Located around the Kota Belud and Kinabalu National Park area is the secluded and almost-hidden Kedamaian Community Based Tourism project at Kampung Tambatuon.
In early May 2023, I was fortunate to visit this stunning rural tourism destination in Sabah as part of my explorations. While here, I managed to speak to one of the homestay operators.
Kedamaian Community Based Tourism
This incredibly beautiful community-based sanctuary is well hidden away from the main roads of the Ranau and Kinabalu areas.
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| The beautiful Kampung Tambatuon. |
You must use an application like Waze or Google Maps to get to this beautiful place, but I recommend using the latter as it was recommended to me by a local friend.
Once you enter the area, you feel transported to another dimension or go through a time portal. The local windy village road leads you into an unknown place and suddenly opens up to this little valley.
You can see the tiny Kedamaian village nestled just next to a river. As you head closer to the village, you start seeing a different side of Sabah.
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| The marking shows where Kedamaian is located. |
Arriving on a weekday, the place was quiet, but I managed to see one of the owners of the riverside lodges who was clearing up his accommodation. I asked him if I could have a few minutes of his time to ask him some questions.
Sabahans are known to be friendly, and over here, in the rural areas, the locals are even more hospitable. The owner invited me to visit his homestay and explained the community-driven program here.
Most of his guests are a mix of locals and foreigners, usually in groups that want to experience the local Sabahan lifestyle.
Upon asking him in detail, he did mention that most of his guests are second or third-time visitors to Sabah; this time, they want to experience something different apart from the usual city tourism.
The age gap is also not a factor as he has received retirees as guests, but most are usually younger travellers aged 25 to 45.
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| Some of the activities are being offered here. |
Activities at Kedamaian
Several activities are available at Kedamaian, and once you choose your host accommodation, you can arrange the activities with them.
The popular activities in Kedamain are river tubing and trekking up to Mount Nungkok (1652m). There is also camping available here.
The other activities include general local homestay experiences, including eating local, river fish massage, and even learning some cultural dances or playing the local gongs.
Photos of Kedamaian Community-Based Tourism
Below are random photos taken around the area for your viewing. Again, I could have managed to spend a night here as I was on a tight schedule. But hopefully, in future, I will get the opportunity.
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| The beautiful Kedamaian River. |
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| A simple life in a simple place. |
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| The hiking trail up to Mount Nungkok. |
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| Local homestay food at Kedamaian. |
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| The welcome sign as you enter Kampung Tambatuon. |
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| One of the must-do things here is River Tubing along the Kedamain River. |
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| A signboard shows what is around the village. |
Map to Kedamaian Community-based Tourism in Sabah
How to go to Kedamaian Community Based Tourism?
For anyone self-driving, you can just put Kedamaian into Google Apps and let it guide you here. It will be a relatively easy drive from Kota Kinabalu City. Waze will take you through the mountain roads, which I only recommend if you have a 4x4 vehicle.
Otherwise, if you do not drive, I suggest you arrange with a homestay operator or contact a tour agency to inquire about transportation. You also need to ensure you book your stay before coming here, as walk-ins are not recommended.
Kedamaian Homestay Lodging
Several homestays are found in the Kedamaian program, and you can choose which one you prefer to stay at. The best option is to contact them directly by visiting the Sabah Tourism Rural Tourism page. Or you can also call Sabah Tourism at 088 212 121 during office hours.
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| Kedamaian Homestay in Sabah. |
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| This is the common area of the riverside lodge. |
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| What the rooms look like inside the lodge. |
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| The main entrance to the Kedamaian Riverside Lodge. |
More Information
For more, you can also read about my Sabah community-based tourism article, where I highlight this genre in general for people to understand.
Conclusion
If you want to experience something different around the Kinabalu National Park area, then the Kedamaian Community Based Tourism area is recommended.
Remember, this is not your regular tourism place but more of a cultural experience with the local people of Sabah.