Kota Kinabalu Decoded in Borneo (Sabah)
Part of the Borneo (Sabah) travel guide — see every topic in All Borneo (Sabah) Guides.
Kota Kinabalu — universally KK — is Sabah's capital and the gateway to everything else in the state. It was almost entirely destroyed in the Second World War, when Allied bombing and a Japanese scorched-earth withdrawal left three buildings standing, so the city is essentially modern. What it has is a spectacular setting between mountains and the South China Sea, five islands twenty minutes offshore, the best seafood in Malaysia and sunsets that are genuinely famous.
The waterfront
KK's western aspect gives it a full ocean sunset every evening, with the Tunku Abdul Rahman islands in silhouette, and the waterfront bars and the Sunset Bar at Tanjung Aru are where the city goes to watch it. The Filipino Market and the adjoining night market run along the seafront: handicrafts, pearls and souvenirs on one side, and on the other a vast open-air seafood operation where you choose fish, prawns, squid and lobster from ice and have them grilled and served at plastic tables.
The city itself
There is not a great deal of historic fabric — the Atkinson Clock Tower of 1905 is one of the few pre-war survivals. What there is: the Sabah State Museum, which covers the state's ethnography, natural history and history properly and is worth two hours; the Sabah Art Gallery; the City Mosque, built on reclaimed land and appearing to float at high tide; and Signal Hill Observatory for the overview. Gaya Street's Sunday market is the city's best morning — food, plants, crafts and dogs.
Eating
Sabah has its own food culture, and KK is where to find it. Hinava is a Kadazan-Dusun raw fish dish cured in lime with grated ginger and bitter gourd seeds — sharp, excellent and hard to find outside Sabah. Tuaran mee is a springy egg noodle fried with pork. Sang nyuk mien is a pork noodle soup that KK does exceptionally well. Ambuyat is a sago starch eaten with a bamboo fork. Add the seafood markets and some of the best coffee in Malaysia from Tenom, grown in the interior.
Practicalities
KK's airport is ten minutes from the centre and handles direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and several regional cities. The city is compact and walkable in the centre, hot and humid, with Grab covering everything else cheaply. It is the base for Mount Kinabalu (two hours), the Tunku Abdul Rahman islands (twenty minutes by boat), Mari Mari cultural village, the Klias river proboscis-monkey and firefly cruises, and the Tip of Borneo. Most Sabah trips start and end here, and two nights at the start is a sensible plan.
Kota Kinabalu Decoded at a glance
| History | Almost entirely destroyed in 1945 — the city is modern |
|---|---|
| Best free thing | The sunset, every evening, from the waterfront |
| Night market | Seafront — choose seafood from ice, grilled to order |
| Local dish | Hinava — Kadazan-Dusun lime-cured raw fish |
| Best museum | Sabah State Museum — allow two hours |
| Airport | 10 minutes from the centre; direct KL and Singapore flights |