Introducing Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu, or KK as everyone calls it, is Sabah’s capital and the largest city in the state, sprawling haphazardly, like a faded silver blanket, over reclaimed land down the coast. Originally founded as Jesselton, the city was razed by the Allies not once but twice during WWII, the first time to slow the Japanese advance and the second time to hasten their retreat. After the war the whole thing was rebuilt and rejuvenated, and renamed Kota Kinabalu in 1963.
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Today KK is an engaging, if not exactly distinguished, city with a handful of prestige buildings, excellent budget accommodation, lots of shopping and the best leisure and nightlife facilities outside Kuching. The islands of the TAR National Park are also right on its doorstep, providing a perfect excuse to tune out and chill out for a day or so. You’ll end up in KK at least a couple of times if you’re aiming to cover a number of attractions in Sabah, so eat, drink, dance and make the most of it.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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