KK is also the largest city in Sabah as well as the sixth largest in the country. With the Mount Kinabalu - the highest mountain in the South East Asia - in its background, Kota Kinabalu has been listed among the UNESCO Heritage Sites, due to the richness and diversity of flora and fauna found here.
Kota Kinabalu is much famed for its gorgeous attractions covering long stretches of white sandy beaches, beautiful islands, magnificent coral reefs, rain forests, and much more. Additionally, Kota Kinabalu is also the seat of administration and politics in the state of Sabah. Further, elucidated in this article are some of the top attractions in the region, which among many others, are:
Sabah Foundation Building : This is an astounding 30-storeyed building which is much famed for its architectural splendor. A unique thing regarding this structure is that it is one of the four of such structures in the world.
State Mosque: The mosque is one of the prominent places of worship for the Islam population. It is graced with beautiful domes as well as golden motifs.
The State Museum : It is a great spot for those who are interested in the history as well as ancient architecture of the country. Included in displays that are spread across several galleries within the museum are old photographs, totemic artifacts, antique Qurans, and ancient pottery collected from different parts of South East Asia. In addition, the museum is home to the Heritage Village, featuring life-sized models of various traditional houses.
Atkinson Clock Tower : This was built to commemorate Francis George Atkinson - the city's first district officer. This clock tower also holds the distinction of being the oldest monuments in the state of Sabah that survived the vigorous attacks as a result of the Second World War.
Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary : Located in the center of the city, it is home to a large species of birds including migratory species. This is a must-see tourist spot for bird lovers as well as nature lovers.
Sutera Harbour Resort: Situated at the southern end of the city, the resort area consists of an international yacht club and a state of the art golf club.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Islands Park : Just about ten minutes via boat ride from the city, this park is a great spot for those tourists seeking peace and tranquility. It consists of five serene islands, such as, Mamutik, Sapi, Gaya, Sulug, and Manukan.
Turtle Island Park : This Park is much famed for its green as well as Hawksbill turtles.
Lankayan Island : This serene island is credited to be one of the best diving spots in Asia.
Apart from these, places of interest in and around Kota Kinabalu also include Layang Island, with spectacular reef topography; Pulau Tiga Marine Park, which consists of three scenic islands; Rafflesia Centre, a research facility; Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary, which is one of the world's only four Orang Utan centers; and Sipadan Island, a sought after diving spot.
Additionally, the destination offers fabulous opportunities to indulge in a number of activities. For instance, if you are a shopping freak, then you could take advantage of the Gaya Street Fair, which take place every Sunday. During the fair, one could purchase everything from handicraft items and clothing to sumptuous food and drinks and that too at reasonable rates.
The city also has several other options for shopping in the form of huge shopping malls such as Wisma Merdeka, Karamunsing Complex, Centrepoint, KK Plaza, and Wawasan Plaza. In addition, there are also areas exclusively for shopping electronic items, such as, Asia City, Segama, and Gaya Street. Above all, worth mentioning are the superb dining options available in the region, with a large number of restaurants serving sumptuous cuisines.
With these umpteen attractions and options to enjoy a plethora of activities, Kota Kinabalu is frequented by people from across the world year-round.
Krabi is an outstanding destination, situated about 800 kilometers south of Bangkok, in Thailand. This enchanting resort is regarded as one of the most relaxing destinations on the earth. With more than 200 large as well as small islands dotted in the Andaman Sea, Krabi is much famed for its dramatic scenery and stunning landscape consisting of rich natural resources, beautiful forested areas, scintillating waterfalls, white sandy beaches, mysterious caves, swaying coconut palms, superb coral reefs, soaring limestone cliffs, magnificent coves and bays, and aqua blue color waters.
One of the country's oldest settlements, Krabi has now become one of the top sea resorts in Thailand. No matter you are an adventurer, fun-lover, honeymooners, history buffs, beach bums, water sport lovers, devotees, or eco-tourists, Krabi presents superb options to cater to every type of tourists.
Points of interest, among many others, in Krabi, are Wat Khlong Thom Museum, showcasing excavated items such as ancient bronze and stone tools; Than Bokkharani National Park, which is a great spot for picnics and swimming; Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, boasting of several beautiful spots including picturesque waterfalls and caves; Mu Koh Lanta Marine National Park, whose area is inclusive of Lanta Island, apart from several small isles; Khao Phra - Bang Kram Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to some rare species of flora and fauna; Tham Sua Kao Kaeo Ao Luk Tanu Monastery, located on the foothills of the Ao Luk Tanu Mountains; and Ao Nang, which is noted for its stupendous limestone hills.
Krabi is also especially noted for its stupendous white sandy beaches, such as, Tham Pranang Beach, which is one of the world's best scuba diving sites; Pranang Beach, which is set against the backdrop of towering limestone cliffs; Railay Beach, a beautiful area which is divided into two sections including East Hat Railay and West Hat Railay; Klong Kaon, an extremely tranquil spot; Yao Beach, also known as Long Beach; Hin Khao Beach, one of the most isolated beaches in the area; and Laem Tong, bestowed with breathtaking surroundings.
With these wealths of incredible beaches, Krabi is truly an adventure playground, and provides visitors opportunities to indulge in an array of water sporting as well as adventure activities. For instance, excellent options are available for rock climbers in Railey, which is often acknowledged as the country's rock climbing capital.
Sea kayaking is another popular activity that can be enjoyed in Krabi, with a number of hongs or caverns that are carved out of limestone cliffs. With such superb dive sites as Koh Rok Nok, the Phi Phi Islands, Bamboo Island, and Koh Dam, Krabi is really a haven for scuba diving. Further, the excellent options to take scuba diving lessons, with a continuum of dive shops offering economic scuba accreditation, mostly with PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors.) Apart from these, Krabi also provides excellent facilities for activities such as snorkeling, game fishing, swimming, sailing, parasailing, canoeing, and sea kayaking.
However, the activities that can be enjoyed in Krabi are not just confined to water sport activities. For instance, golfers can take advantage of the Pakasai Country Club, which is just about 20 miles south of Krabi. Likewise, excellent facilities are also available in Krabi to enjoy activities such as mountain biking.
In addition, the destination features a plethora of spa establishments, where you can go for a rejuvenating spa massage or a soothing herbal treatment. These establishments generally render spa treatments in elegantly appointed pavilions that overlook fantastic scenery of the place. Also, superb dining options are available in the place.
In short, Krabi has everything for a fun-filled as well as unforgettable vacation. Hence, it is not a wonder why Krabi is frequented by people from every nook and corner of the place. A range of accommodation options are made available in Krabi to suit the taste and budget of travelers.
For those seeking ultimate privacy, no other accommodation options in Krabi could outshine villas, replete with top end facilities and amenities. A villa is usually a single detached or free standing structure, and would be mostly located in beach areas. Based on the tastes and budget of tourists, a variety of villas are available such as western style villas, family villas, honeymoon villas, and beachside villas.
Nowadays, many of the villa providers in the scenario provide services in the form of packages, covering airport transfers, facilities for sightseeing, rental cars, rental equipments for enjoying different water sport activities, and services of daily maid and gardener. There are also some service providers that render special discounts when you make bookings of a particular villa or during a stipulated time period.
Wolfgang Jaegel has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Family Travel and Hybrid Cars. Hong Kong-based currently owns and manages 54 hotels under Shangri-La and Traders brands with a rooms inventory of over 27,000. Shangri-La ho. Wolfgang Jaegel's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.