My first experience of crossing the Tamparuli hanging bridge was scary. I was frightened by the raging yellow river under my feet and cried loudly. My parents tried to coax me to move on but failed. Then my father asked me to close my eyes, and he carried me to other end of the bridge. I was about 6 or 7 years old that time. :-p
Left: signage to Tamparuli Bridge. Right: Kadazandusun girls crossing a hanging bridge carefully
The 200-Metre-long Tamparuli Suspension Bridge is made famous by the Kadazandusun (biggest indigenous tribe of Sabah) folk song “Jambatan Tamparuli” (jambatan means bridge) written by Justin Lusah in 1977. It’s also known as the Lover’s Bridge because of a heartbroken love story.
Walking on the Tamparuli Bridge. At the right is the busy Tamu market and Bukit Perahu (Ruhiang Hill). You also can see the tip of Mount Kinabalu behind the hill.
The romantic Jambatan Tamparuli song is in Kadazandusun language. Thanks to Ben Godomon! Below is his translation of the lyrics or you can listen to the Kadazandusun and Chinese versions of Jambatan Tamparuli performed by Cozzi Chong (雁卿), a popular Sino-Kadazan singer from Sabah:
I’m making a “Pak Pak” sound As I walk along the bridge The bridge of Tamparuli while wearing high-heeled shoes
[Note: a proper name for high-heeled shoes for men is probably “Cuban Heels”]
As I walk along the bridge The Bridge of Tamparuli I’m making a “Pak Pak” sound while wearing high-heeled shoes
But damn my shoes they fell off the bridge only socks are left which I brought home
[Note: “silaka” is “celaka” in Malay : “damn” is the closest equivalent to English that I can think of]
On Wednesday It’s the Tamu in Tamparuli I go around the shops Looking for high-heeled shoes
[Note: “Tamu” of course means “weekly open market” as is practised in Sabah]
Whenever listening to this song, I would visualize a lady walking carefully on the wobbly hanging bridge without her shoes. The holes between the planks can trap high heels so ladies please beware. However, this is not the same hanging bridge that inspired Justin Lusah to write the song. The “original” hanging bridge was washed away by flood in 1999.
You could have a nice view of surrounding of Tamparuli town on Tamparuli Suspension Bridge. The highest point is Ruhiang Hill (Bukit Perahu), a spot for hiking and paragliding during weekends. Mt. Kinabalu, the highest mountain of Malaysia, would show her face in good weather. On every Wednesday, there is a tamu (weekly open market, as described by the song) at Tamparuli town too.
Tamparuli Bridge with Linangkit and Lelawangan motif, the unique textile patterns of Lotud and Bajau respectively.
In 2021, Tamparuli Bridge received a facelift under the Linangkit Mural and Lelewangan Jambatan Gantung Tamparuli project. The artwork is completed by Tujuh Tompinai or 7T (means seven friends or teachers in Dusun language). The support posts and walls of the bridge are decorated with Linangkit motif and giant mural.
Mural of Tamparuli Bridge depicts the stories, legend, cultures and attractions of Tamparuli, an artwork of Tujuh Tompinai or 7T team (led by Saidina Atiman).
The top part of mural (see picture above) shows a group of Tantagas, the high priest of Lotud tribe and their world view – the end of the river is the edge of our world. The bottom mural displays the people (Lotud, Bajau, Chinese) and attractions (Bukit Perahu, Rumah Terbalik (Upside Down House), Murug Turug Waterfall, JonGrapevines & Figs Garden) of Tamparuli. Right mural represents the legend of Solungkoi. Left mural is to commemorate two brave British soldiers.
British Monument at Tamparuli Bridge. The inscription on the plaque says: This plaque is erected in Memory of: Private J.W.N. Hall RAMC and Driver D.C. Cooper RASC who lost their lives on 18th May 1960 in trying to save the life of a woman of Kampong Sayap, Kota Belud. (RAMC = Royal Army Medical Corps, RASC = Royal Army Service Corps)
In 1960, two British soldiers lost their lives when they tried to save the life of a woman from Kota Belud. Their Land Rover was swept by strong currents while crossing the old Tamparuli Bridge and three of them drowned. You can find the plaque about the incident behind the fruit & vegetables market near the bridge.
Tourists looking at the fishes under the Tamparuli Bridge
Unlike the traditional hanging bridge, the new bridge is supported by concrete pillars and steel cables, so rock solid that you can bring a full cup of coffee walking nearly 200 Meters to another end without spilling a drop. Not only that, there is mesh wire covering the lower part of the boardwalk, so it’s impossible to drop your shoe like the lady in the song, unless you purposely throw it into the river.
Left: story of Solungkoi. Middle: drawing about the song Jambatan Tamparuli. Right: playing the music on the bridge
Nonetheless, the construction of old Tamparuli bridge posed a big challenge to British engineers in 1930s because it’s always destroyed by flood. Bobolian (local high priest) said that Tambuakar, the river spirit, was angry with the building of new bridge. To appease the spirit, a human sacrifice was demanded.
Old and new Tamparuli Bridges
Therefore, a fair maiden named Solungkoi was put into a jar and buried alive under the first pole of the bridge. After the offering, the bridge lasts until today, though it’s flooded by the rising river occasionally. Legend says the British engineer was in love with Solungkoi, making their love story sounds more tragic.
Old post-war shoplots of Tamparuli town
After you cross the bridge, you may take a walk in Tamparuli to get nostalgia with those old wooden shoplots of post-war era in town. For tourists who head to Kinabalu Park or Kiulu white water rafting, this is a nice mid-point to stop for a tea break and try the delicious Tamparuli fried noodle.
Another hanging bridge not far away from Tamparuli town
In 1939, an American writer, Agnes Newton Keith wrote a book about her life in Sabah, the book title “Land Below the Wind” has become the nickname of Sabah since then. What she didn’t expect was, after more than 80 years, her house became a source of inspiration again.
The house and the book (Land Below the Wind) of Agnes Keith
In June 2021, Sabah tourism minister dropped a bombshell by urging the promotion of dark tourism, and Agnes Keith House is one of the destinations. In case you don’t know, the post-war colonial wooden house of Agnes Keith is a heritage building as well as a haunted house.
Sabah tourism minister at the launching of Dark Tourism Sabah Workshop
Sabah has been doing well in nature tourism, so many tourism players were skeptical, and some even scoffed at the idea. I heard comments such as “Is the nature tourism of Sabah jumping the shark and now we have to market ghost tours?”, “Sabah will be promoted as the Land of Ghosts?” and “Why go dark when we have plenty of sunny islands and blue sky?”
Is Dark Tourism about Ghost Hunting?
Before we think that it’s a joke, let’s keep our minds open and try to fully understand the real meaning of Dark Tourism. First of all, Dark Tourism is defined as any form of tourism that is related to death, suffering, atrocity, tragedy and crimes. Note the words “ghost” and “paranormal” are not in the definition? Apparently, Dark Tourism is not Ghost Tourism. Ghost hunting is a sub-genre of Dark Tourism for only a tiny number of brave hobbyists.
The infamous Sandakan Death Marches and its starting point in PoW camp of Sandakan
Dark Tourism is focus on sharing the dark history or story of a site or event. In fact, some tour packages already contain the elements of dark tourism, for example, the Sandakan Death March. During World War II, 2,434 Australia and British PoW (Prisoners of War) were forced by Japanese to walk about 250 km from Sandakan to Ranau. Only six survived. Today you can sign up for a walk on the same route, to experience the suffering of these victims.
Left: ancient tombs at Pogunon Museum. Right: headhunting sword
Anyway, the dark tourism sites are always linked to horrible death, so some tourists would sense something paranormal or just feeling uneasy. Goosebumps can induce a more compelling and intensified atmosphere for storytelling. Dark Tourism can be done during daytime and it’s not meant to terrify the tourists. Actually tourists may have unwittingly participated in dark tourism.
Burials by jars (left) and log coffin (right) have existed a thousand years ago in Sabah
However, like ghost movies, some tourists are interested in hearing the ghost stories, but very few of them would want to experience these. So you can see the major flaw of highlighting only ghost hunting, which is a niche market that is too small to sustain.
Is Dark Tourism Good for Sabah?
The answer is Yes. The opinions below are my own and not the views of my company or any organisation.
1. Branding of Mysterious Borneo
In the past, many western adventurers were drawn to Borneo because it’s a land of mystery and roaming headhunters. That’s why Borneo is a more popular name than Sabah in some western countries. Local tourism players have been branding Sabah as Borneo (i.e. Malaysian Borneo). Dark Tourism fits well with the image of Mysterious Borneo.
Ritual and the instruments, many are passed down from the ancestors.
When tourists visit Sabah, they would be impressed by Mount Kinabalu, Sipadan Island, Danum Valley and other attractions that are great for a sunny vacation. However, there is a lack of mystical element. Dark Tourism could complement this. For example, by sharing of Arung Salamiah’s love story at Bohey Dulang, a popular island among tourists. A remarkable destination should have a remarkable story to tell, so the tourists can appreciate it with their eyes and hearts.
Bohey Dulang Island and the Arung Salamiah legend. Locals say she could be seen walking on the beach during full moon.
Other countries can offer a better version of our mountains, islands and forest, but they can’t replicate our brand and legends.
2. Documentary of Intangible Heritage
What’s your favorite Halloween character? Werewolf? Nine-tailed fox? Mummy? Wait! Did you notice something sad? You probably can’t name any character from Sabah (Balan-Balan flying head and Pocong are not uniquely Sabah by the way). Countries with strong cultural influences also have popular mystic figures internationally.
Odou Bakanjar Festival of Dusun Tatana from Kuala Penyu. Cultural performance is also a form of storytelling to pass on the belief.
If we dive deeper into Dark Tourism, we would uncover many cultural figures mentioned in traditional customs, rituals, belief and legends. Promoting Dark Tourism will help to preserve these intangible assets like our intellectual properties. Disney and Hollywood are making billions of dollars from showing these in their movies and merchandises.
Bobolian is the high priest of Kadazandusun people. They can communicate with the dead and deities from other worlds.
Sabah villages are not short of local tales and folklore that were told by grandparents. Unfortunately, whenever I asked for such story, most of the time the villagers would say, “I don’t know. You need to talk to our elders.” In contrast, Pitas people record and own their Supirak legend, they bring their attractions to life, and the mesmerizing story can be made into a drama or literature.
Oil seepages of Kampung Minyak (Kudat). It was used to be a sacred ground. Visitor needed to sacrifice a chicken and consumed it there.
The Little Mermaid statue, which attracts more than 5 millions visitors and is listed as one of the top tourist attractions in Denmark. Sound like easy money? This is how powerful a story can be.
3. Create More Tours, Storytelling, and Destinations
Based on my experience in Sabah trip, the introduction of an attraction by tour guides is mainly informational content like how old our rainforest is, how many species of birds we have, the age of a building, etc. I respect their professionalism but I bet tourists will forget most of the presentation even before the tour ends.
Some dark history of Sabah are coming from the battles between British rulers (of North Borneo) and the natives.
The research by cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner shows that messages delivered as stories can be up to 22 times more memorable than just facts. Most Dark Tourism sites are about past events so the presentation is usually in the form of storytelling. Stories engage the emotions of listeners and keeps their attention. This will spice up their travel experience. The most memorable part of their Borneo trip could be a campfire story.
During WWII, Berhala Island was used as a prisoner station by Japanese. Agnes Keith and her husband were interned on this island for a short period.
Promoting Dark Tourism would generate interest on neglected destinations that have historical and great story, or add more unusual and refreshing angle for some tours. For example, Berhala Island was used to be a leprosy and PoW camp, Kota Batu the Brunei fort submerged in Kinarut River. A more diversified product mix will be beneficial in serving different types of tourists and gaining more exposure in new niche market.
The “scars” of Mount Kinabalu created by the Earthquake 2015
Europe has more than 10,000 castles, but Dracula’s Castle is always on the bucket list of tourists. Can you figure out why?
The Potential Drawbacks
Dark Tourism is a relatively new concept to Sabah and we need to be sensitive to the cultures of the local communities in the development of new products. The interpretation is important too. For example, it’s inappropriate to call Bobolian (high priest) a witch. Some tribes would not want to be stereotyped as aggressive people because of their headhunting past. Some places may be considered as sacred and should not be disturbed by noisy tourists. Care should be taken to leave no room for breaking of taboos and to avoid any disrespectful activity to the culture of certain social groups.
Double Six Monument is built on the plane crash site of 6 June 1976. Sabahans don’t believe that it was an accident.
List of Potential Dark Tourism Sites in Sabah
The following is a (unofficial) list of potential dark tourism sites in Sabah, where the events or tales associated with wars, disasters, tragedies, brutality and death taking place.
Japanese War Tunnel in Kunak. Someone say it’s a few km long but nobody dares to walk to the end to confirm this.
Development of Dark Tourism in Sabah
Sabah Parks is managing six terrestrial parks and three marine parks of Sabah. They are the most proactive government agency in dark tourism initiatives and able to identify 40 dark tourism sites in their parks, then seven sites (i.e. Sulug Island, Gaya Island, Bohey Dulang (2), Grave of Si Gunting, Supirak Island, Earthquake 2015 on Mount Kinabalu) are shortlisted for development.
You can watch this video to listen to the talks delivered in Dark Tourism Sabah Workshop
From 22nd to 24th July 2022, Sabah Tourism Board organised a 3-day Dark Tourism Workshop for a group of 52 district officers, assistant district officers, officials from the state Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Kota Kinabalu City Hall, and Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah.
Group photo of Sabah tourism minister with the participants of 3-day Sabah Dark Tourism Workshop
They visited Kinarut Mansion, Pogunon Museum, Petagas Memorial Garden and Double Six Monument. Talks on Dark Tourism were given, for more understanding on the concepts and government plan. The local authorities are given the tasks of identifying potential dark tourism destinations, and supporting the development of dark tourism in their districts. The workshop ended with a camping on Sulug Island, the darkest island in Kota Kinabalu.
Sulug Island (Local Name: Pulau Sulug) is a forgotten island. As one of the five islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TARP) off Kota Kinabalu City (KK), it receives 0 tourist, compared to other four islands that are visited by nearly half a million tourists annually during peak years.
The white sandy beach of Sulug Island
Gaya, Manukan, Sapi and Mamutik Island have complete amenities for tourists. However, there is nothing on Sulug Island, not even a jetty and toilet.
Sulug Island is incredibly beautiful and pristine. The moment you land on its soft sandy beach and see the emerald seawater, you would wish that you discovered this secret island earlier. For many years, this island is hidden fairly well from the tourism map. You may wonder why.
About Sulug Island
Sulug Island is the second smallest island (20 acres or 8.1 hectares in size) of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, which is managed by Sabah Parks. It’s used to be a shelter for the Suluk or Tausug tribe refugees in the past hence the name Sulug. In Bajau language, Sulug means current, and also another term for group of Suluk tribes.
Sulug Island (Pulau Sulug) is one of the five islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park off Kota Kinabalu City. It is the second smallest island (20 acres or 8.1 hectares), 33% larger than the smallest Mamutik Island (15-acre or 6.1 hectares).
The most unique feature of Sulug Island is its long sand spit, like an island sticking its tongue out. The rest of the island is fully covered in lush forest. From the sky, Sulug Island looks like a broccoli.
More than 70 years ago, Sulug Island had a fishing village for about a hundred Bajau Ubian people (more stories on this later). It’s a miracle that such an amazing island is uninhabited and undeveloped, consider it’s only 5 Kilometres away from KK. Actually, there was a resort on Sulug but was destroyed by wind decades ago.
The long sandspit beach is a feature of Sulug Island. It can change shape and direction in different time of the year because of sea and wind actions.
Wanna go there? No, you can’t because Sulug Island is not open to public. I was able to “sneak” into Sulug island in 2006 because the ban wasn’t strict then. Even so, at first the boatman was reluctant to bring me there because Sulug wasn’t a popular choice and sending only one passenger to Sulug was less profitable. Last month I joined a dark tourism program and overnight on Sulug Island, now I can write more about it.
The Beach of Sulug Island
The beach of Sulug Island is untouched so it’s full of coral fragments and seashells washed ashore (sadly, so are some garbage). The long strip of white sandy beach is vast and extend far to the sea, more than 120 metres long and about 30 to 40 metres wide. Other than the beach area, other sides of Sulug Island are rocky beach or cliff.
Left: The crystal clear water and nice beach of Sulug Island. Right: you can see Manukan Island here
This sand spit beach would shift direction and change shape from time to time due to wind and wave actions. The strip can become shorter, wider or bent sometimes. That affects the depth of the seawater that flanks the beach, so be careful, it can be shallow today but turn into deep water in your next visit.
The beach on Sulug Island changes shape occasionally, like a licking tongue. (satellite photos by Google Earth)
However, the open area of the beach is not a right spot to setup your camp. Your tent would be blown away or flooded if a rainstorm hits. A patch of tall casuarina trees at the shore offers some good covers for dozen of camping tents, but be prepared for some itchy sandfly bites in the shaded area.
The sand, corals and drift wood on the beach of Sulug Island
Left: seashells and corals of Sulug Island. Right: the rocky shore of Sulug Island
Too bad no bikini girl with me. The drift wood and log laying around on the beach are excellent spots for taking photos. The sandy side of Sulug Island is facing east so you can see sunrise over KK and Mount Kinabalu in the morning, another great chance to bag some cool pictures.
You can see Mount Kinabalu, Mamutik Island, and sunrise view of Kota Kinabalu City from Sulug Island
Watch your steps when you bath, so you won’t step on the graves submerged in the sea. These graves belong to the past villagers and used to be on the land before the beach erosion. Some locals found human bones in the sea and have collected and took most of them away. At night hermit crabs would be everywhere, and some of them grow to fist size!
In the wood near the beach you would see some ruins of the abandoned resort, which are mostly engulfed by the trees and vegetation.
The Island Forest
Except the beach, the whole Sulug Island is covered by undisturbed old secondary forest. There is a gradual slope from the beach to the forested ridge at the back of Sulug Island, which is about a hundred metres high.
Sulug Island has a few popular dive sites such as North Sulug Reef
To explore the forest, you can start hiking from the wood behind the beach. On the way, you will find some traces of past human settlement such as old well and graves. The walk is about 1 kilometre in distance. The trail is narrow and not maintained regularly. Since it’s not well-trodden and has no clear marker, you could lose your way, so never go alone.
Left: dense forest of Sulug Island. Middle: sun rays through the tree gaps. Right: an old well of the bygone village
The forest is mostly island vegetation dominated by tall and slender trees, with figs, sparrow’s mango, and tembusu trees among them. The dense undergrowth such as palm, ferns, creeping vines, rattan (some are spiky) and shrubs would slow you down. The sea view is obstructed by dense tree lines so don’t expect any nice view on the top.
Near the end of the loop trail is a slippery descending route to the rocky beach, where you would see interesting plant like Pandanus (screwpine) that bears fruits look like pineapples. Surprisingly, I find no coconut tree on Sulug Island.
A Haunted Island?
Most KK folks believe that Sulug is a ghost island and a burial ground. When I was a boy, my late father owned a speedboat but never wanted to land on Sulug. We only passed by and looked at Sulug Island from the sea, I still can recall the loud cicada song on this empty island that gave a spooky vibe.
The ruins that I saw in 2006 are almost completely engulfed by the forest and sea after 16 years
If you talk to the locals, this island is not short of paranormal stories. Remember the resort I mentioned? Some guests experienced strange things such as the light turned on and off by itself. Or they were sleeping in their room but ended up laying outside in the next morning. Nobody would challenge you if you list Sulug Island as one of the 10 most haunted places in KK.
Some graves (at yellow pointer) are submerged in the water due to the beach erosion
The more recent case is a group of campers on Sulug Island were so freaked out because their tents were shaken by invisible hands. Apparently there may be some resentful spirits lingering on the island. They might relate to the following tragedy that makes Sulug earning the title of “The Darkest Island in KK”.
The most common unexplainable case is – one of your important items goes missing on the island, you search high and low but can’t find it. Don’t worry. It will reappear miraculously by itself later, at a place that you had checked. I’ve heard stories of missing vaper, cooking salt and mahjong tile.
Dark History of Sulug Island
During World War II, Sabah was occupied by the Japanese between 1942 and 1945. To overthrow the Japanese invaders, Albert Kwok (Chinese name: 郭益南) formed Kinabalu Guerrillas and led an uprising on 10 October 1943, which is known as Double Tenth Revolt. The islanders from Sulug and other islands launched the attack from the sea. They landed on Beach Road (Jalan Pantai) and the wharf. Then they attacked the military stations and set fire to the customs sheds. The rebellion killed about 50 enemies and the guerrillas took over KK (formerly Jesselton) successfully.
Unfortunately, without any backup by the ally, the victory of Kinabalu guerrillas is short-lived. Soon Japanese mobilised their main force from Kuching (Sarawak) and regained control of KK. The Japanese knew that islanders were involved in the revolt of October and planned to take revenge.
The name of Orang Tua Panglima Ali, the headman of Sulug Island, is engraved on the plaque of the monument in Petagas Memorial Garden.
A week after the uprising, an expedition force under the command of Lieutenant Ogata arrested Orang Tua Panglima Ali (or Ali Imam Abbas Sani. Orang Tua means village elder / head), the headman of Sulug Island and about 10 of his men. They were taken to the mainland via Kinarut from where they were made to walk to Jesselton with their hands tied. Panglima Ali was imprisoned at Batu Tiga and later executed together with other guerrilla members at Petagas on 21 January 1944.
Two weeks later, 30 Japanese soldiers and 20 native policemen came to Sulug Island. The Japanese machine-gunned the inhabitants, setting fire to all the houses on the island. They shot the men running out of their houses. Some villagers tried to fight back and wounded a few Japanese. The Japanese soon overcame this resistance and killed or captured all the men whom they could find.
Left: Sulug Island is nicknamed as the darkest island in Kota Kinabalu because of its tragic history. The signboard is drawn by Kartunis Binjai. Right: a news in The Straits Times on 28 October 1951 called Sulug the Widow’s Island
Of 114 people living on Sulug Island, 54 were killed and 60 survived. Thirty women and children were exiled to Bongawan as the forced labour in the paddy fields, and 25 of them died from malnutrition and ill treatment. No adult male of Sulug Island survived. When the British landed there in 1945, they found only women and children. An 11-year-old boy became the headman and featured in the article “Widow’s Island” on The Straits Times newspaper on 28 October 1951.
The islanders suffered severely from reprisals. Besides Sulug, the massacre also occurred in other islands such as Mantanani. Hundreds of islanders died but only about 50 of the them are listed in the monument of Petagas Memorial Garden with other Chinese, Bajau and Kadazandusun warriors.
Reference Books
“One Crowded Moment Of Glory” by Danny Wong Tze Ken, University of Malaya Press (2019)
“Kinabalu Guerrillas, An account of the Double-Tenth Rising against the Japanese Invaders in North Borneo” by Maxwell Hall, Opus Publications (2009).
How to get there
The GPS location of Sulug Island is 5.95931591065662, 115.9950597329908 (see Location Map). As there is no amenities, Sulug Island is not meant to be a tourist destination. Entry to the island is forbidden, unless you get the permission from Sabah Parks (Though I saw some tourists land on the island by chartered boat, probably without the knowledge of Sabah Parks). If you really want to visit Sulug, the following are some ways.
1. Dark Tourism
Sulug Island is special because the event is an important chapter of Sabah history during WWII. All races were working together to fight for the freedom of Sabah. A local club Dark Tourism Sabah has been promoting Sulug Island as a dark tourism destination. Sometimes they organise trip to Sulug Island, but not on regular basis. You can follow their social media for updates. Please note Dark Tourism is not entirely about ghost hunting. The group focuses more on telling the sad stories of a location.
Camping on Sulug Island under the shade of Casuarina trees. Taken in Dark Tourism Workshop
2. Scuba Diving
The beauty of Sulug Island is not merely on its surface. A few dive sites such as Sulug North Reef is one of the top 10 diving spots in TARP. Scuba divers can sign up for leisure boat dives around Sulug with the local dive operators. The average depth is 15 metres (49.2 ft) with good visibility (10 to 20 metres). Possible sighting includes turtles, nudibranch, frogfish, lion fish, giant clam, school of yellowback / blueback fusiliers, barracuda, and rich variety of soft and hard corals such as sea whips and barrel sponge. Clement Lee, a local hardcore diver, even found Rhinopias (scorpionfish) and Hairy Shrimp in the water of Sulug.
3. Standup Paddleboarding (SUP)
SUP is fun and getting popular in Sabah. Sometimes the participants take off from Kinabalu Yacht Club of Tanjung Aru Beach and paddle 5 to 6 km to reach Sulug Island. I saw the photos in the Facebook of Borneo Paddle Monkeys. I’m not sure how often they do this. You can contact Borneo Paddle Monkeys for information.
Tourists are forbidden to land on Sulug Island without permission by the Sabah Parks.
Anyway, you can always visit four other islands in the marine park for a more comfortable travel experience.
My Thoughts
Sulug Island is gorgeous but deserted, so a lot of investors think we should do something about it. The primary goal of a marine park is to conserve the local flora and fauna by protecting and nurturing their ecosystem and habitats. One of the best strategies is to leave them alone, and let them stay free from the destruction by human activities. Therefore, it’s not an utmost priority to develop every beautiful islands we have, which would degrade the natural environment.
Scuba divers on a training at Sulug Island (note the four people between the boats)
In 2019, a Japanese firm proposed to build high-end floating chalets on Sulug Island. I don’t know what’s your take. The soldiers from their country committed a serious war crime on Sulug Island. Building a Japanese resort on the graves of WWII victims? Sound like a slap in the faces of those islander heroes. Yes, I agree that this is history and we should move on. However, we can forgive, but NEVER FORGET. Anyway, a WWII monument on Sulug Island would be very much appreciated though.
Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo
This is a true ghost story happened to my friend. Since today is the start of hungry ghost month of Chinese, I guess a haunting story would serve as a great opening. Everything being said here is from the first-hand source. I didn’t make up anything. Let’s start by calling the three guys in this story as Robert, David and Yusof.
Agop Batu Tulug is about 40 metres high and houses about 125 log coffin of 600 to 900 years old. The highest caves look like the eyes of a skull.
In 2005 or 2006, Robert, David and Yusof were on a road trip to tour around East coast of Sabah. One of their stops is Agop Batu Tulug, which is located next to the highway between Sandakan and Lahad Datu. Agop Batu Tulug literally means Sleeping Rock Cave in local language. It’s a 40-metre-high limestone pinnacle with a few big caves that store about 125 wooden coffins from 600 to 900 years ago. Basically you can call it a coffin hill.
Information panel of Agop Batu Tulug. In local language, Agop = Cave, Batu = Rock, Tulug = Sleeping. Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0
As a burial site, Agop Batu Tulug doesn’t receive a lot of tourists. It’s under the care of Sabah State Museum and open to public. Anyway, it’s highly accessible and visible by the roadside, so these three guys decided to pay a visit. They bought the tickets, then walked up to the hill to explore the caves with old coffins.
At first they checked out the caves in lower level, which houses coffin of ordinary people. A staff on-duty told them that the human remains in the coffin were transferred to the museum, so they assumed all the coffins are empty, which is not true.
Agop Lintanga, the burial cave for ordinary people. Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0
Cave burial with log coffin was used to be a practice by Orang Sungai and Murut Tangara living in upstream of Kinabatangan plain. The reason why they did it still remains a mystery. Most wooden coffin are carved from one big chunk of Belian log (Borneo Ironwood). Belian wood is so dense and heavy that it sinks instead of floating on the water.
Later Robert reached the Agop Sawat, the highest cave that has the best collection of ancient coffins. The coffins in this cave belong to VIP such as village chief, upper-class and warriors. You can tell their status by looking at the buffalo head decoration and motif carving on the coffins.
Wooden Coffin in the Agop Sawat, the highest burial cave of Agop Batu Tulug for high status people. This was where Robert offended the deceased. Credit: Photo by Jacob Mojiwat (source)
David said, “The coffins seem heavy. I wonder why these people carried them all the way up to the hill for burial?” Being the strongest guy among them, Robert took it as a challenge. He walked to a short and wide coffin that laid on a raised platform at his waist level. He grabbed one end of the coffin with both hands, lifted it up and down a few times to weigh it. “Ok ba, I can lift it,” he said.
“How about the longer one next to it?” David said. Robert did the same again to that coffin, and smiled, “Can ba, not too heavy for me.” The guys were laughing and didn’t know that both coffins were not empty. Robert has disturbed something inside.
Burial in cave with log coffin was used to be the traditional practice of Orang Sungai and Murut Tangara in upstream area of Kinabatangan plain. Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0
After the visit, they continued their road trip and overnight in a hotel of Tawau. After taking shower, watching TV and chit chat, they went to bed around 11 PM. They all stayed in the same room with triple beds. Robert was sleeping in the middle, David at his right and Yusof at his left.
Feeling something, Robert waked up in midnight. Through his sleepy eyes, he saw two dark figures standing in front of his bed. The left one was a tall and thin figure, about 6 feet high, and the short one at the right was between 4 to 5 feet tall. Because of the bathroom light behind these figures, they appeared as silhouettes. Robert thought they were David and Yusof. He wondered why they were standing there in late night. He just ignored them and back to sleep.
The layout of the hotel room where Robert and his friends spent a night. Robert drew this diagram to tell his story.
Both figures came to his bed. The tall one went to the footboard and the short one to his right side. Then they shake the bed of Robert violently. Robert was annoyed and asked them to stop, but these two fellows didn’t quit. Robert turned his body to the right, and he saw David was sleeping on the bed. Shocked, he checked his left and saw a sleeping Yusof. Robert was terrified, “huh? Then who are these two guys shaking my bed?”
The ghosts stopped shaking and Robert could tell that they were giggling, as if they did something funny and naughty, though they made no sound. Before Robert could react, the tall ghost started crawling onto his bed and moving on top of him. The short ghost pressed his shoulder and waist, Robert couldn’t move and shout. He experienced sleep paralysis with open eyes. It’s not a dream!
The coffins with buffalo head and beautiful carving usually belong to people of high status such as aristocrat, village chief and warrior.
Soon the tall ghost was on top of his body and stared at the face of Robert. Robert only saw a translucent, smoke-like black humanoid shadow that had no face. The tall ghost pinned his hands to the bed and giggled again. Then it licked the face of Robert from chin to forehead. Robert remembers that it’s a huge tongue and he could even feel that wet and slimy tongue touching his face.
Finally Robert could sit up after struggling hard. Both ghosts leaped to the front of his bed and giggled again. Then they turned left and walked to the window and disappeared into the curtain. Robert was scared. He waked up his friends, but none of them had any idea what was happening. Robert decided not to talk about it until daytime. He only could pray and waited for the sunrise in fear.
Most log coffin are made of Belian wood (Borneo Ironwood). Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0
The next morning Robert told David and Yusof about his paranormal encounter. The size of the ghosts matched the coffins that they played with, so they realised that they may have done something disrespectful to the deceased at Agop Batu Tulug. The ghosts just reciprocated by shaking Robert’s bed, like what he did to their coffins.
This story ghost was featured in Mysterious Borneo (神秘的婆罗洲) series in Shuang Xing channel (双星) of Astro in April 2023. “Robert” was interviewed in the TV.
Therefore, before they returned to Kota Kinabalu City, they dropped by Agop Batu Tulug again. Robert parked the car at the roadside, opened the door and faced the coffin hill. He apologised sincerely to the ghosts and said they didn’t mean to offend them. He also requested the ghosts not to follow them. Fortunately, the haunting ended after his apology.
In fact, this is not the only case. In one incident, a girl in a student group was possessed after a visit at Agop Batu Tulug. She was made to tell the others that never disturb those living in coffin hill. Just be respectful when you enter their territory and you will be fine. To learn more taboos, you may check out my article about some Do and Don’t in Borneo forest.
Religion has been a source of inspiration for making of remarkable architectures and artworks, but the ideas need the devotion of followers to turn into a reality. Peak Nam Toong (Chinese name: 碧南堂), one of the most beautiful Chinese temples in Sabah, is a perfect example of such outcome.
Peak Nam Toong looks like a palace in the heaven.
Chinese people are highly adaptive and willing to adjust their lifestyle to blend into the local society, but their cultures and religion are the cores that always remain intact. Therefore, a visit to a Chinese temple is a good starting point to see the dragon in their hearts.
Peak Nam Toong (碧南堂) is surrounded by houses and situated 300 feet away from the highway, but its towering 9-tier pagoda can been seen from miles away.
Even if you are a non-believer or atheist, your world view and values are more or less influenced by religions. For example, the karma, you wish good people go to heaven and your ex goes to hell right.
Peak Nam Toong temple is really photogenic and you can find many excellent spots for taking pictures.
History of Peak Nam Toong
Visitors would be impressed by the magnificent golden temple and 9-tier pagoda of Peak Nam Toong, so it’s hard to believe that Peak Nam Toong was just a humble stilt house in the water village of Tanjung Aru Beach about half a century ago.
In 1972, Peak Nam Toong was a small wooden building in water village and located about 300 feet away from the shore.
However, this first temple in the sea was so popular that it had to expand to accommodate more devotees. The temple was moved to Taman Fortuna less than 5 KM from Kota Kinabalu City and operated in 1984, this time it’s upgraded with bricks and cement structure. In the beginning, the new location was mostly empty ground. Now the temple is fully surrounded by residential housing.
Left: the 9-level pagoda of Peak Nam Toong; Right: The relief sculpture of five dragons
Wherever Chinese lives, there is a temple. In the bygone era of North British colonization, thousands of Chinese sailed across the South China Sea to work as labours and farmers in Sabah. Away from their hometown and working in a foreign country, religion gave these ancestor pioneers from China some hopes to protect themselves against insecurity.
Watch the video for a tour at Peak Nam Toong
Most of the Chinese immigrants are Hakka and Hokkien from Guangdong and Fujian provinces respectively, so naturally Guanyin (观音), Tua Pek Kong (大伯公) and Guang Ze Zun Wang (广泽尊王) are the three most common deities being worshiped in Sabah.
Lion decorations for the Chinese New Year. The place is clean and peaceful.
The Golden Temple
Taoism has a vivid vision of how a heaven looks like, so their temple is a mini replica of the palace. Peak Nam Toong fully incorporates the design of traditional Chinese architecture. The auspicious red and gold form the main theme colours. The area between the arch and temple are guarded by dozen of dragons and lions.
Day and night view of Peak Nam Toong (碧南堂)
The most prominent structure of Peak Nam Toong is the 9-tier pagoda, one of the tallest in Sabah. For Chinese, a 9-tier pagoda is a Feng Shui tower that can transfigure negative energy. Pagoda is a symbol of stability and wealth too because it was used to be a place for safekeeping of sacred relics, literature and treasures. This 200-feet-tall pagoda is a spectacular sight at night when its colourful LED light glows.
You can move the slider on photo to compare the day and night scenes of Peak Nam Toong
The front of Peak Nam Toong is facing at the direction of the sea. For people who’ve never been to a Chinese temple, there would be many things that pique their interest. Every elements in the sculptures, murals, motif, reliefs, statues, all have a story or meaning.
Sculptures of 12 Chinese Zodiac. They all look very rich.
Peak Nam Toong welcomes all visitors, even to non-followers who are respectful. The colourful statues of 12 Zodiac animals and Eight Immortals (八仙) at the compound are favourite spots of visitors for taking photos. For praying to the deities, the opening hours of the main prayer hall is from 6am to 6pm daily.
The Eight Immortals (八仙) in Chinese mythology. They represent eight main categories of people.
Under financial constraint, the construction of new Peak Nam Toong would be impossible without the support by the community through fund-raising, donation, and sponsorship. Just a trivia. When deciding the scale of the temple, the committees determined to go grand, as Taoism in Sabah needs a majestic landmark to project their faith and status.
Left: door of Peak Nam Toong; Right: booth for hanging wish banners
Main Prayer Hall
Taoism is a polytheistic religion, so there are about 16 deities housed in three altars and different areas of Peak Nam Toong. Sitting in the middle altar is Guang Ze Zun Wang (广泽尊王 / 圣王公), the main patron deity of Peak Nam Toong, together with his wife, Miao Yin Xian Fei (妙应仙妃) and 13 children, Thirteen Taibao (十三太保). You can find 24 drawing on the wall of the main prayer hall about the journey of Guang Ze Zun Wang to becoming a deity.
Altar of Guang Ze Zun Wang (广泽尊王) in the middle. He existed in Nan’an, Quanzhou, Fujian Province for over a thousand years.
The altar of Qing Shui Zu Shi (清水祖师) is at the right and Guanyin (观音菩萨) is at the left. They are accompanied by other deities such as Goddess Tian Hou (天后娘娘), Qi Xian Niang Niang (七仙娘娘), Lord Guan (关圣大帝), Tua Pek Kong (大伯公), Nezha (哪吒三太子), Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (地藏王菩萨) and Daode Tianzun (太上老君).
Altar of Qing Shui (清水祖师)
Each deity acts like an officer in heaven and has different roles and ranks. Most of them can answer general prayers about wealth, health, relationships, and some can handle specific requests like academic achievement and getting a baby. (Tip: For money matters, ask Tua Pek Kong.)
The altar of Guanyin (观音菩萨)
Usually devotees pray to Guang Ze Zun Wang to wish for blessing and a peaceful life. Guang Ze Zun Wang also has the power to ward off the evil spirits, and able to travel between heaven and hell. There are 13 Guang Ze Zun Wang temples in Sabah.
Praying on the birthday of Qing Shui (清水祖师). Note the three altars in the hall.
Taoism believes that kind-hearted human can transform into a deity, if she / he practices Taoism and does a lot of charitable works to help the people. Many deities were used to be a Taoist or legendary figure who is deeply respected as a philanthropist or hero.
Events & Celebrations
Peak Nam Toong would organise special celebrations on important dates to pay homage to the deities. If you enjoy watching vibrant cultural events, you could check out the following grand events:
Chinese New Year celebration and stage performance at Peak Nam Toong
Pray to Tian Gong (拜天公)
Birthdays of Guang Ze Zun Wang (广泽尊王), Qing Sui Zhu Shi (清水祖师), Guanyi (观音)
Hungry Ghost Festival (孟兰节)
Devotees pray to King Guangze in the main prayer hall
Some events come with entertainment programmes including dragon, unicorn and lion dance, music and dance performances, grand parade, offering of various popular Chinese dishes to the deities, etc.
What’s your revenge travel plan for the new year? If you just want to relax and don’t want crowded destinations on a tight schedule, Tenom would fit your travel style. You can fully control your pace and live like a local there. And you won’t be short of interesting places and nice food to explore. If you don’t feel like doing anything, you can just sip a cup of Tenom coffee and read some books in this peaceful town.
Tenom town in mist. You can see Perkasa Hotel on the hill. The white building at the lower right is Tenom Market (Pasar Tenom).
About Tenom
Tenom is a small town with a main street that cuts through the town centre, and everything you need is within walking distance. The town is surrounded by rolling hills and sits on a plain nurtured by Padas and Pagalan Rivers.
You can see the Perkasa Hotel, sport field, train station and Al-Rahman mosque in this aerial shot.
Located about 185 Metres above sea level in Sabah’s interior, the temperature in Tenom is refreshing, the foggy hills in the morning and dusk are a common sight. Murut (52%), Kadazandusun (12%) and Chinese (8%) make up the majority of the population in Tenom.
3 Special Things about Tenom
Though seen as a low-profile destination and lacking personality, Tenom is very unique actually.
1. Coffee Town
Tenom has been planting coffee for over 100 years, and Tenom Coffee is one of most well-known products of Sabah. The big three local coffee makers are Yit Foh (益和), Fatt Choi (发财), and Tong Fah (东桦). Public can learn the coffee processing at the factories of Yit Foh and Fatt Choi.
Left: the coffee bean sculpture roundabout in Tenom town centre. Right: enjoy my Ice Jelly Latte at Fatt Choi Coffee Cabin
Or you can enjoy the coffee at their parks. Most coffee planted in Tenom is of Robusta breed, which has a distinctive earthy aroma, a taste that is strong and bold, with a lingering aftertaste, and more kick in caffeine.
2. Fruit Capital of Sabah
The name “Tenom” is probably coming from the Malay word Tanam (means planting) being mispronounced by the British, the ex-ruler of North Borneo (now Sabah). The soil of Tenom is fertile and turns this district into an orchard base.
Popular fruits of Tenom, Avocado and Pomelo
Every tropical fruit seems to grow well in Tenom. The most famous fruits of Tenom are Pomelo and Avocado. Many are sold out even before they reach the market in the city. During the fruiting months, tarap, durian, langsat, melon, pineapple and various seasonal fruits will spoil fruit lovers.
3. Swiftlet City
Swiftlet City (燕城) is another nickname of Tenom. Go for cover when dusk approaches Tenom town. Around 6:30pm, flock after flock of birds, most of them are glossy swiftlet, Asian glossy starling and barn swallow (migrant from North Asia), will swarm Tenom town. The only thing you can hear is their chirping echoed loudly.
Thousands of Glossy Swiflet look for perching point to overnight in Tenom
The birds congregate and spend a night on the trees and electrical wires. Whoever parks their cars under the tree or wire will find their cars covered in bird droppings the next day.
Padas River of Tenom and the iron bridge that connects to Keningau town
Places to Go and Things to Do
The following is a summary of activities and attractions to experience in Tenom. Please note most of them charge an entry or ticket fee, or require booking.
Train Ride
Tenom is the last terminal station of Sabah train service, the only railway in Borneo. The popular Malaysian movie Ola Bola featured the train ride to Tenom in the opening scene, with mesmerising views of the majestic Padas River and gorges along the journey.
Sabah State Railway, the only train service in Borneo
However, if you plan to travel around Tenom district, I strongly advise you to bring your own car. Besides, the train service from Kota Kinabalu to Tenom is disrupted occasionally. You can follow the Facebook of Sabah State Railway for update and latest schedule.
White Water Rafting
Personally I rate the 9-Kilometre Grade IV white water rafting in Padas River as the most exciting activity for adrenaline junkies. Your challenge is to paddle through rapids with nasty nicknames such as Cobra and Washing Machine. In the rainy season, the waves are so rough that the raft is like fighting against the Tsunami. This tour package would include a train ride.
White water rafting on Padas River is thrilling and challenging
Sabah Agriculture Park (Taman Pertanian Sabah)
Want to see over 20 collections of flowers, fruits, and crops from Borneo and tropical zones of America, Asia and Africa? This mega garden is a suitable outdoor classroom for family and school groups to learn about plants. Read more…
The tram-train and lake gardens of Sabah Agriculture Park (Taman Pertanian Sabah)
Murut Cultural Centre (Pusat Kebudayaan Sabah)
Tenom is the unofficial HQ of Murut people, the headhunters of Borneo in the past. Murut Cultural Centre, which is also the largest ironwood building of Borneo, is where the Murut heritage and artifacts are exhibited, for example, the burial jar and headhunter sword.
Murut Cultural Centre (Pusat Kebudayaan Sabah) is only 13 Kilometres away from Tenom town
Shopping in Local Markets
The quickest way to learn the culture and lifestyle of the locals is by looking at their markets.
1. Tenom Central Market
You can buy almost everything at Tenom Central Market (Pasar Tenom), to list a few, fruits & vegetables, snacks, seafood, meats, coffee powder, clothing. On the top floor is a food court divided into halal and non-halal sections. I always go there for my favourite meatball & spring roll breakfast.
Tenom Market (Pasar Tenom) in town centre
2. Tamu Market
Tamu is an open-air native market that opens weekly or biweekly in the countryside. It was started as a barter trading site for farmers, fishermen, hunters and traders in the old days, so they could exchange goods. After hundreds of years, tamu is still around but more modern merchandise such as homemade bakery, electric appliances and clothing are available. The tamu of Tenom is open in the morning (6am to 12pm) every Wednesday and Sunday. By the way, cash only please.
Tamu Market of Tenom. Besides fresh agriculture products, you also can find other items such as shoes, phone accessories, snacks, dried seafood, flowers, wild honey and homemade bakery.
Trees
Tenom always has a nostalgic vibe because of the old trees around. Local folks like to sit in the shade of big raintrees in the field next to the train station. The trees were planted about 100 years ago by the British.
Left: old raintrees at the field. Right: the hollow tree in Binai Village
Another cool tree is a 40-feet hollow tree (Holo Binai Tree) in Kampung Binai, about 2 KM away from Tenom town. The tree survived a lightning bolt but its core is emptied by burning. Watch out for hornet nests in the tree hole.
Coffee Tours
You can visit Yit Foh Coffee Park or Fatt Choi Coffee Cabin to sample some coffee and learn about coffee making. Both operators offer accommodation at their sites too. Fatt Choi Coffee Cabin is on a hill and provides a panoramic view of Tenom, wonderful as a sunrise and sunset viewpoint.
Padas Farmstay employs a variety of environmental-friendly methods to make farming more sustainable and organic. They show you how crops and livestocks thrive better under green practices.
Left: Padas Farmstay. Right: Antanom Museum
Yong Farmstay (杨家村)
An old farm site with a mini museum that shows the traditional lifestyle of Chinese Hakka farmers in the past. Riding an ATV is also another fun activity at Yong Farmstay.
Other Places of Interest
You also can explore the following places in Tenom district.
Antanom Museum: exhibition on the history of the greatest Murut warrior, Ontoros Antanom
Rundum Highlands: homestay at the original and historical site of Tenom town
Marais Centre: homestay to experience village life and Murut culture
Lumuyu Rock Carving: a 1,000-year-old rock carving by 6 brothers for their deceased youngest brother
Tenom coffee and spring rolls & meatball, the typical breakfast of Tenom
Food Hunting
Most Chinese in Tenom are Hakka, the descendants of immigrants from Guangdong, China. Besides opening up new farmland, they also introduced some traditional food to Sabah. Some recommended dishes to try in Tenom are:
Corn-fed Chicken: one of the most yummy chicken in Sabah
Meatballs & Spring Roll: made of fresh pork, go well with any food
Tenom Fried Noodle: aromatic wok-fried noodle rich in gravy
Steamed Pork Belly with Taro: fulfilling and rich in flavors
Some decent accommodations are available in Tenom. I stayed in Sakot Hotel, which is affordable and can be booked via AirBnB. Yit Foh Coffee Park and Fatt Choi Coffee Cabin also offer rooms or chalets to guests. For a family trip at a scenic location, Naluyan Jungle Lodge and Tenom Valley are nice choices.
Accommodation is available at Yit Foh Coffee Park and Fatt Choi Coffee Cabin
Need more travel advice from the locals when you are in Tenom town? You can drop by the Tourism Information Centre (Phone: +60 87-733508, +60 11- 51109687) in Tenom Coffee Valley, which is near the train station. The Go Tenom website has a lot of useful information too.
Tenom Coffee Valley and its Tourism Information Centre (right)
Though headhunting practice is a thing of the past, Murut people are always branded as the fearsome headhunters, so Sabah can market our cultural tours to tourists who love such stories. Was Murut really a savage and simple-minded tribe? A visit to Murut Cultural Centre (Local name: Pusat Kebudayaan Murut) in Tenom will change your views completely, when you are impressed by the rich heritage of Murut.
The front entrance to the main building of Murut Cultural Centre
About Murut People
Murut means “Men of the Hill”, they migrated from Asia mainland to Borneo about 20,000 years ago and majority of them settle in the interior of Sabah (e.g. Tenom, Keningau) as farmers, fishermen and hunters. Murut women are skillful in weaving and bead-work too. Murut people are famous for their beautiful traditional costumes and energetic bamboo dance.
Sub-ethnics of Murut. Their traditional costumes can be very different.
With a population of over 90,000, Murut is the third largest indigenous group of Sabah. Murut has over 10 sub-ethnics, eight of them are main groups, namely, Murut Tahol / Tagol, Murut Timugon, Murut Paluan, Murut Nabai, Murut Kolor, Murut Serudung (Murut Tawau or Serudong), Murut Baukan, and Murut Tenggala. Traditionally, Murut stays in longhouse.
Largest Ironwood Building in Borneo
Operating since 1998 and managed by Sabah Cultural Board, Murut Cultural Centre covers an area of 33 hectares and costs RM10.4 millions to construct. And the main building, which takes up 13.3 hectares of space, is an art and longhouse by itself, and it’s the largest ironwood building in Borneo.
Murut Cultural Centre is the largest ironwood building in Borneo. It’s not too much to say that it’s a Murut palace.
You can start your cultural journey after you beat the gong three times at the entrance, to show respect to the Murut’s custom Tuka-Tuka, a way to announce your friendly visit to a longhouse. The Sininpung motif on the main pillar means unity, peace and harmony, to encourage goodwill in visitors.
Beat the gong to announce your friendly presence, or the headhunters will take care of you. Just kidding
Ironwood Building
The pillars of Murut Cultural Centre are made from 207 logs of Borneo Ironwood (locally known as Belian). Belian (scientific name: Eusideroxylon zwageri) is one of the most precious and hardest timber in Southeast Asia. This rainforest hardwood is resistant to insects, termites, bacteria, fungi and marine borers, so building, ports and bridges built with Belian wood can last hundred of years.
Murut Cultural Centre can accommodate about 1,000 people so it’s suitable as an event site. Conference room and performance stage are available for different types of activities.
Furthermore, with a rate of mean radial growth of 0.058 cm per year, this slow-growing tree needs about 120 years to reach a diameter of 30 cm, like the size of ironwood pillars found in Murut Cultural Centre. Belian is so dense that it doesn’t float on water. However, ironwood is getting rare due to over-logging and loss of habitat.
Art Gallery
There are a few sections for you to explore in the main building. The first thing visitors will see is the exhibition of Sabah theme paintings and modern sculptures in main hall. Most, if not all, of the art pieces are inspired by different subjects related to Sabah.
The exhibition and art gallery in main hall of Murut Cultural Centre
Sabah artists tend to use bright colours, so looking at the paintings is like seeing the world of Sabah through a kaleidoscope. Art gallery isn’t very common in Sabah, so I would say these interesting artworks of local talents are bonus to visitors.
Sabah theme paintings and metal sculpture in Murut Cultural Centre (Pusat Kebudayaan Murut)
At both sides of the main hall are two long corridors that display items about the tools, musical instrument, wedding culture, history and lifestyle of Murut people. For example, gong, headhunter seats, wedding dais.
Left: Exhibition of common items found in Murut longhouse. Right: A dais used by the Murut Tagol community for wedding ceremony (Tinauh)
The important items are labeled with description in Malay and English. However, the information board that introduce the sub-ethnics and history of Murut is mostly in Malay language. There used to be a few mannequins dressed in traditional costumes of different Murut sub-ethnics, but I didn’t see them in my last visit in Dec 2021. Anyway, you can look at their photographs.
Jars Museum
On top floor of the main building is an exhibition of 10 ceramic jars (Tajau) from the Murut community. Most of them are antique, and the finest ones are from China merchants who traded with the locals in old days. Photo-taking in this section is forbidden, so I’m afraid I can’t show you more.
Left: there is an exhibition on Murut’s history at the end of this hallway. Right: The hundred-year-old burial jar in Murut Cultural Center
Jar is very important to Murut in the past. The jar was treated as wealth that could be exchanged for goods, passed on as heirloom, and a valuable gift in dowry. Murut uses jars for many purposes, for example, food storage, fermenting tapai (wine), burial. Burial? Yes, a 100-year-old burial jar (Bangkalan) is the highlight in the Jars Museum.
You may watch this video for a walk-through tour at Murut Cultural Centre
Traditional Motifs of Murut
Attentive visitors would notice the use of authentic Murut elements in the design and architecture of this Centre, especially the motif on the chiseled carvings on the pillars and interior panels. Murut didn’t have any written language, so they communicated their emotion or event by motif, which is carved or woven on wood, stone, or fabric materials.
Traditional motifs of Murut on the pillars and interior panels of the Centre. Most motifs of Murut carry a meaning or message.
The following are the names and meaning of six interesting patterns (refer to the picture below for the illustration). Some have positive meaning, some are eerie:
Motif of Murut, each has a name and meaning.
Nahulalan (Headhunting Competition): Competition between two men to claim the warrior title. Whoever harvested the most heads is the winner.
Pinandayun (Craft Battle): To announce publicly a craft-making competition between two girls in argument. The girl produces the most crafts will win. Loser will be punished by native law (sagit).
Sininpung (We are United): This carving is placed in the living room of the longhouse, to remind the communities to live together in peace and harmony.
Nansingap (Do Not Enter): Stop. Dangerous animal traps inside this forest / area.
Nangkawo / Nandikar (Heart-broken): Carved by man to inform the community that he is sad to break up with a girl he loves. Murut even has a Nilikar motif that announces a divorce.
Nambuyunan (Causing Madness): Because this pattern is so difficult to create that it turned a weaver insane.
Other Attrations
Outside the main building are two places where you can explore.
1. Exhibition Hall
It’s a small building with exhibition hall that displays about 20 traditional weapons, farming & fishing tools, baskets, beads, and musical instrument used by the Murut. The must-see items are the hundred-year-old headhunting machete (real one!), tortoise shell idiophones and blowpipe (Sumpit).
Left: Exhibition hall. Right: Tortoise shell idiophone used by Murut Paluan
Can you guess what the items below do? (Answers are in the captions)
1) Bakul Bujur: a basket for storing girl’s accessories such as bracelet and necklace; 2) Kakaung: a fishing equipment; 3) Banso: a backpack to carry appliances, food or hunter products; 4) Silaung: a hat for lady farmers who work on the fields; 5) Remok: a bamboo container for storing the darts of blowpipe
2. Murut Longhouse
For some fun, you can try the Lansaran in the longhouse. Lansaran is a native trampoline powered by bouncing force of elastic log (Kayu bulat) stacked under the platform. To generate enough spring force to jump high, a few people need to work together to push the platform downward with their feet rapidly and repeatedly in rhythm.
A typical Murut longhouse has a Lansaran trampoline in the middle of the building.
Then the player in the centre uses the momentum to reach the Kinkilat (or singkowoton, a decorative object) about 10 feet above. Without good coordination, this will be a mission impossible. I would not recommend this activity to small kids, as they would lose balance and injure themselves.
An antique headhunting machete (parang) of Murut
I wish the Centre adds a new gallery that showcases the history of headhunting and the spiritual beliefs behind it, as one of the dark tourism products.
Kalimaran Festival
In normal days, Murut Cultural Centre isn’t an exciting place to visit, and guided tour is not available. Therefore, the best time to visit is during Kalimaran Festival, which is celebrated in March or April every year, and the biggest cultural event of Sabah Murut.
Kalimaran Festival offers the best opportunity to photograph Murut people in their costumes with vibrant colors.
During the festival, hundreds of Murut people from all over Sabah will put on their most gorgeous traditional customes for this annual party. You will be amazed by the dance performance, beauty pageant, tapai sipping, and mock wedding lined up for tourists.
Dance performance and beauty pageant in Kalimaran Festival
Getting there
Murut Cultural Centre is located in Kampung Inalisan Pulong of Tenom, which is about 138 kilometres away from Kota Kinabalu City, the capital of Sabah, and 13 Km from Tenom town (see Location Map), highly accessible by highway and paved road. The signage and entrance are on the roadside and easy to spot.
Entrance to Murut Cultural Centre (Pusat Kebudayaan Murut). It’s at the roadside and hard to miss.
Entrance Fee
Visitor needs to purchase a ticket to enter the Murut Cultural Centre.
Visitor
Adult
Student
Malaysian
RM5
RM3
Non-Malaysian
RM10
RM5
Price of Ticket
*20% discount on ticket prices for disabled students (Handicapped or OKU)
Opening Hours
Note: The actual opening hours could be changed (and different to their official announcement online) due to travel restrictions. Please call them to confirm. Monday – Friday: 8.30am – 4.30pm Saturday: 9.00am – 4.00pm Sunday: 9.00am – 2.00pm
Rice is the staple food of Sabah people. And Tapai, the most iconic Sabah wine, is brewed from rice too. Tapai is more than just an alcoholic drink. It’s a glue that connects Sabahans from different ethnicity, and Rice is for our stomach and Tapai is for our soul.
Sabah rice wine
A Spiritual Drink
When North Borneo (now Sabah) was ruled by British, some westerners lost their heads for not respecting the local drinking culture. In 1913, British imposed Tapai tax on Murut people, on top of forced labour and various other taxes. The Murut people were fuming. First time ever in Sabah history, Murut from Keningau, Tenom dan Pensiangan united to form a Murut Nation led by Ontoros Antanom, who crushed the British forces with his nearly 1,000 headhunting warriors until 1915.
Murut (means People of the Hill) is the third largest indigenous group of Sabah. They are fearsome headhunters in the past. Murut warriors are skillful in using blowpipe (with poison dart), spears and machete.
A research paper from The National University of Malaysia (UKM) explains the causes well. Here is an excerpt from the paper:
“What the British failed to realise was the social significance of drinking. It was essential in all types of ceremonies such as birth, death, the harvest festival, weddings, house building, settling feuds, honouring guest etc. For this reason, the native liquor tax can be seen as an infringement of Murut social life… their (Murut) main grievances were the taxes on tapai and the ladang tax for felling of jungle.”
— Callistus Fernandez, “Contesting Colonial Discourse: Rewriting Murut History of Resistance in British North Borneo from 1881 to 1915”
Kadazandusun people, the largest indigenous group of Sabah, believe that there is a spirit named Bambarayon, who dwells in paddy and its well-being is critical for a bountiful harvest. The making and drinking of Tapai comes with many ritualistic practices, to show respect to Bambarayon.
Tourist and native girl enjoy tapai in a bamboo cup (suki). No more war.
When a Sabahan looks at you, touches his throat lightly with finger tips, as if he is having a sore throat, and says Haus (Thirsty), he is signaling for a drink in a playful way. You can respond by saying Aramaiti, a verb or noun which means drink happily together or to drink until our faces are red. The “drink” can be beer, tapai, and other alcoholic drink.
Types and Taste of Tapai
Tapai is a collective term for many wines in Sabah. Though Tapai is commonly translated as rice wine, other food materials such as tapioca and pineapple are used in place of rice too. Every Sabah ethnic groups and districts may have their own version of Tapai because of different ingredients. For example, a bit of tobacco shreds or cinnamon powder would be added to give Tapai a special flavour.
Aramaiti brings us closer together. At the left is the wine jar. Sabahans store Tapai in jars instead of barrels.
Rice wine has many names such as tapai, talak, lihing, linutau, kinopasa and kinupi. The wines brewed from tubers of cassava (tapioca) are called montoku (potent!) or kinomulok. The coconut flower stems can produce pinkish sap that is famous for making tuak, toddy or bahar.
Lihing (left) and Tapai (right) are the most well-known rice wine of Sabah.
Tapai varies in tastes such as bitter sweet, sour, sour sweet and plain. Tapai with bitter sweet taste is considered the best quality, and plain taste is the worst. Tapai is rich in carbohydrates, polysaccharides and alcohol. Generally Tapai is quite potent, with alcoholic contents ranges from 0.05 to 50%, sometimes even up to 70%, so it can knock out a lightweight drinker fairly quick. In my experience, never mix Tapai with beer, unless you have a bed to fall onto, right after a swift black out.
Tumpung, another type of rice wine, which uses regular cooked white rice and simpler to make. To drink, just add water and sip the liquid with a straw.
Traditionally, Tapai is brewed and stored in ceramic jars, the highly priced assets that are treated as symbol of wealth and valuable bride price in history.
Lihing Vs Tapai
Lihing is the most popular type of Tapai. Both Tapai and Lihing are brewed with the similar methods. Glutinous rice (sticky rice) is used in brewing Lihing, and Tapai uses normal and brown rice. The key difference between Tapai and Lihing is – Lihing has the sediments (rice and yeast particles) segregated from Tapai, so Lihing is more refined and appears as a translucent and beautiful amber liquid (it turns dark when aged, even better). In contrast, Tapai is cloudy due to its residues. Lihing is also fermented for long time (two or more months).
“Living is a Blessing when Lihing is the Answer.”
Therefore, Tapai is a raw wine stored and served in jar, mainly for self-consumption, while Lihing is more marketable and better for preservation. Same as Tapai, Lihing can be made from rice, tapioca or pineapple. In fact, Lihing is also widely used in cooking of some delicious dishes such as Lihing Chicken and Drunken Crabs. Adding Lihing to Tuaran Fried Noodle also enhances its aroma. You can even make Lihing Ice-Cream.
Lihing noodle soup (黄酒面线), only available in a few Chinese coffee shops such as Seng Hing Coffee Shop in Sinsuran of Kota Kinabalu City
There are a few Sabah entrepreneurs who are really passionate about making top quality Lihing, and they want Lihing to evolve and walk out of “kampung” (village) to become a household brand. Look at the line-up of Lihing below. You will be impressed to see how creative the Lihing products can be! (This is not a sponsored post)
1. Lihing Nilyn
Lihing Nilyn is a homemade rice wine brand originated from Penampang. Ms. Honilin Pudin, the founder of Lihing Nilyn, has been making Lihing for over 50 years, using the traditional methods inherited from her grandparents. I like the classy bottling and Sumazau dancers label of Lihing Nilyn, which make it a very presentable souvenir or gift.
Eve June, from Papar, initiated HOL in Kuala Lumpur then slowly branching to Sabah in July 2020. And now she is looking forward to set up a production centre in Phuket, Thailand. The Lihing of HOL is pure rice wine without added sugar and water.
Classic and herb Lihing by Haus of Lihing
Besides classic Lihing, HOL also creates Lihing that contains herb such as ginger, cinnamon, ginseng, komburongoh, tongkat ali or kacip fatimah to boost its health value.
Premium Lihing by Haus of Lihing. Vagas means Rice in Dusun language. They say it can improve your dance moves.
HOL also invests in R&D on production of premium Lihing by standardizing the quality factors such as fermentation time, type of yeasts, stringent hygiene, controlled temperature and quality measurement, under the guide of champion Lihing guru. HOL is also in the midst of building an education center to promote Sabah rice wines in Kuala Lumpur. This centre will be the only research centre where visitors can learn about Sabah rice wine, and have a taste of the 7 wonders of Lihing at the end of the tour.
“Kasarahan” is a Dusun word which means reminiscing or thinking back to the old days. You know red wine goes well with certain meat. Many years ago, I discovered that chilled Lihing and fruits make a yummy combo. Therefore, I’m so delighted to find that fruity Lihing does exist. I tried the mango Lihing from Kasarahan and really like it.
Lihing in different fruit flavours
The available fruit flavours are rambutan, mango, banana, grapes, pineapple, apple, and soursop. These Lihing are fermented from real fruits, which requires different brewing techniques.
Tapai is also known as the “Happifying Brew”. It’s an integral part of Kadazandusun and Murut cultures, which view Tapai as the spiritual energy or the life force of the rice spirit, Bambarayon. To sip the Tapai when offered is honouring the Bambarayon and the host. Bonding and friendship are strengthen when everyone come together to socialize and sip tapai during rituals, celebrations and festivals.
In Murut traditions, Tapai is sipped from a jar
Tapai Sipping Party of Murut (tiiman)
The tapai sipping party is an intangible cultural heritage of Borneo because it is such a unique social gathering, which would remind you of the Japanese tea ceremony (茶道, sadō or chadō). Unfortunately, due to hygiene concerns, tiiman culture would change. Now drinking from a personal jar (tumpung), bamboo cup (suki) or plastic bottle is more preferred.
In Murut traditions, Tapai is not drunk from a cup or container but sipped through a tube straw, straight from the wine jar. First, guests are invited to a longhouse, where the host has one or more jars filled with Tapai ready for sipping. The lid is lifted off and the opening is covered with shallow cup of banana or tarap leaves. Clean water is then poured into the jar until it is full. After a few minutes, the water will dilute with Tapai and fit for drinking.
When Tapai is dry up, more water is added and drink until it has no taste.
Before drinking, the host or lead-drinker (mommuun) recites a short pre-drinking prayer called mongirnbolit to seek blessing and protection from Bambarayon so everyone is free from sickness, poisoning and misbehavior associated with the drinking session.
Guests taking their turn to sip Tapai
Next the long straw or siphon (tusuk) pierces through the leave cover and insert inside the jar. Now the guests can take turn to sip the Tapai from the jar. When Tapai is dry up after some rounds, more water is added and the sipping continues until the wine becomes tasteless, then new jar would be open for more drinking. The drinkers can eat some salted meat, fish, vegetables and other thirst-provoking tidbits nearby the jar during drinking intervals. The drinking session is accompanied by the gong beating, or singing of folk songs or drinking chants. However, such merry making actions are forbidden in funeral ceremony and certain rituals.
The brewing and storage jars are commonly known as tajau, tampayan, bunduon or kakanan. In the photo are antique Tapai jars from different districts. From top to bottom, left to right: kologiau from Ranau, sampa from Keningau, rangkang from Kota Belud, sisikan from Ranau
It is a common custom that the tapai in the jars must be finished. At the end, most guests would be so drunk and lay around the floor.
Drinking Etiquette
You must be respectful to the host and other guests. To avoid leaving a bad impression, the following is a list of “Don’t”:
Tapai sipping is meant to be a friendly event. Fighting and quarreling won’t be tolerated.
It’s impolite to refuse the offer to drink. Even if you don’t drink, just sip a bit to wet your lip to give face.
Don’t complain to the host if the Tapai doesn’t taste good. You would insult the host.
Don’t blow the straw while sipping. Don’t pull it out of the jar. Don’t touch the straw while someone is sipping.
Don’t sneeze, spit or vomit while you sip.
Don’t overtake other drinkers in queue.
Be mindful of your manner when you are drunk. The elders will observe your personality. A disaster if you act like a party pooper in front of your crush and her parents.
Don’t just take the tapai snacks without drinking.
Though you are high on alcohol, don’t get “overly friendly” with the wives and daughters of others.
Don’t move the jar without permission from the host.
Don’t step over the jar or the food.
Please don’t drive after drinking. You can sleepover, or have a designated driver or taxi to send you home safely.
You can sing or have some food during the drinking session
How to Make Lihing
Many households can make their own Tapai or Lihing. They are quite simple to make. But if you want the best Lihing, you need to master the skill in managing the water, rice, temperature, yeast and timing. Taboos in brewing Lihing include no swearing and fighting during the rice cooking, or the wine will turn sour or spoiled. In the past, the leavening or fermenting ritual (moginomulok) must be performed by a bobohizan (Native High Priest) first to ensure a successful brewing.
Left: The magic of the fermentation happens when rice starch being converted to sugars, then to alcohol by enzymes from microbes. Right: Yeast balls or saad (sasad) is a mixture of cinnamon barks, lengkuas (a type of ginger) and pounded rice being made into paste, sun-dried and formed into dough, then strung together.
Ingredients
1 gantang (2.419 Kilograms) of glutinous rice (pulut)
20 balls of yeast (sasad)
4 table spoon of red rice
For hygiene reasons, you can drink Tapai from personal bamboo cup (suki) or container.
Process
Wash the glutinous rice and boil it with right proportion of clean water. Don’t overcook the rice.
Spread the cooked rice on a mat or banana leaves to let it cool down.
Pound the yeast (fermenting agent) into powder and mixed it thoroughly with the rice.
Scrub a ceramic jar clean with daing or gosing leaves, and dry the jar completely under the sun.
Store the rice mixture in the jar and seal the opening airtight (it’ll turn into vinegar if exposed to air).
For flavouring, additives such as tobacco, cinnamon and other herbs may be added.
Place the fermenting jar in a dark, cool and dry place for a month or two.
When mature, sieve the fermented mash to collect the clear brownish liquor (wine).
References
“Tapai, Traditional Drinks of the Natives of Borneo” by Rayner F. Udong
“The Beliefs and Practices of the Kadazandusun-Murut” by John Seet
Special thanks to Ms Eve June, Ms Bernardine and Mr. Simon for sharing their knowledge on Sabah rice wines
No Tapai? No problem. You can sip some beer. LOL
Thank you for reading until this point. I hope this article helps you to learn about Sabah wines in a fun way. I have no intention of promoting binge drinking, as having too much of anything is always harmful. So, drink moderately, and stay happy and intoxicated healthy! Aramaiti!
