Stand on the promenade at Likas Bay in the late afternoon and the city arranges itself for you: joggers and cyclists on a path that runs for kilometres along the water, anchored ships off Sepanggar Port in the distance, and grassed areas with palms and fitness stations behind the sand. Kota Kinabalu is a working capital and a gateway to Sabah, and much of what is worth your time sits close to the waterfront or a short ride inland.
This guide suits travellers with a day or two in the city before or after heading further into Borneo, and anyone who prefers walking, markets and memorials to packaged tours. It covers the central sights, the southern districts and Likas, using only places named in the source material.
Top things to do in Kota Kinabalu
1. Chinatown (Gaya Street)
The city centre area around Gaya Street and Pantai (Beach) Street holds Chinese shops and restaurants, and together with the area around Australia Place near the city police station it has the highest concentration of budget hostels in Kota Kinabalu. Locals generally call it Gaya Street rather than Chinatown, since the name became common only after the arch gate was erected.
Time your visit around the markets. The Sunday market starts early and runs from 6:30AM to 1PM, and arriving late means missing it. There is also a night market every Friday and Saturday from 6PM to 2AM.
2. Atkinson Tower
This clock tower on a hill beside Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, a few minutes from the city centre, was built in 1902 in memory of Francis George Atkinson, the first district officer of Jesselton, who died of a tropical disease the same year at the age of 28. It is one of only two structures to survive the World War II destruction of Jesselton.
The other survivor is the Post Office building, now the Sabah Tourism Board building on Jalan Balai Polis, so you can pair the two in one walk. Do not confuse it with the general Post Office building on Jalan Tun Razak in the Segama district.
3. Sabah State Museum
On Jalan Kebajikan, the museum has three storeys of exhibits and is a good place to understand the history of Kota Kinabalu and Sabah. The complex also features the Science and Technology Museum, Sabah Art Gallery, a railway gallery and a heritage village, and the art gallery has a well-stocked book shop covering everything about Sabah.
It is open 9AM–5PM and entry is RM15. The main museum building is closed as of January 2025 with no opening date announced, so check before you build a day around it.
4. Islamic Civilization Museum
On Jalan Menteri, behind Sacred Heart Cathedral and near the State Museum, this museum covers the history of Islamic civilization in Sabah. Entry is on the same ticket as for Sabah State Museum.
Because it shares a ticket and sits close to the State Museum, it works best as part of the same visit rather than a separate trip.
5. Tanjung Aru Beach (Pertama Pantai)
About a 20-minute drive from the city centre, this is the most popular public beach in the city. On weekdays it is usually quiet during the daytime, while at the weekend locals come for picnics, barbecues, meetings, watching the sunset and playing sports, tug of war, hand ball, kite flying and bathing.
The public beach starts just behind the Tanjung Aru resort hotel and extends in a long shallow curve to Terminal 2 of the KKIA. The curve means this part fills quickly when the tide returns, so you can be cut off; the waters are shallow but can be 5 ft (1.5 m) deep. Behind the beach is a grass area with palms and BBQ stations, and further along is Prince Philip park, a grass area with a few pop-up food and drinks stalls at the entrance.
6. Perdana Park
An 18-acre park in Tanjung Aru on Jalan Mat Salleh, with a light and musical water fountain, greenery, a children's playground and jogging tracks. It was built on land formerly known as Hone Place, where British government quarters stood.
Entry is free and the water and light fountain display runs each evening, starting at 7PM. There are small food and drink outlets and a running and walking track, but the car park is small and there is a small fee to park.
7. Likas Bay promenade
A promenade of several kilometres along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, used mostly by joggers and cyclists, running along almost all of Likas Bay. It starts about 1 km north of Jesselton point and runs to the large Malaysia Sabah University building at the northern end of the bay, with plenty of food courts and several beaches along the way.
One of those is Likas Bay beach, smaller and perhaps a little less pretty than Tanjung Aru's, where you can see the beach surrounded by the city with anchored ships off Sepanggar Port. The path has been extended back into the city as far as the Imago Mall and continues past it to Jalan Mat Salleh, though in parts of the city waterfront it is not obvious where the path is; once out beyond Jesselton Point it is easy to use. In May the beach and bay host the annual Dragon Boat races, and it can be busy.
8. City Park
A small park and the only park in the city centre, opposite the court complex. It contains the British North Borneo Memorial, built in 1923, which commemorates the soldiers who fought and died defending the British Empire during World War I.
It is a short stop rather than a destination in itself, so fold it into a walk through the central part of the city.
9. Sabah State Mosque
On Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman in Sembulan, this is the second largest mosque in Sabah and can hold up to 5,000 worshippers. It was designed by an Italian architect, and its dome and minaret are decorated with real gold.
It sits in the same Sembulan area as several other sights, so it is easy to combine with the surrounding district.
10. Sacred Heart Cathedral
A Roman Catholic church on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu and is one of the largest cathedrals in Sabah.
The Islamic Civilization Museum is behind the cathedral, so the two can be seen in the same stop.
11. Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple
On Jalan Mat Salleh near Sembulan, this is the only Sikh Gurdwara in Kota Kinabalu.
To enter you will need to cover your head, either with a hat or with a headscarf from one of the volunteers at the temple.
12. Double Six Monument
A memorial site at Grace Point, Sembulan, on the location of the 1976 plane crash which killed the state chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens and other state cabinet members.
There is a new food court on site called Grace Point Food Court, offering local Sabah, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, Korean, Thai and other cuisine, which makes this an easy stop around a meal.
13. Petagas War Memorial
At No.1, Jalan Bandaran, about 15 minutes outside the city centre off Jalan Kepayan, this memorial is dedicated to the 176 members of the Kinabalu Guerrillas who attacked the Japanese occupying forces during World War II in what was known as the "Double Tenth Revolt" (10/10/1943), and who were subsequently detained and executed in Petagas.
It is a small memorial and is easily viewed in 30 minutes. A taxi there and back with a 30-minute wait is RM80, less with Uber or Grab.
14. Sembulan Riverfront
A tiny pedestrian strip running along the river around the confluence of the Sembulan and Karamunsing Rivers behind Sadong Jaya.
It is partly abandoned and thus doubtfully a high destination, so treat it as a brief look if you are already in the Sembulan area rather than a reason to travel.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Chinatown (Gaya Street) in the city centre, where the shops and restaurants are concentrated and the Sunday market runs from 6:30AM to 1PM if your visit falls on a Sunday. From there, walk to Atkinson Tower on its hill beside Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, then continue to City Park opposite the court complex to see the British North Borneo Memorial.
Afternoon: Head south to the Sabah State Museum on Jalan Kebajikan, open 9AM–5PM, and use the same ticket for the Islamic Civilization Museum on Jalan Menteri behind Sacred Heart Cathedral. If time allows, add the Sacred Heart Cathedral and the Sabah State Mosque, both on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman in Sembulan.
Evening: Continue to Tanjung Aru for Tanjung Aru Beach (Pertama Pantai), watching the tide so you are not cut off as it returns, then move to Perdana Park on Jalan Mat Salleh for the light and musical water fountain display, which starts at 7PM. If you would rather eat first, the Grace Point Food Court at the Double Six Monument in Sembulan is on the way.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Gaya Street's markets?
The Sunday market starts early and runs from 6:30AM to 1PM, and arriving late means you will miss it. There is also a night market every Friday and Saturday from 6PM to 2AM.
Is the Sabah State Museum open?
The main museum building is closed as of January 2025 with no opening date announced. The complex also features the Science and Technology Museum, Sabah Art Gallery, railway gallery and a heritage village, and entry is RM15.
What should I know before swimming at Tanjung Aru Beach?
The public beach starts just behind the Tanjung Aru resort hotel and extends in a long shallow curve to Terminal 2 of the KKIA. The curve means this part fills quickly when the tide returns, which means you can be cut off, and the waters are shallow but can be 5 ft (1.5 m) deep.
How do I get to the Petagas War Memorial?
It is at No.1, Jalan Bandaran, about 15 minutes outside the city centre off Jalan Kepayan. A taxi there and back with a 30-minute wait is RM80, less with Uber or Grab, and the small memorial is easily viewed in 30 minutes.
Decide which of these fits your first morning in the city, check the current status of the Sabah State Museum, and start mapping your route along the waterfront and the southern districts.