Sabah, known as 'The Land Below the Wind,' is Malaysia's easternmost state on the island of Borneo, celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity, towering Mount Kinabalu, and world-class diving at Sipadan Island. The state is home to over 42 ethnic groups, pristine rainforests, and wildlife including orangutans, pygmy elephants, and proboscis monkeys.
Sabah's history stretches back tens of thousands of years through indigenous Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau, Murut, and dozens of other ethnic groups who shaped a rich pre-colonial civilization of maritime trade and rainforest agriculture. The region came under the control of the Sulu Sultanate in the 17th century, and British North Borneo Chartered Company rule from 1881 transformed the territory with railways, rubber, and tobacco cultivation. After Japanese occupation during WWII — marked by the horrific Sandakan Death March — North Borneo joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 as the state of Sabah.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Sabah.
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1
First Human Inhabitants
Archaeological evidence shows human habitation in Sabah's interior caves dating back 40,000 years, with the ancestors of today's indigenous groups including Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, and other Orang Asal peoples.
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2
Sulu and Brunei Sultanate Influence
The coastal areas of Sabah fell under the sphere of the Sulu Sultanate (based in today's Philippines) and the Brunei Sultanate, with maritime trade in beche-de-mer, bird's nests, camphor, and rattan. The Bajau people settled the coastal zones during this period.
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3
Sulu Cession to British East India Company
The Sultan of Sulu ceded rights to parts of northern Borneo to the British East India Company, beginning a complex history of European interest in the territory.
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4
British North Borneo Chartered Company Founded
The British North Borneo Chartered Company received a royal charter from Queen Victoria in 1881, taking administrative control of the territory and establishing Sandakan as the colonial capital, developing tobacco plantations, railways, and rubber estates.
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5
British North Borneo Charter Period
Under Chartered Company rule, infrastructure including the KK-Papar railway was built, mass immigration of Chinese labourers occurred, and the timber and rubber industries transformed the economy. Sandakan grew into a prosperous colonial city.
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6
Japanese Occupation and WWII
Japanese forces invaded and occupied North Borneo in January 1942. Allied POWs and civilian prisoners suffered terribly; the Sandakan Death March of 1945 — where 2,400 Australian and British POWs were forced to march to Ranau — resulted in nearly total deaths and is one of the worst war crimes of the Pacific War.
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7
Liberation and British Crown Colony
Allied forces liberated Sabah in 1945. The British North Borneo Chartered Company ceded control to the British Crown, making the territory a Crown Colony with the capital moved from war-devastated Sandakan to Jesselton (present-day Kota Kinabalu).
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8
Malaysia Independence — Sabah Joins Malaysia
On 16 September 1963, North Borneo joined the Federation of Malaysia as the state of Sabah. The territory's entry into Malaysia was controversial, disputed by both the Philippines (claiming Sulu heritage) and initially by Indonesia. The capital Jesselton was renamed Kota Kinabalu in 1968.
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9
Modern Sabah — Tourism and Biodiversity
Sabah developed from a timber-dependent economy toward conservation and eco-tourism, establishing national parks, marine reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries. The 2000 UNESCO World Heritage designation of Kinabalu Park, and Sipadan's global diving fame, established Sabah as a world eco-tourism destination.
Historical eras
The chapters of Sabah's past.
Prehistoric and Indigenous Period
Cave dwellers, hunter-gatherers, and early agricultural communities develop Sabah's rich tapestry of indigenous cultures — Kadazan-Dusun as rice farmers, Bajau as sea nomads, Murut as forest hunters
Sultanate Period
Coastal areas under Sulu and Brunei Sultanate influence; maritime trade in bird's nests, rattan, and beche-de-mer; Bajau sea nomad communities flourish across the archipelago
British North Borneo Chartered Company
Plantation economy, railway construction, mass immigration of Chinese labourers, and transformation of the landscape under British Chartered Company rule from capital Sandakan
World War II and Liberation
Japanese occupation brings tremendous suffering; the Sandakan Death March kills nearly 2,500 Allied POWs; Allied liberation leaves Sandakan devastated, prompting relocation of capital to Jesselton
Modern Malaysia
Sabah joins Malaysia in 1963; timber boom followed by conservation movement; national parks, marine reserves, and ecotourism transform the economy and protect extraordinary natural heritage
Historical sites
Places where Sabah's past comes alive.
Sandakan Memorial Park (Death March Memorial)
A solemn and poignant memorial park at the site of the Sandakan POW camp where Australian and British prisoners of war were held before the infamous Death March of 1945. The park features a memorial pavilion, interpretive displays, the Australian Memorial Chapel, and beautifully maintained gardens. One of Sabah's most significant historical sites.
Where: Jalan Taman, Sandakan, Sabah
Admission: Free
Agnes Keith House
The beautifully restored colonial home of American author Agnes Keith, who wrote the celebrated books 'Land Below the Wind' (1939) and 'Three Came Home' (1947) — vivid accounts of life in colonial Sabah and Japanese imprisonment. The house is a colonial museum with period furniture and Keith family memorabilia.
Where: Jalan Istana, Sandakan, Sabah
Admission: $5 (RM 20)
Sabah State Museum
The main cultural museum in Kota Kinabalu covering Sabah's natural history, ethnography, archaeological finds, Islamic civilization, and ceramics. The outdoor heritage village features reconstructed traditional longhouses and farmhouses of Sabah's major ethnic groups.
Where: Jalan Museum, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Admission: $1 (RM 5)
North Borneo Chartered Company Fort (Fort Cornwallis Ruins)
Remnants of a British North Borneo Chartered Company fort in Kudat, one of the earliest British administrative centres before Sandakan became the capital. The ruins are modest but historically significant as evidence of early colonial presence in northern Sabah.
Where: Kudat, Sabah
Admission: Free
Jesselton Point (Kota Kinabalu Old Waterfront)
The historic waterfront ferry terminal of Kota Kinabalu (formerly Jesselton), named after the first Governor-General of British North Borneo. The area around the point preserves the colonial urban structure and is the departure point for island trips today.
Where: Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Kota Kinabalu
Admission: Free
Puu Jih Shih Buddhist Temple
A spectacular Chinese Buddhist temple perched dramatically on a hillside above Sandakan Bay, built by the local Chinese community. The three-tiered structure features colourful dragon carvings, giant Buddha statues, and sweeping panoramic views over Sandakan Bay and the surrounding islands.
Where: Jalan Istana, Sandakan, Sabah
Admission: Free
Museums
Curated collections that tell Sabah's story.
Sabah State Museum and Heritage Village
Comprehensive museum with galleries covering natural history, ethnography, ceramics collection, Islamic civilization, and archaeology; outdoor heritage village with ethnic architecture
Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed Fridays)
Admission: $1 (RM 5)
Agnes Keith House Museum
Restored colonial home of bestselling author Agnes Keith with period furnishings and colonial-era artefacts in Sandakan
Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed Mondays)
Admission: $5 (RM 20)
Sabah Heritage Museum (Sandakan)
Sandakan's main cultural museum covering the city's history from indigenous settlement through colonial era to WWII and modern Malaysia
Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Admission: Free
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.
Walking tours
Sandakan Heritage Trail self-guided walk connecting Agnes Keith House, Memorial Park, and Puu Jih Shih Temple — 2-3 hours, free; KK colonial heritage walk along Gaya Street starting from Jesselton Point
Day tours
Sandakan Heritage Day Tour from KK ($120-180 including flight, guide, and admission fees) or full-day self-guided Sandakan heritage trail from town
Private tours
Private heritage guides in KK from $60/half day; Sandakan specialised WWII heritage tours from $80-100 (recommended for deeper historical context of Death March)