Fresh from exploring the elevated treetop walkway at Signal Hill just a day earlier, we decided to visit another place the following morning - J Borneo Native Village in Lok Kawi.
Our trip there began with a simple mission. We had been looking to buy stingless bee honey and contacted The House of Stingless Bee, which we had visited in August 2024 (Read here). Unfortunately, their stock was sold out. A friend then told us that stingless bee honey could be found at J Borneo Native Village. With this information, we decided to make our way there to try our luck.
When we arrived at the site along the old Penampang–Papar highway, I was surprised to discover that it stood right next door to Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, which we had visited just two months earlier with our granddaughter Maddie and her father from Singapore (Read here). We had not realised then how close this place was.
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I later learned that J Borneo Native Village was originally set up largely to complement the presence of the wildlife park. It served as a convenient place for park visitors to rest and eat before or after their visit. Families, tourists, and local visitors found it an ideal stopover, and the cafeteria soon gained a reputation as a welcoming roadside eatery with a distinctive traditional ambience.
In its early days, the main structure was essentially a modest eating place built from timber and salvaged materials. The founder reportedly collected wood from old houses and natural sources, using them to construct buildings that reflected the texture and spirit of a traditional Bornean kampung. This was not intended to be a museum-style reconstruction of a historical village, but rather a living, functional space inspired by indigenous architectural aesthetics. At that stage, chalet units were still being developed, and the primary focus was simply to provide food, shelter and a place to relax.
During our visit that morning, we noticed that the food served at the eateries consisted mainly of familiar Malaysian fare such as fried noodles, fried rice, chicken dishes, and local kuih. We did not see indigenous-inspired dishes or kampung-style cooking such as hinava (fresh fish salad), grilled fish, bambangan-based condiments, traditional soups, or stir-fried jungle vegetables. These may perhaps be featured during festive periods, such as the Kaamatan Harvest Festival, when cultural elements are more prominently showcased.
Although the venue functions primarily as a restaurant and event space, we also noticed quite a number of small stalls selling handmade crafts that reflect Sabah’s indigenous heritage. These included beadwork accessories, woven fabrics, rattan handicrafts, small decorative ornaments and books written local writers.
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We were not disappointed, it was in one of these stalls, that we were finally able to find the stingless bee honey we had set out to buy.
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