The lovely scenery enroute to Kudat from Kota Kinabalu

By road, Kudat is a long and slightly bumpy 3-hour ride from Kota Kinabalu.  But it is worth it.  Along the 170 km or so journey, the scenic views of paddy fields and the majestic Mount Kinabalu will compel visitors to make many stops to capture all that beauty into their cameras.  The enthralling scenery is a fitting prelude to the lovely time visitors can expect at the Misompuru Homestay.

A Cluster of Villages

Welcome to Misompuru Homestay!

The Misompuru Homestay in Kudat consists of a group of villages - Kampung Minyak, Kampung Lajong and Kampung Rampai Selatan comprising 58 families.  The homestay is inhabited by the Rungus tribe – a sub-ethnic group of the Kadazandusuns, the state's largest indigenous group.  

Warm & Friendly Hosts

Accommodations are modest but comfortable.  Most importantly, the host families are friendly and oozing with warm hospitality.  

Here, you will have the opportunity to enjoy simple and delicious local dishes prepared by the host family three times a day.  For tea, you will most likely be served with crispy and warm banana fritters.  These banana fritters are special because they are made with Pisang Sabah (Sabah's banana) which has flat on one surface and curvy on the other.  These banana plants can be found at the back of most of the houses there.

The warm and friendly hosts at Misompuru Homestay

Pisang Sabah, which can only be found in Sabah, makes sweet, firm and juicy banana fritters

Simple home cooking at the Misompuru Homestay

Places of Interest Nearby

Misompuru Homestay is surrounded by natural attractions such as the Kosuhui Honey Bees Farm, the Oil Wells of Kampung Minyak, the Bavanggazo Rungus longhouse and a beautifully secluded beach called Tanggui.

Rungus ladies selling beautiful handmade beads at the Bavanggazo Rungus Longhouse

The Kosuhui Honey Bees Farm

A closer look at the homes of the honey bees

The tour guide posing next to one of the oil wells of Kampung Minyak

The hanging bridge with breathtaking view leading you from the Oil Wells of Kampung Minyak towards the secluded beach

The secluded Tanggui beach

Honey sold at a nearby market

Tadau Kaamatan

One of the best times to visit the Misompuru Homestay is during Tadau Kaamatan, Sabah's most illustrious festival celebrated by the Kadazandusuns.  Tadau Kaamatan is a month-long celebration culminating with a state-wide festival and public holiday on 30 and 31 May.  The festival honours the sacrifice of Huminodun so that her people would not die of hunger.  As a result of her sacrifice to the great earth, her people enjoyed great paddy harvest year after year. Every May, they thanked the spirit of the paddy called Bambaazon with prayers, dances and food.  The Muslim and Christian Kadazandusuns still celebrate Tadau Kaamatan as a symbol of thanksgiving for a good harvest, minus the animistic elements.

The Festivities

Festivities begin with the local dancers garbed in their best Rungus traditional costumes performing the classic Sumazau dance.  The dancers spread their arms out like eagles and moved in sync with the Tagung which are six gongs played in a unique and hypnotic rhythm.

A tradtional Rungus male costume comprise of sigar (the head gear), muga (the sarong), sandang (beaded sash),sandai (outer shawl) and hokos (the tri-coloured belt).  The female traditional costume consists of singal (beaded head gear),  sandang (beaded sash), suhau (beaded necklace),  tapi tinong kupau (skirt) and orot (belt).  Green, yellow and red is the official Rungus color as it depicts good tidings.  These resplendent costumes are typically worn during festivals and happy occasions.  However, they are deemed unsuitable for funerals and such.

Rungus girls in their traditional costumes

A traditonally-garbed Rungus man flanked by two Malay men

The Tadau Kaamatan crowd will consist mostly of residents from the 3 villages of Misompuru Homestay.  Notable activities include Tug of War, arm wrestling, walking on bamboo sticks, mangrove-based and singing competitions.  

Arm wrestling at Tadau Kaamatan festivities

Beauty Pageant

But the highlight of it all is undoubtedly the search for the Harvest Queen in the local beauty pageant known as Unduk Ngadau.  A bevy of lovely girls between the ages of 15 to 22 will be paraded gracefully on the stage dressed in their traditional best.  They will each give a short introduction, answer a simple general question and charm the audience with their winsome smiles and personal styles.  The winner and two runners-up will receive prizes.  Do contact the homestay coordinator (contact details below) to find out how and when they plan to celebrate Tadau Kaamatan if you are planning to visit them in May.

A bevy of lovely young lasses at the Unduk Ngadau

Needless to say, your stay at the Misompuru Homestay, Kudat will be an extremely pleasant experience.  For more information and to make bookings, contact:

En. Jeffry Yahya
Tel: 088-671093/ 671051
Fax: 088-318737
Mobile: 013-8721765/016-8155056
Email: misompuru@Sabah-homestay.com, cobramisompuru@hotmail.com