Monsopiad Heritage Village
Monsopiad Heritage Village
Monsopiad Heritage Village
4
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Monsopiad Heritage Village is a traditional village with historical site in the heartland of the Kadazandusun people and it is the only cultural village in Sabah built to commemorates the life and time of the legendary Kadazan and head-hunter warrior "Monsopiad". The direct descendants of Monsopiad, his 6th and 7th generations have build the village on the very land where Monsopiad lived and roamed some three centuries ago to remember their forefather, and to give you an extraordinary insight into their ancient and rich culture. Take a step back into the past, to the days of head hunting and spirit worshipping, when the Bobohizan (High Priestess of the Kadazandusun), ruled the villages and took care of health and spiritual well-being of their people. More than just a Museum, the concept of the Monsopiad Heritage Village is to document, revive and preserve the cultures and traditions, as well as the beliefs of the Kadazandusun people. Monsopiad Heritage Village is privately owned and managed by his direct descendants. Your visit at Monsopiad Heritage Village contribute directly to the conservation of one Malaysia's rich Cultural heritages and traditions.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Monsopiad Heritage Village and nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
58 within 5 kms
Attractions
30 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
105 reviews
Excellent
28
Very good
43
Average
21
Poor
9
Terrible
4
Jeffery G
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia17 contributions
Feb 2025 • Solo
Monsopiad Heritage Village??? WHAT'S THAT???
It's a Headhunter Village, and my visit was worth every ringgit I spent!! While I would have liked to have seen more skulls on display, it was explained that skulls were "hunting trophies", and modern-day families treasured and kept those trophies with them.
Be sure to eat a juicy, living grub worm, and wash it down with handmade, all-natural alcohol while you're there. I did, and it wasn't that bad. Blow darts, starting a fire by rubbing sticks together, the tribal music, crossing a swinging bridge across the crocodile-filled muddy river etc. GO!! It might be a small venue - nothing fancy - but you'll get the feel for life as a headhunter.
Have fun. :-)
It's a Headhunter Village, and my visit was worth every ringgit I spent!! While I would have liked to have seen more skulls on display, it was explained that skulls were "hunting trophies", and modern-day families treasured and kept those trophies with them.
Be sure to eat a juicy, living grub worm, and wash it down with handmade, all-natural alcohol while you're there. I did, and it wasn't that bad. Blow darts, starting a fire by rubbing sticks together, the tribal music, crossing a swinging bridge across the crocodile-filled muddy river etc. GO!! It might be a small venue - nothing fancy - but you'll get the feel for life as a headhunter.
Have fun. :-)
Written 5 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Collette S
Buxton, UK29 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
The handful of staff running the place on the day of our visit today were absolutely brilliant. They made the whole experience first class. Each one were chameleon like changing roles from receptionists, tour guides, musicians, dancers and activities instructors smoothly throughout our short afternoon visit there. The history of the place was interesting, but it's the staff that made the place.
Written 9 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nynke
Voorschoten, The Netherlands14 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Little gem! A small open air museum, but with lots of personal contact. Much smaller than Mari-Mari, lots of interactive activities. We were the only visitors at the time and they did their music and dance performance just for us. Really special and definitely worthwhile. Exceptionally friendly staff.
Written 15 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
colleen d
Launceston, Australia67 contributions
Jan 2023
The tour was informative and interactive and our guide did an excellent job of explaining everything to us. It included history, tastings, activities and a dance performance. Unfortunately the facilities are suffering from termite damage - be careful where you walk! Allow 2 hours in total.
Written 29 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria Staalnacke
Akershus, Norway258 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Must visit if new to Sabah. 20 minutes from KK. It is advisable to contact them on Whats App to book a time for visit. We were given a warm welcome by a knowledgable guide that followed us around the premises. We could sample traditional food and drinks, try blow-arrow "hunting" and other traditional activities. This is not a theme park but a living museum in the jungle. Bring moquito repellent. The visit took all in all 3 hours; we had some drinks and snack at their cafe with view over the river. They have a small, but well stocked souvenir shop with produce by local artisans. A fun cultural-show where they invite you to participate. Good washroom facilities. We highly recommend it!
Written 22 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan L
Bunbury, Australia9,018 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
I recall visiting here in 2013 and looked forward to viewing during our excursion. Not much time allocated, guided through various buildings with a brief overview of each. Artefacts were very sparse, no cultural activities or presentation. The layout is based on a traditional village of the Kadazandusun people and commemorated the life and time of a legendary Kadazan head-hunter warrior, Monsopiad. The entire is privately owned and managed by his direct descendants.
Written 23 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
isteu li sanca
4 contributions
Oct 2022
such a lovely tour guide, explained everything in details.The decor and music, all setup nicely and informative. I am so enjoyed by the cultural dance show and also tried my first ever butod worm, wine etc. Saw lots of triba house, give me good insight on tribal culture.Miss every moment at there and the team really give a lot of effort in making this place lively. we can even play cultural game so proud of it as an malaysian. highly recommended!
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Agnes Lai
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia6 contributions
Jul 2021
Had lunch at the restaurant by the river at the cultural village. Relaxing and out of the city feel. Felt very attached to the nature. The menu only served western food where by I personally feel that they should offer local Sabahan / Malaysian cuisine since its a local cultural village.
Good place to spend your day if you are looking for peace & tranquility.
Good place to spend your day if you are looking for peace & tranquility.
Written 14 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Baland
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia70 contributions
Dec 2022
It was my second time there after so many years. I'd say it's a must for anyone visiting KK because the experience is very informative & you'd have a better understanding of Borneo. It's also a different experience from other attractions. Our guide was very friendly & patient. Highly recommended.
Written 16 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Huminca S
Jakarta, Indonesia262 contributions
Aug 2012 • Solo
Before reading this review, I'd like to ket you know that I previously posted this in a wrong attraction which has similar name but it is in Borneo Indonesia. So, here is my review about Monsopiad Cultural Village which I visited in the end of August 2012.
I traveled to Kota Kinabalu in August 2012 and never regretted that I finally did it. I had a great trip that will last in my memories. I visited many interesting spots including Monsopiad Cultural Village. Actually this place was not in my list when deciding to hava vacation in KK. I just put Monsopiad as part of my travel itinerary in Sabah after meeting a local who recommended it as a place one must see. To make it short, I asked the hotel receptionist how to go there and found that place is quite far from the city. It is in Penampang where most Kadazan-Dusun people live. However, it can be accessed by mini bus from terminal Wawasan. It is far much cheaper than hiring taxi or renting a car. You just need to go to terminal Wawasan and take mini bus with signboard written Penampang. You only need to pay RM 3 or just USD 1 for that bus. Afterwards, you have to get off in the Penampang terminal which is next to to Dongguan market. From here, you have to take a mini van to Monsopiad. However, at that time of my visited, a local guy offered me a ride so I didn't use the mini van. The guy told me that not many public transportations go to Monsopiad , so the best way is to hire cab. Otherwise you will need to wait long, more than an hour.
The guy dropped me in Monsopiad . I arrived there too early at 08.30 am. The village opens at 09.00 am. To enter the village, you need to pay RM 75 for foreigners. For local, it is much cheaper. The price is to cover the guide fee, the show and the drinks. It is worth visiting because you will know better about the traditional life of Kadazan-Dusun people. Also you will have a chance to see the 42 skulls stored in Monsopiad house. Monsopiad is an excellent fighter who defended his village from criminals who had terrorized his village. he hunted down the criminals and killed them. As trophies, Monsopiad brought back their heads and hang them on the roof of his house which is located next to the Monsopiad entry gate.
If you have time, after visiting Monsopiad Cultural Village, you can continue your journey to Dongguan Market to buy souvenirs (much cheaper than those sold in Monsopiad Village). Also, you can try some local food in some cafes in Dongguan. I recommended you to try the local noodle with meatballs and beef chunks.
I traveled to Kota Kinabalu in August 2012 and never regretted that I finally did it. I had a great trip that will last in my memories. I visited many interesting spots including Monsopiad Cultural Village. Actually this place was not in my list when deciding to hava vacation in KK. I just put Monsopiad as part of my travel itinerary in Sabah after meeting a local who recommended it as a place one must see. To make it short, I asked the hotel receptionist how to go there and found that place is quite far from the city. It is in Penampang where most Kadazan-Dusun people live. However, it can be accessed by mini bus from terminal Wawasan. It is far much cheaper than hiring taxi or renting a car. You just need to go to terminal Wawasan and take mini bus with signboard written Penampang. You only need to pay RM 3 or just USD 1 for that bus. Afterwards, you have to get off in the Penampang terminal which is next to to Dongguan market. From here, you have to take a mini van to Monsopiad. However, at that time of my visited, a local guy offered me a ride so I didn't use the mini van. The guy told me that not many public transportations go to Monsopiad , so the best way is to hire cab. Otherwise you will need to wait long, more than an hour.
The guy dropped me in Monsopiad . I arrived there too early at 08.30 am. The village opens at 09.00 am. To enter the village, you need to pay RM 75 for foreigners. For local, it is much cheaper. The price is to cover the guide fee, the show and the drinks. It is worth visiting because you will know better about the traditional life of Kadazan-Dusun people. Also you will have a chance to see the 42 skulls stored in Monsopiad house. Monsopiad is an excellent fighter who defended his village from criminals who had terrorized his village. he hunted down the criminals and killed them. As trophies, Monsopiad brought back their heads and hang them on the roof of his house which is located next to the Monsopiad entry gate.
If you have time, after visiting Monsopiad Cultural Village, you can continue your journey to Dongguan Market to buy souvenirs (much cheaper than those sold in Monsopiad Village). Also, you can try some local food in some cafes in Dongguan. I recommended you to try the local noodle with meatballs and beef chunks.
Written 18 October 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hello . may i know how much the cost of the entrance fee for student to visit Monsopiad Heritage Village ? and can we have a discount ? . (33 persom include teachers)
Written 21 March 2019
If not mistaken, the entrance fees is RM20 or RM25 per person. Not sure student's rate but I guess it is applicable to everyone. If you are going like an excursion, then you may call and find at the Heritage Village. Thanks
Written 13 April 2019
hi, my classmates and I (34 person include teachers) are planning to have a field trip in Monsopiad Heritage Village. How much the cost of the entrance fee? Can we have a discount? How long will the tour take?
Written 2 September 2018
MHV2016
Penampang, Malaysia
Hi there,
Greetings from Monsopiad Heritage Village..
Kindly whatsapp us your inquiries at 011-14196484/011-14196488 and i will reply asap..
Regards,
Sasha
Written 2 September 2018
ezra_o85
Penampang, Malaysia
Kopivosian (Hello),
Our entrance fee is RM35.00 for Malaysian and RM45.00 for International. These include Guided Tour & Activities! :)
Written 14 March 2017
I will be in Kota Kinabalu Sabah Malaysia in 3 weeks time and would like to visit a cultural village - should I visit Mari Mari Cultural Village OR Monsopiad Cultural Village? OR is there yet another which is better?
Written 8 May 2016
Sasha S
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
I would suggest Monsopiad Heritage Village since its been up for about 20 years now...the history on Monsopiad the Kadazan head hunter is very very interesting and you get to see the real skulls that Monsopiad beheaded 300 years ago. Apart from the guided tour, you will also be able to relax, enjoy and take part in the cultural dances performed daily at the village (10am/ 12pm/ 2pm and 4pm).
Written 10 May 2016
Showing results 1-4 of 4
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing