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Kota Kinabalu

In busy Kota Kinabalu (KK) you’ll soon notice the breathtaking fiery sunsets, blossoming arts-and-music scene and a rich culinary spectrum spanning street food to high-end dining. Alongside swanky new malls and expensive condos, old KK happily endures, through markets brimming with sea creatures and fresh produce, and busy fishers shuttling about the waterfront. This may be a city on the move with the 21st century, but its old-world charm and history are very much alive.

The compact city centre is easy to get around, but most of the city's attractions lie further out. KK is an ideal base for booking your Sabah adventure, whether it be diving, wildlife watching or Mt Kinabalu trekking (though if you have your heart set on a particular experience, book ahead). Believe us, KK will soon grow on you once you get to know it.

Explore Kota Kinabalu

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kota Kinabalu.

  • Museum

    Mari Mari Cultural Village

    With its three-hour tours, Mari Mari showcases various traditional homes of Sabahan ethnic communities – the Bajau, Lundayeh, Murut, Rungus and Dusun –…

  • Mosque

    City Mosque

    Built in classical style, this mosque is far more attractive than the State Mosque in both setting and design. Completed in 2000 it can hold up to 12,000…

  • Bird Sanctuary

    Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre

    This centre features 1.4km of wooden walkways passing through a 24-hectare mangrove swamp, where you can expect to see scuttling fiddler and mangrove…

  • Viewpoint

    Signal Hill Observatory Platform

    Up on Signal Hill, among the art deco mansions at the city-centre's eastern edge, there's an unmissable UFO-like observation pavilion. Come here to make…

  • Market

    Night Market

    KK's Night Market is an unmissable immersion into local culture. It's authentic, bustling, aromatic and noisy. At the southwest end you will find stalls…

  • Farm

    Orchid De Villa

    If you're crazy about flora, head to this farm, located about 20km from central KK, along the road to Penampang. The farm specialises in rare Bornean…

  • Market

    Sunday Market

    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…

  • Gallery

    Sabah Art Gallery

    The first 'green' building in Sabah has outdoor sculpture displays and hosts contemporary art exhibitions by the likes of Francis Cheong and Awang Fadilah…

  • Museum

    Sabah Museum

    About 2km south of the city centre, this museum provides an introduction to Sabah's indigenous cultures, with displays focusing on the traditional attire,…

  • Museum

    Monsopiad Cultural Village

    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…

  • Museum

    Museum of Islamic Civilisation

    This collection of historical objects from all over the Islamic world is very engaging. Look out for replica mosques from Melaka and Sandakan, ornate…

  • Beach

    Tanjung Aru

    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…

  • Buddhist Temple

    Puh Toh Tze Buddhist Temple

    This impressive temple features a stone staircase-pavilion flanked by 10 Chinese deities leading up to a main temple complex dominated by Kwan Yin,…

  • Landmark

    Atkinson Clock Tower

    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…

  • Market

    Central Market

    The Central Market is a bustling spot for people watching, with locals going about their daily business as they shop for fresh produce.

  • Pagoda

    Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society

    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…

  • Mosque

    State Mosque

    Sabah's State Mosque is a perfect example of contemporary Malay Muslim architecture: all modernist facade and geometric angles. The building is south of…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Kota Kinabalu.

  • Activities