Festivals

Known as "the beautiful run," the Borneo marathon takes place along the palm-fringed, coastal roads of the island of Kinabalu in Sabah. Participants can take part in the full marathon (26.2 miles) or half marathon (13.1 miles) or the 10 km run (just over 6 miles). Spectators line the route, creating a festive atmosphere.

This two-day festival is celebrated by the Bisaya people of Sarawak and attracts visitors from all over. The Bisaya honor their buffalos with a carnival featuring dance and music performances, traditional food and handmade crafts. The highlight is an exciting bareback buffalo race between teams from Limbang, Sabah and Brunei.

This increasingly popular event attracts boat racing teams from Hong Kong, China, Japan and the rest of Malaysia to Likas Bay in Sabah. Spectators flock to see the colorful boat race as the teams beat their drums to synchronize their paddling. There are local gourmet delicacies, while music and dance creates a carnival atmosphere.

For decades, the descendents of the Portuguese settlers of Melaka have held an annual festival in honor of the patron saint of fishermen and now the week-long San Pedro fiesta is popular with tourists from all over who come for the bazaars, the fairground, concerts, cultural performances and the procession and feast on the final day.

Folk dance ensembles from around the world are invited to perform and share their traditions and culture through dance and music at the Sabah Cultural Center. The multi-day event features demonstrations, workshops, folk art exhibitions and a food fair alongside performances of international classical dance.

For this two-day harvest festival and public holiday, the indigenous Dayak people of Sarawak come together to give thanks. The colorful celebration attracts locals and visitors from all over Malaysia who come to see the traditional costumes, the procession and beauty pageant, folk dancing and singing and to share authentic food.