Mari Mari Cultural Village Tour: Five Tribes, Hands-On Activities

Learn five tribal traditions through fire-making, blowpipe shooting and rice wine tasting

A five-hour guided tour of Mari Mari Cultural Village, a living museum near Kota Kinabalu showcasing the traditions of five major ethnic tribes (Dusun, Rungus, Lundayeh, Bajau, and Murut) through hands-on demonstrations, tribal performances, and a traditional Sabahan lunch. Hotel pickup and return are included, along with an air-conditioned vehicle and a live English-speaking guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mari Mari Cultural Village

• Hotel pick-up at 9:00 AM
• Enter Mari Mari Cultural Village rainforest
• Tour traditional houses of five tribes
• Watch bamboo fire-starting demonstration
• Try blowpipe shooting activity
• Walk across bamboo bridge
• Taste homemade rice wine and snacks
• Enjoy tribal dances and cultural performances
• Have traditional Sabahan lunch
• Return to hotel

The experience

The tour starts at 9:00 AM with hotel pickup and takes you into the rainforest to walk through traditional homes built by each of the five tribes. At each stop, you try something: fire-making with bamboo, blowpipe shooting, rice wine tasting, tattoo-making demonstrations, and crossing a bamboo bridge. The guide walks you through the architecture and customs unique to each group, and you taste homemade snacks and rice wine prepared the traditional way.

A cultural performance follows the demonstrations: gong beats, warrior dances, and storytelling that show how these traditions still live in the community. You then sit down to a traditional Sabahan lunch served communally, the kind of meal that brings the day's learning into focus. The whole experience runs five hours, which leaves the rest of your day open for other plans in Kota Kinabalu.

The tour includes entry to the village, the guide, round-trip transport from your hotel, bottled water, and lunch. You'll need to bring comfortable walking shoes for the rainforest paths and the bamboo bridge, and the guide will have a camera ready if you want photos of the day.

What’s included

• Entry to Mari Mari Cultural Village.
• round-trip hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in English.
• traditional Sabahan lunch.
• bottled water throughout the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (under 12)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by City MPV Travel & Tours

Is this one for you?At five hours with a 9:00 AM start, the tour fits neatly into a morning and early afternoon, leaving your evening free for dinner or other plans in Kota Kinabalu. The hands-on activities and communal lunch work well for families and groups who want to learn by doing rather than watching from a distance.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

What are the five ethnic tribes featured at Mari Mari Cultural Village?

The village showcases the Dusun, Rungus, Lundayeh, Bajau, and Murut peoples, each with their own traditional houses, architecture, and cultural practices on display.

What hands-on activities can I try during the tour?

You can try bamboo fire-making, blowpipe shooting, rice wine tasting, watch tattoo-making demonstrations, and walk across a bamboo bridge while learning about each tribe's customs.

Does the tour include lunch?

Yes, a traditional Sabahan lunch is included and served communally at the village, part of the full five-hour experience.

What time does the tour start and how long does it run?

The tour starts at 9:00 AM with hotel pickup and lasts five hours, ending by early afternoon so you can fit other activities into your day.

Is hotel pickup included in the tour price?

Yes, round-trip transport from your hotel in Kota Kinabalu is included, along with an air-conditioned vehicle and a live English-speaking guide.