Kota Kinabalu



The capital of Sabah on the island of Borneo, this Malaysian city is a growing resort destination due to its proximity to tropical islands, sandy beaches, lush rainforest and Mount Kinabalu. Constantly referred to as KK, it is on the west coast of Sabah within the West Coast Division. KK is one of the smallest districts in Sabah but has the largest population and is the largest city in the state.

KK lies by the coast overlooking the South China Sea on a narrow flatland and occasional hills bordered by the Crocker Range which hosts Mount Kinabalu. Hence the urban sprawl is concentrated along the coast towards the north and south of the city.

Understand
Kota Kinabalu is a growing city of around 500,000 inhabitants. Economic growth has resulted in urbanisation of the city reaching adjacent districts of Penampang and Putatan with a total population of almost 800,000. Its growth and importance is due to being the administrative capital, a major transportation hub, growing port, manufacturing hub, growing tourism and because it is the major gateway into Sabah and East Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu was granted city status in 2000, becoming the sixth city. It is the sixth largest urban/metropolitan area in Malaysia.

Kota Kinabalu was known as Jesselton while under British colonial rule from the late 1800s until 1963 when the British left and after Sabah became part of Malaysia. Most of the town was destroyed due to bombings during World War II hence there are not many pre-war historical sites around the city. Before the British arrived, the area was also known by a number of other names such as Deasoka (below the coconut tree), Singgah Mata (pleasing to the eye), Api-Api (fire!) and Gaya Bay.

The people of Kota Kinabalu are Chinese, Kadazandusun, Bajau, Brunei Malays, and there is significant migrant population from Indonesia and Philippines, many of whom are naturalised citizens. There are also many migrant/expat population from India and a growing number from Korea.

Central Kota Kinabalu is often referred to as Kota Kinabalu City Centre or the Central Business district (CBD) or simply Downtown KK and is on the narrow coast overlooking Gaya Island. This is where most hotels, travel agents, transportation bases and most of the action are found. Most of the city centre lies on reclaimed land due to a shortage of land in the area, as it is blocked in by Bukit Bendera (Signal Hill).

District areas which lie within the city centre include Sadong Jaya, Api-Api, Asia City, Bandaran Berjaya, Sinsuran, Kampung Air, Segama, Pantai Street, Gaya Street, Jesselton Point. Just outside the City centre are the Districts towards the South and East are Karamunsing, Sembulan, Tanjung Aru and Sutera Harbour, Kepayan, Penampang, Putatan, Donggongon.

Due to lack of land in the city centre, other important commercial areas have sprouted outside CBD. Some of these areas have been long in existence as small townships (pekan) such as Luyang, Inanam and Menggatal and in adjacent districts of Penampang (Donggongon) and Putatan, and residential-commercial areas such as Alam Mesra, Kingfisher and 1Borneo near Menggatal; Lintas, Penampang Baru and Bundusan.

The climate in KK is characterised by uniform year-round temperature of 32°C (avg. high) and 22°C (avg. low). Rain falls quite often with occasional dry periods. Low rainfall begins in January till April, increasing in May till August, intensifying in September till November and slows down in December. The weather in KK and the immediate area can vary throughout the day/night bringing rainfall for short periods to heavy evening rain. The position of KK is protected by the shape of the coast and harbour and from behind by the Crocker Range of nearby hills. Occasionally the weather rolls in directly from the sea over the city, but mostly the heavy weather blows around and past KK providing some beautiful skies and cloud formations making for stunning sunsets. Away from the on shore breeze travelling further in land by as little as 16 km it can be extremely humid, and rain at this point is very welcome. The weather is a major factor in road/driving accidents and care should be taken, with mobile devices and the internet you can now get weather updates to the spot you are visiting hour by hour.

Talk
Like most other Malaysian cities, Kota Kinabalu is a melting pot of various cultures. Malay is the lingua franca, albeit with a distinctive Sabahan dialect, and better-educated locals are usually able to speak English as well. The ethnic Chinese, who form about half of the city's population, mainly speak Hakka, though many are also able to speak Cantonese and Mandarin.

Some residents also speak the languages of native Sabahan ethnic groups, the most common ones being Kadazan and Bajau. These languages are not commonly used in daily conversation outside of rural communities.

There has been since the 1970s a large influx of Filipinos. Most of these people speak their own languages and Malay, but little English so you may have to resort to sign language to buy what you want.

The other language spoken often is "Bazzar Melayu" due to the mixture of cultures and tribal/village background and the introduction of English. When buying something in the market the language can easily be five words all from a different language.

By plane
There are direct international flights from these destinations to Kota Kinabalu: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (Royal Brunei Airlines), Hong Kong (Air Asia), Manila, Philippines (Cebu Pacific & Philippines AirAsia), Seoul Incheon & Busan South Korea (Air Busan, Air Seoul, Jeju Air & Jin Air), Singapore (AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines & Scoot), Taipei, Taiwan (Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia),

Domestic fights from the following cities: Johor Bahru, Kota Bharu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lawas, Limbang, Miri, Mulu, Penang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tawau. Operated by MASWings, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia.

Airport to city center

 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)
 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)
 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)
 * Grab. The South-East Asian version of Uber (which merged with Grab in Malaysia). Expect to pay RM10-15. Pay in cash / GrabPay (e-wallet)

By car
All main roads in Sabah radiate out from Kota Kinabalu; they have to for geographical reasons.

The main road to the Sarawak border at Sindumin heads south from the city through the districts of Kepayan, Tanjung Aru, Papar, Kimanis, Beaufort and Sipitang. From Sindumin (border crossing into Sarawak), the road continues to Lawas and on to Brunei and it is possible to travel from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land. The journey is a minimum five hours to Brunei. Passports/ID have to be shown at each crossing prolonging the travel time. Brunei is a country made up of two enclaves and surrounded by Sarawak this involves five border crossings/checks, each way.

In Sabah a main road north via Tuaran, Kota Belud, Matunggong then on to Kudat known as the tip of Borneo, this is a 3-3½ hr journey each way with heavy traffic and rain storms it can be longer, the road is a metalled/tarmac road all the way.

From Kudat it is possible to drive all the way to Sandakan on the Trans Borneo Highway. Leaving Kudat, Matunggong, turn left towards Kota Maruda, then up towards Pitas the road heads South and East around the far side of the Gunung Kinabalu (Mt. Kinabalu) and joins up at Pamol turn left and continue towards Sandakan. Before reaching Sandakan you can turn south and east towards Kinabantangan, Sukau reserves and on towards Lahad Datu. The road continues to Kunak, Semporna, Tawau Hills reserve and Tawau. Fom Tawau it connects to Keningau to complete the loop back into KK via Tambunan over the Crocker Range into Penampang and KK city. It is expected to reduce the 10-hour drive by three hours. Completion date not set.

The main road to the East Coast (Sandakan and Lahad Datu) branches off from this road at Tamparuli, then via Kundasang, Ranau, Telupid, Pamol, Sepilok and into Sandakan.

Another main road heading southeast leaves the suburbs of Penampang and Donggongon towards Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom. Travel by private car to KK is quite popular with visitors from around Sabah including Sandakan and Tawau, Labuan, Miri and Brunei.

By bus
There are two long-distance bus terminals.



North and East

 * Sandakan &mdash; 5-6 hr, RM43.50. Several express bus companies operate buses between the Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal and Sandakan.
 * Semporna &mdash; 9-10 hr. Dyana Bus leaves twice daily from Inanam station around 7:30AM and 7:30PM.
 * Tawau &mdash; 9 hr, RM55. Several express bus companies operate between North Bus Terminal and Tawau. Tung Ma Express, Andisba Express , Alitopan Express . Buses depart Kota Kinabalu at 7AM, 8AM, 10AM, noon, 2PM.
 * Mount Kinabalu and Ranau &mdash; 1½-2 hr, RM25-35. All the above buses pass by the entrance of the Mount Kinabalu National Park, Kundasang and Ranau (for Poring Hot Spring). You can get off or board at these locations. You can also catch buses/minibuses doing the shorter run to Ranau.
 * Kudat &mdash; 3 hr, RM50. Minibuses leave once full from Terminal Bas Bandaran Berjaya (Updated August 2022).￼

South

 * Brunei &mdash; 6-8 hrs, 45 Brunei dollars (2019). There is one bus per day from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kota Kinabalu. It leaves from the waterfront in BSB at 8AM, but get there a half hour early to buy the ticket. See also Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land.
 * Lawas &mdash; 4 hrs, RM20. Sipitang Express Bus Sdn Bhd runs one bus at 7AM daily from the City Centre bus terminal to Lawas in Sarawak. From Lawas, buses depart at 12:30PM. Lawas Bus Company also operates an express bus daily to Lawas, departing Lawas at about 8AM and returning from Kota Kinabalu City Centre terminal at 1PM. Both buses go through Beaufort and Sipitang. You can also make the journey by minivans but you may have to change at Beaufort or even at Papar and Sipitang. Catch them from the minivan station opposite Wawasan Plaza.
 * Beaufort and Sipitang &mdash; Sipitang Express Bus departs the City Centre Terminal for Beaufort (1 hr 45 min, RM9) and Sipitang (2 hr 45 min, RM14) at 8:30AM, noon and 2:30PM. The 7:30AM bus to Lawas also goes through Beaufort and Sipitang. From Sipitang, buses depart at 8AM, noon, 1:30PM (bus comes through from Lawas) and 4:30PM and 1 hr later from Beaufort. Lawas Bus Company's express bus between Kota Kinabalu and Lawas. Again, you can do this do this by minivans throughout the day, although they are more frequent in the morning. You may also have to change at Papar if you cannot get a direct minivan.
 * Menumbok &mdash; RM18. Multiple bus companies operate express buses between KK and Menumbok where there are ferries to Labuan. They depart frequently in the morning since 6AM from KK City Centre terminal next to the City town hall. From Menumbok, buses depart at 10:15AM and 3:15PM. Minivans also do the journey although you may have to change at Papar and Beaufort.
 * Papar &mdash; Regular minivans run to this coastal town 38 km south of Kota Kinabalu.

From south-west interior

 * Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom. Most public transport to this part of Sabah is by minibuses and vans which leave from the minibus station opposite Wawasan Plaza. Again, it's best to get started early 7AM. You should be able to catch a direct minibus from Kota Kinabalu to Keningau, change there for Tenom. Tenom can also be reached by train read that section below, it may be an idea to consider using train, and bus to meet your needs otherwise it may involve staying in Tenom. From Keningau to Tawau possible takes nearly 8 hours. This Sabah route is known as the Trans Borneo Highway.

By ferry
The only regular access to Kota Kinabalu by sea is from Labuan. The ferry service takes about 3½ hours and costs about RM40 (2019). There are two services from Labuan to KK every day: 8:30AM and 1PM. From KK to Labuan, the ferries depart at 08:00 and 13:30. From Labuan, you can continue on to Bandar Seri Begawan in one day if you get an early start. See the Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land page for details. Ferries from Labuan dock at on the northern edge of the city centre. There's a currency exchange outside the ferry terminal, but beware that the posted exchange rates are only for large bills; smaller bills have a worse exchange rate.

Kota Kinabalu is a port of call for many cruise ships passing through east Asia such as Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2, Diamond Princess, MV Arcadia and SuperStar Virgo via cruise lines such as Cunard, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises. Cruise ships will usually dock at Kota Kinabalu Port north of Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal.

By train

 * Sabah State Railway uses air-conditioned trains on a single 134-km route from Tanjung Aru south of the city centre to Tenom in the interior via Beaufort. Four trains operate M-Sa, while on Sunday there are two trains, running between Tanjung Aru station and Beaufort, where you change trains if you want to continue your journey to Tenom. Journey time between Kota Kinabalu and Beaufort is about 2 hr, making it more attractive for travellers to take the bus for part of the journey. The train stops the following places: Kota Kinabalu (Tanjung Aru), Putatan, Kinarut, Kawang, Papar, Kimanis, Bongawan, Membakut, Beaufort, Saliwangan, Halogilat, Rayoh, Pangi and Tenom.
 * The route between Halogilat to Tenom is to be upgraded works were due to start in 2018.
 * Trains for Tenom run from Beaufort once a day at 7:45AM so to take the train to Tenom, you will have to stay over night in Beaufort. Full details on the refurbished train schedule are available online
 * A leisure train service known as North Borneo Railway caters to tourists and uses an old steam train and designed to resemble trains in the colonial era. This is a joint venture project between Sabah State Railway and Sutera Harbour Resort. Trains only travel up to Papar. Tickets cost RM270 and RM170 for children and includes breakfast and lunch. There is road access to the Station entrance, the steam train and the diesel services operate here from the new platforms. There is an escalator to the upper levels which includes a café and a cinema.
 * A leisure train service known as North Borneo Railway caters to tourists and uses an old steam train and designed to resemble trains in the colonial era. This is a joint venture project between Sabah State Railway and Sutera Harbour Resort. Trains only travel up to Papar. Tickets cost RM270 and RM170 for children and includes breakfast and lunch. There is road access to the Station entrance, the steam train and the diesel services operate here from the new platforms. There is an escalator to the upper levels which includes a café and a cinema.

By foot
The city centre is quite small, and you can walk from one end to the other in less than 30 min. The city is set out along a grid system with the long main roads running parallel to the nearby waterfront with intersecting roads forming the local districts within the city. As KK has grown there are dual carriageways that weave around the city on the land available and the new buildings/malls, hospitals, etc. Further from the old city centre the roads do not conform to the original grid planners used.

Safely crossing the street can be an issue, but most streets are at least equipped with sidewalks and there are pedestrian crossings on the main roads. The sidewalks in places can be uneven and the storm gutters are easy to trip or fall into. You can also walk to and from the airport (1-2 hr each way). Even the highways outside of town usually have a walking path or a wide grassy shoulder to walk on.

By taxi
Short fares are around RM10, longer trips around RM20. A whole day shouldn't cost more than RM300. Haggling is absolutely vital in order to get a fair price. Many taxi drivers in Malaysia are infamous for raising their fares, even after a price has already been negotiatied. They frequently attempt to manipulate and deceive unknowing tourists by feigning ignorance and delivering tourists to the wrong hotels, which sometimes provide kickbacks to the drivers. Mentioning a call to the authorities may resolve the situation quickly.

Grab Car operate, with rides costing RM4 for the first 3 km and RM1.2 for each sequential km. Uber merged with Grab in 2018, and they have similar functionality. Typical prices are half those of taxis and there is no need to haggle; the price is confirmed before a ride arrives and you pay cash at the end or via GrabPay (e-wallet).

By bus and minibus
To travel within the city centre, the City Bus is used. The green and yellow City Bus departs from Wawasan Bus Terminal and circles the city center using 4 routes: Route 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B. City Bus fare cost RM0.50 and are quite frequent. However the conductor and driver often encourages more people to get on the bus until totally crowded before it leaves.
 * Route 1A: travels along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens until Jesselton Point and returns along Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Coastal.
 * Route 1B: travels along Jalan Coastal and Jalan Tun Razak and returns along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens.
 * Route 2A: travels along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman via Karamunsing and Jalan KK Bypass all the way to Sabah Trade Centre in Likas and returns the same way.
 * Route 2B: travels along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman until the roundabout near Australia Place and returns the same way.

For the full list of routes, check the Kota Kinabalu City Bus page on Facebook.

By car
Cars can easily be hired on the spot from the hire car counters in the arrivals hall in the airport. Rates can be negotiated so compare the offers. Rental companies do not offer hand-controls for the disabled. Child seats, booster seats are not provided, there is no requirement to wear rear seat belts, you will see children unbelted in the front and rear seats of vehicles. There are also many car rental companies in the city:

Road signs are prevalent throughout KK and Sabah. So driving within KK and towards other parts of Sabah is not difficult. There are however some signages which are only in Malay. Most signs are coloured the same to make your route planning easier. Watch out for local low down cardboard drawn signs if you are looking for flowering Rafflesia or local produce like Durian sometimes there are road side stalls but not always. Signboards in brown colour indicate recreation/places of interest. The KK city has had too build dual carriageway roads, flyovers etc. These are very busy and congested at peak times of the day. However highways leading towards other towns are for a short way dual carriageway roads then into single carriageways which might put your overtaking skills to the test especially in hilly areas. Because many roads are steep when traversing mountainous areas the roads have sudden bends along with the mist/rain and the wet roads fast driving and overtaking at the wrong point results in a lot of accidents. Be very careful when overtaking and no overtaking over double lines. You may be on holiday in a small car, but all of Sabah's roads carry traffic for the cities and communities of Sabah from trucks and coaches to mopeds so be careful. Here is some information on Malaysian road signs and the Malay phrasebook.

Highways are sometimes marked according to their numbers. The following are some of the major highways from Kota Kinabalu:


 * Highway 1 (formerly A2): Highway heading south of KK towards Putatan, Kinarut, Papar, Kimanis, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Sipitang, Lawas, Brunei and Sarawak.
 * Highway 1 (formerly A1): Highway heading north of KK towards Telipok, Tuaran, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Pitas and Kudat.
 * Highway 22 (formerly A4): Highway heading east (from Berungis Roundabout, Tuaran) towards Tamparuli, Kundasang, Ranau, Telupid, Beluran, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Tawau and Semporna.
 * Highway 500 (formerly SA3): Highway heading east of KK towards Penampang, Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom

By boat
There are speedboat services from Kota Kinabalu to the islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park just off the coast of Kota Kinabalu from Jesselton Point Jetty with regular departures to Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Gaya and Pulau Sulug. There are also public departures from the Sabah Parks Jetty behind Wisma Merdeka. Two resorts, Tanjung Aru and Sutera Harbour resort have their own marine excursion shops and also run a service to the islands but it is for paying guests staying at the respective resorts. There are also speedboats for charter where travellers can have the flexibility of time and destination, There are tour operator shops in Kota Kinabalu centre or you can book via the internet. You can also visit Pulau Tiga which is south of KK and not within the marine park, the TV series Survivor was made here. There are other islands further along the coast and out to sea but the above are the easiest to visit as a tourist.

Central part




Southern districts

 * Stilt villages, are houses found along the coast of ethnic Bajau, Suluk, Iranun, Malays, and Ubian people. Some villages are made up of people who have been here since 15th-18th century from Sulu Archipelago (now southern Philippines) who are considered natives under Sabah law. However massive influx if new migrants from this same region beginning 1970s have occupied these same villages mostly due to similar heritage and ethnicity as these local inhabitants. Some new migrants are illegal with no proper documentation. Illegal migrants would normally occupy deeper parts of these stilt villages in slums. These slums are significantly dirtier and dangerous since the people and their homes are illegal. Stilt villages can be found in Kampung Tanjung Aru, Kampung Sembulan, Kampung Kasuapan (Pulau Gaya) and Kampung Pondo (Pulau Gaya). Since there is no real boundary between a traditional stilt village and the slum, visiting these places is generally considered dangerous and very dirty and not recommended even for locals unless accompanied by tour guides. There may be stilt villages further out of the city such as in Mengkabong which are safer and cleaner. If you are interested in slums, perhaps some speedboat drivers in Jesselton Point Jetty who live in Pulau Gaya would be pleased to show you around their stilt village for a little fee.

Sembulan & Karamunsing areas
Areas adjacent to the central part but slightly south of it.




 * Entry on the same ticket as for Sabah State Museum.
 * Entry on the same ticket as for Sabah State Museum.





Tanjung Aru
Tanjung Aru is "the headland", land that projects out into the sea. Tanjung Aru is a Southern District of Kota Kinabalu city. It is 8 km from the centre of KK, a 15-20 minute taxi ride (RM30 in Oct 2017) between Tanjung Aru and the KK centre. The hotel resort is completely separate. The only eating area available now is the food court near the Kota Kinabalu golf club, in the coconut grove.



Likas
Likas &mdash; a historic village, now a huge sub-section of the modern city slightly north of central Kota Kinabalu. Partly occupied by mangrove wetlands



Much further to the east of Likas are the following sights:

Further afield





 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.
 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.
 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.
 * The northern coast of Kota Kinabalu is contains undisturbed scenic geographical features including and behind these beaches is a lagoon-type estuary containing Mengkabong and Salut rivers.  in Karambunai could be a good place to start in order to explore this area as there are boat rides or jet-skis for rent.  is also an interesting sight to explore. Salut contains two popular seafood reastaurants by the lagoon/lake in Salut called Salut Seafood and Gayang Seafood. Nearby  is something different, and  offers various watersports and camping activities around mangrove forest, river and beach.

Scuba diving & snorkelling
Try dives, leisure diving, technical diving and snorkelling are all available from Kota Kinabalu.

Several interesting dive sites can be enjoyed as day trips from Kota Kinabalu with nearby World War II wrecks accessible for scuba diving. Some are in the 24-45 m depth range whilst other wrecks are only suitable for technical diving. Advanced and basic diver training courses are run from Kota Kinabalu by several dive centre operators.

Dive destinations

 * Usukan Bay near Pulau Mantanani, suitable for recreational diving. Located near the fishing port of Kota Belud 30 nautical miles north of Kota Kinabal these dive sites are ideal day trips from Kota Kinabalu. Boat trips north from Kota Kinabalu normally depart from Sutera Harbour Marina or Jesselton Point and take approximately 2 hr. These dives are only suitable for divers that already have PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or similar certification and some previous wreck diving experience is advised. There are three popular wrecks spread over a distance of about one kilometre lying 7 n.m. offshore.
 * Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park offers many snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities between 20 and 30 min from Kota Kinabalu by boat. Dive operators depart from the Jesselton Point Jetty and Sutera Harbour Marina. Islands and beaches are beautiful, even though the water color is very green and not transparent. Underwater visibility can be an issue around the entire park: It sometimes drops below 3 m due to dirty river water from Mt. Kinabalu by everyday-pouring rain. If you are used to snorkelling or diving in good visibility, you may be disappointed.
 * The Gaya wreck lies in 50 m of water within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and is a 30-min boat ride from Kota Kinabalu. The wreck is thought to be that of the Japanese ship Nittetsu Maru.
 * Mayne Rock has large white boulders rising 7 m-15 m from the ocean floor and is surrounded by a coral reef.
 * Palau Tiga offers coral reef dives.

Dive operators




Deep sea fishing
Kota Kinabalu is also one of the best and cheapest places in Malaysia for exciting deep sea fishing trips. Boats depart from the makeshift jetty next to the Kota Kinabalu Central Market, the boats are to be found behind the small night market/parking lot.

Trips of all kinds can be arranged with the charter operators. Popular options include day trips that go for prices that start from around RM 2,000/boat and 2-day, 1-night or 3-day, 2-night trips (you sleep on the boat) that go from RM 3,000/boat. Most boats take around 10 persons per trip. Locals usually head to the Mengalum and Mantanani islands or near some oil rigs that are all a few hours away from Kota Kinabalu. Beginners can also opt for shorter trips to fish in a shipwreck off Gaya Island. For the very adventurous and advanced anglers, there are also several fishing competition held annually. The most popular one is the Labuan IGFA Competition which is usually held around the Layang Layang island (Swallow Reef) area. The trips for this competition last for almost 1 week and cost at least RM 15,000/boat.

The boats are mostly pretty rudimentary medium-sized wooden fishing vessels, don't expect any luxury or too much comfort for those prices. Basic toilets are available on board, but you won't be able to shower for the duration of the trip. Basic meals are also usually available and included in the hire price. Rental of fishing equipment can also be arranged by most of the boat charter providers. Do ensure that life vests are provided for all occupants well before setting out.

If you want to check out the boats before you head out, just drop by the open air parking lot near the Central Market and Hyatt Hotel, most of the for hire fishing boats are parked there. You can also see some of the catch for yourself when the boats return from their trips at around 2PM. You will probably see more boats coming and going on Sunday or Monday.



White water rafting
The nearest place for rafting would be on Kiulu River, Tamparuli, about 1 hour away from KK in the district of Tuaran. The white water is classified Grade 1-2 which is suitable for beginners and children. A more adventurous rafting experience is Padas River near Tenom which is about 2-3 hours south from Kota Kinabalu. Padas is classified as Grade 3-4. There are many tour companies offering day packages for rafting in Kiulu and Padas and would normally include return transfer and meals.

Wetland river cruise
Klias River is in the Klias Wetland Mangrove Forest Reserve which is located on the Kuala Penyu district headland made up of riverine mangrove about 2-2½ hours away from KK. The cruise offers visitors a chance to see various wildlife including the proboscis monkeys, crocodile, monitor lizards, Kingfishers and fireflies once it is dark.

The New Sabah Times (Sabah's newspaper) reported in May 2017 that the Klias river tours were in steep decline from a lack of tourists and were requesting assistance from local government for continued support. Although this decline is affecting tourist numbers the local guides also benefit less. This maybe the ideal time to visit and enjoy the wetlands while it is quiet. There are also other river safaris nearby Klias in Garama and Weston which are also interesting in their own right albeit slightly further away from KK.

Sailing and yachting
The main starting point for sailing or boating is in Sutera Harbour Marina which has 104 berths. Yacht charter is offered by North Borneo Yachting. Tel: +60 88-318888 Kinabalu Yacht Club in Tanjung Aru offer various boating activities, tel: +60 88 240070.

Sports
Likas Sports Complex is the main sporting venue in Kota Kinabalu and Sabah. The complex includes a soccer stadium and fields, hockey fields, badminton courts, tennis courts, squash courts, swimming pool, gymnasium, and many more. The complex also play host many local, regional and international sports event.

There are also many golf courses in Kota Kinabalu including the Sabah Golf and Country Club (18-hole) in Bukit Padang, Kinabalu Golf Club (11-hole) in Tanjung Aru, Sutera Harbour Golf Club (27-hole), Karambunai Golf and Country Club (18-hole) and Shangri-La Rasa Ria resort Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club (18-hole). Driving range available in Lintas and Likas.


 *  Trinity Self-Defence, Lot 12 1st Floor Likas Plaza, Phase 1, Mile 4 1/2 Jl. Tuaran 8. Learn some self-defence skills at a Kota Kinabalu Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Gym classes include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, CMB, Judo and Shootfighting. Experienced trainers. ([mailto:trinityselfdef@gmail.com trinityselfdef@gmail.com]).
 *  Trinity Self-Defence, Lot 12 1st Floor Likas Plaza, Phase 1, Mile 4 1/2 Jl. Tuaran 8. Learn some self-defence skills at a Kota Kinabalu Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Gym classes include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, CMB, Judo and Shootfighting. Experienced trainers. ([mailto:trinityselfdef@gmail.com trinityselfdef@gmail.com]).
 *  Trinity Self-Defence, Lot 12 1st Floor Likas Plaza, Phase 1, Mile 4 1/2 Jl. Tuaran 8. Learn some self-defence skills at a Kota Kinabalu Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Gym classes include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, CMB, Judo and Shootfighting. Experienced trainers. ([mailto:trinityselfdef@gmail.com trinityselfdef@gmail.com]).

Festival and events

 * Harvest Festival, a festival celebrating the harvesting of the rice paddy fields by the Kadazandusun people, called in Bahasa Kadazandusan (Language of Kadazan & Dusun people, accepted as Kadazandusan by KDCA in Malaysia) and accepted in the Malay/Kadazandusun press as Pesta Kemataan. Typically Pesta Kemataan is held during the end of May into early June every year. It is the only harvest festival/pesta kemataan held in Malaysia. One of the most popular venues to witness the celebration is in KK city at the KDCA centre,(KadazanDusun Cultural Association)in Penampang district of KK city.The festival is held to celebrate the sacrifice of their goddess Saviour Hurninodun who by her actions saved them from famine. They also thank their creator Deities Kinoingan and Sumundo for giving them their sacred rice crop.Events include "Unduk Ngadau" beauty pageant, cultural dances, food, and drinking tapai a (traditional rice alcoholic) drink made from rice. The event is widely covered within the press and radio programmes, local malls have "Display teams " performing traditional dance, also they are seen performing within the larger hotels and resorts. The girls and young women wear various traditional clothes from their local districts within Sabah with coloured beaded and metal adornments to denote their status single; married men wear a similar dress code for each separate Sabahan tribe or culture they are from.
 * City Run, annual marathon held around March or April.

Buy
Popular souvenirs include coffee and all sorts of foods made from durian.





Eat
Kota Kinabalu is a cultural melting pot. Here Chinese meet Malays and Bruneis, Javanese, Filipinos and even a couple of Europeans, all of whom have brought along their own cuisine. Try out the many specialties offered at the various kedai kopi (often in buffet form making it easy to order) and shun fast food chains.

For meals, head to the outdoor food stalls fronting the sea or coffee shops along the streets. The less adventurous could make a beeline for fast food outlets in the Centrepoint shopping centre while those with deeper pockets could try the pier-side restaurants just after the open air fish market. The promenade restaurants between the Filipino Craft Market and the fish market are poor value and only frequented by tourists. Try SEDCO Square in the evening for top value.

Budget

 * Fook Yuen, a nice, clean, modern-looking kopitiam with self-service concept offering various types of food such as dim sum, pick-yourself dishes, nasi lemak, and roti kahwin (bread, butter and kaya). They have branches in Gaya Street, Karamunsing Capital and Damai (original branch). All branches serve halal food except Damai branch.
 * Kah Hiong, specialises in "ngau chap" noodles (beef soup noodles). Offers a variety of beef parts such as beef brisket, stomach, stew, omasum, tongue, etc. The main branch is in Kolam Center (Hilltop) in Lintas.
 * Kak Nong, serves Malay/Malaysian food located in Harbour City opposite Sutera Harbour. The restaurant won the Sabah Tourism Award 2007 for the category Best Kopi Tiam.
 * Man Tai Restaurant - in Likas, Dah Yeh Villa. Beaufort-style fried noodles. They serve Chinese style a-la carte dishes as well.
 * Peppermint, a fast-food concept restaurant serving Vietnamese food. Try the spicy chicken rice and beef stew. They have 3 branches: Gaya Street, Asia City and Karamunsing Capital.
 * Pete's Corner, in Asia City in the heart of Kota Kinabalu. A breakfast place which specialises in steaks and other western dishes for RM10-18.
 * Indo Food, on 2nd floor, Wisma Merdeka (near food court), is a nice small restaurant serving spicy Indonesian food. Popular dishes include nasi penyet, ikan asam pedas and soto bakso. A little bit expensive, but not exactly mid-range.
 * Salim Lintas Square (approximately 20-min drive from the city). Supper spot specialising in many local "mamak" foods and delicacies including the Malaysian roti styled bread, cooked over an open flat iron skillet which is bathed in oil. The meal along with a cup of Teh Tarik Madras would range at around RM5-8.
 * Restoran Taufik, located in Kampung Air (opposite Shell), serves cheap Javanese/Malay food such as soto (beef soup), bakso and rojak. More branches in Inanam and Putatan.
 * Yu Kee's Bak Kut Teh, along the famous Gaya Street, its a Chinese operated restaurant that serves pork dishes for dinner time only (usually opens after 4PM until night time). A small single dish costs about RM4, soup top up is free. All types of pork meat and organs served with special Chinese herb soup.
 * Wah Juan, is popular for their "chu chap" noodles (noodles served with pork and pork innards). It's in Pekan Tanjung Aru facing the main road (Jalan Mat Salleh). Served only in the morning and finishes by 11AM. The small restaurant is always crowded and patrons may need to wait for an empty table.

Mid-range

 * Choice, serving mainly Indian Muslim food as well as other Malaysian food. Their briyani rice is quite popular. Branches in Taman Millenium, Kepayan and in the city center opposite Wisma Merdeka.
 * Hi Seoul, pretty good Korean restaurant in Likas Square near Sabah Trade Center.
 * Jothy's Fish Head Curry and Banana Leaf Restaurant, Api Api Centre. An eat with your hands restaurant. A chicken dish RM8, a mango lassie RM4. Fish head curry, fish cutlets, fried fish pieces, chicken nasi biryani, assam soup and dried bitter gourd. They'll bring you a spoon and fork if you wish. Ask for a banana leaf (for additional 50 cents) and eat with your hands. English menu.
 * Old Town White Coffee a modern kopitiam franchise from Ipoh with branches in Menara Jubili on Gaya Street, Karamunsing Capital and others. Popular for their 'hor fun' noodle soup, nasi lemak and, of course, their white coffee. The biggest kopitiam chain in Malaysia.
 * The Stonebridge Galley Provides all day English Breakfast.
 * Charles Cafe Halal food and drink.
 * Sushi Tei, a Singaporean-based sushi franchise with branches throughout Asia Pacific. Reasonably good food and price. Located in Ground Floor, Suria Sabah.
 * Old Town White Coffee a modern kopitiam franchise from Ipoh with branches in Menara Jubili on Gaya Street, Karamunsing Capital and others. Popular for their 'hor fun' noodle soup, nasi lemak and, of course, their white coffee. The biggest kopitiam chain in Malaysia.
 * The Stonebridge Galley Provides all day English Breakfast.
 * Charles Cafe Halal food and drink.
 * Sushi Tei, a Singaporean-based sushi franchise with branches throughout Asia Pacific. Reasonably good food and price. Located in Ground Floor, Suria Sabah.
 * The Stonebridge Galley Provides all day English Breakfast.
 * Charles Cafe Halal food and drink.
 * Sushi Tei, a Singaporean-based sushi franchise with branches throughout Asia Pacific. Reasonably good food and price. Located in Ground Floor, Suria Sabah.

Splurge

 * Nagisa, a Japanese restaurant in Hyatt Regency.
 * Nagisa, a Japanese restaurant in Hyatt Regency.
 * Nagisa, a Japanese restaurant in Hyatt Regency.

Seafood
Seafood in Kota Kinabalu is very popular, so getting a dose of it is a must. Here are some places to try:


 * Ocean Seafood Restaurant, next to the Promenade Hotel and Parkson Grand. The restaurant faces the coastline. You can take a pick on your seafood orders by the fishtanks, or if you prefer, you can let the waiters recommend at your table.
 * Portview Seafood Restaurant, There are 2 branches of this in Kota Kinabalu. One of them is opposite Centrepoint Shopping Centre, called The Waterfront. This one is quite new, a very popular place for tourists and orders can be taken either way similar to Ocean Restaurant. This restaurant is nestled amongst other popular nightlife hangouts, mostly bars and clubs, but also cafes like CoffeeBean. The other older one is in front of a pier.
 * Salut Seafood Restaurant, It takes about 20 min car journey from the city centre to Salut where the restaurant is located near the Sepanggar Bay and Telipok. It is a famous place for cheaper seafood dishes as the prawns are bred by the restaurant owner.
 * Portview Seafood Restaurant, There are 2 branches of this in Kota Kinabalu. One of them is opposite Centrepoint Shopping Centre, called The Waterfront. This one is quite new, a very popular place for tourists and orders can be taken either way similar to Ocean Restaurant. This restaurant is nestled amongst other popular nightlife hangouts, mostly bars and clubs, but also cafes like CoffeeBean. The other older one is in front of a pier.
 * Salut Seafood Restaurant, It takes about 20 min car journey from the city centre to Salut where the restaurant is located near the Sepanggar Bay and Telipok. It is a famous place for cheaper seafood dishes as the prawns are bred by the restaurant owner.

Drink
The main entertainment areas in Kota Kinabalu can be found in KK Waterfront (opposite Warisan Square) and Times Square. Other areas include Pantai Street, Jalan Datuk Salleh Sulong. There are also smaller bars concentrated in the areas of Inanam, Likas, Donggongon and Penampang Baru, these areas are out of the KK city and are not within walking distance of KK city centre they are more local district centres. Types of drinking places popular in Kota Kinabalu are café/coffee shops for breakfast, open air bars, karaoke joints and a few nightclubs. Nightclubs and bars have live bands performing almost everyday except Mondays. Some karaoke joints have private rooms for big groups who prefer some privacy. Some nightclubs and karaoke bars have hostesses especially for male customers in exchange for buying them 'ladies drink'. Intuition would be needed if you need to look for or avoid these establishments as they are not explicit.

Sleep
Kota Kinabalu has accommodation from expensive to cheap. This is such a changing price market the best way to check prices is the internet pages such as Sabahbah.com, MySabah.com Sabah tourism.com, or Trip Advisor searches until you find the price you want.

Budget






Stay safe
Kota Kinabalu is a safe city by Malaysian standards. The crime rate is lower than in the Western states of Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru, or any city of similar size in Peninsular Malaysia. Violent crime is especially rare, and it's generally safe to roam the streets at night, though of course it's still best to remain alert as you would in any other city.

There is moped/scooter ride-by crime in KK.

Connect
The telephone country code for Malaysia is +60 and the area code for fixed-line telephones in Kota Kinabalu and for most districts in the west coast of Sabah (including Papar, Kota Belud, Ranau and Kudat) is 088. Mobile phone numbers normally begins with 01x throughout the country. If a telephone number is not displayed in international format, such as "088-222222" or "012-222222", simply add "+6" before the number, e.g.: "+60 88-222222" and "+60 12-222222". The zero need not be repeated.

Free wifi is available at various points in the city. There are some restrictions: you can use the wifi for free in public areas, i.e. streets. It is deliberately not powerful enough to penetrate shopping malls etc.

WiFi is available in most hotels and hostels across KK. There are also internet cafes in some parts of the city.



Consulates
The following countries have set up consulates in Kota Kinabalu. For other countries, you may need to contact the respective embassy in Kuala Lumpur or nearer consulates in Sarawak. There are British and Chinese Consulate offices in Kuching and British and Dutch Consulates in Miri.


 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * Brunei
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Go next

 * Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park – a collection of islands with beaches, jungle, snorkeling, and scuba diving, easy to visit as a day trip
 * Labuan &mdash; duty-free paradise, fairly decent karaoke nightlife and offshore banking.
 * Mount Kinabalu &mdash; is 80 km east of Kota Kinabalu, where it's possible to do a 9-km hike to the mountain summit.
 * Kundasang &mdash; a cool place with various markets, plantations, farms, resorts nearby Mount Kinabalu. Popular with locals from all around Sabah during weekends and public holidays.
 * Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Semporna cities on the Eastern Coast with rich wildlife and a world-class diving.
 * Layang Layang Island in the disputed Spratly Islands is famous for diving.
 * Kuala Penyu &mdash; district, about 2 hours southwest along the coast, contains Klias River, Pulau Tiga (site of the first series of TV show "Survivor") and Menumbok jetty (to get to Labuan by car or boat).
 * Kinarut &mdash; a small town 40 minutes south of KK contains quiet beaches, Pulau Dinawan, the 'sininggazanak' statues and still existing wooden shophouses, built around 1930s to 1960s.
 * Maliau Basin &mdash; Sabah's "Lost World", located in the middle of Sabah somewhere between Kota Kinabalu and Tawau. Said to be one of the oldest undisturbed rainforest in the world.
 * Experience rural lifestyle around Kudat, Tambunan, Tenom, Kota Belud, all along the west coast of Sabah and within 2-4 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu.
 * Gunung Mulu National Park &mdash; a World Heritage Site in Mulu, Sarawak, is 20 minutes away by plane.