Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah, Borneo. This place is gaining increasing popularity as being the perfect resort destination especially due to the island city’s proximity to beautiful locations such as the luscious, green rainforests, the pretty tropical islands and the spectacularly heighted mountains.
Kota Kinabalu is situated on the west coast of Sabah and is the largest city in the state. The location serves as the main gateway into the island of Borneio. This island city overlooks the grand South China sea which is essentially bordered by hills and the very famous Crocker Range. The urban, bustling life of Kita Kinabalu can be discovered in the northern and southern region of the city.
The city is developing at an extremely fast pace too. The place now consists of 500,000 inhabitants and has experienced a surge of economic growth being the sole result of its instant development.
Kota Kinabalu which was previously recognized by the name, Jesselton was initially under the British colonial rule between the years, 1880 and 1963. It was only after the British left that Sabah along with Kota Kinabalu became a part of Malaysia.
Although most of the town was destroyed during the bombings of the second world war, the city developed greatly. These ruins still remain as a form of memory of what took place back then.
As far as the tourism experience is concerned, the place is quite friendly. For the convenience of the tourists, there are endless resorts, restaurants and hotels designed to suit the varied needs to the people staying. Transportation wise, the city is well connected and therefore, you can definitely experience a smooth stay and touring around.
Beautifully impressive and romantic but the island is actually a sand bank island and is one of the most enchanting islands in Sabah Borneo. What makes this beach special is that the resort is a stand-alone unit with no one else around it. Usually when the tide is down, the sand bank becomes a spectacular beach, otherwise, they have an elevated man-made beach deck with special white sand where you can chill.
Highlights: This private island is well known as the romantic paradise for special honeymooners and exclusive private weddings.
How to Get There: The unique Kapalai Island stands above a huge sand bank which is about 1 hour by boat from Semporna in east coast Sabah. It is also a 10 minute boat ride from the well-known Mabul Island.
Pulau Mantanani is a cluster of three isolated tiny islands to the northwest of Kota Belud. It was so isolated in fact that not until recently, only a few locals knew the existence of the islands. One of the main reasons that Mantanani Islands is popular among tourists is because of its picturesque scenery, cool breezes and serene environment. But most popular attraction of Pulau Mantanani are the dugongs. The Mantanani Islands seem to provide the ideal habitats for dugongs with sea grass beds and shallow sandy areas within the encircling fringing reef of the islands.
Highlights: These islands present popular diving and snorkeling destinations because of their crystal clear waters and colourful coral reefs.
How to Get There: The islands are accessible by a one-hour speedboat journey from Kuala Abai jetty, Kota Belud, 80 km north-east of Kota Kinabalu.
If you are done visiting the islands and beaches and are looking for some scenic beauty in the Kota Kinabalu, Kokol Hill is a place you must go. It is a place, which can give you a perfect view of Mount Kinabalu and you can also enjoy a serene and elegant sunset with your someone special. The place is a must visit, especially if you are looking some quiet time, away from the hustle and bustle of the city amidst hills and close to the nature. You can even spend some great nights over the Kokol Hill as there are various home stays and resorts allowing you to enjoy the weather and scenic beauty of the place.