Keningau Tamu

The weekly open-air market at Keningau is one of the best tamus in Sabah and the most compelling reason to come to town. Held on Sunday mornings, it draws Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, Chinese, and Malay traders from across the Interior Division — all four communities trading side by side under a loose collection of market stalls and tarpaulins.

The produce is the real draw: fresh jungle vegetables, edible ferns, wild mushrooms, dried river fish, smoked meats, live poultry, bundles of betel nut, and the occasional oddity from the forest interior. You will also find local handicrafts — Murut woven baskets, traditional brassware, and the distinctive woven rattan items used in longhouse communities. Arrive early (by 7am) for the best selection; by late morning many traders have packed up and left for home.

things to do market sight
A story
The word tamu comes from the Kadazan verb meaning "to meet." These weekly markets have been gathering points for interior Sabah communities since long before the arrival of British colonial administration — the colonial government formalised them in the early 20th century partly because they provided useful intelligence about who was where in the deep interior. The Keningau tamu is one of the largest surviving examples of this tradition.