What Is a Tamu? A Visitor's Guide to Sabah's Weekly Markets
Sabah's tamu are open-air village markets where farmers, fishers and cooks trade every week. Here's how to visit one and what to eat.
A tamu is a traditional open-air market in Sabah, usually held once a week in the same place. Villagers bring rice, vegetables, fruit, fish, livestock, snacks and household goods, and the morning becomes a social event as much as a shopping trip.
Why tamu matter
Tamu began as meeting points where different communities from the coast and the hills traded with each other. Many still follow that rhythm, and they are the best place to see what rural Sabah grows and eats in any given season.
What to look for
- Jars of tuhau and bambangan pickle
- Linopot and other leaf-wrapped rice
- Seasonal fruit, from tarap to durian
- Kuih and fried snacks made that morning
- River fish and dried fish
Tamu worth visiting
The Sunday tamu in Kota Belud is one of the best known. Tuaran, Ranau and Keningau also hold large weekly markets, and in Kota Kinabalu the Sunday market on Gaya Street has a similar spirit.
Bring small notes, a reusable bag and an appetite. Asking a seller how to eat something is the quickest way into a conversation.
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