Lok Kawi is a township in the West Coast Division

West Coast Division

West Coast Division is an administrative division of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It occupies the northwest portion of Sabah. With an area of 7,588 square kilometres, it occupies 10.3% of Sabah's territory...

 of Sabah

Sabah

Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...

, Malaysia.

Located around the border of the districts of Penampang

Penampang

Penampang is a district as well as a small town within the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. It has virtually become a suburb of Kota Kinabalu which is Sabah's capital. Its population was estimated to be around 132,002 in 2000, with ethnic Kadazan-Dusun as the majority.The name penampang...

 and Papar

Papar

The Papar were, according to early Icelandic historical sources, a group of Irish or Scottish monks resident in parts of Iceland at the time of the arrival of the Norsemen...

, and about 15 kilometres south of the state capital Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...

, it has become part of the urban expanse of Kota Kinabalu. It also features one of the few Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 temples in Kota Kinabalu, the Sri Subramaniyar Temple. Originally a small village, Lok Kawi now features a small industrial estate as well a modern residential development. It is also the site for the Lok Kawi Army Camp (Kem Tentera Lok Kawi) and the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park. Nearby towns include Putatan

Putatan

Putatan is a town and a suburb of Kota Kinabalu in the state of Sabah, East Malaysia.-Location:The town was located within the district of Penampang on the coast of the West Coast Division but from March 1, 2007, Putatan became a district on its own....

 in the north, and Kinarut

Kinarut

Kinarut is a town just outside Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. Located about 20 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu, it is one of the stops for the North Borneo Railway. Popular tourist destinations in Kinarut are the Kindawan Horse Riding Centre, Dinawan Island, Lok Kawi Wildlife Center and...

 in the south.

In the 1920s the author W. Somerset Maugham

W. Somerset Maugham

William Somerset Maugham , CH was an English playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and, reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s.-Childhood and education:...

was a frequent visitor to Lok Kawi: his niece was married to the manager of Lok Kawi Estate.