I flew in to Kota Kinabalu which is the capital of the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo.
Borneo is occupied by three different countries, Malaysia to the North, Indonesia to the South, and Brunei which is situated right smack in the middle of Sabah on the coast.
If you look at Borneo, KK (as it's called by the locals) is on the northwest side, right on the South China Sea.
The city itself is quite modern in comparison, with many American fast food options, as well as British pubs to go along with colossal malls and local food markets.
With so many modern conveniences and city selections I decided to make my first day a step back before the sprawling city was built.
After scouring the internet and forums I found that a tour of the historic Mari Mari Cultural Village was my best bet.
You can book a tour (which is highly recommended) and you will be picked up right at your hotel or home stay and driven to the entrance.
Once you get to the entrance you will be lead to "registration" which has fresh water, some pet lizards to meet, and a brief waiting period while they assign certain groups to guides.
I was able to secure a discount and tour through the shop I will be working with, but there are numerous tour companies in the city or you can go directly to them at Marimariculturalvillage.com and book a tour which is 180RM ($42 US) per person. It is well worth the price.
You will be exploring an ancient village that used to house five different tribes and the tour guides are all descendants of these same villagers.
Our guide came here to visit his grandmother as a young child who was still living in their old long house and living off the land.
Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: iToddIsland: Borneo - Mari Mari Village
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