Abundance Is in The Heart

Homestay Tour & Discovery : Tambunan, Sabah

When we decided to make our choice to fill up the remaining two days in Sabah, we didn't know what to expect except with the Sabah Homestay President Mdm Joanna Kitingan's advice :

Agnes, bring your people here, come with an open heart. "

And all of us went to Tambunan.........after a good warm bath at the Poring Hotspring in Ranau, Sabah.

It was a winding & bumpy journey by Taxi, passing through beautiful mountains on both side of the road which was damaged by heavy vehicles which carry logs.

Usually, when you check in city hotels, they will welcome you with a fruits,



Tambunan host family welcomed us with fruits too, but without a plate to hold them.




all of us wwas excited with no bound & drawn naturally to the tree like the fruits that oozed magnetic force.

Fresh, organic home grown Jambu Air without chemical fertiliser, so much so you feel safe to eat direct from the tree.


and having the privilege to be in-charge ......., picking whatever your heart desired



and being in charged & power to decide on the good from the bad..............





And we the guests helped ourselves to the serving of homemade rice wine from the kitchen.

Well instead of say the host served the rice wine in earthern pot, it was our discovery of the earthern pot of rice wine in the kitchen making all of us excited, the generosity of the host, not only had he showed us how to sip the rice wine, but allowed each of us to try some directly from their pot.

It was one after another, sipped to taste the wine, imagine if you are sipping after a person who don't wash their mouth or brush their teeth after food !!!


The whole house was filled with spirit of excitement and immediately transformed into a house of laughter and horror when the host brought out the squiggly wriggly sago worms called BUTED.

We were told these sago worms can be eaten raw and alive.


For the brave, it was yummy goodies..........,

and "...%#@&^%.." for the brave & adventurous


and "....**^*^!!......" for the not so brave but adventurous


& the most & extreme in bravery, the bravest Jenny & and the extreme adventurist





And the hopeless,


OMG!! OMG !! Just moments ago when met & introduced, she was poised & graceful, the team leader who had every details worked out.

Goodness gracious......and ..., the sago worms in the basin all were terrified to death.........

The members of the host families, most in the state of culture shock.

Of course for the hopelessly brave and creative adventurer. Eating Buted with Rice Wine, it was "...&*^.%#@ & ^%..*^*^!.." and yummy goodies



Scared ah ? for show only.

The next 2 days, it was spending time with host family


It's common that most household still use the firewood in the kitchen. The water channeled from the mountains nearby were so chilly and cold, the host families boiled water for us to bath.



Eating with Host family


Food, food, so much food...........

Most families served food from the produce of their land, either they have small plot of paddy field or having small pond rearing fish like Tilapia, Carp & fresh water fish.

Fish Pond & Paddy Field

It is not unusual to serve food that the locals have tamed after capturing them from the wild.
If the game is too small to be slaughtered, they will rear them caged in the backyard.

Picture of Babi Hutan caged at the backyard

From the pasar tamu, you can get practically any fresh local produce as food.



These, sago worm/Buted, and tadpoles, we ate them cooked as food.And when comes to makan, we didn't mind travel to get the yummy jolly good food.


The host took us to the Tambunan Rafflesia Centre only to find out that it was closed to the public because of the Harvest Festival

At the Tambunan Village Resort Centre, the children were having some outdoor fun.



and the curious children.


yes, the curious child indeed.
This is talented Damien. He plays the SOMPOTON.

He also plays SULING.


Gong & entertainment session in the host family

and enjoying the simple life.


faraway land they call Tambunan in Sabah



Loving siblings


& Ken , a child from Tambunan focused his eyes and did otherwise.

Bye Bye Tambunan.




writing on harvest festival shall be next...............