Kokol Hill

Kokol is a ridge north-east of Kota Kinabalu, reached by a steep and tightly winding road up from Menggatal, and it rises high enough - around a thousand metres at the top - to be cool and to look down on the entire city, the coastal plain and the islands, with Mount Kinabalu standing to the east behind it. That combination has produced a strip of hillside cafes, glamping sites, chalets and paragliding launches along the ridge road, all selling the same view from slightly different angles: the city lights spread out at night, and on a clear morning the mountain with mist in the valleys below. It is a straightforward drive-up viewpoint rather than a walk, it fills at weekends, and the road is the limiting factor.

What you actually see

• The city from above - Kota Kinabalu, the plain and the islands spread out below.
• Kinabalu to the east - the mountain behind the ridge on clear mornings.
• Ridge-top cafes - the strip of viewpoint cafes and glamping sites.
• Paragliding launches - flights off the ridge in the right conditions.

When to go

All year; dawn for the mountain, evening for the city lights. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The road up is steep, narrow and hairpinned - not for nervous drivers, and hard on a small car. Cloud closes the view often. Weekends are congested and cafes charge for the view.

Nearby

Kota Kinabalu is below; Tuaran and Tamparuli are north.