Car hire Kota Kinabalu International Airport

The Japanese military first established Kota Kinabalu International Airport as a WWII airfield. Today, this airport has become the second-busiest in Malaysia and the biggest on the island of Borneo. This major gateway to Sabah lies four miles south of the state capital with car hire in Kota Kinabalu Airport. In 2010, more than five million visitors passed through this airport on their way to one of Malaysia's most popular resort regions.

Kota Kinabalu Airport facilities

Most airport amenities are situated in the newer and bigger of its two airport terminals, Terminal 1. Facilities include restaurants, travel agents, duty-free shops and lounges. Terminal 2 is housed inside the original airport terminal building. Both terminals handle direct flights, operated by 19 airlines, to destinations throughout Asia as well as to Perth, Australia. Those who haven't booked in advance can compare car hire in the Arrivals hall.

Kota Kinabalu Airport excursions

WWII may have destroyed many of Kota Kinabalu's buildings, but the breathtaking beauty outside the city limits remains very much intact. The national park named after both the city and its most dominant landmark, Mount Kinabalu, is among Malaysia's top protected areas. Another renowned national park, Tunku Abdul Rahman, protects an island group off Kota Kinabalu's coast. Car rental in Kota Kinabalu Airport is the easiest way to reach Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, which has no taxi or bus service.

Best time to visit

Kota Kinabalu's monsoon season officially lasts from October to February, with an average of 12 rainy days during January alone. However, even this tropical city's driest months, from March to September, are rarely free from rain. March and April are the city's driest months and see lots of visitors. Kota Kinabalu's constant humidity eases only slightly in June and July. Fortunately, downpours rarely last longer than two hours and visitors can venture to Mount Kinabulu to cool off.

Car rental in Kota Kinabalu Airport

Kota Kinabalu's flat roads provide relatively easy driving and the city is a meeting point for all main Sabah roads. Visitors can drive between Kota Kinabalu and the tiny sultanate of Brunei in a day along the main road to Sabah's border with Sarawak. Other major roads head north to Kudat, east to Lahad Datu and Sandakan, and southeast to Tenom, Tambunan and Keningau.