Kota Marudu (GPS: 6.49582, 116.76096) is a small town within the Kudat Division of Sabah. It has a population of 59,000 people with the majority being the Dusun people and Chinese from the Hakka and Hokkien dialect groups. It is 130 km from Kota Kinabalu. Neighbouring towns include Kota Belud, which is a hour away, and Kudat, one and a half hours away.
Kota Marudu was originally known as Bandau, which in turn was derived from the Kadazan-Dusun word "mondou", a mystical buffalo-like creature feared by the locals. It was renamed Kota Marudu, after the fort built by local warrior Shariff Osman, to defend the place against British colonialisation.
Getting there
You can take a minivan or shared taxi to Kota Marudu from Kota Kinabalu. The journey will take about 2 hours.
Festivity in Kota Marudu
Every November the town celebrates Pesta Jagung, or Maize Festival. It is a time for celebration, competitions and exhibitions. Traditional sports are played while a Pesta Jagung beauty pagent is also held.
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