Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu , formerly Jesselton , is the capital of Sabah , east Malaysia , on the island of Borneo ; it is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. It is located at latitude 5.98333° and longitude 116.06667°. As of the 2000 census , its population was 354,153, with an estimated metropolitan population of 900,000. Facing the South China Sea and Tunku Abdul Rahman Park on one side, and with the mighty Mount Kinabalu in the background, Kota Kinabalu sprawls for kilometers along the coast and inland.

The City of Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah. Located on the west coast of “the Land Below the Wind”, under the watchful eye of majestic Mount Kinabalu, and on the fringes of the South China Sea, Kota Kinabalu is the bustling and colourful gateway to Sabah. Here you find the international airport, world class hotels, innumerable restaurants and café shops, shopping malls and business districts. We call our fast developing and modern city with some 350,000 inhabitants simply and affectionately KK!

The state capital of Sabah is Kota Kinabalu. It is a relatively new town as most of its original buildings were destroyed during World War II. Only the north-eastern corner of the town remained and is known as 'Old KK' among the locals today. The post-war reconstruction has resulted in Kota Kinabalu becoming a hodgepodge of new and old buildings. Previously known as Jesselton, Kota Kinabalu is a sprawling, relaxed township of more than 13,000 inhabitants. There is an interesting blend of European, Malay and Chinese shop houses, traditional market places set amongst several high-rise buildings and new shopping areas.

The town is also referred to as 'Singgah Mata' (where the eye lingers) and its still as appealing as it was to the mariners of old. Kota Kinabalu has some beautiful views of perpetual blue skies, a coral-studded sea with lovely sunsets and misty mountains in the distance.