Places to meet in Kota Kinabalu
61 places to meet in Kota Kinabalu: cafés, restaurants, parks and more. Plan a meet-up on NearMeetup.
Food & drink
- El Centro · Restaurant · Pusat BandarA restaurant on Lorong Dewan in the old town centre.
- Floating Seafood Market Restaurant · Restaurant · MinintodA seafood restaurant on the water at Kampung Nelayan with evening cultural performances.
- Fook Yuen Cafe & Bakery · Cafe · Gaya StreetA long-standing kopitiam-style cafe on Gaya Street known for kaya toast and dim sum.
- Haru Cafe (Hilltop) · Cafe · Taman Far EastA Japanese-inspired cafe in Taman Far East serving matcha drinks and Japanese desserts.
- Little Italy · Restaurant · Pusat BandarA family-run Italian restaurant in Hotel Capital serving homemade pasta and pizza; the menu is alcohol-free and halal-friendly.
- Little Sulap · Restaurant · Pusat BandarA restaurant at the foot of the Signal Hill trail on Lorong Dewan.
- Nana Dessert Cafe · Dessert shop · Jesselton QuayA dessert cafe at Jesselton Quay known for Swiss rolls and bingsu, also serving coffee drinks and savoury dishes.
- Nook Cafe · Cafe · Pusat BandarA café on the Lorong Dewan lane in the city centre.
- Ocean Seafood Village · Restaurant · Kota KinabaluA seafood restaurant near the waterfront where diners pick live seafood from tanks.
- October Coffee House · Cafe · Pusat BandarA café on Lorong Dewan in central Kota Kinabalu serving coffee, brunch and pastries.
Outdoor
- Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park · Park · Sabah
- Atkinson Clock Tower · Scenic spot · Pusat BandarA wooden clock tower built in 1905 on a hill above the city centre, now linked to Signal Hill by an elevated walkway.
- Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre · Park · LikasA mangrove wetland reserve in the city with a boardwalk for walks and bird watching.
- Likas Bay Public Park · Park · LikasA seafront park in Likas with paved walkways, fitness stations and a playground, used for jogging and evening walks.
- Manukan Island · Beach · Tunku Abdul Rahman ParkThe second-largest island of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, reached by speedboat from Jesselton Point, with beaches and snorkelling.
- Padang Merdeka · Public square · Pusat BandarA large open field in the city centre where the formation of Malaysia was declared in 1963, now a state heritage site.
- Perdana Park · Park · Tanjung AruA lakeside park in Tanjung Aru with a jogging track and playground, reopened in July 2026 after a closure of nearly two years.
- Signal Hill Observatory Tower · Scenic spot · Kota KinabaluA hilltop viewing tower overlooking the city centre and the sea.
- Tanjung Aru Beach · Beach · Tanjung AruA public beach and park in Tanjung Aru facing the South China Sea, known as a place to watch the sunset.
- Tun Fuad Stephens Botanical Garden · Park · Bukit PadangA former park at Bukit Padang redeveloped as a botanical garden around a lake and jogging track, reopened in October 2025.
Shopping
- Centre Point Sabah · Mall · Pusat BandarA shopping centre in the city centre that opened in 1990, with shops, dining and a cinema.
- City Mall · Mall · LuyangA shopping mall in the Luyang area with shops, dining outlets and the City Cineplex cinema.
- Filipino Market (Handicraft Market) · Market · WaterfrontA waterfront market of handicraft, souvenir and street-food stalls open in the evenings.
- Imago Shopping Mall · Mall · Kota KinabaluA large shopping mall with a multiplex cinema on the Kota Kinabalu coast road.
- Kota Kinabalu Waterfront · Walking street · Pusat BandarA seafront esplanade lined with restaurants and bars, used for evening walks and sunset watching.
- Oceanus Waterfront Mall · Mall · Kota KinabaluA waterfront shopping mall in downtown Kota Kinabalu.
Culture
- Sabah Museum · Museum · Kota Kinabalu
- Monsopiad Cultural Village · Museum · PenampangAn open-air heritage village in Penampang with traditional buildings and the House of Skulls, built around the warrior Monsopiad.
- Sabah State Library · Library · LuyangThe headquarters of the Sabah State Library, a public library with membership services and internet access.
Nightlife
- Biru Biru Cafe & Bar · Bar · Pusat BandarA café and bar on Lorong Dewan that stays open until midnight.
- On22 Sky Bar (Le Meridien) · Lounge · Pusat BandarA rooftop bar on top of the Le Meridien hotel with waterfront views and sunsets over the offshore islands.
- ON23 Sky Bar (Hyatt Centric) · Lounge · Pusat BandarA rooftop bar at Hyatt Centric, reached by a spiral staircase, serving cocktails and small plates with hill and sunset views.
- Shamrock Irish Bar · Pub · WaterfrontA long-running Irish pub on the Kota Kinabalu waterfront.
- Sky Blu Bar (Grandis Hotel) · Bar · Kota KinabaluA rooftop pool bar at the Grandis Hotel.
- Sunset Bar (Shangri-La Tanjung Aru) · Lounge · Tanjung AruA seafront bar at Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru resort serving cocktails and drinks around sunset.
Sports
- Likas Stadium · Football pitch · Kota Kinabalu
- Olympia Badminton Centre · Badminton court · InanamA badminton hall in Inanam with both parquet and rubber courts and food available on site.
- Pickle Island KK · Pickleball court · LikasA pickleball venue in Likas that runs organised play sessions and social events.
Entertainment
- City Cineplex · Cinema · LuyangA cinema inside City Mall that also hosts local film festival screenings.
- Golden Screen Cinemas Suria Sabah · Cinema · Kota KinabaluAn eight-hall cinema on the top floor of Suria Sabah mall.
- GSC 1Borneo · Cinema · SulamanA Golden Screen Cinemas multiplex on the second floor of 1Borneo Hypermall.
Work & study
- Regus Suria Sabah · Coworking space · Pusat BandarA serviced-office and coworking centre on the eighth floor of Suria Sabah, with day passes and meeting rooms.
Other
- Sabah Indoor Climbing Centre · Other · LikasAn indoor climbing wall and bouldering section inside the Likas Sports Complex.