Is Kota Kinabalu Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Solo travel

I had such a lovely time in KK! It was a nice little getaway with plenty to explore, from local food and cafés to markets, events and the overall city atmosphere. I really enjoyed being able to explore at my own pace. As a solo female traveller, my only advice would be to avoid walking alone late at night, especially in quieter areas. Other than that, everything was great, and I had a wonderful experience! KK is definitely worth visiting, and I'd love to return to explore more of Sabah...

Family travel

The most consistently beautiful sunsets I've seen. Food was always good and inexpensive. It seems that they get quite a lot of Korean tourists, most attraction/activity providers speak fluent English. We went for snorkeling and scuba diving and it was such a great experience. There was a guide during the snorkeling session and he swam beside us and pointed out various marine wildlife that we probably wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

It's pretty safe but close to the Philippines market in Kota Kinabalu, there is chances of molestation and mugging. I have personally experienced it so be careful, don't walk there alone. Even in centre point mall, which is very near to the Philippines market, you have to be careful. Other parts of KK is pretty safe and nothing to worry about. It's just the illegal immigrants and refugees harassing women in those areas that should be of concern.