Top Kota Kinabalu Cultural Tours

Encounter Borneo’s traditional cultures at Mari Mari Cultural Village, where you get a glimpse into the daily routines and rituals of five major cultural groups. See each group’s distinctive houses, costumes, and practices, with a guide to help explain each thing you encounter, then see a performance that brings traditional Borneo to vivid life. After your time exploring Mari Mari Cultural Village, this tour includes a traditional meal in the village’s dining hall.

Cruise through the mangrove forests near Kota Kinabalu on this evening excursion in search of local wildlife. Listen to educational commentary on local species, such as proboscis monkeys, silver leaf moneys, macaque long tail monkeys, monitor lizards, and native birds. Once the sun sets, enjoy the sights of fireflies blinking in the twilight.

Check off Kota Kinabalu’s key sights in just half a day on this comprehensive guided door-to-door tour. Soak up sweeping views of the city from Signal Hill, learn about Chinese Buddhism at Pu Toh Tze Temple, and explore Sabah’s rich heritage at the Sabah State Museum. Along the way, see the Sabah State Mosque, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, and the 30-story Menara Tun Mustapha.

Explore Borneo's indigenous cultures on a half-day trip from Kota Kinabalu to Mari Mari Cultural Village, which features traditional houses, crafts, and bushcraft recreated by members of each tribe in Sabah. You'll see local people making blowpipes and kindling bamboo fires, then learn the symbolism behind Sabah's long tradition of tattooing. With pickup and drop-off at hotels in Kota Kinabalu, this tour includes entrance fees and lunch.

Soak up the electric atmosphere of Kota Kinabula by night on this 3-hour evening tour, including hotel pick-up. Browse the bustling night market, then enjoy a magnificent view over the illuminated city from the observation deck of Signal Hill. Finally, tuck into a sumptuous dinner of typical Malaysian dishes, accompanied by traditional Malay music and dance.

Shimmy through the sights, sounds and leafy streetscapes of Kota Kinabalu City. Architectural heritage, Buildings that withstand the WW2 and a view point of the whole city in all its unassuming charm, you might want to get your cameras ready for this one.

There’s no public transport to the Mari Mari Cultural Village, so save time, money, and energy by joining this convenient door-to-door tour. Venture deep into the jungle by way of a hanging bridge. Then experience the traditional lifestyles of Borneo’s diverse ethnic groups, from bamboo cooking to shooting blowpipes to traditional dance, with a guide. Choose between morning, midday, and afternoon departures: Each includes a simple meal of Sabah specialties.

Escape the city and delve deeper into Borneo’s indigenous culture on a day trip to Tuaran from Kota Kinabalu. A great introduction for first-time visitors, this package saves you the stress of advance planning by taking care of transport and activities, and offering the inside scoop on Sabah’s culture and history.

The North Borneo Railway runs two weekly return departures (Wednesday & Saturday) from Kota Kinabalu to Papar, year round. Lasting approximately 4 hours, passengers experience the lush landscape of the coastal and rural regions of Sabah. A typical 'tiffin' colonial lunch will be served on the return trip.

Discover the rich history and heritage of Kota Kinabalu on this comprehensive 3-hour city tour, including hotel pick-up. Visit landmarks like Wisma Tun Mustapha (Sabah Foundation Building) and the City Mosque; pay a visit to the prestigious University of Sabah and tour the fascinating Sabah Museum. Finally, soak up views of Kota Kinabalu and the Likas Bay lagoon from the summit of Signal Hill.

Experience an incredible cultural tour of Mengkabong Water Village with this hands-on experience that goes the extra mile. Visit a renowned indigenous tribe and discover Bajau Fisherman community culture. Get involved and try your hand at crab catching and fishing with locals. Enjoy a sunset river cruise among mangrove trees and spot mesmerizing fireflies at the end of an incredible day.

This tour provides you a chance to live in a local village. Sunusron is a old and quaint village in tambunan where you will get to experience the local culture of Sabah Borneo. From breathtaking views to home cooked food you will walk away from this tour with local knowledge you are sure to never forget.

Explore both the popular highlights and some lesser-known spots of Kota Kinabalu city on this small-group day tour. A highlight is the unusual Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, a floating temple surrounded by a lagoon. Visit a produce market selling everything from seafood to flowers, and ask your guide for local food recommendations for lunch. Plus, you'll get the best views of  Kota Kinabalu Crocker Range National Park from a viewpoint.

Delve into Sabah’s cultural melting pot on a day trip to Mar Mari Cultural Village, where you can meet the people of indigenous Borneo and witness fire-starting and blowpipe-making demonstrations. Perfect for families and first-time visitors, this small-group tour is limited to 15 people to ensure personalized attention from your guide.

Explore the Mari-Mari Cultural Village in Sabah with a dedicated guide on this private tour. You'll enjoy personalized attention and the ability to travel at your own pace as you learn about Borneo's ancient and modern culture. Activities include a traditional house tour, a cultural show, and a traditional local lunch.

Learn about the seafaring skills of the Bajau Laut people, a tribal group of Malaysia commonly referred to as ‘sea gypsies.’ This day trip to Gayang village includes a cruise past their houses built on stilts. Go crab catching and observe main livelihoods, such as fishing and pearl farming, then try your hand at batik painting and keep your creation to take home as a souvenir. Light refreshments are included along with round-trip transport from Kota Kinabalu hotels.

Kelly Bay is located in mangrove forest that leads to the beach. With this tour, you can get a glimpse of lives of the locals who live in the river, ride kayaks, relax in hammock, and enjoy a variety of water sports. Here you can try the Batik experience with traditional dyeing cloth craft program, or the Blow Pipe experience with native hunting tools, and don't miss the banana boat and the crab catch! ------------------ ITINERARY ------------------ •09:00 - 10:30 Departure from the hotel → 10:30 Mangrove cruise and relaxation → 12:00 - 13:00 Lunch → 13:00 Various activities including water sports •The schedule above is the estimated time and may vary depending on the circumstances.

Discover the world of the Kadazan people on a 3-hour tour to the Monsopiad Cultural Village. After transfer from your hotel, your visit to the village begins with a glass of local rice wine. Follow your guide to the House of the Skull where you learn about the legendary warrior, which the park is named for. Later, watch or join in a traditional Kadazan dance.

Located on the Klias Peninsula is the Klias Wetland, a Mangrove Forest Reserve. With the bizarre-looking proboscis monkey gaining as much popularity with the tourists as the orang utan, the Klias Wetland with its large proboscis population is fast becoming the latest ecotourism destination in Sabah. Get those camera, binoculars on stand-by and keep your eyes peeled for the shy creatures in between the branches. As dusk settles in with a sunset, enjoy the sights and sounds in a natural setting as you have a sumptuous village style dinner. Show’s not over yet though, there is one more trip through the mangrove swamp, but this time it is graced by the secret rhythm of fireflies and their flickering lights. However, as much as we hate to disappoint, we are entering a natural habitat where sightings are common, but it is NOT GUARANTEED :)

Unless you speak Malay, navigating the Kota Belud Sunday market can be a difficult task. Discover the best of the weekly shopping bonanza, and return home with the most memorable souvenirs, after a stress-free day trip from Kota Kinabalu. Exploring the market with a guide means that you'll have chance to practice your bargaining skills as well as gaining insight into the culture and history of Kota Belud. 

A short drive out of Kota Kinabalu, the Mari Mari Cultural Village provides a convenient opportunity to experience many of Borneo’s unique cultures in a purpose-built cultural village. Learn about the tribes’ traditional dances, cuisines and ways of thriving in Borneo’s challenging jungle. For visitors who can only stay in Borneo briefly, this experience offers a chance to see how Borneo’s cultural diversity matches its biodiversity.

One way or the other, Kota Kinabalu casts a magical spell on you, once you traverse along its sights and landmarks. Positively dwelling on its immersive past, the city is best explored with a local guide with ample time to soak in the KK beauty.

Discover the rich history and heritage of Kota Kinabalu on this comprehensive 3-hour city tour, including hotel pick-up. Visit landmarks like Wisma Tun Mustapha (Sabah Foundation Building) and the City Mosque; pay a visit to the prestigious University of Sabah and tour the fascinating Sabah Museum. Finally, soak up views of Kota Kinabalu and the Likas Bay lagoon from the summit of Signal Hill.

Kota Kinabalu City is the gateway to the Land Below the Wind. It is the state capital of Sabah. At 0930 hrs or 1400, pick up at the City hotel and proceed with a guided tour around the city tour. Take a bird's eye view of the city from Signal Hill. Visit Tun Mustapha Building with its 32 Storey Building with its column of free floors. Visit Poh Toh Tse Buddhist Temple and drive through residential estates. Unravel Sabah's heritage at the State Mosque. Learn more about the rich heritage of Sabah at the State Museum.