Mari Mari Cultural Village
Mari Mari Cultural Village
Mari Mari Cultural Village
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Full view
About
The village is located about 25 minutes away from the city. The journey will take you to long roads surrounded by a rich spectrum of greenery and over arched by wild blue skies. In the village, the colors of cultural diversity are not an issue but rather our pride, where you can savor the soul of Sabah. Upon arrival at the entrance of the village, you will be ushered to the warmth of different homes of the ethnicity of Sabah. Each home was built by descendants of the tribes they represent and offer you a truly genuine experience seeing everything in and around the village lends to its magical prowess of taking you back in time. Not only does this village portray these tribes (5 tribes) through the architectural genius of their traditional houses, but also through a range of simulated lives of the olden epoch by the residents of the village. Acquaint yourself with each tribe as they let you come into their house and their simple yet intricate lives. As you traverse the village, you will find demonstration huts along the main houses in which daily activities of old times come into life. For example, the making of blowpipe, starting a fire (from bamboo), tattoo-making (and its symbolisms) and etc. By the end of your journey into the past, you have been given a setting for you to see, hear, taste and feel the uniqueness of what Sabah truly is. An unforgettable encounter of our Sabahan homeland... AS IT IS... AS IT WAS...
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,246 reviews
Excellent
679
Very good
459
Average
94
Poor
11
Terrible
3
stuffmatters
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia893 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
Whilst staying in KK, Mari Mari Cultural village is a fantastic opportunity to experience a little of Sabahs culture through seeing how the Dusun, Rungus, Lundayeh, Bajau, and Murut tribes live and meeting representatives of each who are very happy to show you their lifestyle, food and drink. It is essentially a living museum preserving Sabahs tribal cullture in an authentic way.
Located approx 30 mins outside KK in the foothills, Mari Mari is privately owned and well organised. It is good value given its 100 Ringit cost for a 3 hr visit comprising a guided tour of the various tribal houses, a dance performance and a local lunch. We attended the 10am session. There is a second one at 2pm.
On arrival (preferable to book to avoid disappointment) you will be allocated to a group of about 10 and introduced to your tour leader. We were very fortunate to be allocated Popoi who was an excellent communicator and sharer of the various tribal stories.
The various tour groups then tour independently shepherded by their guides which works well with very few bottlenecks. The tour starts with a walk across the river on a swing bridge before visiting each of the 5 tribal houses where you meet tribal members, sample some snacks and drinks before ending up at the Performance hall for a short cultural performance which is then followed by lunch. The tour is certainly child friendly.
Very highly recommended for a brief but authentic insight into Borneo's tribal culture
Located approx 30 mins outside KK in the foothills, Mari Mari is privately owned and well organised. It is good value given its 100 Ringit cost for a 3 hr visit comprising a guided tour of the various tribal houses, a dance performance and a local lunch. We attended the 10am session. There is a second one at 2pm.
On arrival (preferable to book to avoid disappointment) you will be allocated to a group of about 10 and introduced to your tour leader. We were very fortunate to be allocated Popoi who was an excellent communicator and sharer of the various tribal stories.
The various tour groups then tour independently shepherded by their guides which works well with very few bottlenecks. The tour starts with a walk across the river on a swing bridge before visiting each of the 5 tribal houses where you meet tribal members, sample some snacks and drinks before ending up at the Performance hall for a short cultural performance which is then followed by lunch. The tour is certainly child friendly.
Very highly recommended for a brief but authentic insight into Borneo's tribal culture
Written August 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LRMcK
Cairns, Australia1,963 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We drove out to the village in our hire car. It took about 35 minutes from where we were staying at Kota Kinabalu in the morning traffic. We were made to feel very welcome. My husband and I were put into a group if 10 English speakers. We had an excellent guide, Papow, who gave an animated description of the exhibits. We were able to sample traditional food and drink in each longhouse. There were 5 different ones to see. Our tour started at 10am and cost 100 ringgit each. As well as the guided tour, there was a half hour cultural performance of music, singing and traditional dance. A lovely buffet lunch was provided including soup, rice, chicken and fish dishes, cooked vegetables, salads, fruit and tea and coffee. A wonderful day out. Very informative and fun.
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Z&M
Türkiye193 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We booked our tour on internet the night before we went there (booking beforehand is apparently mendatory). We prefered the Grab cab instead of the village shuttle which offers to take you from and back to your hotel for 60Rm per person (would have been 120rm for us. The round trip with Grab costed us just 51Rm ). Just be aware that it is almost impossible to find a Grab driver for the way back since there is nothing there but the village itself. But don't worry, the staff will surely sort out something for you.
We enjoyed every moment of our tour, it was very interesting to know about the different tribes and the way they used to live. We also loved our guide, Jonathan, we all (we were 15 person) had his attention, he was always making sure we all are having fun and not needing anything.
The lunch buffet also was very good, the food was fresh, various and they even made a special box for my husband because he doesn't eat meat and is disgusted by anything cooked with or even just touched chicken (i know, sounds weird).
To summarise, we found this village to be a nice way to know about the culture of Malaysia and we really think it worth visiting.
We enjoyed every moment of our tour, it was very interesting to know about the different tribes and the way they used to live. We also loved our guide, Jonathan, we all (we were 15 person) had his attention, he was always making sure we all are having fun and not needing anything.
The lunch buffet also was very good, the food was fresh, various and they even made a special box for my husband because he doesn't eat meat and is disgusted by anything cooked with or even just touched chicken (i know, sounds weird).
To summarise, we found this village to be a nice way to know about the culture of Malaysia and we really think it worth visiting.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Friggykeith
Frigiliana, Spain193 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
The “village” gives a half day opportunity to briefly understand the history of the many tribes who lived here and their culture.
It’s not in-depth, but for an introduction, it’s well organised and informative. Our guide did a great job of keeping a very varied group entertained and informed and the various offerings of rice alcohol and cooked rice products were fine.
The tour ended with a dance performance and the opportunity to participate before a light local lunch. Photographically, nice pics of the interior of their long houses are there to be had.
An enjoyable morning.
It’s not in-depth, but for an introduction, it’s well organised and informative. Our guide did a great job of keeping a very varied group entertained and informed and the various offerings of rice alcohol and cooked rice products were fine.
The tour ended with a dance performance and the opportunity to participate before a light local lunch. Photographically, nice pics of the interior of their long houses are there to be had.
An enjoyable morning.
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nia
Launceston, Australia38 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
It is one of the best cultural experiences one can ask for. The staff is very friendly and spot on with their services. The tour is in small groups of 12-15 people so that one can get a great experience. The delicious local wine and delicacy they make you try which are cherry on the cake. We just booked a grab and reached the village and the staff can book a cab for you for coming back to the city, henceforth you don’t need any private tour operator to take you there. We just bought the tickets on the spot or you can book it online directly from their website. If you’re in Kota Kinabalu it’s a must must visit.
Written July 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ivy.z
Dubai, United Arab Emirates352 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Having grown up in KK, I have never been to any cultural village. But when I came back for the summer holidays with my kids and husband, we decided to visit this place. This place exceeded my expectations as it’s educational and interactive. There are 5 ethnic houses for visitors to go in and each house offers the ethnic cuisine, even the local lihing (“rice wine”). At the end of the visit there is a cultural dance performance and food served after the performances. Nothing fancy - it’s fried rice, fried rice noodles, fried banana, spring rolls and some fruits.
Highly recommend this if you like to learn about the Sabahan ethnic groups.
Highly recommend this if you like to learn about the Sabahan ethnic groups.
Written July 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maree R
Christchurch, New Zealand1,195 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
This was a stop on our tour and it was very informative, interactive and enjoyable. Our guide Aman? was a treat. He entertained us throughout the tour, we sampled lots of food and drinks and ended with a great show and afternoon tea (more food). If you get the chance to visit... Just do it!
Written September 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe R
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Couples
Mari Mari was a great experience really enjoyed it and a lot of food and drink tasting and learning about the culture. Would definitely recommend getting a driver there and back much easier as near on impossible to get a grab from the village back to the city, we contacted jack who was able to supply his cousins number for a ride. +60 12‑843 5750 or +60 11‑6945 0117
Written August 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bettina0316
Hamburg, Germany68 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
This cultural village defintely should be visited by all tourists that go to Sabah.
First of all, the village is really nice located in a forest. This makes the stay very comfortable because there is always a place where you find shadow.
At the beginning, they build little groups (in our case three families) that each get one tour guide that speaks your language. Due to the little group we could ask all our questions that we had.
The tour itself was very interesting and we learned a lot about the different tribes that live in Borneo. E.g. they showed us how to make ricewine (that we could taste), how to use a blowpipe (even our sons, 6 and 9 years old, could use it which was a lot of fun) or how they make fire, served typical food or did Henna painting for us with typical motives.
At the end of the tour we got a little Buffet which was also included in the price.
And all the stuff were very friendly;) We felt welcomed from the first minute.
Our children and us therefore highly recommend a tour at the Mari Mari village. The time flew by and we would have loved to stay there longer.
First of all, the village is really nice located in a forest. This makes the stay very comfortable because there is always a place where you find shadow.
At the beginning, they build little groups (in our case three families) that each get one tour guide that speaks your language. Due to the little group we could ask all our questions that we had.
The tour itself was very interesting and we learned a lot about the different tribes that live in Borneo. E.g. they showed us how to make ricewine (that we could taste), how to use a blowpipe (even our sons, 6 and 9 years old, could use it which was a lot of fun) or how they make fire, served typical food or did Henna painting for us with typical motives.
At the end of the tour we got a little Buffet which was also included in the price.
And all the stuff were very friendly;) We felt welcomed from the first minute.
Our children and us therefore highly recommend a tour at the Mari Mari village. The time flew by and we would have loved to stay there longer.
Written April 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mad0scar
Sydney, Australia26 contributions
Oct 2022
Great place to learn about the history of the Malay peoples and how they lived. Tour guide very informative. Each tribal home had the locals portraying old way of living with demonstrations and food tasting along the way. Definitely recommend having a guide as they provide you with the information. At end of tour had Malay style high tea which was different but good and then dance performance. Good gift shop that has goods made by village residents at good prices. Bring bottle of water as can be humid when walking around. Uneven ground and ladders/stairs to climb.
Written December 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I seen review mention entrance at RM100 but the website show higher. Where to get the ticket at RM100 or lower as i am coming in group of 8. Thank you
Written March 4, 2020
Hu miss nisha. We were there less than 2 months ago and we payed 100Rm at the cashier counter. It includes the guided tour and the buffet lunch. It excludes the transportation. With the transportation to and back from the village, it is something like 168Rm or 170Rm, i cannot really remember.
If you have your own car, it will be better since it will be cheaper. Grab is also cheaper but for 8 persons it won't be really easy since you will need 3 cars i guess. And then impossible to find a grab ride back from the village. So you can rent 2 cars if it will be cheaper than Mari Mari transportation.
Maybe you can also try your chance for a small discount since you are a big group.
Written March 8, 2020
Will you recommend to do this with a toddler and baby in tow?
Written August 2, 2019
No. Paths are uneven and there are steep steps into the houses. I think the children would be too young to enjoy the experience.
Written August 3, 2019
Is this wheelchair accessible? I can get in and out of a wheelchair and walk short distances and do some stairs.
Written July 5, 2019
Parts of the village are accessible but some of the longhouses have steep steps to climb into them
Written July 6, 2019
I'm afraid not, 'cos the tour tskes you through the countryside and up the stairs to visit cottages. Unfortunately.
Written July 6, 2019
Is there good phone/data connection at Mari Mari Cultural Village? Planning a mini team challenge for my group when we visit the location. Thank you!
Written June 13, 2019
Good connection if it’s your own WiFi data
Written June 13, 2019
Hi, I do not recollect how much exactly was the cost of a 6-year child. I also agree with other respondents that entry-fee should not be a deterrent, please do take the kid.
Written September 20, 2018
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