Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Atkinson Clock Tower
The modest timepiece at the foot of the hill is one of the only structures to survive the Al-
lied bombing of Jesselton in 1945. It's a square, 15.7m-high wooden structure that was
completed in 1905 and named after the first district officer of the town, FG Atkinson, who
died of malaria aged 28.
LANDMARK
Central Market
(Jln Tun Fuad Stephens; 6.30am-6pm)
The Central Market is fun to wander about, and
a nice spot for people watching as locals transact their daily business. Nearby, the
Handi-
craft Market
(Filipino Market; Jln Tun Fuad Stephens; 10am-6pm)
is a good place to
shop for inexpensive souvenirs. Offerings include pearls, textiles, seashell crafts, jew-
ellery and bamboo goods, some from the Philippines, some from Malaysia and some from
other parts of Asia. Needless to say, bargaining is a must.
MARKET
THE SOUTHSIDE CONNECTION
A paved road makes a frowning arc from KK to Tawau, passing Mt Kinabalu, Sepilok, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and
Semporna (the gateway to Sipadan) along the way. It takes around 10 hours to complete the circuit.
Getting from KK to Tawau via the northern half of the island, via a big frown, is easy. Doing the smile side of the
loop (going back to KK through the south from Tawau): not so much. The road here is not entirely paved, but
there's at least finely crushed gravel the whole way through. A 2WD or even motorbike can make the drive, but
drive carefully. An infrastructure of public buses does not yet exist here; minivans occasionally ran this stretch of
road, but only when needed by logging camps. If you can get a lift to Keningau, the rest of the journey to KK is a
breeze.
KK Heritage Walk
(
www.kkheritagewalk.com
;
admission RM200; walks 9am Tue & Thu)
This two-hour
tour, which can be booked through any of KK's many tour operators (just ask at your
hotel front desk), explores colonial KK and its hidden delights. Stops include Chinese
herbal shops, bulk produce stalls, a
kopitiam
(coffee shop), and Jln Gaya (known as Bond
St when the British were in charge). There's also a quirky treasure hunt at the end leading
tourists to the Jesselton Hotel. Guides speak English, Chinese and Bahasa Malaysia.
WALKING TOUR
