Sabah Travel Guide: Places to Visit, Kinabalu and Islands

Sabah occupies the northern tip of Borneo and offers a very different Malaysia from the peninsula: rainforest, mountain, reef and some of the best wildlife viewing in Asia, all within one state. This Sabah travel guide covers the main regions, how to split your time and when the weather works in your favour.

Why visit: the Sabah travel guide essentials

Few places let you climb a 4,095-metre mountain, watch orangutans in the forest and snorkel a coral reef in the same week. Sabah does, and the tourism infrastructure is good enough to do it independently or with local operators. Wildlife is the headline: orangutans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants and hornbills along the rivers of the east, and turtles and reef sharks offshore.

Distances are bigger than they look on a map, so most trips focus on two or three bases rather than trying to see everything.

Regions of Sabah

Kota Kinabalu and the west coast

The capital, Kota Kinabalu (KK), is a relaxed waterfront city and the usual arrival point. Boats leave the Jesselton Point ferry terminal for the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, a short ride offshore. On Sunday mornings Gaya Street Sunday Market fills the old town, and Mari Mari Cultural Village introduces the traditions of Sabah’s indigenous communities.

Kinabalu Park and the highlands

Around two hours’ drive east of KK, Kinabalu Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the base for climbing Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s highest peak. The climb is normally done over two days with a night at Laban Rata, and daily climbing permits are limited, so book well ahead. Nearby Kundasang has cool air, dairy farms and clear views of the summit on good mornings.

Sandakan and the Kinabatangan

On the east coast, Sandakan is the gateway to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the neighbouring sun bear centre. A few hours away by road, the lower Kinabatangan River is lined with lodges running dawn and dusk boat trips, the best chance in Malaysia to see proboscis monkeys and, with luck, pygmy elephants.

Semporna and the islands

In the southeast, Semporna is the jumping-off point for island hopping and diving, including Sipadan Island, one of the world’s best-known dive sites. Sipadan permits are issued in limited numbers each day, so most divers book through a resort or operator that holds an allocation.

Off the southwest coast, the federal territory of Labuan is a duty-free island known for wreck diving.

Food in Sabah

Sabah’s cooking mixes Kadazandusun, Chinese and Malay influences. Try hinava, raw fish cured in lime juice with chilli and ginger; Tuaran mee, egg noodles fried until springy; and ngiu chap, the beef noodle soup KK locals eat for breakfast. Seafood is excellent and good value, and the night market on the KK waterfront grills fish, squid and prawns to order.

When to go

Sabah is warm all year, but the northeast monsoon from roughly November to March brings the heaviest rain, especially on the north and east coasts. March to September is generally the best window, with calmer seas for island trips and diving. Rain is still possible in any month, and the west coast around KK can see heavy showers mid-year too.

The harvest festival, Kaamatan, peaks at the end of May with celebrations across the state, a good time to see traditional music, dance and dress.

How long to spend

A week is enough for one loop: KK and the islands, Kinabalu Park, then Sandakan and the Kinabatangan. Add three or four days for Semporna and diving. Our 7-day Sabah itinerary sets out a realistic route, and the two-week Malaysia itinerary shows how to combine Borneo with the peninsula. For festivals and local customs, read our Borneo culture guide, and check the Sabah Tourism Board for event dates.