On the north-west coast of Borneo hides Brunei, one of the smallest countries on earth, entirely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. Teeming with oil fields, mosques and rainforests, this country has plenty to see despite its small size, and is home to one of the wealthiest leaders in the world.
Brunei Travel Booking Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Reasons to Visit Brunei
The landscape is made up of dense forests and swamps that are cut by rivers and lying on a slim coastal plain on Borneo Island, it also has several large beaches. I ran along the beach at Kuala Belait beach most evenings and it was extremely calming (and tiring!). It was so peaceful with barely a passer-by – the only interruption to this sunset-run would be a crab scurrying into the sand. The sunsets are to die for!
I visited both Kuala Balait (the second largest town) and the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. The difference from one to the other is quite a contrast – whilst Kuala Balait is much quieter, Bandar Seri Begawan is far busier and built up. I was thankful to encounter both parts – though if I were limited to a small number of days then I would recommend focusing your trip on the capital. Not only is this where the airport is located but there is so much to see and do here that you won’t find yourself getting bored.
In Brunei, all sorts of nature and animals are right at your doorstep – seeing monkeys play at one side of the road whilst a giant lizard attempts to cross from the other is not uncommon. The sunsets and the peaceful nature make this a unique destination and one to certainly add to the bucket list.
Best Things to Do in Brunei
Don’t leave Brunei without…
Explore the capital
If you are visiting Brunei the chances are you will pass through the capital city Bandar Seri Begawan. More information about what to do here below.
Speeding through stilts
Jump in a taxi boat and slalom your way through the world’s largest water village, Kampong Ayer, in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan, where everything – houses, shops, even the fire station – is on stilts.
Tucking into nasi katok
Like fish and chips in England or tapas in Spain, nasi katok is so ingrained in Brunei society the country would collapse without it. This rice and chicken dish can be bought from stalls in any town.
Walking on high
Relive your tree-climbing youth, albeit with insects the size of your face, by tottering along one of the longest jungle canopy walkways in the world, in Ulu Temburong National Park.
Looking for a big nose
Nature was obviously in a playful mood when it invented the proboscis monkey. Why else would it give the poor creatures such fully massive noses? Catch a glimpse of the beasts with hilarious hooters on a trip down Brunei river.
Meandering around a mosque
There are mosques and then there’s the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque, an opulent complex of fountains, gardens and minarets that sits proudly in its own lagoon, watching over the capital.
Bandar Seri Begawan – The Capital
It’s difficult to put into words the emotions that I felt when visiting Bandar Seri Begawan. There is poverty neighboured with lavish riches – driving along a street, there can be several large, impressive houses surrounding a modest wooden shack or likewise one large house neighbouring several shacks.
As the capital is surrounded by rivers, I decided it would be best to take to the water and experience this town to its fullest. This was a boat trip like no other – I was metres away from wild proboscis monkeys (also known as long-nosed monkeys), a wild crocodile, monitor lizards and a beautiful array of birds. As well as this, I got to catch a glimpse of Istana Nurul Iman palace which is the Sultan of Brunei’s official residence and the largest residential palace in the world. It supposedly contains a jaw dropping 1,788 rooms, 5 swimming pools and a garage that can squeeze in up to 110 cars.
On this river trip we were taken into the Kampong Ayer (the largest water village in the world). We sailed past several stilt houses and a floating school – I had never seen anything quite like it before! I’ll let the photos do the talking…
Taking in as much of the sights as we could whilst we were there, we also visited Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque which was named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei and is a place of worship for the Muslim community and a major landmark and tourist attraction of Brunei.
Above is only a sample of what you can see and do in the capital. As I mentioned, there is a lot on offer – even a cinema if you feel you’re missing home slightly and want to cosy up to a good old movie and snack on a bag of popcorn! There is a range of restaurants in both Kuala Belait and Bandar Seri Begawan – from restaurants serving traditional local cuisine, to Indian food and so on. You’ll be spoilt for choice!
Brunei Travel Tips
Visas:
Citizens of Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and a few others can stay for up to 30 days without a visa, whereas most countries (including Canada and Belgium) have just 14 days before they need a visa. Citizens from the USA can stay up to 90 days without a visa, and those visiting from Australia can pick up a 30-day visa from the airport upon arrival.
Best Time to Visit?
Rainfall is heaviest between September and January, but generally the temperature remains warm and humid throughout the year.
Getting There and Away
The main airport is 10km from the capital and has direct flights between many major Asian cities. From Miri in Sarawak it is straightforward to travel to Brunei by bus or taxi but if you are travelling to or from Limbang or Kota Kinabalu it is simpler to go by boat.
Getting Around
It is easy to hitch around Brunei and a great way to meet people. Women should however be extremely cautious or find another method of transport altogether. Buses are a great and cheap way to get around but stop at 6pm, so you’ll have to rely on more expensive taxis after that time. Finally, there is a regular boat service between Bangar and BSB while water taxis are another quick and easy option.
Cultural Sensitivity:
Just remember however that Brunei is an Islamic state and the sale of alcohol is illegal, as is drinking in public and being publicly drunk is a serious crime. When I visited, non-Muslims were allowed to bring in up to two litres of bottled spirits or 12 cans of beer as long as you declared it and got an alcohol permit on entry. I’m uncertain whether this is still the case however, particularly now with the recent enforcement of sharia law.
Safety:
Drug trafficking is taken very seriously and carries a death sentence, so do not risk being inovled with drugs in any way.
Vaccinations and Health:
Generally, there are no significant health threats, but do be sure to drink bottled water only.
Have you been to Brunei? What was your experience of it?