MY · Sabah · 5.34°N 116.16°E

keningau

Interior hub with Sabah's Oath Stone and a slow look at rural Sabah.

Best time
Any time of year. The drier months are roughly February to April, and afternoons often bring rain.
How long
1 day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Kota Kinabalu (about 2.5 hours), then drive about 2–2.5 hours over the Crocker Range via Tambunan.
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MY · Sabahkeningau5.34°N 116.16°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Interior hub with Sabah's Oath Stone and a slow look at rural Sabah.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingKeningauMY, Sabah
KLkeningau
≈ 1,623 km from KL, as the crow flies
Keningau, Sabah: Street between Foo Loong Shopping Complex and Adika Commercial Complex.

Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Keningau is one of Sabah's oldest and biggest interior towns, on a broad plain between Tambunan and Tenom. Dusun, Murut and Lundayeh communities all call it home. It's a practical base for exploring the interior, and the Oath Stone in town is its best-known landmark.

Makan

  1. TuhauA pungent relish of wild ginger stems that turns up at local meals across the interior.Map ↗
  2. HinavaRaw fish cured in lime juice with chilli and ginger.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Batu Sumpah (Oath Stone)A memorial stone recording the promises made to the interior's communities when Sabah joined Malaysia.Map ↗
  2. The town marketInterior produce, wild fruit and jungle ferns from the surrounding villages.Map ↗
  3. TenomAbout an hour south, for coffee and the agriculture park.Map ↗
  4. TambunanAbout an hour north, for rafflesia, paddy fields and the Mat Salleh Memorial.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Keningau is more a working town than a tourist one, so treat it as a base for trips around the interior.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.