Tuaran Crocodile Farm to open cultural centre on its grounds

KOTA KINABALU: The popular Tuaran Crocodile Farm is set to enhance its attraction as it collaborates with two local creative and heritage organisations to offer visitors a hands-on cultural learning experience.

The farm, about 20km from the city, planned to transform its unused longhouse space within the compound into a Momogun Heritage Lab, featuring exhibitions based on the diversity of Sabah’s major ethnic cultural heritage.

The Muzium Lotud Borneo and Chanteek Borneo would provide exhibition materials for the collaborative efforts.

Tuaran Crocodile Farm manager Engalbert Awing said in a statement Friday (Jan 14) that the longhouse was used to showcase traditional dance performances to visitors as a side activity until tourism was shut down due to the pandemic.

He described the Momogun Heritage Lab as a family-friendly activity centre that offered cultural-based fun activities that children would enjoy such as weaving and beading, among others.

The collaborative agreement between the three parties was signed on Thursday (Jan 13), witnessed by state Tourism, Culture, and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.

The agreement was signed by Tuaran Crocodile Farm director Chai Wee Ying, Muzium Lotud Borneo founder Pediman Jabau and Chanteek Borneo founder Anne Antah.

Since tourism activities have resumed, the crocodile farm receives 600 visitors daily, especially during the school holidays.

Their visitors consisted of locals, tourists from the peninsula, and expatriates.

Meanwhile, Bangkuai lauded the initiative and the group's efforts to incorporate educational activities related to cultural heritage.

"We must promote educational tourism because it is the most effective way to learn about other cultures.

"Hands-on learning activities will add value to an already well-known attraction.

"The Sabah Tourism Board encourages tourism operators to diversify or expand their products to meet the needs of all customers, including children, as family travel is one of the growing markets in the tourism industry.

"There is a constant need to develop tourism products that encourage family bonding and knowledge-sharing to help create the ideal vacation memories," he said.

Such educational tourism, according to Bangkuai, was also beneficial for students who go on field trips to gain a new perspective outside of the classroom setting.