Discover KK’s rich culture—visit local markets, historic sites and museums with stunning mountain and sea views!

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Our top picks for culture in Kota Kinabalu — local markets, historic sites and museums, with mountain and sea views along the way.

Culture in Kota Kinabalu: The Best Markets & Museums

Culture in Kota Kinabalu

Discover KK’s rich culture—visit local markets, historic sites and museums with stunning mountain and sea views!

I’ll always hold this experience close to my heart. The warmth and enthusiasm from the locals made me feel so welcomed, almost like I truly belonged there. Our host, June, was incredibly knowledgeable about the village, as well as Sabah’s culture and history, and it was such a pleasure listening to her stories. The rubber tapping experience was especially interesting, as I’ve always been curious about how people used to do it back when rubber tapping was a major economic activity in Singapore. We ended the experience by making our own dalai bead accessories, which we got to bring home as souvenirs. Overall, it was a truly eye-opening and memorable experience.

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Stories & Traditions from a Dusun Village

I’ll always hold this experience close to my heart. The warmth and enthusiasm from the locals made me feel so welcomed, almost like I truly belonged there. Our host, June, was incredibly knowledgeable about the village, as well as Sabah’s culture and history, and it was such a pleasure listening to her stories. The rubber tapping experience was especially interesting, as I’ve always been curious about how people used to do it back when rubber tapping was a major economic activity in Singapore. We ended the experience by making our own dalai bead accessories, which we got to bring home as souvenirs. Overall, it was a truly eye-opening and memorable experience.

One of the most special parts of the trip for me was getting to spend almost an entire day with the locals in Kiulu village. It didn’t feel like a staged tourist activity at all, it genuinely felt like we were being welcomed into their lives and community.

June, our guide even brought us to Winnie’s dad’s farm, who gave us the opportunity to try rubber tapping, which made the experience feel so personal and meaningful. At first everyone was a little shy, but as the day went on they slowly became more comfortable with us and it was honestly so sweet. By the end of it, it felt less like a tour and more like we were all just one big family spending time together.

Those genuine moments and connections are what made the experience so memorable for me, and it’s something I’ll carry with me for a long time.

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One of the most special parts of the trip for me was getting to spend almost an entire day with the locals in Kiulu village. It didn’t feel like a staged tourist activity at all, it genuinely felt like we were being welcomed into their lives and community.

June, our guide even brought us to Winnie’s dad’s farm, who gave us the opportunity to try rubber tapping, which made the experience feel so personal and meaningful. At first everyone was a little shy, but as the day went on they slowly became more comfortable with us and it was honestly so sweet. By the end of it, it felt less like a tour and more like we were all just one big family spending time together.

Those genuine moments and connections are what made the experience so memorable for me, and it’s something I’ll carry with me for a long time.

This was an unforgettable experience that touched our hearts. The locals were so passionate about their culture and sharing it with us through the music, dances and food. They made us feel right at home throughout the experience.

We were introduced on the traditional food and music which was a truly unique experience. It was hard to leave as we all got to bond.

June and her team was very attentive and made us all of us felt comfortable. Her sharings of the Dusun culture was very insightful.

If you’re keen to learn more about the Dusun villagers and culture, this is the one. ☝🏼

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This was an unforgettable experience that touched our hearts. The locals were so passionate about their culture and sharing it with us through the music, dances and food. They made us feel right at home throughout the experience.

We were introduced on the traditional food and music which was a truly unique experience. It was hard to leave as we all got to bond.

June and her team was very attentive and made us all of us felt comfortable. Her sharings of the Dusun culture was very insightful.

If you’re keen to learn more about the Dusun villagers and culture, this is the one. ☝🏼 

The people were incredibly friendly and made us feel at home. I really enjoyed the cultural dance and the storytelling by June, it was very meaningful. The toilets were also clean.

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The people were incredibly friendly and made us feel at home. I really enjoyed the cultural dance and the storytelling by June, it was very meaningful. The toilets were also clean.