There is so much to experience in and around Kota Kinabalu. There are also so many other fantastic places in Sabah you can explore with Kota Kinabalu as your base. Here, we present some "MUSTS", attractions that you shall not miss when you visit Kota Kinabalu.
Shopping - Malls and markets
Kota Kinabalu has of course major shopping malls as well as shopping areas that you find in many other Asian cities, most of them located at the main streets of the city. The five major shopping malls in Kota Kinabalu are: Centrepoint, Karamunsing Complex, KK Plaza, Wawasan Plaza and. Wisma Merdeka. They all have fixed and attractive prices. Most of the malls are open from 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. But here there are also markets that feel genuine and honest, like the urban Gaya Street Fair that starts every Sunday at 8 a.m. You will find the fair in the lower end of Gaya Street; the stalls are till offer a collection of everything you want and do not want. In most of the towns and villages around Kota Kinabalu there is a Tamu, also known as Sunday Flea Market, where you can find all kinds of stuff from orchids, fruits, vegetables, poultry, handicrafts, traditional music instrument and much more.
Foods and Drinks
You will be fascinated of the variety of cuisine offered not only in hotels and restaurants, but also by hawker’s stalls. Well, what can you expect when you have over 30 ethnic groups that present different flavours that tickle just about any brain chemical. In Kota Kinabalu you will get supreme taste adventures, with unusual names that will fascinate you, whatever you choose. In Kota Kinabalu you will find first class chefs that serve award-winning meals at fine restaurants, giving you the pleasure of tasting international gastronomic marvels of all kinds. But you must also try the stalls in the night market; some of them will take you to eater’s heaven. Do not forget that Kota Kinabalu is a city by the sea, with a long fishing tradition, which means that the variety of fresh seafood dining is endless.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park
This Marine Park with wonderful tropical islands (pulau) is only minutes away from the city, so at least one of the islands is a must to visit when you are in Kota Kinabalu. Nowhere else in the world you will find a cluster of exotic unspoiled islands so close to a city. The Marine Park, comprising five islands Pulau (island) Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and Pulau Sulug. These islands offers white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, reefs in shallow waters, coral gardens, lowland rain forests and nice walking paths.But that´s not all: Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is also an ideal location for beginners that will dive, as well as a perfect spot for more experienced divers. And don’t forget your underwater camera, there are many rare marine creatures such as scorpionfish, blue-spotted rays, bright blue starfish, sea fans, cuttlefish and mantis shrimps, just to mention a few. If you plan to dive, you must contact the dive centers based in Kota Kinabalu.
Gaya Island
This is a first class destination for trekking as well as swimming, and here you can find one of the most romantic and beautiful beaches in the area, Police Beach also called Bulijong Bay. If you ever have dreamed of a beach with shading palms and tropical trees, you have found the place. But this 140 hectares island with 25 kilometers of shoreline is not only for sun-bathers.Here is also a beautiful hiking trail system in the lowland rain forest where you can see mangrove-swamps, rare birds, and also visit a fishing village. Pulau Island is the largest of the islands, it was declared forest reserve already in 1923.
Sapi Island
Small island with sandy white beaches and coral reefs for snorkeling or diving, where you can see reef fishes shimmering with all the colours of the rainbow. There are hiking trails through the interior, but they also lead to a jetty with barbecue sites, picnic tables and toilets.
Manukan Island
Another island perfect for diving, snorkeling and swimming. Manukan is the most developed of the island in the Marine Park and offers several small beaches. The island has many local visitors at weekends, which means that there are moments that it is quite crowded and noisy. Here you can also rent chalets but then you must contact the Sabah Park office in Kota Kinabalu before you go to the island.
Sulug Island
This island is an opposite of Manukan, as it is the less developed. So if you are seeking privacy, go to Pulau Sulug, a more tranquil atmosphere is hard to find. The eight hectares island is rocky, but it has a nice shoreline of sandy beach. At the southern end of the island you will find beautiful patches of coral.
Mamutik Island
The smallest island that covers six hectares. Another peaceful island with a rich coral and marine life. If you are a novice diver, try to get your first diving lessons here and you will discover another world. At the north-eastern tip of Pulau Mamutik you can find the rare white distichopora lace coral. If you are not going only for quick diving and want stay overnight, you can get permission from the Sabah Park office in KK to camp there
Tun Mustapha Tower (Menara Tun Mustapha)
To visit the 30-storeys and 122 meters high Tun Mustapha Tower (Menara Tun Mustapha), former known as Sabah Foundation Building, is a must when you visit Kota Kinabalu. It is a magnificent building, one of only four hanging structures in the world with a glass façade. It is the tallest building in Borneo and it is the only building in Asia with the unique 72-sided polygon, column-free floors. Tun Datu Mustapha, (full name: Tun Datu Haji Mustapha bin Datu Harun), was the first governor of the Malaysian state of Sabah. He was also the third Chief Minister of the state from 1967 to 1975. He died in 1996 and was buried in his memorial at Tambunan
Sabah State Mosque
A masterpiece of architectureThis state mosque is a masterpiece of architecture with its dove-grey walls and glittering majestic domes with gold inlay. It is centrally located at Jalan Tunku Abdul Raman and it is a proof of unique combination of Islamic architecture and contemporary design. Up to 5000 worshippers can be inside at one time; the mosque has become a popular place for visitors from all over the world. During prayer time, even Muslim women can visit the mosque as a special balcony is built that can fit 500 persons. If you are not a Muslim, avoid visiting the mosque on Fridays, as this is the day of prayer for Muslims. Never forget to respect the dress code when you are visiting a place of worship. Near the mosque is also Sabah's State
Mausoleum
City Mosque The second main mosque in the city is the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque at Likas Bay at the north coastal highway. It is another impressive example of a marvelous architecture, it resembles in some ways the design of the Masjid al-Nabawi mosque (The Prophet´s Mosque) in Medina, in Saudi Arabia. The City Mosque is built on a man-made lagoon, which creates a feeling that the mosque is floating above the water.The prayer room can accommodate up to 12.000 worshippers at one time and houses also three madrasah (religious schools). The City Mosque was officially opened on 2nd of February 2000, following a proclamation of Kota Kinabalu as city status.
Signal Hill
The memorial that survived World War IIFrom the Signal Hill Observatory that lies in a natural area, you have a fantastic scenic view of Kota Kinabalu, the South Chinese Sea and all the islands. Along the bluff at Signal Hill there is also the Atkinson Clock Tower, built as a memorial of Francis George Atkinson who was the first District Officer of Kota Kinabalu. The Tower was built by his mother Mary Edith Atkinson in 1905. The Atkinson Clock Tower was for many decades used as navigation support for ships and is the oldest standing structure in Kota Kinabalu, but also the one of only three remaining buildings after the air raids in World War II.
Museum
Human skulls and a Multivision Theatre at Sabah MuseumThe main museum in KK is the Sabah State Museum located at old Palace Hill, nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It is a unique complex built in 1985 with a museum, an ethno-botanic garden, a zoological garden and a heritage village – all in one place. Around the vicinity of the museum there is the Science and Technology Centre and Sabah Art. The main building is inspired and based on the architecture of Murut and Rungus longhouses. Here you will find a central exhibition hall and six galleries with a rich collection of tribal and historical artifacts, relating to the people of Borneo, but also human skulls from Sabah´s headhunting past. You can also find an exhibition about the petroleum industry, as well as a multivision theatre. Within the complex there is also a coffee-shop and a restaurant that we can recommend.
Merlin
In the heart of the town there is a giant Marlin Statue, excellent situated at the waterfront, with Pulau (island) Gaya in the background. This beautiful statue was inaugurated February, 2 year 2000 when Kota Kinabalu got city status. The Marlin (Makaira indica) is a grand game fish of the same family as the sailfish, the Istiophoridae. It has an elongated body that in larger species can be in excess of 4 m long, a spear-like snout, and a long rigid dorsal fin which extends forwards to form a crest. Marlins are very fast and can swim 100 m in about 4 seconds. Their name comes from the elongate. There are striped marlin, black marlin, silver marlin, blue marlin and white marlin.This statue is sponsored by the C.H.& Sons Group and built by Julit Metal & Stainless Steel Work.
