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Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Adventure capital of Malaysia, gateway to iconic Mt Kinabalu and the oldest rainforests in the world
Top Things to Do in Kota Kinabalu
Go beyond the tourist checklist - into the hidden spots & heartfelt stories
01
Climb Mt Kinabalu, Malaysia's Highest Peak
Mt Kinabalu is one of our fave SEA hikes! The varied views keep things exciting, and the summit feels you're walking on the moon. Beginners can do it with training. Highly recommended!
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02
Explore UNESCO Kinabalu Geopark
If you don't fancy climbing Mt Kinabalu, you can still see the gorgeous UNESCO Kinabalu geopark on a easy day trip. You'll also get to see local villages and get to know Dusun culture.
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03
Spot Probiscus Monkeys + Fireflies at Klias River
This is a surprisingly fun one! Spot cheeky probiscus monkeys (with the long nose), crocodiles and fireflies on a cruise down Klias river. It's chill and adventurous at the same time.
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04
Historic Colonial Train Ride
For train lovers! Ride a historic colonial-era train through Sabah’s scenic countryside for great views. For more adventure, combine it with Padas white-water rafting on the same trip!
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05
Catch sunset from the water!
Kota Kinabalu has some of the best sunsets we’ve ever seen (and it’s even been voted one of the world’s best!). Catch sunset from the water—it’s fiery and stunning!
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06
White water rafting - easy to intermediate!
One of the most fun ways to explore the lush countryside around Kota Kinabalu is by river rafting! The rapids range from beginner friendly to intermediate - so anyone can enjoy them!
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07
Snokelling & Diving at TARP Marine Park
Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is popular spot for snorkelling & diving. However it's not well maintained (not much coral + trash), so if you go, try to avoid the more touristed islands
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08
Jungle survival in Ancient Rainforest
For off-grid lovers! Head into the ancient Borneo rainforest with a jungle expert, learn survival techniques, camp and enjoy dinner under the stars. You won't forget this!
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09
Deramakot: Clouded Leopard & Pygmy Elephants
Borneo’s best kept wildlife secret, Deramakot, is a few hours from Kota Kinabalu. Spend 3D2N here and spot clouded leopards, pygmy elephants, flying squirrels, and civet cats!
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10
Maliau Basin: World's Most Untouched Rainforest
Maliau Basin is the world's most untouched rainforest, 130M years old (much older than the Amazon!) and a day's drive from Kota Kinabalu. Spend 3D2N here for hiking & wildlife spotting.
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Start Planning
We handpick every guide and adventure, so you know it's worth your time.
superhost
4.9 (62)
|11 hrs
|Up to 8 guests
“Amazing Borneo hike with knowledgeable friendly guide delicious local lunch ”
superhost
4.9 (95)
|2D1N
|Up to 30 guests
“Recommend choosing the extra night at poring hot springs”
4.9 (95)
|2D1N
|Up to 33 guests
“Lina made our seamless Asia trip a dream come true ”
4.9 (95)
|2D1N
|Up to 30 guests
“genuinely cares and personally invested in making sure everything is smooth”
4.9 (24)
|9 hrs
|Up to 4 guests
“Jean was a fantastic tour guide ”
Private trip
4.9 (62)
|2D1N
|Up to 20 guests
“Everything was a 1010 from booking to transport”
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superhost
4.9 (62)
|11 hrs
|Up to 8 guests
“Amazing Borneo hike with knowledgeable friendly guide delicious local lunch ”
superhost
4.9 (95)
|2D1N
|Up to 30 guests
“Recommend choosing the extra night at poring hot springs”
4.9 (95)
|2D1N
|Up to 33 guests
“Lina made our seamless Asia trip a dream come true ”
4.9 (95)
|2D1N
|Up to 30 guests
“genuinely cares and personally invested in making sure everything is smooth”
4.9 (95)
|2D1N
|Up to 33 guests
“Unforgettable climb topnotch support breathtaking views ”
4.9 (24)
|9 hrs
|Up to 4 guests
“Jean was a fantastic tour guide ”
Private trip
4.9 (62)
|2D1N
|Up to 20 guests
“Everything was a 1010 from booking to transport”
4.9 (62)
|2D1N
|Up to 20 guests
“My guide Effrey was a legend”
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All Kota Kinabalu Adventures
Itinerary Ideas
Use these as starting points, then sprinkle in your own travel magic.
What other guests say
4.8
|
571 reviews
Well organised
Driver is friendly
Lydia Quek
Crossing by mini bus the island is very interesting, all the stops worth It. The lunch at the plantation is a must. The change from the Forest to the palm plantation is very clear when you arrive by car.
Very interesting way to cross the island
Klias River Cruise.
Collected on time from my accommodation and driven in a mini bus to the river. Tea/coffee and 3 sweet snacks, which were very tasty, on arrival. During the 1st river cruise, we saw 3 types of monkey - Dusky Langur, Long Tailed Macaques and lots of Probisis. Back to base for a buffet dinner, which I enjoyed and then out again for the Firefly cruise. So many seen twinkling in the trees; they were very beautiful. Minibus transfer back to my accommodation.
Driver was very friendly throughout. Highly recommend the cruise.
Tracey P
Nous avons fait le 2D1N survival camp. C’était super et nos guides ont une vraie connaissance de la jungle locale. Nous avons fait plusieurs ateliers pour apprendre quelques bases de la survie. Très intéressant !
Cependant je m’attendais à quelque chose d’un peu plus « rustique », plus rude et plus physique. Nous avions quand même un certain confort avec les repas à chaque fois entièrement préparés par les guides et en quantité plus que suffisante.
C’est un bon stage pour une première expérience.
Un grand merci au passage à nos guides pour leur gentillesse et leur apprentissage.
Yuki
Well organised and pleasant excursion. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the area and helpful. I can only recommend.
Joseph
It was a very nice experience. I highly recommend it. We saw the monkeys in a green jungle environment and the fireflies even if we had rain at the time. The staff very friendly and the food decent.the driver consistent.
DESPOINA MYRIDAKI
I booked a 3 day 2 night trip for 4 people on Mt Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Seek Sophie were perfect. Their friendly driver met us at the airport, unbothered by the flight delay. I was expecting to be consolidated with other people arriving but we had the minibus and driver all to ourselves, also on return trip to town. This meant we could stop off on request for snacks.
All handovers to other parties - hotel, mountain lodge, mountain guide, Via Ferrata, were flawless.
The first night hotel, Pine Resort, was a great way of settling in before the 6 hr hike to the mountain refuge. Recommend stay here rather than start super early from Kota Kinabalu which is 2 hr 15 mins away. Extra hours sleep are what you need.
We booked the extra Via Ferrata activity near the summit. In the end, only 2 out of 4 of us did it. The lazy ones decided the extra 2 hrs rest meant more to us, and went back to rest in Pendant Hut refuge. The energetic ones hung off iron ropes and loved it.
Richard Selby
Excellent organisation and very intersting explanations all around the tour, inclu donc the botanique garden
Our guide Jennifer was perfect!
Famille Boiarsky
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![Your Cheat Sheet to Planning a Mount Kinabalu Climb [2025]](https://d18sx48tl6nre5.cloudfront.net/webp_md_27b2d18c840570c1e30f8882b8bd1437.webp)
