Introduction :
Kota Kinabalu is the capital city in the state of Sabah in Eastern Malaysia. There are many tourist attractions in and around the city and is one of the major commercial centre for Eastern Malaysia. The city houses a population of around 452,000 with an area of 351 square km.
Aerial view of the city
Hypermall in the city
Image attribution to Gossipguy @ Wiki
Music fountain at Perdana Park at night
Some attractions :
Mount Kinabalu – One of the main landmarks in Sabah and the highest point in the whole of Malaysia with an altitude of 4095 m at its peak, this mountain is a popular spot for tourists as well as hikers.
Kinabalu National Park – One of the first national parks designated in Malaysia and also a World Heritage Site, surrounding Mount Kinabalu and covers an area of 754 square km. This park is home to more than 4500 species of flora and dauna and over 300 bird and 100 mammal species.
Floating mosque – Built on the waters of Likas Bay, it is also the city mosque of Kota Kinabalu and is open to visits daily except prayers on Friday.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park – A cluster of 5 islands consisting of the Gaya island, Sapi island, Manukan island, Mamutik island and Sulug island which was formed by the melting ice over a million years ago.
Perdana Park – One of the three music fountains in Malaysia. Good place to visit at night.
St John’s peak at Mount Kinabalu
The Kinabalu horned frog in the Kinabalu National Park
Floating Mosque
Image attribution to pslim @ Flickr
History :
The city was a known also known as Jesselton during the late 19th century when the British North Borneo Company was establishing colonies around the area and it was founded on a settlement in Gaya Bay which was already inhabited by the Bajau people. The city was razed by the British themselves during WW2 after the Japanese takeover of Borneo and was renamed Api. Reconstruction of the city began in 1948 by the British and in 1968, Jesselton was renamed to Kota Kinabalu and it received city status of Sabah by the Malaysian government in year 2000.
Clear waters at the Sapi island
Floating Mosque
Image attribution to running the race @ Flickr
Getting there :
The nearest international airport to the destination is the Kota Kinabalu International Airport and only 8 km away from the city centre.