Meet The Tribe Which Lives On Water And Rarely Sets Foot On Land: The Bajau Sea Nomads Of Borneo. Credit: iStock
Life On The Ocean: The Bajau Tribe Of Borneo
For centuries, the Bajau Laut lived a nomadic lifestyle, moving from island to island with the seasons. They live in wooden stilt houses or houseboats called lepa-lepa, scattered across shallow coral reefs and turquoise waters. These homes are often anchored in lagoons or shallow bays near islands in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) or the Sulu Archipelago.
What makes these tribal individuals extraordinary is their natural freediving ability! Many members of the tribe can dive to depths of 20–30 meters without any modern equipment, holding their breath for up to five minutes. Scientists have even found that the Bajau people have genetically enlarged spleens, which help them stay underwater longer, an adaptation found in very few human populations worldwide.
They dive barefoot with wooden goggles and traditional spears, catching fish, octopus, and sea cucumbers with ease. Children can swim better than they can walk, and most of the community life is centered only around fishing.
But rising sea levels, changing marine ecosystems, and government resettlement programs have pushed many into coastal villages. Some now live in semi-permanent settlements like the famous Semporna stilt villages in Sabah. Despite these changes, the Bajau fiercely preserve their maritime traditions. Their festivals feature brightly decorated boats, sea-centric songs, and rituals to bless the ocean.
Visiting the Bajau offers a glimpse into an unfiltered, vanishing way of life, and is a goldmine for photographers. The contrast of wooden boats against blue waters, children paddling in homemade canoes, and coral-speckled views make for an incredible experience.
