Kota Kinabalu is the administrative center of the Malaysian State of Sabah, the busiest city in northern Borneo and its gateway to the world. Named after the highest mountain in Malaysia and Borneo, the city is a center of attraction for travelers and tourists from far and near, with its magnificent sunsets, lively night markets, proximity to spectacular underwater beauty and numerous shopping malls. The first stop of our 2-week North Borneo itinerary. Where is Kota Kinabalu, how to get there, when is the best time to go, what to eat, where to stay and a list of places to visit in Kota Kinabalu and much more Kota Kinabalu travel guide I am waiting for you in my article, pleasant reading!
What You Will Find In This Article
Kota Kinabalu Travel Guide
History of Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu was a small fishing village called Api-Api in the Brunei Sultanate in the 15th century. Api-Api means fire-fire, named after fireflies living in mangrove trees. In the 19th century, the British started colonial activities in the region and a company called the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) began to manage the region, at that time the center was Gaya Island. However, the center was moved to Api-Api, a natural harbor, as the island was vulnerable to attacks and was not safe. The city was renamed Jesselton after Sir Charles Jessel, who was the head of BNBC at the time, was named. After the establishment of Malaysia and the name of Sabah in North Borneo, the name of Jesselton, which became the administrative center in 1967, was changed to Kota Kinabalu, inspired by the highest mountain in Malaysia, Mount Kinabalu.
Kota Kinabalu is one of the fastest growing cities in Malaysia, with Sabah region's commercial gateway to the world and increasing touristic activities in recent years.
Malaysians love abbreviations in cities; The abbreviation KL is used for Kuala Lumpur and KK for Kota Kinabalu. I will also refer to it as KK from time to time while talking about it in the article.
12 Reasons to Visit Malaysia's Sabah State Be sure to check out my post!
Things to Know Before Going to Kota Kinabalu
I think the most needed but least time consuming part when making a travel plan is the “things you need to know before you go” part.
- Kota Kinabalu is located in the tropical climate zone, that is, throughout the year. hot and humidThe average temperature is 27-28 degrees. You will need everything that will protect you from the sun, such as sunscreen, a hat.
- Currency in Kota Kinabalu Malaysian Ringgiti, abbreviation RM, is used. You can come here with USD or Euro and convert your money from exchange offices and banks.
- Between Kota Kinabalu and Türkiye 5 hours difference yes, if there are subjects you need to follow in Turkey during your KK trip, take into account the time difference.
- Unfortunately, British type sockets are used as sockets in KK. There are also international sockets in big hotels, but just in case, you can bring an English socket with you. A converter that turns it into an international outlet Don't forget to buy. To get a plug converter Multi-Plug Inverter Travel Adapter Click the link.
- Although Malay is spoken in KK English is very commonSince English is taught in schools as a second language, you can communicate with almost everyone.
- Like sockets, traffic is British type and traffic flows on the left, the steering wheel is on the right. Even if you do not drive by yourself, it is useful to be careful when crossing the street, it takes time to get used to it.
- in many places You have to take off your shoes and enter the venues.. Such as temples, mosques, museums, sometimes restaurants and hotels. If you are going to travel with sandals or slippers, it would be good to have a sock in your bag for hygiene reasons.
- Although the majority of Malaysia's population is Muslim, there are also Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and pagan populations. All religions live in respect for each other. For this reason, meals are cooked halal unless otherwise stated. In the Sabah Region, on the other hand, the Christian population is slightly higher due to the British colonial influence.
Traveling Tip: If you are not confident about the language; Google Translate app You can use it even if you do not have an internet connection by downloading the country or English language you are going to on your phone.
Where is Kota Kinabalu?
In the places I go, I open the map as above and ask "Where in the world am I?" I love to see it. Kota Kinabalu is literally on the other side of the world for us.
Kota Kinabalu is located in Sabah State, in the north of Borneo Island in Southeast Asia. Located on the coast of the South China Sea, the city is the tourist and commercial center of Sabah Province.
How to Get to Kota Kinabalu
to Kota Kinabalu; It is possible to reach by plane from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, from Singapore and Bandar Seri Begavan, the capital of Brunei, from Manila, the capital of the Philippines, or from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.
To reach Kota Kinabalu from Turkey, you can come to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur by direct flight with Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines or Air Asia and fly to Kota Kinabalu from these cities.
Kota Kinabalu Airport is very close to the city center. Download the Grab application, which is the most used taxi application in Malaysia, to your phone before you arrive, so you can take a taxi at affordable prices from the free wifi at the airport.
There are quite frequent flights from Kota Kinabalu to other cities in Sabah State. Flights are both short and affordable.
Since the road conditions are not very good, buses are not preferred much in Sabah region. If you still want to travel by bus, you need to book tickets by going to the bus terminal in the city or by calling, unfortunately there is no online bus ticket sales. Kota Kinabalu has two bus terminals; KK Sentral (South) and Inanam (North). To go to Sandakan, Tawau and Lahad Datu side, you need to take a bus from Inanam Bus Terminal.
What is the Best Time to Visit Kota Kinabalu?
Kota Kinabalu is under the influence of tropical, that is, hot and humid climate throughout the year, average temperatures are around 27-28 degrees and there are two climates in the region; rainy season and dry season. The rainy season is between November and March, and the dry season is between April and October. At first glance, it may seem logical to go during the dry season, but in January and February, whale sharks pass off the coast of Kota Kinabalu. Although watching this visual feast is completely dependent on luck, you may consider making a travel plan on these dates. Even if the rain suddenly drops in the rainy season, it doesn't last long and the sun can shine again, and it is enough to have a raincoat with you because the weather does not get cold even if it rains.
A good time to come to Kota Kinabalu is the Harvest Festival, celebrated from May 30-31 every year. It would also make sense to plan according to this festival, which is very entertaining.
In summary, you can come to Kota Kinabalu any time of the year, what matters is what you want to do. When we went at the beginning of June, we encountered rain for 3 nights, but it was sunny during the day. Weather is a matter of luck.
Where to Stay in Kota Kinabalu
You can find all kinds of accommodation options in Kota Kinabalu, from chain hotels to boutique hotels, from hostels to rental rooms, from resort hotels to clubs. If you are going to stay in the city center, if you set your hotel around Jin Tun Razak or Jin Tun Fuad Stephens streets, you will be within walking distance of everything to see in the center.
Our Kota Kinabalu stay was at the Hyatt Centric Hotel. We were very pleased with our newly built, nature friendly hotel, which is in the city center, within walking distance of the city's sights, and has a wonderful rooftop pool and an amazing sunset view.
Click for Kota Kinabalu hotel information.
Places To Visit In Kota Kinabalu
The list of places to visit in Kota Kinabolu, the most lively city of North Borneo, is long, depending on your time, you can make a full program from a few days to a week. In addition to all the comforts you seek in a modern city, it is a city you should definitely see with its magnificent sunsets, lively night markets, insatiable sea and activities that can be done on the mountain after which it is named.
Below is the list of places to visit in Kota Kinabalu; There are places to visit in the city we go to, places you can go with day trips soon, and places we would like to add to our program if we had more time. I am sure it will be very useful for you when planning your Kota Kinabalu itinerary.
Sabah Tourism Board Building and Ground Zero
Kota Kinabalu is the administrative center of Sabah State, one of Malaysia's 13 states. Malaysia has only two states on the Island of Borneo; Sabah, also known as North Borneo, is the northern part of the island. Sarawak is the western part of the island. If you are planning a trip to Sabah State, it is a good option to start your trip from Kota Kinabalu to understand and get to know the region. From Kota Kinabalu, it is quite easy to reach everything attractive for morning travel, such as the sea, tropical islands, snorkeling, diving, culture, nature, trekking, magnificent sunsets, good food, wildlife, national parks.
The zero point of Kota Kinabalo, the point used to measure distance in directions, is Sabah Tourism Board Building on Gaya Street. This building was used as a post office during the colonial period. Currently, there is a tourist information office inside, I recommend you to go and see inside, it may be one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
As you can see in the photo above, there is both a location map and explanatory information about the places to see. By following these maps, you can easily visit the important points in the city center.
Atkinson Clock Tower
At a very close point at the zero point, one of the symbols of the city, is the Atkinson Clock Tower. The area around the tower was being restored when we went in June 2023, so we could only see it from below, there is normally a walking path next to it.
The tower, who was the manager of the city during the colonial period and died of malaria at the age of 28, is Mr. It was built in memory of Francis George Atkinson in 1905. II in the city. This tower is one of the two structures that survived the bombings during World War II, and the other is the old post office building, which is the Sabah Tourism Office building. Except for these two, unfortunately, no structure survived the bombings.
Api Api Night Market
Api Api Night Market, located on Gaya Street, within walking distance of Zero Point, is a street market that is only held on Fridays and Sundays between 18:00-24:00. You can find everything you are used to seeing in Southeast Asian markets, such as gifts, clothes, food and beverage, in this market. Unfortunately, we couldn't see it because we couldn't catch the day.
Morning Pillars – Pillars of Sabah
The pillars and walls remaining from a building destroyed in a fire in the early 90s have been used as an art space since 2018 to showcase the rich natural and cultural life of the Sabah region, and it has been very beautiful. There was an exhibition on marine life when we went, I don't know how often the exhibition changes, but it was very nice. If you want more information Pillars of Sabah websiteYou can visit.
Signal Hill Observation Tower
An observation tower has been built on a hill just above the city center to watch the view of the Kota Kinabalu coast and the islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park and the South China Sea. However, when we went, the tower was demolished and was being rebuilt. We did not see the need to go out, as the view of our hotel was exactly the view of Signal Hill.
KK Night Markets
In Kota Kinabalu, there are many markets side by side along the beach, these are usually eateries. In particular, you can choose fresh seafood from the counter and have it cooked right there, and the prices are very reasonable when compared to Turkey.
There is also a handicraft market among these markets, pearls, souvenirs, trinkets and beads, whatever you can think of, this is a market place with narrow corridors. The handicraft market is closed at night, but other markets are already a night market, there is no one in the heat during the day, and the night becomes the day of the parents. Kota Kinabalu is really rich in terms of night markets, I definitely recommend you to spend a night here.
The reason why the name of the market is Filipino is that immigrants from the Philippines mostly work here.
Shopping Centers
Speaking of markets, the malls in Kota Kinabalu should also be mentioned. When I entered the city, the first thing that caught my attention was how many shopping malls there are. Especially Chinese tourists come here for shopping, so the number of shopping malls has increased a lot. If you are shopping from the places you go to, you can add a few shopping malls to your program. There were Suria Sabah Shopping Mall and Jesselton very close to our hotel, for example, it was good to take a tour around these places on rainy evenings.
KK Waterfront
KK Waterfront is a lively place with many bars and restaurants on the seafront, especially at sunset and evening. We stopped by for a beer one evening, it was quite crowded and pleasant atmosphere. I suggest you stop by for an evening in KK.
Morning Museum
Sabah Museum is one of the places that I would recommend you to see in Kota Kinabalu. This is a very large complex, in which there are sections of a natural history museum and an ethnography museum. There are many parts to see, from the giant whale skeleton to the species living in the region, to the areas where you can see the habitats of the tribes living in Sabah State, to the areas where the houses are located, to the botanical garden.
The only problem is that walking around under the sun is a bit challenging, unfortunately there is no place to buy food and drink except the entrance. Be sure to take water with you, or you may dry out. Entry fee.
Mari Mari Cultural Village
You can reach the Mari Mari Cultural Village, which is located 22 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu city center and arranged like a museum, by arranging a car from the city. You might also consider visiting the Mari Mari Cultural Village to see the daily life and culture of the five different tribes living in the Sabah region. In addition to the living spaces in the Sabah Museum, animations of daily life are also made in the Mari Mari Cultural Village. Here you can see tribal culture such as alcohol making, hunting, domestic life, traditional dances. Entry fee.
You can also consider adding Kiansom Waterfall, which is very close to Mari-Mari Cultural Village, to your route.
Pu Toh Tze Chinese Temple
We visited the Chinese Temple, which is located a little outside the city center in the area where Kota Kinabolu City Mosque is located, although it does not have a very old history, but because it is visually very beautiful. This is a temple complex and education is also provided. Remember that you must take off your shoes and enter indoor areas.
If you are interested in places of worship of different religions; You can also include Liu He Pagoda, the Buddhist place of worship, in your itinerary.
Kota Kinabolu City Mosque – Floating Mosque
A little outside of the city center of Kota Kinabalu is the city mosque surrounded by a moat and is known as one of the most beautiful mosques in Malaysia. The capacity of the mosque could be up to 10.000 people. If you ask me, it looks nice from the outside, there is nothing worth seeing inside.
If you want to see the content; At the entrance, both men and women are required to dress completely in accordance with the hijab, they give a long dress and turban for women, a long robe and skullcap for men, and they charge a separate fee from Christians and Muslims. There were photos of mosques from around the world where these clothes were worn, and when we suddenly came across a photo of the Sabancı Mosque in Adana, it was a sweet memory.
Tanjung Aru Beach
I told you there are amazing sunsets in Kota Kinabalu. One of the most popular spots to watch these sunsets is Tanjung Aru Beach. The beach, which is only 5-6 km from the city center, is open to the public and admission is free. If you go close to the sunset hours, you will guess that it will be very crowded. Unfortunately, we could not enjoy the sunset here as it rained almost every evening during our KK trip, but we had a beautiful view from the roof of our hotel.
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
There are five islands very close to each other, only a 15-minute boat distance from Kota Kinabolu. These islands are under protection under the name of Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. With their rich undersea and magnificent beaches, these are the islands that sea lovers cannot resist. You can go to the islands for swimming, snorkeling, diving or to stay all-inclusive. We took a daily snorkeling tour and had the opportunity to swim at 3 different points.
If you take a day tour to go to the national park; The tour starts with a meeting at Jesselton harbor at 08:30 in the morning, they decide on different points on different islands according to the weather and current conditions and stop at three points. Lunch is included in the tour, returning to the port at 15:00 in the afternoon.
The departure point to go to the islands is Jesselton Ferry Pier, where you can arrange boats or buy tours to go to more than one island. If you are going to stay in hotels on the islands, the hotels offer you transportation services.
Islands within the national park;
- Gaya Island (Big Island): This is the largest of the islands. It is located right across from Kota Kinabalu. On the KK side of the island is Kampong Ayer, a floating village.
- Manukan Island (Chicken Island): The third largest island of Miili park, there is a wonderful hotel for honeymooners. It is possible to walk around the island.
- Mammoth Island (shell collecting island): The smallest of the five islands, there is also accommodation from here.
- Sapi Island (Buffalo sound island): Right next to Gaya Island, it is the most preferred island for snorkeling and daily tours together with Gaya.
- Sulug Island (Sabah's island of commemoration of the descendants of the Sulu peoples): The least touristic one among the islands.
The most popular to stay on the islands are Manukan Island and Mamutik Island. If I were a honeymoon couple, I would love to stay in these islands.
Kinabalu Park
Kinabalu Mountain, which is the highest point of Malaysia and Borneo with an altitude of 4095 meters, is one of the main reasons for the tourists coming to Kota Kinabalu. The national park where the mountain is located is about 2 hours from KK. The region covering Mount Kinabalu and its foothills, spread over an area of 745 square kilometers, became Malaysia's first Unesco Protected area and is under protection as Kinabalu National Park. For you to understand its size, the total area of the park is larger than Singapore. You can visit a botanical park within the national park where you can see the plant species growing in the park, and participate in activities such as many nature hiking routes and climbing to the summit of Mount Kinabalu.
There are two peaks in the park; Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia's highest mountain, and Mount Tambayukon, Malaysia's third highest mountain. If you want to summit Mount Kinabalu, you need to allocate 2 full days, I suggest you make your travel plan accordingly.
We toured the area with a day tour that includes Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Springs. In our tour; We took our first break in Pekan Nabulu, which has a viewing point where we can see the summit of Mount Kinabalu. The mountain did not always show its peak, we were lucky that we were able to see this magnificent beauty. Right next to the viewing point, there is a local product market where you can buy local products and souvenirs. On the way to the Botanical Park in Kinabalu Park, we passed the city of Ranau, where the famous Morning Tea is produced. We had the chance to see the plants living in the region in their natural habitats on a beautifully landscaped walking path in the Botanical Park. Of course, the most interesting were the meat eaters.
Poring Hot Springs & Walkway
After a half-hour journey after the botanical park, we came to the place where Poring Hot Springs is located this time. In the area where the eye-catching hot water sources are located, there are pools that can be entered both collectively and reserved for private use.
Considering that the weather is 30 degrees, “why should we go to the spa?” We said that, but after an hour's walk on the walking track, it was much better than I expected to enter the warm pools, which are not very hot. If you are sensitive about hygiene, you can choose private pools instead of collective pools.
In the area where the hot springs are located, there is a track where you can walk on rope bridges built in the forest and among high trees. Even though my husband doesn't like being high, my favorites in forest walks are the rope bridges that allow walking between these tall trees.
At the exit point of the hot springs, there are many restaurants serving local cuisine side by side. The food we ate at Poring Station Restaurant was really good, I recommend it.
The World's Largest Flower Raflesia
On the Poring road, one of the endemic species in Malaysia and Raflesia, known as the world's largest flower You have a chance to see the open state of the flower. In fact, the flower that grows naturally in the gardens or fields of the villagers is protected as a touristic value and can be visited for a fee. We stopped at one of the signs we saw on the road, a little girl from the garden resident fell in front of us and took us to the spot where the flower was after walking 600 meters in the forest.
The life span of the flower is only 2 weeks, from the first week it starts to fade slowly and by the end of the second week it is completely dead. It has a reputation for having a very bad smell, but we did not smell it even though we passed very close to the dead.
Type of Borneo
From Kota Kinabolu the northernmost of North Borneo Tip of Borneoor you can go. Even though the distance is 186 km, remember that it will be at least 4 hours as the road is not very good. The northernmost tip of Borneo Island is where the Pulau Kalampunian Lighthouse is located. You can both swim from the beach and walk to the lighthouse, which is the northernmost point of Borneo Island. We didn't have enough time so we left this place for our next Morning trip.
How Many Days Should You Take for Kota Kinabalu?
One day is enough for places to visit in the city in KK. You can extend your days as many times as you want to go to nearby places. We in KK; We stayed for 1 days and 3 nights, including 4 day Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, one day city tour, and one day Kinabalu Park trip, and from there we continued on our Sabah State route. 2-Week Itinerary for North Borneo (Morning) You can find all the details about our route in my article. If you are not going to move around much in Sabah State, you can keep your trip to Kota Kinabalu long and take day trips to nearby places.