ONCE a year, Kota Belud hosts the Tamu Besar where people flock to this quaint district to join the festivities.
Tamu Besar is literally the biggest tamu organised throughout Sabah. It is a time when traders come out in full force with their best goods and the locals highlight the colourful culture of Kota Belud.
Located about 75km from Kota Kinabalu and situated in Kg Siatai, it is a bustling market open as early as 5am where one can clearly see the melting pot of cultures, such as Bajau, Kadazandusun, Iranun, Chinese and others.
Visiting Tamu Kota Belud is a sensory experience of colourful handicraft, aromatic herbs, tasty food, texture and hum of a busy market. Some of the stalls are basic stands with trestle tables, others simply set up their wares on a plastic sheet on the ground.
During this time, vendors, usually home entrepreneurs, farmers and small business owners, proudly set up their stalls to exhibit and sell a variety of fresh produce, home-made food and cakes and handicraft and traditional items they laboured over for a year to produce. – October 17, 2019.
The Bajaus of Kota Belud are famous for their colourful culture. Their love for red, yellow and green is reflected in their handicraft. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Bajau horsemen matching their dressing with the costumes for their horses and ponies, while displaying their unrivalled riding skills. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.The Bajaus of Kota Belud are famous for their colourful culture. Their love for red, yellow and green is reflected in their handicraft. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.The tamu is more than an open market, besides local produce, such as fruits and vegetables and fish, it offers all sorts of local and imported goods, from clothing to handbags, baskets, handicraft, tobacco, traditional herbs, food, snacks, wild honey, electronics, toys and more. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Visiting Tamu Kota Belud is a colourful experience, as evident in the handicraft. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Tamu Besar – literally big market – is the biggest tamu organised throughout Sabah. It is a time when traders come out in full force with their best goods and residents highlight the colourful culture of Kota Belud. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Liking salmon is one of the most popular foods in Kota Belud. The fish is marinated in salt and produces an orange hue called Liking fish. The fish used here is talang. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Handcrafted Bajau parang is created by traditional methods. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Some of the stalls are basic stands with trestle tables, others simply set up their wares on a plastic sheet on the ground. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Once a year, Kota Belud hosts the Tamu Besar with thousands flocking to the district to join the festivities. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.Vendors, usually home-based entrepreneurs, farmers and small business owners, proudly setting up their stalls to exhibit and sell a variety of fresh produce, home-made food and cakes and handicraft and traditional items they laboured over for a year to produce. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Irwan Majid, October 17, 2019.
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