For a bird’s eye view of Kota Kinabalu

The majestic Mount Kinabalu beckons invitingly on the horizon.

Walk on the wild side - Phoenix Trails

I HAVE been to Kota Kinabalu many times while on transit to Sipadan or Mount Kinabalu and I usually spend less than a day in the city.

However, I recently had to stop over in the city for more than a day because of work.

Eager to fit in a run or hike during my stay, I tried Googling for hiking spots in the vicinity.

Luckily, the hotel I booked was close to the city centre and right next to a forested hill.

I asked the hotel’s general manager Krishnan Mogan about the possibility of a hike and he quickly arranged for housekeeping manager Alex Siau to be my guide.

A walkway along the Signal Hill Forest Trail.

It was a gloomy 7.30am when we headed north towards Padang Merdeka, which was already a hive of activity with a Tai Chi exercise group in attendance.

Spotting concrete steps leading into the forest, we started walking up the well-trodden staircase that was fairly wide and clear with hand-rails on one side at the steeper sections.

We gained elevation quickly and after a five-minute climb, we emerged at the top of the road on the other side of the hill.

A short distance down the road, the view of the valley below opened up and stretched to the east.

When the clouds parted, I recognised Mount Kinabalu’s famous silhouette and could just about make out the remaining Donkey’s Ear peak. It was an awesome sight to say the least.

Continuing down the road, we passed the former governor’s residence, and we were back at our starting point after 20 minutes.

Entrance to the former Governor's residence also known as Istana Kota Kinabalu.

Having warmed up, we attempted to run up the road to Signal Hill Observatory Tower for some cardio exercise.

After a strenuous 15 minutes and breathing hard, we were at the highest point in the city.

The Observatory Tower offers a bird’s eye view of the city centre, as well as a distant view of the Tanjung Aru and Likas Bay areas as well as the South China Sea.

From the Observatory Tower, the Signal Hill forest trail takes you directly down to the base of the hill.

The 250m footpath follows a chain of wooden steps that leads you down and upwards again, before hitting a final steep descent.

The wooden walkway ends just beside the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) community centre.

The saucer-like viewing platforms at the Observatory Tower.

With morning traffic picking up, we walked the 2km along Jalan Padang back to the hotel in Bandaran Berjaya.

Along the way, we passed notable landmarks such as the Atkinson Clock Tower, the police station and People’s Park.

My Kota Kinabalu experience went a long way to prove that sometimes, you don’t have to get out of a city to get a good hike.

Getting There

Signal Hill Observatory Tower

Jalan Bukit Bendera Kota Kinabalu

5°59’08.5”N 116°04’45.7”E

Opening Hours: 8am to midnight.

Admission is free.

From Atkinson Clock Tower

For the more adventurous, you can walk to the Signal Hill Observatory from Jalan Istana along Padang Merdeka Kota Kinabalu. Take the left junction at Jalan Bukit Bendera and follow the road uphill to the tower.

Those who are fit can try the 250m jungle trail up to the platform.

The starting point of this trail is beside the DBKK community centre in Jalan Dewan.

It is just a 10-minute walk using the Signal Hill Forest Trail.