Tip of Borneo and Kudat Rungus Long House Experience
Tip of Borneo and Kudat Rungus
Long House Experience
The Tip of Borneo. Home of renowned views across two seas meeting together, longhouses
and artisans keeping handicraft traditions alive. It’s a day where nature and culture
effortlessly meet and intertwine perfectly, away from Kota Kinabalu’s city life.
WHY THIS TOUR?
Artisans in their own rights and in their own league. Several ethnic minorities continue to embrace the legacy work done by their ancestors in their daily routines. Particularly mastering the art of handicraft, Borneo’s green interior has various examples of how long houses are built and still used for showcasing the magnificence of treasured traditions.
It is just outside Kota Kinabalu, where this can be seen from up close, along with local settlements and natural wonders. It is all perfectly packed in a full day out and about from early in the morning until late afternoon in fascinating Sabah.
TRAIL ITINERARY
07:00 - 17:00
An early morning pick-up from your hotel in downtown Kota Kinabalu ushers in the start of Sabah exploration. Guided by an English-speaking guide-cum-driver, you will shortly leave the city borders and head out towards Kudat, better known as the town closest to the tip of Borneo. A three-hour journey without a dull moment – from rice paddy fields to various plantations will pass the venue as you head in the northern direction. It is a plethora of authenticity in its finest form and marks one of the highlights of this tour.
One of the first stops will be at Gombizau Village, locally acclaimed and known for its beekeeping industry on a local scale. An explanation of how these generations-long traditions are kept alive includes showing the whole process from beginning until the honey end. Gongs take part in numerous rituals and ceremonies in Malaysia and with the Sumangkap village as the main cradle for making these instruments, also this stop cannot be left aside.
We end the trip towards Kudat at Bavanggazo Village to enter a perfect example of a Longhouse. Completely constructed out of locally-sourced material, it is the home of the Rungus community, who have made a living via the sales of handicraft. To spice up the overall experience, lunch will be served in a traditional longhouse.
After lunch, it is a short ride to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, our end goal for the day. Officially translated as the Tip of Borneo, it is this north-western point of this part of Malaysia and where the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea meet. One may expect fabulous views from these vantage points, and this is almost a given. Just dream away with nothing but the ocean in front of you to mark the end of your exploration. It is time to head back along the same road as you drove in the morning. We expect to be back at your Kota Kinabalu hotel at around 5 pm.
