The city of Kota Kinabalu on the west coast of the island is the gateway to Borneo for most visitors.

Arriving in the modern metropolis, you'd hardly guess you were standing on an island of dense tropical jungles, skull hunters and wildlife.

Still, the city of Kota Kinabalu is worth a brief visit before plunging into the whirlwind of Bornean adventure. Here you'll find an excellent dining scene, especially top-notch fish and seafood, interesting museums, and last but not least, you can take a day trip from here to Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park.

The 10 best hotels in Kota Kinabalu

From sea to plate

Kota Kinabalu is a distinguished port and every morning thousands of fishermen arrive in the city with fresh catches. So if you're looking to sample some really fresh seafood, there's no better place in Malaysia.

You can head to one of the many seafood restaurants in the city centre, and from our own experience we can recommend the excellent Welcome Seafood Restaurant. You may wait a while for a table, but you'll experience a delicious feast along with dozens of local families.

Freshly prepared fish and seafood is also on offer at the popular Night Market on the main promenade. The market is open every evening from 18:00 to 23:00 and offers a variety of other interesting regional dishes.

What to see in Kota Kinabalu?

Kota Kinabalu is not a city of famous temples or monuments, but there are still a few attractions worth your attention:

Signal Hill - A beautiful aerial view of the city from the park behind the city.
Atkinson's Tower - The oldest structure in the city, the clock tower was built in honor of a young local official.
Sabah Museum - A modern museum showcasing the ethnic groups of Borneo in an entertaining way , the complex also includes open-air displays of the villages of the local tribes.
Museum of Islam - A traditional museum with many Islamic artifacts.
Bandaraya Mosque - A magnificent floating mosque on the outskirts of the city is a beautiful sight especially from the outside.

Accommodation in Kota Kinabalu

As Kota Kinabalu is a base for exploring places of interest throughout Sabah, the choice of accommodation is large.

You can find accommodation in a hostel or budget hotel from as little as 75 myr per night:

Of course, you'll also find international bed and breakfast hotels in the city centre:

Transportation Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu is the main transport hub of Sabah, so it is often used as a transfer station within the region.

By air

The city and much of the state of Sabah is served by Kota Kinabalu BKI Airport, with direct flights to a number of Asian destinations. There are very frequent services between Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur in mainland Malaysia, or Singapore.

Short flights between destinations in Borneo are also relatively cheap and accessible, so you can use air travel to get to Tawau or Sandakan, for example.

Buy flights to Kota Kinabalu!

To get from Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) to the city centre, use the Grab app or an official taxi, there are no public buses to the airport.

By bus

For travel from other locations in Borneo, you can also use the bus service. Long-distance buses are quite comfortable and it is often possible to take them overnight. The following bus terminals can be found in Kota Kinabalu:

Imanam Bus Terminal - The northern and largest bus terminal serves remote destinations such as Sandakan, Sempornu or Lahad Datu.
Padang Merdeka Terminal - Buses depart from the central bus terminal for destinations on the west coast of Sabah, such as Kudat and Kota Belud.
Central Terminal - Serves destinations south of Kota Kinabalu as well as buses to Brunei and Sarawak.

Book a bus to Kota Kinabalu

There are very limited public transport services within Kota Kinabalu, you can enquire about specific routes at your accommodation in town.

Due to the low cost and ease of use, we recommend using the Grab app.

Grab / Taxi

An economical and easy option for transportation around the city are taxis. Official taxis are a good option, you can ask at the reception or at a restaurant to call a taxi for you. But always make sure the taxi driver has his speedometer on.

A nice alternative is using the Grab app. There are plenty of drivers in Kota Kinabalu, the prices are very reasonable and the whole app is very user-friendly.

Rent a car

Driving in Borneo isn't as complicated as in many other destinations in Asia and traffic is less, so hiring a car can be a great option for independent travel. For more information on renting a car in Sabah, check out our Transportation Guide.