Sabah Fun : Kota Kinabalu Heritage Walk - Padang Merdeka & Atkinson Clock Tower 【沙巴玩】 亚庇 - 旧街游

Never have an in depth knowledge about my city which I was born until I went for KK Heritage Walk together with THP and friends.

Tourists all over the world came to Sabah for the famous Mt. Kinabalu, Poring Hot Spring at Ranau, Sipadan Island at Tawau or those Islands which located far and near from K.K. city and even though they were in town for overnights stay, they normally will have a walk around Waterfront area, the Philippines market,  or visited our famous Sunday Market at Gaya Street, in short City Tour in town.

But by all means, DO THEY UNDERSTAND ABOUT KOTA KINABALU? Do they remember our beautiful "Nature Resort City" here? Maybe they will remember Sabah as a whole.

While having our KK Heritage Tour the other day, I have been inspired with the thoughts of "Understanding K. K.". The tour completely suitable for young and adults, locals and foreigners to discover our amazing heritage here! It's a great tour indeed and meeting awesome people.

- A Guide to KK Heritage Walk -

Gathered around 9.00 am and each of us received a guide book that contain compacted information about Kota Kinabalu city (Pre-war, Post-war and Post-independence) together with a complementary souvenir.

For your information, the name of Kota Kinabalu was changed from Jesselton on 22nd December, 1967. As a remembrance of Jesselton, we still can see hotel that named Jesselton Hotel and Jesselton Point which is our Kota Kinabalu Ferry Terminal.

- Padang Merdeka (Independence Field) -

In the olden days, the field was used for recreation purposes and it was the same venue where British North Borneo gained it's independence and ceremony was held for the Proclamation of Malaysia. Once it was used for those historical ceremony and currently, the Padang is still being used for various celebrations through out the years!

(Photo courtesy by Dexterowie)

Explanation by Grace Leong, our Tour Guide of the day and the author of

"A Guide to KK Heritage Walk".

Impressive explanation made and spreading all the KK love to us! All of us!

- More than 100 years old Trees -

The trees that standing still after 100 years and once there were a person hanging himself up there, just to protect those trees from cutting down to the ground.

We were walking down to the memory lane!

The whole journey took more or less 2 hours was fun and informative. Listened to touching stories and so much to discover and talk about, and by only 2 hours story telling might not be enough even we had our Coffee Time at Kopitiam. =D

My parents went through those years and sometimes they will tell us about the era when Jesselton was under British Colony.

- Atkinson Clock Tower -

It tooks more or less 5 - 6 minutes walk from Padang Merdeka to reach Atkinson Clock. Atkinson Clock is the only wooden clock in whole Malaysia which still standing still on top of the hill  in this era and  it was formerly used as the light house when Jesselton was still under British Colony and while our land haven't been expanded/ developed.

You know what? A period of time during last year, there were parties who would like to destroy it and build a shopping mall named with "Atkinson". The proudest things that we, as a Sabahan protested the idea, *claps claps* of destroying and rebuilding the Tower on other hill.

Atkinson Clock Tower as our leftover heritage and we should be protecting it and use it as a reminder for our independence! It's meaningless to destroy and "re-build" the history, you know what I meant?? I do love Kota Kinabalu city and Sabah, you know or not?? Tourists love here because it's still have the nature and the nicest people that have the nicest smile!!!

Left: Atkinson Clock Tower before the War. Right: Today's Atkinson Clock Tower.

The old Atkinson Clock Tower (left) was replaced in Year 1964. 

Once my mother told me that she love the clock very much and she did followed my grandfather and his uncle most of the time to the Tower to re-chain the clock by using antique clock keys.

The history of Atkinson Clock that written with English, Malay, Chinese and even Japanese Language on both of the surface of the Stone.

- Staircase to Atkinson Clock Tower -

We didn't walk up and have a closer view of the tower, however Grace want us to we waited for the clock to chime when it strikes 10.00a.m.! Yup! It still chime even after so many years of ups and downs, it was my first time listened and not all the locals have the opportunity to hear it!

Click and play the below video :

It CHIMED right?

And by foot, we continued to our next journey and we took some photographs from the opposite side the road.

The nicest and the perfect view of Atkinson Clock Tower.

 Till then... :)

Tour with KK Heritage Walk? Please visit Tropical Holidays Paradise for more information.