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  • Adam Malewski

    With all the great information on this site, getting settled in Kuala Lumpur was a piece of cake.

Kota Kinabalu

Like many coastal cities, Kota Kinabalu boasts a mixture of beautiful scenery and metropolitan commerce. A city of growing importance, Kota Kinabalu (known as KK or ‘A-Bi’ to locals) is one of the economic capitals of East Malaysia, and the capital of the state of Sabah. Known as ‘The Nature Resort City’ for its lively waterfront scene, varied islands and picturesque sunsets, the many various buildings of Kota Kinabalu seem to mix seamlessly with the undisturbed scenery of the northern coastline. Expats living in Kota Kinabalu will find themselves in a picture-perfect locale, but not one lacking in the creature comforts, or social opportunity, that a functioning city and the services of InterNations can provide. Networking is assisted by our site, allowing you to get in touch with other expatriates in Kota Kinabalu or in other parts of the world via the forums, discussion groups or direct messages.

Join Our Exciting Events in Kota Kinabalu

Attend our monthly events and activities for Kota Kinabalu expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.

"Join us for a unique culinary experience featuring a variety of delicious durian dishes and learn about the rich history and culture behind the King of Fruits. Indulge your senses in this exclusive d
Mar 30, 2024, 12:00 PM
50 attendees
This is a pre-paid event to prepare for HALAL food and drinks. Let's join in the tradition of eating together in TALAM with your hands (fingers) or cutlery if you prefers. Kindly bank into my accoun
Apr 7, 2024, 11:00 AM
80 attendees
Olá InterNations Fam! Let's mingle and make new friends at @The Iron fairies ( Mezzanine area) on April 7th at 5 pm 🗓️ Date: 7 April ⏰ Time: 5 pm 📍 Location: The Iron Fairies KL H-G-06, Hive, TR
Join us for an unforgettable Italian Sunday Social at Ciao Ristorant! Sip, eat, socialize, and soak up the fabulous atmosphere as you make new friends. 🗓️14 April ⏰ 5 pm 📍 20A, Jalan Kampung Pand

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Moving to Kota Kinabalu

Expatriates moving to Kota Kinabalu are set to discover a wide array of cultures, with the city providing an often used throughway for travelers moving through Sabah and the rest of Borneo. The nearby Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, a group of five islands north of the coast, provides many opportunities for adventures such as diving through coral reefs, hiking through tropical forest, or just relaxing on one of the many beaches. The whole area provides opportunities for socializing with other expatriates you may meet on the InterNations forums. In the city itself, there is a wide variety of beautiful architecture, such as the City Mosque, the Che Sui Khor Pagoda, or the slightly more modern Tun Mustapha Tower, praised as the second tallest building on the island. The city also holds the Sabah State Museum, the nearby Science and Technology Centre, an art gallery, and botanic gardens. Any expatriate moving to Kota Kinabalu who is interested in local history can visit the Padang Merdeka, the site where the formation of Malaysia and the declaration of Sabah’s independence first took place in 1963. Another prominent historical location is the Petagas War Memorial, a reminder of those who died fighting the Japanese attackers during World War II.

Working in Kota Kinabalu

Historically offering mainly jobs in the primary and secondary industries, Kota Kinabalu has recently opened more opportunities for expatriates hoping to work in the city, with growing sectors for tourism, banking and insurance. However, whilst tertiary industries are beginning to rise, the city is still predominantly industrial, with many manufacturing companies running plants in and around the city. If you are an expat working in Kota Kinabalu can find connections at the number of trade fairs held in the city, such as the Sabah International Expo, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the Asia Pacific eTourism Conference (one of the cities predominant industries.) These networking opportunities are only enhanced by the services offered by InterNations, which make it even easier to connect and network with other expats living in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, or across the globe.

  • Adam Malewski

    With all the great information on this site, getting settled in Kuala Lumpur was a piece of cake.

  • Yasmin Krüger-Darango

    A former business partner recommended InterNations to me when I moved abroad to Malaysia. We still use it to stay in touch.

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