Kota Kinabalu is a provincial city in northern Borneo, the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sabah. It is also a bit of a concrete sprawl, not necessarily the first place that comes to mind when thinking of a luxury adventure destination.
Perhaps it should be.
In colonial times Jesselton, as it was then called, was best-known as a transport hub for natural rubber; later, during World War II, it was bombed by the Japanese and much of the old city was destroyed, and eventually rebuilt. Today KK, as it’s commonly called, is a jumping off point for the jungle and wildlife in Sabah’s interior, but it is also home to some of the best diving in the world.
Front and center in Kota Kinabalu is a modern marina, where I expected to see fishing boats and perhaps a family or two of expatriates who fled the office cubicle to sail around the world. Instead, the spacious berths of the Sutera Harbour Marina are jammed with luxury ocean-going craft, some of which are worth more than a string of expensive seaside homes.
The owners of the yachts moored here have a playground at their feet. The marina complex includes two luxury hotels belonging to the Sutera chain, more than a dozen restaurants, and a 27-hole golf course designed by Graham Marsh, one of the world’s leading golf course designers.
What really attracts visitors to this corner of Sabah is the water: the beaches, of course, but also some of the best diving in the world with plenty of fishes, coral and even wrecks, much of it protected by the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
All of this takes place just minutes from Kota Kinabalu: Gaya Island is only ten minutes away and Manukan is under 20, with boats running back and forth all day. Dive shops have their own boats and will easily organize transport from one of the resort islands or from the mainland.
Several of the islands have their own accommodation. I stayed at Manukan Island Resort, where romance fills the air at sunset, once the day-trippers have left for the evening and the only sound you hear is the wind rustling through palm fronds. Walk up to sunset point for an unforgettable vista over the South China Sea, and return for a peaceful dinner by the beach.
During the day, I relaxed on the resort’s private beach, small, white and quiet, just steps away from my hillside cabin.
Not just any hillside cabin, mind you, but one overlooking the beach, with two shower rooms, a sunken tub and a four-poster bed.
If you have an extra two days in Sabah and would like a break from all that beach and sunshine you could climb Mt Kinabalu, a 4000-meter sacred mountain smack in the middle of Kinabalu National Park, protected as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The climb is apparently tough but many visitors to Borneo see it as a ‘must’, especially if the weather is clear and you are treated to a glorious sunrise. Despite the clouds, I managed the sunrise, though not the climb…
If you do decide to conquer the mountain your leg muscles will take a beating after the climb and descent so what better way to unknot those muscles than to submit to a two-hour body scrub and massage, with products and techniques derived from one of Sabah’s largest indigenous tribes. Massage is a tradition among Dusun women, who would rub each other’s back after a hard day in the rice paddies. At Jari-Jari Spa in Kota Kinabalu, the textures, smells and even the decor will transport you far from the city into the wilds of Borneo, with exotic body scrubs made of chocolate or coffee or cinnamon.
A fun way to end your Sabah adventure with something different and relaxed is to ride the North Borneo railway in the morning – just don’t eat before you do, since you’ll get both breakfast and a delicious tiffin box lunch on board. It’s the oldest steam locomotive in Borneo and the train carriages have been recreated to reflect an era long gone. Nothing fancy – it’s only 50 kilometers and four hours long but will roll you through suburbs, rainforest, villages and countryside at a pleasant pace.
Kota Kinabalu may well be the gateway to lush jungle and abundant wildlife in Sabah’s heartland, but it is also a luxury adventure destination in its own right, whether you stop here for a few days before your trip to the interior or to relax for a few days afterwards. It’s a good chance to forget the outside world for a while, and we all need that sometimes.
Know Before You Go
- If you’re looking for a reliable diving shop or school, try Down Below, which provides PADI certification in 3-4 days or more advanced courses if you’re already a diver.
- Take advantage of your trip to Sabah to visit the orangutan sanctuary at Sepilok and the nearby proboscis monkey sanctuary at Labuk Bay. Both are easily accessible from Sandakan, a short half-hour flight from Kota Kinabalu.
Leyla Giray writes about travel at Women on the Road. She recently visited Malaysian Borneo as a guest of the Sabah Tourism Board and Sutera Resorts. All impressions are her own.
thefancyvoyager says
The beach looks amazing! And that looks like a really sweet hotel stay.
Leyla Giray says
And so unexpected! I don’t really know WHAT I expected but this was a bit of a surprise. The hotel was lovely and the hotel’s private beach deserted. There are several islands just like this within a half-hour boat ride of KK so even if you stay on the mainland you’ll get plenty of opportunities to dive or visit beaches like this one.
Passport and Toothbrush says
This resort looks amazing. Shame I missed it the last time I was in KK.
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
It was absolutely lovely! There are several on other islands as well so there’s a bit of choice but not a huge amount; when I was there a couple of weeks ago occupancy was almost 100% and people were being turned away. Next time then 🙂
Michela @ Rocky Travel Blog says
I went to Malaysia 20years ago and since then I always wanted to go back and visit Borneo. This post makes me really want to pack soon and go. I love the photo of the golf course and the Manukah Island Resort looks fabulous!
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
That’s exactly what happened to me! I’d been several times but the thought and image of Borneo kept lingering… I admit I was also worried about destruction of the forest and disappearance of wildlife so it was time to go. All in all it was a genuinely delightful visit.
Tamara Dean Dunn says
now I know I have to go
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Yes you do! And there’s plenty more that I didn’t write about – you’ll have to visit to see for yourself.
Tamara Dean Dunn says
now I know I have to go
Abby says
Gorgeous!! And wow. When I was there, I stayed with a friend, so I’ve never been to the hotels. Manukan looks beautiful!
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Next time! It’s a lovely experience, especially since everyone is also so friendly. The snorkeling is amazing, both on Manukan but also on neighboring islands. Apparently the diving is brilliant too – but I’m not a diver so it’s something I didn’t try. I remember on the jetty just leaning over and watching the multicolored fish in the water – I didn’t even have to get in to see all the underwater are, that’s how clear the water is.
Tracy Lim says
Hi Leyla & Anne.
Love to welcome you back here at Sutera Harbour Resort….Hope you enjoy your stay here. Best Tracy Lim.
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Thank you Tracy – I’m certain to be back because there are a lot of things I didn’t have time to see or do. Sabah is brilliant and I’d love to return!
Tracy Lim says
Hi ! If you do come back to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, do come and visit us at Sutera Harbour Resort
Andrea says
I have actually heard of this place – looks so luxurious and that sunset is amazing!
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
I didn’t really know much about Kota Kinabalu when I went, but I had often seen glorious photos of sunsets over the South China Sea – except that I thought they’d been photoshopped and that the editors had gone way overboard. That’s not the case at all – the sunset is straight from the camera, with no tweaking at all!
Freya says
I looks like a gorgeous place, I would definitely want to go there one day. Great photos, the one from the golf course is very impressive and the one from the sunset is stunning.
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Thanks Freya – we’re not responsible for the golf photo but yes for the sunset – and unretouched at that… gorgeous sunset, isn’t it! You must put Sabah on your travel list, especially if you like wildlife and nature.
Jessica J. Hill says
Gorgeous! We were just talking about getting away to an island with a golf course…and that course looks awesome!
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Jessica, the golf course is at the Sutera Harbour Resort on the mainland, where the marina is, but they own the Manukan Island Resort, where I stayed – I know, it can be a bit confusing. You can easily stay on the island and get to the mainland by boat. There’s one every half hour in daylight hours.
Christoffer Moen says
What a gorgeous place! Love the sunset shot. I haven’t heard of this little paradise in KK. Definitely bookmarking this for future trip! Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Hey Christoffer – I hadn’t heard of it either, and that’s why I was so surprised. I don’t know what I expected but this wasn’t it. That sunset was apparently not an exception either – they’re like that quite regularly.
Joachim Bauernberger says
awesome! I think I'm off on a wee trip!
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Made me laugh! Does look glorious – and it IS. I don’t usually like to return to places but I think Sabah will definitely get a second round.
Ali says
Glad you enjoyed Borneo, Leyla! I only spent a couple nights in Kota Kinabalu as a jumping off point for seeing the orangutans and proboscis monkeys, but it seemed like an interesting city. The Borneo jungle was just amazing! I especially loved the proboscis monkeys, so much fun to watch!
Leyla Giray Alyanak says
Hi Ali – wildlife was all I expected in Sabah – the luxury was a pretty welcome addition! I also went to the interior and I’ll be writing all about those visits too – and I’m totally in love with proboscis monkeys. Ugly? Absolutely. But loveable!
Trung Thai Dinh says
Good place for trekking. Kotakinabalu mount is such a legend!
Leyla Giray says
So true! And the morning sunrise is spectacular over the mountain…
Tonkin says
Thanks so much for your sharing! I always wanna discover the Sabah region, especially Sipandan Islands and hiking to the Mount KK.