crocker Range geologically, but sea levels rose after the last ice age, isolating them from the massif.

• Mount Kinabalu

Mount Kinabalu's unique feature is its placement in Kinabalu Park, a famous World Heritage Site. Nature enthusiasts will be ecstatic to see the many diverse species of flora and fauna that can be found on the mountain at various elevations. Mount Kinabalu, at 4,095 metres (13,435 feet) above sea level, is the highest peak between the Himalayas and New Guinea. The name Mount Kinabalu comes from the Kadazan phrase 'Aki Nabalu,' which means 'the honoured location of the dead.' It is one of the world's safest and most accessible peaks. A recent botanical survey of the mountain indicated that there are 5,000 to 6,000 plant species (excluding mosses and liverworts but including ferns), which is more than Europe and North America combined (excluding tropical portions of Mexico). As a result, it is one of the most significant biological locations on the planet.

• Kokol Hill

Kokol Hill is a popular spot for locals in Kota Kinabalu to unwind and take in the beautiful scenery of the city. Kokol Hill is located near Menggatal and gives a sunrise view of Mount Kinabalu as well as a sunset view of the city due to its strategic placement. It was only a 45-minute drive from the main heart of Kota Kinabalu, and you were surrounded by nature and pure cold air. This hilltop refuge, perched above 800 metres above sea level, offers views of the city, sea, Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park's islands, Sepanggar Bay, and other components along the western coast. Kokol Hill's newest attraction. With Kota Kinabalu as the backdrop, Kokol Elf offers instagrammable ideal photo opportunities. In Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, there is a little bit of heaven on earth. The magnificent beaches of this region are well-known. It also has a diverse culture, as well as a rainforest and coral reefs. The Kokol Elf will undoubtedly be added to the list of Sabah Malaysia's attractions.

• Masjid Bandaraya

This mosque is one of the primary attractions in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's capital city, due to its gorgeous outlook. The City Mosque is a piece of modern Islamic architectural building to symbolise Kota Kinabalu's elevation to city status, as granted by the Federal Government. It is located on the eastern side overlooking Likas Bay. The mosque is the second most important mosque after the State Mosque, and it is designed in the postmodernism style of the Arabian or Middle-Eastern typology. The mosque is known for its robust structure with a high pointed dome and four identical slender minarets, which was inspired by the architecture of Masjid Al-Nabawi in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Its stunning beauty is often reflected in reflections on the man-made lagoon's surface, especially at dawn and twilight, giving it the nickname "floating mosque" among the locals. It also represents the nearby Likas Bay Kampung Air enclave.

• Atkinson Clock Tower

The oldest structure in Kota Kinabalu (Jesselton), the Atkinson Clock Tower, is a notable landmark that rests on a tiny hill overlooking the city towards the back of town. The clock tower was built in 1905 as a memorial to Jesselton's first district officer Francis George Atkinson, who died of 'Borneo Fever' (malaria). During the colonial era, the clock tower was an important geographical reference point for ships sailing into the harbour. The structure, which is made of rainforest timber and has been restored over the years, is now a favourite picture place for visitors and tourists to Sabah - a little architectural piece that has witnessed the transformation of this backwater port into a modern busy urban hub today.

How to Reach Kota Kinabalu

Tourists in Kota Kinabalu have a variety of options for getting around the city, including public and private transportation. Though public transportation is still in its infancy in practically every section of Sabah, its availability and frequency are adequate. Here are all of the options for tourists to get around KK and its environs.

• By Air

From Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, there is only one way to travel: by plane. The primary gateway to Sabah is Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), which is located around 7 kilometres (4 miles) from the city centre. Taking a ferry or boat is not possible nor practical. All visitors to Borneo will need to fly in and depart. Flying directly into Kota Kinabalu or to another section of the island and travelling overland are two options. Apart from a brief stretch of the picturesque railway near Kota Kinabalu, Borneo is devoid of railways.

• By Road

From Kota Kinabalu, the major roads in Sabah radiate outward. The main route leading south from the city to the Sarawak border at Sindumin passes through the suburbs of Kepayan and Tanjung Aru, as well as Papar, Kimanis, Beaufort, and Sipitang. The route from Sindumin to Lawas and then to Brunei continues, and it is possible to travel from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in one day. Another major route connects Kota Belud to Kudat in the north. At Tamparuli, the main road to the East Coast (Sandakan and Lahad Datu) splits off from this road. Another major highway leading southeast from Penampang and Donggongon to Tambunan, Keningau, and Tenom departs the suburbs of Penampang and Donggongon. Visitors from all around Sabah, including Sandakan and Tawau, Labuan, Miri, and Brunei, go to KK by private automobile.

• By Train

In February 2011, Sabah State Railway reopened with new air-conditioned trains on a single 134-kilometre track from Tanjung Aru station south of the city centre to Tenom in the interior through Papar, Kimanis, and Beaufort. Three trains travel every day between Tanjung Aru station and Beaufort, where you must change trains to continue your journey to Tenom. The journey from Kota Kinabalu to Beaufort takes roughly 2 hours. Kota Kinabalu (Tanjung Aru), Putatan, Kinarut, Kawang, Papar, Kimanis, Bongawan, Membakut, Beaufort, Saliwangan, Halogilat, Rayoh, Pangi, and Tenom are all stops on the train.

• By Boat

Labuan is the sole regular water route to Kota Kinabalu. The boat ride takes around 3 hours, and there are two departures every day from Labuan: 8.30 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. If you get an early start from Labuan, you can get to Bandar Seri Begawan in one day. Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, on the outskirts of the city, is where ferries from Labuan dock. Many cruise ships sailing through east Asia stop in Kota Kinabalu, including Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2, Diamond Princess, MV Arcadia, and SuperStar Virgo, which are operated by Cunard, Star Cruises, Princess Cruises, and P&O Cruises.