Kota Kinabalu City Mosque (Kota Kinabalu)

 landmark, mosque

Built over a man made lagoon at Likas Bay, the KK City Mosque is undoubtedly one of the most well known landmarks in the city, and is always frequented by travellers who wish to admire the beauty of its architecture. The mosque, showcasing two domes, one large and the other smaller, along with four minarets in light gold (they used to be white back then); was officially opened back in 2000 as soon as KK gained city status. This impressive mosque can accommodate over 10 000 worshippers at any given time. Traffic comes to a crawl around the mosque every Friday as afternoon prayers are performed.

Rarely referred to as the Likas Mosque by locals, it is visible throughout Likas Bay. As one travels from downtown KK to Likas or Sepangar along Tun Fuad Stephens Road, the mosque slowly looms closer into view, sometimes with the Kokol Hills and Mt. Kinabalu in the background. Those travelling southbound can also get a nice angle of the mosque, where the four minarets seemed to have merged into only two. The main entrance into the grounds of the mosque is located to its south - along Jalan Pasir. The access road to its north (on Tun Fuad Stephens Road), is normally closed and sealed off to vehicles by a metal bar, which only seems to be lifted during the Friday prayers when traffic is more hectic. This area is where some tourists stop by to get their shots of or with the mosque.

Fortunately for travellers and sightseers, this idyllic landmark is served by good public transport. There's for sure the option of hiring a cab to get here. For the more adventurous ones, several public buses pass by this mosque. The most convenient bus to take from downtown would be the Sepangar bus no. 6B. All no. 6B buses arrive and depart at the Mosque Valley bus stop right outside King Park Hotel. Alight at the Likas Bay bus stop just a mere 100 metres from the mosque. For those who prefer to be dropped off right outside the main entrance, Sepangar bus 6A is the only option. That bus leaves downtown below Shangrila Hotel in Bandaran Berjaya. To return back to the heart of KK, just hop on any buses travelling on the side of the road nearer to the mosque. Ask the driver/conductor just to be sure.

It is also possible to walk to the mosque from downtown, though it is rarely practised. It will take roughly 30 minutes to reach the mosque, and another 30 minutes back to town via the coastal Tun Fuad Stephens Road. Any tourists looking for some eateries or convenience stores nearby just need to walk further down along Jalan Pasir towards Likas Plaza.

The mosque also stands out over the bay when viewed from Signal Hill. Several roads on the eastern slopes of the hill provide a vantage point towards the mosque.