Top 20 fun things to enjoy in Kota Kinabalu! (7. View Kota Kinabalu from the Signal Hill Observatory Tower)
Top 20 things to do in Kota Kinabalu! (7. View KK from the Signal Hill Observatory Tower)
BACKGROUND: SIGNAL HILL OBSERVATORY TOWER
Today we’re at Signal Hill Observatory Tower that’s the highest point in Kota Kinabalu and part of the range of steep, although not very high hills that forms the backdrop to the city. Accordingly, KK’s geography dictates that the city area has been developed at sea level on a strip of land around 500 metres wide located between the seafront and the hills lying behind the town.
GETTING TO SIGNAL HILL OBSERVATORY TOWER
These hills include Signal Hill and there are two ways to access Signal Hill and the Observatory Tower: the first is from a road (Jalan Bukit Bendera) that leads up to the tower just behind Jalan Gaya in the heart of old-town Kota Kinabalu. The road contains a couple of hair-pins and although relatively short is not suitable for tour coaches or cyclists without a reasonable level of fitness! The second way, and indeed our recommendation is to walk up from the town via the Signal Hill Trail. It’s in good repair but inevitably slippery when wet so wear some shoes with plenty of tread. There are 267 steps to negotiate but the pathway is always in shade thanks to the trees which make it feel like a mini rain-forest.
The first of the 267 steps up Signal Hill Trail (Don’t worry, there are cold drinks and ice-creams on sale at the top!)
SIGNAL HILL OBSERVATORY TOWER - VIEW OF KK
The Observatory Tower is free of charge to enter and you’ll get a good orientating view of ‘KK’ including some of the low-rise and of course more recent high-rise that’s been built. There’s a very reasonably priced café here open daily 0900-2300 so why not relax with a cup of coffee or an ice-cream after the exertions of your walk up the trail?
Despite our best efforts we’ve not been able to establish precisely when the Tower was built but we believe it dates back to 1970s / early 1980s.
Top Tip for Visitors:
Visit the Observatory Tower late afternoon to enjoy (fingers crossed!) one of KK’s spectacular sunsets!
About Martin
Martin is a British expat living in Kota Kinabalu who arranges tailored *tours within Sabah primarily for British and Western tourists on behalf of Blue Kinabalu Travel Agency. Please help spread the word about beautiful Sabah and share this post using the social share buttons below.
