The image depicts a serene wooden house with a covered porch, surrounded by lush trees and a vibrant blue sky, exuding a sense of tranquility and natural beauty.
Four smiling people sit around a table enjoying food and drinks at a casual indoor eatery. The atmosphere is cheerful, with more diners and kitchen staff visible.
Four people pose cheerfully outside a rustic wooden house with blue-trimmed windows. The open verandah features blue chairs, a table, lush greenery, and a relaxed atmosphere.
A man and woman lean playfully out of a rustic wooden window. Blue chairs sit on a porch. Lush greenery surrounds the cozy, rural house setting.
A woman holds a round, golden-brown omelette on a plate and a jar, while a smiling man stands beside her. String lights twinkle in the background.
Wooden benches and a table sit on a deck, surrounded by lush green plants and trees, creating a peaceful, inviting outdoor garden space.
This image shows a long, cozy hallway with green walls, wicker furniture, woven mats, large windows, a whiteboard, a mirror, and warmly lit fluorescent ceiling lights.
A cozy wooden patio with stools and a bench overlooks lush green trees. The covered deck provides a serene, relaxing spot to enjoy nature’s beauty outside.
A narrow wooden staircase ascends between unfinished wooden framing, leading to an upper floor with a corrugated metal roof. Exposed beams and various objects are visible.
This cozy room features a brown couch, coffee table, brick walls, large window with curtains, mounted antelope heads, macramé decor, and a family portrait.
This image shows a small bathroom with geometric-patterned tiles, a pedestal sink, wall mirror, toilet with an open lid, handheld bidet, and a small window.
A cozy room with brick walls features a double bed, metal headboard, folded towels, simple curtains, and a window letting in natural light, creating a rustic atmosphere.
The image depicts a two-story house with a covered porch and patio, featuring yellow pillars, a red roof, and a blue sky with white clouds in the background.
The image depicts a man and woman standing on a road, with a mountain range in the background, set against a vibrant yellow and orange sunset sky.
The image shows a group of people gathered around a table, engaged in a meeting or discussion, with some individuals speaking and others listening attentively. The atmosphere appears to be formal and professional.

Join our homestay while experiencing local culture in Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia

Profile information

  • rating

    Host rating

    90 %

  • Last replied

    Last replied

    10 Sep 2026

  • Reply rate

    Reply rate

    100.0 %

    Usually responds within 2 days

  • feedbacks

    Feedback

    22

  • Email verified

    Email verified

Badges (3)

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Availability

  2026 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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What's this?

Details

  • Description

    Description

    I'm Donald Kely, residing in Penampang, Sabah. The place is an old wooden house built in 1959 but now transformed as Homestay. We still do some improvement, refurbishment and maintenance. There are also ecotourism related projects needed to be done within and beyond the house compound as it is located beside the Moyog River and Pan Borneo highway. Currently, the homestay is managed by myself and my wife with 1 carpentering, 1 electrician and 1 cleaner (as part-time contractor to do the maintenance job)

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Art Projects
    Help with Eco Projects
    Light gardening
    Creative DIY projects
    Farmstay help
    Hospitality/Tourism
    Light maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • Interests

    Interests

    Videography
    Technology
    Sustainability
    Self development
    Movies & TV
    Fashion or beauty
    Farming
    Events & social
    Culture
    Writing
    Plant care
    Photography
    Music
    History
    Gardening
    Drawing & painting
    DIY & crafts
    Cooking & food
    Carpentry
    Blogging
    Art & design
    Architecture
    Outdoor activities
    Nature
    Hiking
    Fitness
    Dancing
    Beach
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    While workaway, our guests could experience these activities/ functions:
    1. Experience Kadazan Indigenous cuisine (which occasionally prepared by our family)
    2. Participate Kadazan cultural dance (which we attend when there's wedding reception in our village)
    3. Composting management around our 1 acre house compound

  • Help

    Help

    Assistance in the following fields are required
    1. Carpentering work
    2. Interior Design work
    3. Gardening work
    4. Landscaping

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Indonesian: Fluent
    Malay: Fluent

    This host offers a language exchange
    Tagalog, Thailand, Korean, Japanese

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    A wooden house with private bedrooms (3 with air-conditioning + 1 without), shared bathroom and toilet. Long and large living room with kitchen and veranda.

    As an Indigenous people in North Borneo (Sabah, East Malaysia), we occasionally prepared our traditional cuisine and if our guests like, they can witness us preparing the dishes. At the same time, if our guests willing, they can share their knowledge and experience in preparing their special cuisine which we normally keen to learning

    Since we are very occupied with our daily work, we can not prepare daily meal for our volunteer. Therefore, we only ask them to work 2-3 hours a day ( Monday to Friday and if any volunteer choose to work more than 3 hours a day on their own initiative, we compensate them with an extra off day during the following weekday). The hours is reduce to enable them prepare their own daily meal using our kitchen and basic groceries and staples such as cooking oil, salt, onion, sugar, spices, and rice for their use. We are usually too busy to prepare daily meals, but if we have extra food, we are happy to share with them.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    These facilities are also available on request:
    1. Karaoke sets
    2. BBQ sets
    3. Moyog River Bamboo Rafting
    4. Mt. Kinabalu (the highest mountain in Southeast Asia) photo shooting from our village
    5. Weekly farmers market at Donggongon town (5 minutes away from our house)

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    To develop website

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Within the house compound and at the riverbank

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

Host ref number: 692319198339

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Accuracy of profile:
(4.6)

Cultural exchange:
(4.7)

Communication:
(4.6)

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