Kudat Tourist Attractions

For a small area, there’s a fair amount to do in and around Kudat so you should budget to spend at least a few days exploring here if you want to see all of the highlights. These generally include the various cultural activities in and around the town, as well as the beaches and water sports at the tip of Borneo on the coastline and on the nearby island of Banggi.

Gombizau Honey Bee Farm

Starting with the more central attractions, one popular stop off point is the local bee farm – Gombizau Honey Bee Farm, which costs MYR5 per person for entry. Here you can see bee farming techniques used in the area and can taste some of the local honey, which you can also buy from the gift shop. Another local tourist attraction included on many tours is the Kampung Sumangkap Gong Farm, where gongs - an instrument played by indigenous tribes people - are produced. It costs MYR5 and you can learn all about these instruments, including how they are made and how to play them. You can even buy your own!

Visiting local villages

One of the most interesting things to do is to spend time at a local village and to learn more about how the Rungus people live in longhouse communities. The Kampung Bavanggazo longhouse is open to tourism and many tours operate here. Longhouses are wooden buildings built on stilts which housed small communities. A day trip here costs MYR5 and you can also try to arrange an overnight stay - here you’ll learn about the people’s food, music and daily routines and rituals.

Kudat Golf Club

Another fairly famous spot in Kudat is the Kudat Golf Club – an extremely old club that was originally established in the early 1900s and boasts a good 18 hole course as well as a driving range. It costs from MYR100 to MYR150 depending on whether it’s a weekday or weekend. Also in the town you’ll find a Chinese temple that’s worth a quick visit, as well as several local markets and a picturesque esplanade.

Tip of Borneo

Most choose to head up to the coast for a majority of their stay, where they can experience the famously rugged and beautiful coastline of North Borneo. The ‘Tip of Borneo’ as it is known is where the Sulu Sea meets the South China Sea, and there are stunning beaches to sunbathe, swim and snorkel at, as well as some truly spectacular spots to watch the sunset. This is a really great and not too touristy spot in Borneo that’s well worth lingering a day or so.

Snorkelling and water sports

There are various spots for snorkelling where a wide variety of fish and sea life can be seen and most hotels and agencies in the area will happily rent snorkelling equipment or arrange more extensive snorkelling trips in the area. It’s also easy to rent bikes for exploring more of the coastline. Sticking around the beach itself, you can enjoy water sports including canoeing and surfing on beaches that are often empty. This is heaven compared to most of the tourist beaches in South East Asia!

Diving

Diving is another popular attraction, with several dive shops offering various packages and rates – including Tommy’s Place, the North Borneo Biostation Resort and the Tropical Research and Conservation Centre. As always, if diving make sure you’re fully confident in your ability as well as with the gear and the people you’re diving with.

Banggi Island

Finally, you can head to Banggi Island for an even more remote experience - infrastructure is limited so a tour can be a better choice, several run from the mainland offering snorkelling and diving. If you take the ferry over independently it takes around an hour and once you get there you can get a local taxi guide for around MYR150 for the day to see the main attractions of the island.