Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
Many of the plants found on Mt Kinabalu and in Kinabalu National Park are cultivated in the Botanical Garden, north of the visitors centre. Guided tours…
Must-see attractions in Sabah
Kota Kinabalu
On Sundays a lively Chinese street fair takes over a section of Jln Gaya. It's vividly chaotic, with stalls cheek by jowl hawking batik sarongs, puppies…
Kota Kinabalu
The first 'green' building in Sabah has outdoor sculpture displays and hosts contemporary art exhibitions by the likes of Francis Cheong and Awang Fadilah…
Kudat
With its triple-tiered roof topped with dragons and its gate the brightest thing in Kudat's drab centre, this impressive Chinese temple by the main square…
Sabah
Packed with aromas and produce from all over the region, this is where locals come to haggle and barter every Saturday evening. It's especially photogenic…
Sabah
This large island is known for its 12 beautiful caves, one of which you can explore.
Kota Kinabalu
About 2km south of the city centre, this museum provides an introduction to Sabah's indigenous cultures, with displays focusing on the traditional attire,…
Kota Kinabalu
Monsopiad is named after a legendary warrior and headhunter. The highlight of this tacky but fun place is the House of Skulls, which supposedly contains…
Sabah
Bukit Belanda – Dutch Hill – is a 420m hill located behind the village of Bilit. The land is owned by the citizens of Bilit, who, despite pressures from…
Tawau
About 10km from Tawau's centre, this reserve is great for a day visit, the jungle filled with chattering monkeys and popular with local picnickers. About…
Poring Hot Springs
If you've got some time before or after taking a bath (if you're staying the night, for instance), you might like to sample the butterfly farm above the…
Sandakan
This small museum near the beginning of the Heritage Walk is a bit neglected but worth a look for the old photos and memorabilia of Sandakan's tumultuous…
Museum of Islamic Civilisation
Kota Kinabalu
This collection of historical objects from all over the Islamic world is very engaging. Look out for replica mosques from Melaka and Sandakan, ornate…
Sandakan
This traditional Malay stilt village, located about 3km east of the city centre, is the original settlement Sandakan grew from back in 1879. It's still an…
Rumah Terbalik & the 3D Wonders Museum
Sabah
Sabah has few 'quirky' sights… Enter 'Rumah Terbalik' – the Upside Down House – a modern, tastefully decorated house, but…upside down! Even the furniture…
Kota Kinabalu
This pretty sweep of sand begins around the Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort and stretches south to the airport. Tanjung Aru is a locals' beach, full of…
Kota Kinabalu
This impressive temple features a stone staircase-pavilion flanked by 10 Chinese deities leading up to a main temple complex dominated by Kwan Yin,…
Sabah
Part of the 2.4-hectare property of Tampat Do Aman, this small nature reserve, across the road from the eponymous jungle camp, has several walking trails…
Sabah
Formerly part of an old coal-mining station, this is the only historic monument of its kind in Malaysia, and has good views along the coast. Next to it is…
Kota Kinabalu
The modest timepiece at the foot of Signal Hill is one of the only structures to survive the Allied bombing of Jesselton in 1945. It's a square, 15.7m…
Sandakan
The Sam Sing Kung temple (also pronounced 'Sam Sing Gong') dates from 1887, making it the oldest building in Sandakan. The temple itself is a smallish, if…
Sabah
Built by the Hokkien people and also known as the 'eighth' temple, this temple conducts a colourful ceremony of the ninth emperor, a deity in Chinese…
Semporna
Dominating the waterfront with its elegant golden cupola and soaring minarets, this sky-blue mosque is probably the best-looking thing in Semporna,…
Kota Kinabalu
The Central Market is a bustling spot for people watching, with locals going about their daily business as they shop for fresh produce.
Kota Kinabalu
Sabah's State Mosque is a perfect example of contemporary Malay Muslim architecture: all modernist facade and geometric angles. The building is south of…
Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society
Kota Kinabalu
About four minutes' drive northeast of KK, this complex has an 11-storey pagoda that shimmers in orange and green. The society espouses believing in the…
Tawau
The Tawau Mosque (or New Mosque) can hold an astonishing 17,000 worshippers and is the largest mosque in Sabah. Built at an equally staggering cost of…
Sandakan
The fountain commemorates the independence of Sabah on 16 September 1963 with the departure of the last Governor of British North Borneo.
