Mah Meri Cultural Village
Mah Meri Cultural Village
3.5
About
Mah Meri is one of the 18 indigenous tribe of Malaysia. Famed for their mask dance and the wooden sculptures, the Mah Meri have a unique social system of metrimony. Marriage is by family arrangement but the couple have the right to refuse during the seven rituals which the couple will have to undergo.Divorce is sinful but a kind of polyandry is permitted.Enjoy the seafood delicacies and have a hand at learning how to make origami flowers from palm leaves.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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3.5
15 reviews
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5
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4
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1
Sherry Tam
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia907 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
The entrance fees is RM20/adult and RM10/kid. May be we came during off peak season so not many things to see and it’s quite quiet in surrounding. Mostly are wood crafts souvenirs. There is a little museum about the Mah Meri orang asli history. 2 young ladies teaching us how to fold a grasshopper using some leaf. Interesting experience
Written 11 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alvin K
Melaka, Malaysia19 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
I went for a day trip to this village during a public holiday. There is a fee to enter. Not a big place and looks like not well taken care. You required to do booking for any pre arranged activities. My trip day is very quiet and not much activities. Most stalls not manned. Stay there for 10 minutes only and proceed for seafood lunch nearby. If to compare with Sarawak Cultural Village and Sabah Cultural Village, this is a very big disappointment for me and family
Written 18 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maureen W
18 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
Visited as pre booked coach tour. Well briefed by the courier on the coach and enjoyed a lovely welcome from the villagers who presented us with woven head bands as we went through a ritual to allow the spirits to recognise us. We were given a welcome drink of lime juice and savoury snack. The guide Rashid had alot of information to give and unfortunately not everone could hear. I would advise looking at the website before going to help understand what is being said. We watched a wedding ceromony in which part of our group were representing the main players. This was fun as well as interesting. We were then treated to a superb buffet of Malaysian food prepared by the villagers. All very hygenic and delicious. A very good insight into a people trying to maintain their heritage in an ever changing world. I would highly recommend this visit. There are some steps to the museum and dining area. I was having a wheelchair kind of day, but managed the steps quite well. If you couldn't get up the steps, missing the museum would not be too bad, and they did offer to serve food for my husband and myself in the downstairs seating area.
Written 18 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandi B
Schertz, TX162 contributions
Nov 2022
We went to the village as an excursion with Viking cruises. Sorry, but I was less than impressed. We were met at the gate by a representative, who even said he wasn’t from that tribe. He had us standing, in the sun outside for around 20 minutes, while he talked so low we couldn’t even hear him. Once we walked inside…very little to see and more standing around listening to him talk. Our guide finally asked him to use a microphone.
The wedding dance consisted of them dressing up 6 people from our group and more or less dancing around in a circle. It didn’t look like a true ritual dance.
There were a few carved masks to look at and they provided a very nice lunch for our group.
Felt like a poor excursion choice, in my opinion.
The wedding dance consisted of them dressing up 6 people from our group and more or less dancing around in a circle. It didn’t look like a true ritual dance.
There were a few carved masks to look at and they provided a very nice lunch for our group.
Felt like a poor excursion choice, in my opinion.
Written 15 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jan M
Honolulu, HI232 contributions
Nov 2022
We cruise ship guests were one of the first guests to Mah Meri Cultural Village since they reopened from the pandemic. The head masked man greeted us with a chant and the village girls presented us with woven headbands and lime juice. The village elder sprinkled rice water on our hands and the village girls sprinkled scented water on our feet before we entered. We wandered around the garden and some tried their hand at slingshot. There were demonstrations of making thatch for walls and roofs. The man who was carving wood is deaf and the village helped his livelihood. When we found out that he played the violin, a guest asked him to play for her. She gave him a small tip afterward and the astonished smile on his face was priceless! The small museum was nice and interesting. The young girls demonstrated and taught us how to weave palm leaves into decorations. The mock wedding ceremony informed us of their rituals and ceremonies. A nicely prepared lunch was a treat as they served delicacies such as grilled octopus, shrimp, and chicken sate, rice, curries, and fresh native fruit such as dragonfruit and guava. There is a small gift shop there. Buy your souvenirs here and not at the port terminal as our bus tour guide recommended. Support the village! She must be getting a commission---nothing at the terminal shops.
Some reviewers were disappointed, but, I felt it was an enriching experience that supports the local villages to keep their culture and arts amidst our Western centrism modernized views.
Some reviewers were disappointed, but, I felt it was an enriching experience that supports the local villages to keep their culture and arts amidst our Western centrism modernized views.
Written 24 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GCL2013600
Singapore, Singapore65 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
The cultural village was poorly managed by a guy named Rashid. When we called him on his cellphone to check on a tour package that they offered on their webpage, he requested us to make a booking via their webpage. after the booking was made, there was no reply and no response at all.
On the day of our visit, after driving for more than 2 hours and arrived at the Mah Meri Cultural Village and found out that Rashid didn't inform the workers about our booking at all, and without booking, there wasn't any preparation for the itinerary as listed on their webpage. it was a complete waste of our time.
The workers at the Mah Meri Cultural Village asked us to pay RM5 as entrance fee instead. The place was very small (only took less than 5 minutes to complete one round), very rundown and literally got nothing to see at all. the workers were paid and sat around doing nothing.
Totally disappointed with this place and it's a waste of government resources.
On the day of our visit, after driving for more than 2 hours and arrived at the Mah Meri Cultural Village and found out that Rashid didn't inform the workers about our booking at all, and without booking, there wasn't any preparation for the itinerary as listed on their webpage. it was a complete waste of our time.
The workers at the Mah Meri Cultural Village asked us to pay RM5 as entrance fee instead. The place was very small (only took less than 5 minutes to complete one round), very rundown and literally got nothing to see at all. the workers were paid and sat around doing nothing.
Totally disappointed with this place and it's a waste of government resources.
Written 13 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
duncan_KS
George Town, Malaysia69 contributions
Mar 2018 • Family
Our visit to Mah Meri Cultural Village was unplanned. We knew that booking is required to ensure availability of dance and other demonstrations and we just tried our luck as walk-in visitor.
During our visit, we were very lucky to tag along with local university student, so we managed to join the group to witness their wedding ceremony demonstration and cultural dance. It is very interesting experience and eye opener to us on understanding this group of Malaysia aborigine tribe that not well know by majority Malaysian.
The area for the village is not big but you can spend good time to explore the gallery to understand each story behind their masks, learn to blow pipe or even try on their costume.
Effective October 2017, the cultural Village opens on Saturday, Sunday and Public holiday. It is better to book it ahead to avoid disappointment as dance or demonstration might not be happened without any booking was made.
This is definitely worth a visit to understand their rich culture and excellent craftmanship. Selangor tourism department should help to do more publicity on this cultural Village.
During our visit, we were very lucky to tag along with local university student, so we managed to join the group to witness their wedding ceremony demonstration and cultural dance. It is very interesting experience and eye opener to us on understanding this group of Malaysia aborigine tribe that not well know by majority Malaysian.
The area for the village is not big but you can spend good time to explore the gallery to understand each story behind their masks, learn to blow pipe or even try on their costume.
Effective October 2017, the cultural Village opens on Saturday, Sunday and Public holiday. It is better to book it ahead to avoid disappointment as dance or demonstration might not be happened without any booking was made.
This is definitely worth a visit to understand their rich culture and excellent craftmanship. Selangor tourism department should help to do more publicity on this cultural Village.
Written 28 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter R
Boston, MA2,149 contributions
Dec 2019
A tour to this is indigenous cultural center is about a hour's drive from the Port Klang. The tribe members wear costumes consisting of wooden masks and palm leaf skirts. Many ceremonies were performed including a mock wedding of one couple. They also show their proficiency at origami with palm leaves, wood carving and puzzle making/solving. There is also a small museum tour included with some interesting information. After the wedding ceremony, which was a lot of fun, there was a delicious lunch. Great experience and a hidden gem in my opinion
Written 15 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kenneth_hodge
Southampton, UK123 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
We were shown how a wedding ceremony was conducted and it was amazing - the questions asked of the bride and groom are very personal and would raise a few eyebrows in the UK - well worth a visit
Written 19 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo-Ann
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia17,186 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
Coming from Sabah, I know native people are usually warm and friendly. When we arrived at this cultural village, a girl came to collect RM7 per person. Then she showed my the activities for today. I asked if the dance or wood carving would be on as scheduled. She said today nothing except the gallery is open. Today is Saturday! And no activities, it was still RM7 per pax! Daylight robbery!!! I guess they will only entertain groups of tourists and not walk-ins. Well we are tourists too, just local. Very disappointed. We left after 20 minutes and a few pictures.
Written 24 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are all the attractions available on a Sunday
Written 8 September 2018
siennylovesdrawing
Malaysia
114 contributions
Hi there, would like to suggest your end to communicate to them via their official fb page 1st. From my own visiting experience, we actually confirm with their availability before we visited them. This is to avoid disappointment while travel far to Mah Meri village for your visit
Hope my suggestion above is helpful to your visiting planning then
Have a wonderful Mah Meri cultures visit for you soon
Cheers
siennylovesdrawing
Written 7 October 2018
Yes I would like to know more about this attraction. For example, time and days of the dance shows etc.
Written 23 August 2018
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