What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Kota Kinabalu”?

Did you imagine the magnificent Mount Kinabalu, the beautiful pearls, and many islands with clear water and colourful fish?

When you imagine all of those wonderful things, does it ache your heart to pack your bags and take the first flight there immediately?

If you are, you are not the only one, believe me. After that long lockdown, we all need a vacation asap.

Kota Kinabalu, KK or even Jesselton, was formerly known as the capital of the second largest state in Malaysia, Sabah Land Below the Wind. It is the bridge for Malaysians to the Borneo Islands. Sabah makes up 26% of the Borneo Islands. Towards the north, Kota Kinabalu faces the South China Sea.

Okay, origin storytime!

Kota Kinabalu actually got its name from Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in Sabah. In the Dusun language, Aku Nabalu bears the meaning of “revered place of the dead”. There is also a source that claims the word Ki Nabalu means “exist” and “spirit of the dead”. However, when Kota Kinabalu was ruled by the British, the city was named “Jesselton” after the vice-chairman of the British North Borneo Company. Honestly, the “spirit of the dead” meaning is super cool.

If you are from Peninsular Malaysia, there is only one way to get to Kota Kinabalu, and that is via flight. Visitors would need to fly in and out of Sabah and travel elsewhere via land. Kota Kinabalu International Airport can easily be said to be among the busiest airports in Malaysia. This is due to the fact that KK Airport is the main gateway for visitors to come to Sabah and is only 7 kilometres away from the city centre.

Major airlines providing frequent flights include Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Firefly and Malindo Air. At the same time, the international flights that fly to Kota Kinabalu are Jeju Air, Royal Brunei Airlines, Eastar Jet, and many more.

From the airport, there are several public transportations that can bring you into the city, such as buses, taxis as well as private cars that can be hired via the Grab app, an e-hailing application.

Kota Kinabalu surely holds many interesting places, but what attracts people the most would definitely be the best nature, and wildlife Borneo can offer. Let’s look at the top three I would recommend you put in your travel bucket list.

Sitting comfortably at the top of the list would definitely be Mount Kinabalu. The mountain is 4000 meters high and is undoubtedly the tallest mountain in Malaysia as well as in Southeast Asia. It is ranked as the 20th tallest mountain in the world. It has also been known that Mount Kinabalu is easily climbed by many people.

For those who think climbing the mountain might be a little too extreme, the surrounding of the mountain also has its attractions. There is a Kinabalu Park that has been listed under the UNESCO world heritage list. Visitors may walk on the Canopy walkway and visit one of the eight nature trails where you will be able to discover some wild orchids.

You may also be lucky enough to spot the world's largest flower, Rafflesia. The park covers over 75000 hectares of land with four different types of vegetation.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is made up of five islands outside of Kota Kinabalu. These islands are Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and also Pulau Sulug.

These islands have been later named the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, after Malaysia’s first Prime Minister. On the islands, there are cliffs, caves, honeycombs and crevices that were created from the separation of the mainland.

In order to get to these islands, you may hire a boat or buy a ticket for the charter boat at the Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal. The boats and ferries at this terminal are specifically going to the islands. This terminal is also where guests of Manukan Island Resort, Gayana Resort and Bunga Raya Resort would depart.

The most famous island among the five would be Gaya Island. Gaya Island is the biggest too. It has a beautiful tropical forest reserve. It is also commonly visited as it caters to all visitors. Visitors may hike the forest, enjoy a relaxing time snorkelling, and it also has some good diving spots.

Besides the glorious nature of Kota Kinabalu, the city also holds many interesting histories and cultures that are worth learning. The best place to learn more about the city would be Sabah State Museum and Heritage Village.

What's great about this museum is that it does not only have the museum alone, but it also has the Science and Education Center, Ethno Botanical Garden, Sabah Art Gallery, Museum of Islamic Civilization as well as the Heritage Village. To top it off, there is also a modern complex making this museum very unique.

This museum opens every day from 9 am to 5 pm. Local visitors are only charged RM 2 entry fee, while foreign visitors will be charged RM 15. However, students in uniform, disabled guests and senior citizens get to enter without any charges.

Are you as excited to travel to Kota Kinabalu as I am now? Remember, stay safe and travel safely. You can find out more about the latest safety regulations to Kota Kinabalu from us. Subscribe to our newsletter and be sure to keep up to date on our social channels. Stay safe, friends!