Jungle Trek to Signal Hill Observatory Tower

Signal Hill Observatory Tower is one of my favourite spot in Kota Kinabalu City Centre. Recently, I discovered another route to reach the observatory. Previously, I had to make my way up using the main road from adjacent Atkinson Clock Tower.

At the very end of Jalan Dewan (a.k.a Australian Place), there is a rather conspicuous signboard which indicates the trail to the observatory via the jungle.

The trail is about 250m by negotiating the wooden stairs. It is a pleasant walk with the surrounding lush greenery and serenity. I notice a few CCTVs around the trail but I wonder whether it is working or not.

 

The sight of this structure means I had arrived at the observatory. There is now a proper walking path leading here compare to my last visit here.

 

 

 

 

This spot offers a panoramic sight of the city. Unfortunately, the sight of the many developments with the tower cranes which stick up like a sore thumb really spoil the view.

Kota Kinabalu Swordfish Statue

There is a swordfish statue which form a small roundabout at Jalan Tun Fuad Stephen, just next to Hyatt Regency Kinabalu. It has since been an iconic landmark of sort for Kota Kinabalu.

 

This statue was built to commemorate Kota Kinabalu which was given a city status on 2nd February 2000.

 

 

 

Adjacent to the swordfish statue is an esplanade that incorporates dolphin and fish statues. This is one of the best place for photo shooting in the city while enjoying the sea breeze.  

Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal 1

Kota Kinabalu International airport is the main gateway to Sabah and is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur. The terminal 1 mainly served the full service carriers.

 

 

Opened in 2007, its design and layout resembled those new airports which can be found in Sarawak. There is no doubt this should be the biggest airport in Borneo.

The other I like about the airport is its position at the seaside which offers a pleasant view of the South China Sea and the surrounding islands while arriving or departing in an aircraft.

 

 

The airport offers a decent shopping and dining experience.

 

Taxi counters, bank services and currency exchange kiosks can be found outside the arrival hall. The journey to explore Kota Kinabalu and Sabah begins right here.

Kota Kinabalu Salted Fish Market

Salted fish market is another interesting market in Kota Kinabalu. It is just located next to the Handicraft Market.

The market specialized in dry and salted fishes. Almost every traders here seem to sell the same product. There are hardly any price tags so one need some bargaining skill to get the best deal from the traders.

Amplang cracker (fish cracker ball) and kuih cincin are the must buy local snack here. Amplang cracker is especially famous in Tawau. Made of Spanish mackerel mixed with tapioca flour and selected spices to bring out a distinctive delicious taste. The cracker is formed round and is simply crispy.

A pack of these snacks are sold around RM 5-7 where tourists might be overcharged by the traders here.

Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market

The Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market was once known as Filipino Market as most of the stalls there are run by Filipino immigrant.

The market is not hard to find. It is basically adjacent to the Central Market on Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens.

This is a good place to shop for Filipino and local handicrafts which are sold in cramped stalls.

They said this is the place to be for cultured pearls to fake gemstones. Its just perfect to hunt souvenirs here than any tourist shops/spots in Kota Kinabalu

Just outside the market is some interesting sight where Filipino tailors can be seen with the ancient sewing machine. They offer cheap stitching services such as patching clothes or jeans.

Manukan Island

Since I had limited time to visit all the islands in The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (which consist Sulug, Mamutik, Manukan, Sapi and Gaya Islands), I decided to venture into Manukan Island since it is one of the most developed islands.

Tickets can be purchased from the various boat operators at Jesselton Point. A return ticket will cost a total of RM24.20 (including port tax). The ticket price may varied from each operators but the price difference is minimal.

The journey to the island from Jesselton Point roughly takes about 10 minutes.

The boat ride gives a nice view of the Kota Kinabalu city from the sea.

Manukan Island is easily recognized with its 1km stretch of white sandy beach and pine tree lined shores.

Visitor have to fork out RM3 imposed by the Sabah Parks as the conversation fee before entering the island.

Snorkeling is the best way to see all those colourful fishes close up. Some visitors told me that they got bitten by the fishes as the fishes might had mistaken them as "food". The snorkeling equipment rental service is available in the island.

Some of the bomb shells remnant from the world war is displayed on the island.

It such a beautiful beach and a perfect place to capture some fascinating shots. It offers me the perfect place to enjoy the surrounding while I sip my beer.

I reckon it will be sufficient to spend 2-3 hours here to enjoy the pristine beach. The island can quite crowded during holiday season but this just make it interesting for people watching.

For those interested in hiking, there is a 1.5km jungle trek paved walking path which starts from the base of the jetty to the opposite end of the island.

The island is definitely worth a visit although the shallow water corals have been destroyed by stampeding holiday makers.