I started early morning on my last day in order to visit two famous mosque at Kota Kinabalu before going for an island hopping tour. I started with Sabah state mosque which was around 20 minutes walking distance from my accommodation and after visiting the place I took a cab to Kota Kinabalu city mosque.
Sabah state Mosque –Sabah state mosque is the main mosque in the city of Kota Kinabalu. The mosque was situated near the sembulan area. The architecture of the mosque was different from that of city mosque. Blue and gold color were extensively used in the mosque.
Kota Kinabalu City mosque- The city mosque is the second main mosque in the Kota Kinabalu area. The architecture of the mosque is inspired from the Nawabi mosque in mecca Saudi Arabia. The lake around the mosque magnifies the beauty of the mosque. The mosque looked beautiful from every angle. The mosque is situated near the Kota Kinabalu ferry pier just besides the main road.
Kota Kinabalu Island Hopping – Kota Kinabalu is surrounded by lots of small islands which offers clear water beaches, great diving spot, coral reef and water sports. The islands are part of Tunku Abdul Rahman national park and it is only 15 minutes speed boat ride from the Kota Kinabalu Jesselton point ferry pier.
Manukan island – Our first stop was Manukan island. The island was most developed and crowded compared to other islands. The beach at the island was stunning. The water was crystal clear and we could easily see the fish inside the water. Around the island you can do hiking, scuba diving and snorkeling. There was also lots of restaurant on the island which offered delicious food.
Sapi island – Sapi island was the smallest island in the island hopping tour but it was my favourite. The island was the best island for adventure seeker. The island offers zipline between Sapi Island and Gaya island. The total distance of the Zip-line was 235m at a height of 50m. Coral flyer was must try for people visiting Sapi island. The Zip-line is amazing because almost 90% of the Zip-line is over water and you travel between two different islands.
Gaya Island– Gaya island was far bigger than that of Sapi island. The island was famous for diving. There was a professional training and diving center at the island. You can also go for Snorkeling in order to catch great views of coral life in the island. We spent around 2 hours in the island and had our lunch on the island.
Mamutik Island – Our last stop was Mamutik island and it was another beautiful island in the tour. It started raining heavily when we reached the island. Most of the outdoor activity was cancelled. We had to wait there for 1 hour longer in order to wait for the sea to calm down. Just after sunset we started our journey back to the Kota Kinabalu city it was only 15 minutes ride but it was very bumpy ride because of the bad weather.
Overall it was a great 3 day trip to Kota Kinabalu. I experienced tropical rainforest, great sea beaches and a beautiful river. The place was not that touristy compared to other parts of Malaysia. The best way to book the tour is from your hotels. People interested in climbing Kota Kinabalu mountain should book the tour in advance because there are limited slots and it takes 2 full days to climb the mountain. Sabah was a great destination for family vacation and nature lovers.
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