Kota Kinabalu Sights and POI

There is a surprising amount to see in Kota Kinabalu city, given that it’s still a fairly small urban centre - especially when compared with metropolises like Kuala Lumpur. The city has an interesting colonial heritage as well as strong Chinese influences, so it’s a cultural melting pot full of different attractions and things to see. We’d recommend spending at least a few days exploring in and around the city as well as time for any tours or activities.

Museums

Starting with museums, the most popular one for tourists to visit is the Sabah State Museum. With three floors of exhibits to look around, this is a good museum to help get an understanding of local history - both in Kota Kinabalu itself and the wider Malaysian state of Sabah. The complex also includes the Islamic Civilisation Museum, with a more detailed look at the region’s islamic history. Finally, the State museum complex includes a Museum of Science and Technology which is also worth a visit.

As well as these museums there are also a couple of art galleries, notable ones including the Sabah Art Gallery which features many local artworks, and the Borneo Art Gallery which also has art on show from other locations in Borneo.

KK Heritage Trail

The city’s heritage trail is popular, and some places offer walking tours, although it is easy to explore the main highlights alone if you prefer to do so. Most are easily walkable and contain plaques with brief history about the monument, whilst plenty more information is available online if needed.

The Atkinson Clock Tower dates back to 1902 and was built as a memorial to the first officer of Kota Kinabalu, Francis George Atkinson. He was a well respected figure and died young, at only 28 years old after contracting Malaria. If you walk a further ten minutes up the rather steep hill, you’ll reach the Signal Hill Observatory, which offers some great views over the city. Another famous monument is the Double Six Monument, which can be found at Grace Point and was erected in memory of a plane crash in 1976 which sadly killed the state chief minister and other senior officials,

KK Parks

Kota Kinabalu also hosts a couple of parks which are worth visiting if you get the time to.

The City Park can be found opposite the court complex in the city centre and is famous for containing the British North Borneo Memorial, in remembrance of the many British soldiers who died during World War 1. The park is small, but a peaceful spot for a wander round.

Not too far outside the city is the Tun Fuad park, which contains the Water World theme park, as well as a small lake and a couple of eateries.

The newest park is Perdana Park, which has a children’s playground, in addition to plenty of greenery and light and music fountains, which are coordinated in a nightly display at 7pm.

Places of Worship

The many places of worship in Kota Kinabalu demonstrate the city’s many cultural and religious influences, and are an interesting insight into the multi cultural and generally tolerant region. Sabah is a Muslim state, and the Sabah State Mosque is particularly grand, showcasing beautiful Islamic architecture. As well as the mosques in the area though, you can see many other diverse places of worship, including Chinese temples, two Hindu temples, a Sikh temple, a Buddhist temple and a church. If you have an interest in this sort of thing, then it’s fascinating to see so many religious buildings in one small city.