travel brunei

Travel in Brunei: Everything You Should Know Before You Visit

Categories Destinations , Asia , Brunei

I have to be honest. Travel in Brunei has never been at the top of my list for a variety of reasons. Life had other plans and I landed up spending three months in the country, making Borneo the island that I had spent the longest on.

One thing that I did realize after those three months is that I had been wrong about the country on so many counts and right in a few others. Do I miss Brunei? I do.

I miss the forests and the peace that the country has and most of all I miss Shawn because he had to stay back for a couple of months while I returned to India. With three months of exploring and travel in Brunei, I feel competent enough to write a detailed guide to the country so let’s plunge in shall we?

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The Global Consensus And Actual Travel In Brunei

Before I headed out to Brunei, I did a lot of research on the place. I looked at the news articles and the travel blogs. I must say that while the Brunei travel blogs talked about a smattering of things to do in Brunei, the media talked about how restrictive the country was.

Staying for three months in such a country did not seem pleasant to me but at that point I did not have much of a choice. Three days in however and my whole perspective took a drastic change. Why?

The thing about Brunei is that it has been in the news for all the wrong reasons and since traveling through the country is not popular because of its location, it is hardly ever explored properly. It doesn’t take you long to realize that the people in Brunei are some of the friendliest people you will meet.

I had someone hand me a box full of jackfruit on day one for free just because I said I loved it. It was something that happened (with other things) over and over again throughout my stay and it emphasizes just how generous people are.

What about the Sharia Law?

Now while I did fall in love with the country, I have to say that I did not agree with a lot of things. The Sharia law was one of those things. Unfortunately for us, we were in the country when the second wave of the Sharia law implementation took place.

My particular beef was with the laws involving the LGBTQ community. Luckily, the Sultan was forced to backtrack from some of the harsher punishments that were due to be implemented.

To Write Or Not To Write About Travel In Brunei

With all this in mind, I found myself at a crossroads. Do I write about travel in Brunei or not? I finally decided that I would write about it largely to talk about my feelings and the things that I did like about the country.

After all, Brunei is not very well documented, and I found myself exploring lesser visited destinations. Talking to the expats and the locals in the smaller town that I lived in reminded me that I wrote for the people who needed it. Factual tips about travel and living in a country that I spent a long while in.

Navigating Through The Brunei Travel Guide

In order to help you navigate through Globetrove’s Brunei Travel Guide, I have divided it into sections so that you can scroll directly down to the part of the post you want to access.

Expect the post to be long because I have a lot to share and talk about. I hope that the Brunei Travel Guide will help you if you do consider travel to the country or find yourself inside its borders for some reason.

• Facts about Brunei
• Facts for the visitor
• Things to do in Brunei

BRUNEI TRAVEL GUIDE: Facts About Brunei

Travel in Brunei is not complete without visiting the board walk.

Let’s talk about the country before we get into the specifics about travel in Brunei. I always find that knowing about the location you head to in advance gives you a more immersive feel when you actually touch down. That is why I like to read up a bit on the weather, geography, history and culture before I start exploring.

Brunei has an interesting past. Today, the country is ruled by a Sultan but it wasn’t always so. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate. Till date you will find a British Garrison in Brunei. Things however began to change around 1929 when petroleum production began.

It was this production that turned the tides for Brunei and till today it is what sustains the economy of the country. For a brief period during 1941-1945 in the World War II, Brunei found itself being occupied by he Japanese. The British however later returned and eventually, negotiations were made for the independence of Brunei.

Once Brunei stabilized politically in the 1970’s, it quickly rose to become one of the most flourishing economies in the world thanks to the amount of petroleum that was and continues to be produced in the country. It does not come as a surprise therefore that there are a lot of expats (who are linked to the oil industry) that live in the oil towns of Brunei.

One of the first things that I realized during my travel in Brunei was that the entire landscape appears green. Okay, you may not see as much of this in Bandar Seri Begawan which is the capital of Brunei but the moment you start heading out of the city, the landscape changes rather dramatically.

The forest cover of the country is spectacular and many of the locals love walking through the numerous forest reserves and natural parks . Ulu Temburong however remains the most popular natural park that tourists visit.

Brunei has a tropical climate which means that you can expect it to be hot and humid. It rains during a large part of the year and when I say rains, I mean that it pours! So you need to plan what to pack accordingly. I recently wrote a whole guide to what to pack when visiting Brunei. You can find the link to the post below.

RELATED ARTICLES: The Ultimate Packing List For Brunei

The currency in Brunei is called the Bruneian Dollar and is often abbreviated as BND. Since it is benchmarked against the Singaporean dollar, both currency are valid tender in the country. I found this rather surprising at first but then I realized that it was part and parcel of life in Brunei.

One of the things that surprised me about travel in Brunei was the food. The food is surprisingly multicultural with large influences from the Malaysian, Singaporean,, Indonesian and Indian cuisines. That however isn’t all. It also has a thriving fast food industry.

Burgers are big deal in the country and you see them at all the local stalls. Italian food is also highly loved. I won’t do into the details of it since I have already written an in depth article about the food in Brunei.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• A Detailed Guide To Food In Brunei
• Guide to places to eat in Kuala Belait

BRUNEI TRAVEL GUIDE: Facts For The Visitor

If you are considering travel in Brunei, then you may want to arm yourself with a couple of facts like how to get into the country, what is the transportation like, where should you stay etc. In order to make your quest for this information a bit easier, we have compiled as much pertinent information as we could in this segment of the Brunei Travel Guide.

Entering The Country

There are two main ways to enter Brunei and those are by the land borders and by air. I have however heard that the government is encouraging cruise ships to dock in Brunei to promote tourism in the country.

Flying into Brunei is a popular choice if you are heading just to the country itself. Many however choose to take one of the cheaper flights to either Kota Kinabalu (Sabah, Malaysia) or Miri (Sarawak, Malaysia) and then backpack their way through. There are a couple of cheapish flights that ply between these cities and the route through remains a popular one.

One of my pet peeves in Brunei was the transport. There is not much public transport to talk off. A couple of stray buses that head out of the main city but that is it. Everyone owns a car and, in some cases, multiple cars. There are cabs but they are extremely expensive when you compare the rates to the rest of Asia. Yes! Brunei is expensive so keep that in mind too!

Accommodation

Accommodation is definitely something that you will need to consider when you think about travel in Brunei. While we personally stayed closer to Kuala Belait which is a small town in Brunei, I wouldn’t recommend heading that far out if you are just passing through.

Most of the spots that you would see as a tourist are in or close to the capital city named Bandar Seri Begawan. Finding accommodation there would be the wisest. If you are looking for an experience, then think of staying in Kampung Ayer also known as Brunei’s water village.

One of the things that you should keep in mind when it comes to travel in Brunei is the dress code. While there are a couple of foreigners that wear knee level shorts, I would suggest staying modest. Loose cotton clothes is the way to go especially since the weather is hot and humid.

Avoid thicker fabrics. I preferred white and light colours for this very same reason. Carry a scarf or a shawl that you can use to cover your head when you enter a mosque or religious building. As a rule, most people are not bothered about what you wear but I would still err on the side of caution.

BRUNEI TRAVEL GUIDE: Things To Do In Brunei

Travel in Brunei should definitely include visiting the different religious structures in the country.

When I talk about travel in Brunei, a lot of people stop me and ask me where Brunei is. Unlike its popular neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia, Brunei covers just a small piece of land on the mighty island of Borneo. A large part of this land is covered with forests and hence it does not come as a surprise that there are few tourist related activities to indulge in.

Main Cities In Brunei

Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital city of Brunei and is the place with most of the activities that as a tourist you would seek out. In fact, as far happening places in Brunei go, this is as bustling as it gets. The other cities are smaller and definitely less touristic.

Kuala Belait and Seria are two sleepy towns that lie closer to the Malaysian border. These two are oil towns and are largely populated by expats. Jerudong, Tutong and Gadong are other popular cities.

Religious Monuments

One of the main items that everyone talks about when they head to Brunei is the gorgeous mosques in the country. While I have had a chance to just visit one of them, I have seen many of them as we passed by. They are without a doubt gorgeous and well worth exploring if you have the time.

National Parks

Remember when I mentioned that Brunei is covered by forests? You can see this as you swoop in with your flight. Brunei has a number of forests that are protected and luckily deforestation is not a threat here as compared to neighbouring Malaysia.

They do however have some problems with forest fires during the hotter months and it can get bad with the highways being closed. Most of these forests however have parks that are incorporated into them so you can trek and enjoy nature. They are so profuse that you will definitely find a green spot no matter which part of Brunei you stay in.

RELATED ARTICLES:  Forest Reserves and Recreational Parks in Brunei

BRUNEI TRAVEL GUIDE: Experiences You Should Not Miss

As with every country, you will find that while you travel in Brunei, there are a couple of experiences that you really should not miss. While most of the notable sites can be covered in a two to three days (if you choose to visit Ulu Temburong), most of the sites are within the city of Bandar Seri Begawan and you don’t have to travel far. 

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Brunei Darussalam

The tiny sultanate of Brunei is a remnant of a naval empire that once controlled all of Borneo and part of the present-day Philippines. Nevertheless this quiet darussalam (Arabic for 'abode of peace') has the largest oilfields in Southeast Asia (though they're due to run dry in 30 years).

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Brunei Darussalam and beyond

Brunei Travel Guide

Brunei Darussalam is a tiny, oil rich Muslim country on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, and its capital city (Bandar Seri Begawan) only has a population of about 100,000 people. This entire country is mostly overlooked by tourists, but there are dozens of big, fancy mosques here that are definitely worth checking out.

The two main mosques in Brunei are  Omar Ali Saifuddien and Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah . These are real works of art, with huge golden domes and 60 meter tall minarets. Even if you're not a big architecture buff, it's easy to admire the intricate showy designs, especially when you throw in some palm trees and blue skies in the background (this is Southeast Asia, after all).

Read through this complete Brunei travel guide for more info on what to expect!

Quick Facts

Malay; 'Thank you' is 'terima kasih'

Bruneian Dollar (BND)

Bandar Seri Begawan

VOA or visa free access for 60+ countries

Tropical; hot & humid year round. Dry season is Feb - April

Power Plugs

The only international airport in Brunei is in Bandar Seri Begawan (code: BWN), which has direct flights from other Southeast Asian cities like Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Singapore. You can shop for flights to Brunei on Skyscanner.

Brunei is one of the safest countries in the world, with an extremely low violent crime rate of 0.5 per 100k inhabitants (92% lower than the global average). I've walked around the capital city at night and never felt unsafe. Terrorism is not an issue in Brunei at all, and attitudes toward foreigners seem welcoming.

The climate of Brunei is tropical, so there's no bad time to visit. It's hot and humid year round, but there is a dry season lasting from February to April.

Brunei is a surprisingly budget friendly travel destination, although it's not as cheap as other parts of SE Asia. Hostels are available from $25 Bruneian dollars ($18 USD) and private hotels from $40 BND . Meals are not too expensive, costing about $7 to $15 BND depending on location.

Transportation in Brunei is generally by car rental or taxi. The only transportation app is  Dart , which works similar to Uber.

Where To Stay

Some top hotel picks in Bandar Seri Begawan

Rimbun Suites

Al afiah hotel, radisson hotel.

This Brunei travel guide contains affiliate links. Whenever you buy something through one of these, I may get a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

As an affiliate, I only recommend products and services that I feel are high quality and helpful to my readers.

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Feel free to contact me if you have travel questions, comments, or suggestions! I'll try to get back to you!

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Brunei Travel Advisory

Travel advisory december 19, 2023, brunei - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Reissued after periodic review without changes.

Exercise normal precautions in Brunei.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Brunei. 

If you decide to travel to Brunei:

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.  
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• Review the  Country Security Report  for Brunei.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel. 
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You are about to visit:

• 3 Other destinations
• 4.1 History
• 4.2 Economy
• 4.3 Culture
• 4.4 Geography and climate
• 4.5 Tourist information
• 6.1 Entry requirements
• 6.2 By plane
• 6.5 By boat
• 7.2 By taxi
• 7.3 By ride-hailing
• 7.4 By tour vans
• 7.5 By boat
• 7.7 By thumb
• 9.1 Scuba diving
• 10.3 Souvenirs
• 14 Stay safe
• 15 Stay healthy
• 17.1 By phone

The Sultanate of Brunei is a small but — thanks to natural gas and petroleum resources — very rich country on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia .

Although Brunei is not on most travellers' radar, it is a country of tranquil mosques, pristine jungles, and friendly inhabitants. Its full name is Negara Brunei Darussalam , with Darussalam appropriately meaning "Abode of Peace".

Regions [ edit ]

Cities [ edit ]

• 4.892 114.939 1 Bandar Seri Begawan – the capital, sometimes known as "Bandar" or "BSB" for short
• 4.708333 115.073611 2 Bangar – gateway town to the unspoilt nature of Temburong
• 4.583333 114.183333 3 Kuala Belait – second largest city and border town on the way to Sarawak , Malaysia
• 5.0268 115.0693 4 Muara — a small port town
• 4.806667 114.659167 6 Tutong – a small town, located on the banks of Tutong River

Other destinations [ edit ]

• 4.478 115.2077 1 Ulu Temburong National Park – the first and the only national park established in Brunei, contains unspoilt jungle and is known as the "Green Jewel of Brunei"

Understand [ edit ]

Brunei is a pint-sized oil-rich sultanate with a population of 450,000 as of 2016, strategically positioned on the South China Sea, close to vital sea lanes linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its oil resources have generated great wealth for the Sultan and some of the local people, and the best evidence of this is seen in the palaces and mosques. However many Bruneians, including those who live in the water village (Kampong Ayer), still have relatively simple, albeit comfortable livelihoods.

The description of an "oil-rich sultanate" might conjure the images of Dubai or Qatar , but travellers with such expectations will likely be disappointed. Brunei does not have much in terms of grandiose man-made attractions, and although excellent diving and jungle trekking are available, it does not have mind-blowing natural parks as the neighbouring Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak do. Many people that visit Brunei actually do so only for the sake of "country collection" or "passport stamp collection".

If there are attractions particular to Brunei, it is perhaps the absence of crowds, the comfortable but relaxed atmosphere, and the way that society remains religious and conservative, refusing to embrace modernity and globalisation despite having the material wealth to do so.

History [ edit ]

The Sultanate of Brunei's heyday occurred between the 15th-17th centuries, when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines . Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate. It was offered the opportunity to join Malaysia as a state in 1963, but opted out of the federation due to a disagreement on the amount of its oil income that would have to be given to the central government in Kuala Lumpur. After an Indonesian-backed insurrection failed in 1962, the Sultan consolidated power as an absolute monarch, and the country is under a constant state of emergency renewed every 2 years. Independence was achieved in 1984. One family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries.

After independence, the Brunei Investment Agency invested some US$40 billion of Brunei's funds in Crown Prince and Finance Minister Jefri Bolkiah's Amedeo fund. When the Asian financial crisis hit in 1998, it turned out that Jefri had appropriated some $14.8 billion of the sum for himself, using the funds to amass 2,000 cars, a private Boeing 747 jumbo jet, a yacht named Tits and life-size golden statues of himself having sex. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah sent Jefri to the naughty corner and has personally overseen the sultanate's finances ever since.

The Istana Nurul Iman is the world's largest occupied residential palace. The 300-acre palace sits on a man-made hill with a clear view of Kampong Ayer. Istana Nurul Iman is the residence of the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and the palace is quoted to have an estimated value at USD 600 million.

Economy [ edit ]

The backbone of Brunei's economy is oil and gas and the Sultan of Brunei is, famously, one of the richest people in the world with an estimated personal wealth of around USD 40 billion. Per capita GDP is far above most other developing countries, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides all citizens with a comprehensive welfare state without levying any income tax.

All sectors of the economy are fairly heavily regulated and government policy is an odd mixture of subsidies, protectionism and encouragement of entrepreneurship. Brunei's leaders are attempting to balance the country's steadily increasing integration into the world economy with internal social cohesion. It became a more prominent player in the world by serving as chairman for the 2005 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) Forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the workforce, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

Culture [ edit ]

Given their shared history, Brunei shares many cultural similarities with neighbouring Malaysia, with the Malay language serving as a common link between both countries.

Brunei is officially an Islamic state, with many large beautiful mosques across the country. Sale of alcohol is banned. Bringing in meat (other than seafood) that has not been certified "halal" (slaughtered according to Islamic law) is also banned. It is possible, however, to find pork at eateries catering to the ethnic Chinese community. During the fasting month of Ramadan, many non-Muslim-owned shops and restaurants will be open. However, eating, drinking or smoking in front of people who are fasting is considered rude and asking permission is appropriate. Expect everything to be closed - including hotel restaurants, and all shops - during Friday prayers (12:00-14:00) [1] all year. Things start closing around 11:00, and start reopening again around 14:00. Even the buses stop running, though you might still be able to catch a water taxi.

The bulk of the population is Malay (67%) and there is also a significant Chinese minority of around 15% as well as a number of indigenous peoples, including the Iban and Dusun tribes who inhabit the jungle upriver and the Temburong district (the smaller eastern part detached from the rest of Brunei). There are many foreign workers who work on the oil and gas production or in lower positions such as restaurant staff, field workers and domestic staff. The male to female ratio is 3:2. More than a quarter of the people are short term immigrant workers, most of whom are men.

Geography and climate [ edit ]

Brunei's climate is sub-tropical. Temperatures range from 14-33°C, January being the hottest month. The rainy season is always mild and humid, followed by a hot and humid dry season. The difference between the two seasons is not that marked, however. The rainforest and jungle areas tend to be cooler and wetter than the coastal region.

Brunei's topology is of a flat coastal plain rises to mountains in the east, the highest point being Bukit Pagan at 1,850 metres, with some hilly lowlands in the west.

There are no typhoons, earthquakes, severe flooding or other forms of natural disasters to contend with, and the biggest environmental issue is the seasonal haze resulting from forest fires (that is caused by illegal clearing of land) in nearby Indonesia.

Tourist information [ edit ]

• Brunei Tourism website

Talk [ edit ]

The official language of Brunei is Malay ( Bahasa Melayu ), but due to its British colonial past, English is widely spoken and understood in urban areas, though sometimes with a thick accent. A little Malay will come in handy in rural areas, as English proficiency is limited there.

While all Bruneians are able to speak standard Malay, the local dialect of Malay has some ideosyncrasies that can make it tricky to understand if you only just started learning Malay. Brunei also officially uses the Arabic script for Malay known as Jawi . Outside of government signage and religious publications almost all signs use the Roman alphabet.

The ethnic Chinese community in Brunei continues to speak a variety of Chinese languages, including Hokkien , Teochew , and several others. Mandarin is taught in Chinese schools, so most ethnic Chinese are conversant in it as well.

Tourist sites always have signage in English, and often in Chinese as well due to the large numbers of Chinese tourists.

Get in [ edit ]

Compared to other nations in South East Asia , Brunei's visa policy is a bit more restrictive.

Entry requirements [ edit ]

All foreign nationals must fill out an online arrival form prior to their arrival in Brunei.

Foreign nationals of the following countries/territories can enter Brunei visa-free as long as they present a passport valid for at least 6 months:

For up to 90 days: All European Union member states, British citizens and subjects with right of abode in the United Kingdom , Iceland , Liechtenstein , Norway , Switzerland , United States

For up to 30 days: Malaysia , New Zealand , Oman , San Marino , Singapore , South Korea , Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates

For up to 14 days: Cambodia , Canada , Japan , Hong Kong , Indonesia , Laos , Macau , Maldives , Myanmar , Peru , Russia , Philippines , Thailand and Vietnam

Nationals of Israel are not allowed to enter Brunei, though other passports containing Israeli stamps and visas are not a problem for entry.

Citizens of Australia and Bahrain can obtain a visa on arrival (single or multiple entry) for 30 days. Citizens of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait can get a single-entry, 30-day visa on arrival. Citizens of China , Qatar and Taiwan can obtain a visa on arrival for 14 days. These citizens can obtain a visa on arrival for $20 or a 3-day transit visa for $5. Immigration officers at Sungai Tujoh Checkpoint between Miri and Kuala Belait will not accept payment for a visa on arrival other than in Brunei or Singapore dollars — there is no ATM and cheques are not accepted. At Brunei airport payment must also be made in cash. There is a money changer (with reasonable rates), but no ATM prior to immigration. If you need a visa-on-arrival, make sure you join the right queue at entry. Joining the foreign passport queue will see you sent to the back of the line. Large tour groups requiring visas on arrival can jam up the system. You may have to be quick, persistent or patient.

Proof of return or onward travel is officially required to check in for your flight to Brunei. If you plan to leave by ferry you will need to purchase a cheap flight out of Brunei before you arrive there. Alternatively, you can book an expensive (but fully refundable) flight, and cancel it afterwards.

From Kuala Lumpur , Air Asia is not enforcing this rule; hence you probably won't need such a proof of return if you fly from KL.

Those who need a visa must apply in advance at a Brunei embassy, where processing can take up to 3 days and costs $20 for a single entry visa. See Brunei Immigration Department for the latest details.

By plane [ edit ]

Getting there/away: A taxi to Bandar Seri Begawan downtown takes 20 minutes and costs around $25. A covered walk down to the end of the car park further away from the Terminal (turn right from Arrivals) leads to a bus stop for Purple buses to the city centre ($1) that only run during the day.

If flights to Brunei are full or expensive, an alternative is flying to nearby Miri in Malaysia and taking the bus to Brunei instead (3 hours).

By car [ edit ]

You can drive into Brunei from Sarawak , Malaysia . There are two entry points for the main part of Brunei, one from Miri at Sungai Tujuh and one from Limbang at Kuala Lurah (Tedungan on the Malaysian side). Both these crossings have drive-through immigration checkpoints at the border but queues can be horribly long, especially during weekends.

It is also possible to drive from the Sarawak towns of Limbang and Lawas to the Temburong district of Brunei. A bridge across the Pandaruan River was opened in December 2013 and the ferry service has been discontinued. Immigration is conducted at Pandaruan (Malaysia side) and at Puni (Brunei side). From Lawas (which is connected by road to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah , Malaysia), another bridge completes the connection between the banks of the Trusan River (and no ferry ride is required anymore). Malaysian immigration formalities are done in Trusan (the Mengkalap immigration checkpoint is in a shoplot just east of the ferry crossing) about 8 km away, and no longer in Lawas. Those for Brunei can be done at the Labu checkpoint at the border.

It is possible to drive from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah to Bandar Seri Begawan in one day. See the Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land page for details.

Only some petrol stations in the country are permitted to sell petrol to cars with non-Brunei plates due to a tax issue. It can be frustrating to find these stations and so ensure your car is topped up.

The toll-free Friendship Bridge connects the two borders at the eastern side of Limbang.

By bus [ edit ]

• From Miri: As of 2022, there is no direct service between Miri and Bandar Seri Begawan . PHLS Express used to operate a service between Miri and Bandar Seri Begawan twice a day. It is possible to book a cab with ride hailing app Dart.
• From Limbang: There are no direct buses between Bandar Seri Begawan and Limbang in Sarawak. However, you can catch a local bus from Bandar's bus station to Kuala Lurah on the border, walk across the checkpoint into Tedungan in Sarawak and catch a Syarikat Bas Limbang bus to Limbang. Do the reverse if coming from Limbang to Bandar. Buses depart from Limbang bus terminal several times a day and bear the destination "Batu Danau". Taxis are also available on both sides of the border but bargain hard for the fare. You can also get to Temburong district by bus from Limbang, although again, there are no direct buses into Bangar ; all buses (destination "Pandaruan") stop at the ferry landing at Pandaruan, where there is now a Malaysian immigration checkpoint. Cross the river by ferry and catch a taxi for the 5 km to Bangar.
• From Kota Kinabalu: buses run once a day between BSB and Kota Kinabalu , Malaysia .

By boat [ edit ]

The main ferry terminal in Brunei is the Serasa Ferry Terminal at Muara, some 25 km from Bandar Seri Begawan . See Bandar Seri Begawan#By boat for details about the terminal.

Labuan Ferry operates services from Labuan , taking around 2 hours. As of April 2023, two ferries are operating on most days, one at 8:30am and another at 1.00pm or 4:30pm, with schedules changing on short notice. With a change of boats in Labuan , you can even make it to/from Kota Kinabalu , Sabah , in a day. See the Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land page.

Get around [ edit ]

Use caution when asking locals for transportation information. People here are friendly and very helpful, but when asking about transportation, you'll get three different answers from three different people, even people whose job it is to help tourists.

There is one "motorway", from Bandar Seri Begawan (the capital) along the coast. It is almost all dual carriageway from Muara to Kuala Belait and the toll bridge to Malaysia / Sarawak in the west.

There is also a side road off this, which runs into the jungle towards the settlement of Labi and beyond. Excellent scenery, and a 4-wheel drive may be useful, but the road is now sealed up to the longhouses some distance beyond Labi. Stock up on water at the convenient shop at the junction.

Driving between Temburong and the rest of Brunei used to require passing through Malaysian territory, and clearing Malaysian customs and immigration, but since the completion of the Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge in 2020, that is no longer necessary.

By taxi [ edit ]

There are not many taxis in Brunei, because car ownership and usage are high. There are always some at the airport and some in the Belait District, but little chance of finding a free taxi along the road, especially during morning and afternoon peak hours when they are hired by businessmen. Needing a taxi might require a phone call. The main taxi stand is direct north of the bus station in the capital with only a few taxis waiting.

None of the taxis has a taxi meter since there is no taxi company nor regulation requiring to have one. Drivers have fixed prices for most trips, although the tariffs may vary between different drivers, or they will give a price for an irregular trip.

By ride-hailing [ edit ]

The main ride-hailing app in Brunei is Dart . Well-known ride-hailing apps found elsewhere in Southeast Asia, such as Grab and Gojek, do not operate in Brunei.

By tour vans [ edit ]

Another alternative is hiring a tour van to drive you around Brunei, for example, for a whole day, or several hours. Try asking them from the ferry counters in Muara. Discuss the price first before agreeing to board the van.

Around the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan , there is a good-sized network of minibuses. Brunei's high rate of private car ownership means very few Bruneians take these buses, which largely cater to foreign workers. The speed of the buses is limited to 50 km/h but are quite efficient and reliable.

In general, the bus system around the capital radiates from the bus terminal in the central district. There are designated bus stops along each route but passengers are picked up or let off at unofficial locations at the discretion of the driver. The unofficial mode of operation makes easy travel and entices patronage. There are maps of the bus routes at the terminal. Routes are numbered and the buses are different colors depending on the route. The fare is $1 which is normally collected by a conductor but may also be collected by the driver. The passenger can advise the driver the location to disembark. The buses run every 20–40 minutes from about 06:00 to 18:00. Sometimes, the conductor asks the passengers their respective locations to disembark and skips part of the route, to the dismay of passengers who wish to catch the bus. The buses run roughly every 20–40 minutes from 06:00 to 18:00, but there's no strict schedule. It is quite normal to wait 30 to 45 minutes for a bus.

There is also an infrequent long-distance bus which runs between BSB and Seria through Tutong.

By thumb [ edit ]

Hitchhiking is doable in Brunei – drivers are very willing to stop.

See [ edit ]

• Ulu Temburong National Park in Temburong
• The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan
• Bandar Seri Begawan has a couple of museums dedicated to the history of Brunei and that of the monarchy.

Do [ edit ]

For things to do in and in the near vicinity of Bandar Seri Begawan, see Bandar Seri Begawan .

There are many eco-tours which typically go to the Temburong district by boat then to a native "longhouse". It is then followed by a powered boat (by the natives) up the river to the Belalong reserve in the Borneo rainforest. There is a canopy walk and research centre at the park headquarters.

Jerudong Park was once a decent theme park with a multitude of rides. Sadly, a downward cycle of neglect, declining admission and unaffordable maintenance costs led to the closure and sale of most of the big-ticket rides, including the three roller coasters. This has given the park a sad "circus left town last week" air about it. Most people who visit only go at night to avoid the heat during the day. Outside the park, but very close, is a small complex of restaurants which is open at night, though only a few of the stalls are still operational. The local papers have reported plans to renovate the park with a new selection of attractions.

Scuba diving [ edit ]

Brunei offers some great diving. In addition to coral and fish, Brunei is home to several shipwrecks and many species of nudibranch (often spectacularly colourful molluscs)- one of the best places in SE Asia for macro photography. Water temperature is generally around 30 °C and visibility is usually around 10-30 metres, although this can be changeable during the monsoon season. As diving here is not overly developed, it means that the sites, and especially the coral reefs, are unspoiled and in pristine condition.

Popular dive sites include the American Wreck , Admirable Class Minesweeper, USS Salute (AM-294) lies broken in half on a sand bottom at 30m after hitting a Japanese mine on 8 June 1945, during pre-invasion sweeps of the Brunei Bay, with the loss of nine lives. Australian Wreck , In 1949 while on a voyage to Manila it struck a mine off Brunei and sank. The wreck lies in 33 m of water and is roughly 85 m. Dolphin 88 Wreck Malaysian commercial vessel sunk in bad weather in 2013. Experienced divers will enjoy exploring the interior of the wreck. Oil Rig Wreck , a decommissioned oil rig. There are 9 structures to be explored, each seeming to be home to one dominant group of fish. Baiei Maru Wreck was a Japanese oil tanker that sank in October 1944 in Brunei Bay after hitting a Japanese mine. Discovered by the Brunei Shell Petroleum during a survey, the wreck sits in about 50 m of water. Other dive sites includes Labuan Wreck , Bolkiah Wreck , UBD Wreck , Amai Wreck , Arun Wreck , Stone Wreck to name a few.

Diving is very reasonable, averaging out to $35-45 per dive depending on how many dives you do and whether you bring your own gear. There are a number of organisations you can do trips with such as; Poni Divers , Oceanic Quest [dead link] , The Brunei Sub Aqua Dive Club [dead link] in Brunei-Muara & Panaga Divers [dead link] based in Seria.

Buy [ edit ]

Money [ edit ].

The local currency is the Brunei dollar , denoted by the symbol " $ " or " B$ " (ISO code: BND ). You might hear ringgit used to refer to the dollar but be sure that the speaker is not talking about the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) which is valued at less than a third of a Brunei dollar. All prices in this guide are in Brunei dollars unless otherwise noted.

The Brunei dollar is tied to the Singapore dollar at a 1:1 rate. By law the currencies can be used interchangeably, so if you're coming in from Singapore, there's no reason to change money as your cash will be readily accepted. (Likewise, any leftover Brunei dollars can be used at par in Singapore.) However, many stores refuse Singapore notes with seemingly microscopic tears in them, and notices to this effect are posted at the cash register. Malaysian ringgit (RM) will also be accepted in a pinch, but the exchange rate may not be in your favour. The ringgit is not available at Brunei banks but can be obtained from money changers.

The Brunei dollar is divided into 100 cents. There are banknotes [dead link] from $1 to a whopping $10,000 (handy if you're shopping for Rolls-Royces) and coins [dead link] of 1-50 cents. All smaller notes and the 2004 series of larger notes are printed as brightly coloured polymer notes.

Costs [ edit ]

By Southeast Asian standards Brunei is roughly on par with Singapore, meaning roughly twice as expensive as neighbouring Malaysia . You can reduce costs by eating at local restaurants and avoiding the more expensive restaurants in hotels. Budget accommodation is available.

Souvenirs [ edit ]

There is not much of a local crafts industry in Brunei. You'll see a handful of different types of branded souvenirs with the Brunei brand - that are all imported. Souvenir type shops usually resort to selling imported curiosities, candles and generic gifts.

Eat [ edit ]

Bruneians love to eat out and there are many excellent restaurants in Brunei serving a wide variety of cuisines, thanks to the large number of foreign workers in the country.

There is also the local nasi katok , a simple combination of rice and curried beef or chicken, which can be quite spicy. It is relatively inexpensive when compared to other food that you can buy, for example local food such as chicken rice. However, it is not a healthy option, with few vegetables and too much fat.

Another choice is ambuyat , a culinary experience unique to Borneo. It is a starchy and gooey paste made from sago that can be dipped into a savoury sauce.

Being a Muslim country, nearly all food sold in Brunei is halal , the exception being food stalls and restaurants catering to the ethnic Chinese community, which have been granted special permission to sell pork. Halal certification is handled by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) ( Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama (KHEU) ).

Vegetarians should look for South Asian restaurants serving the large community of foreign workers. Another option is Chinese Buddhist vegetarian restaurants, as many ethnic Chinese in Brunei go on vegetarian fasts for specific Buddhist festivals. These can mainly be found in the suburbs of Bandar Seri Begawan, but you will need to make an effort to seek them out. Chinese Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are also the safest bet for vegans , as they traditionally do not use dairy products, but make sure your dish does not contain eggs.

It is illegal to eat in public during daylight hours in Ramadan, and most stalls and restaurants will be closed during the day. However, Chinese restaurants are permitted to remain open and sell takeaway meals to non-Muslims for consumption in private.

Kosher food is basically non-existent in Brunei.

• Kueh melayu (sugar, raisin, and peanut-filled sweet pancakes)

Drink [ edit ]

Brunei is a dry country : alcohol is not sold anywhere in the country and consumption of alcohol in public is prohibited by law. That said, non-Muslims are allowed to bring in up to two litres of alcohol (wine or spirits) plus up to twelve cans of beer every 48 hours for private consumption, and there is a wide array of duty-free shops just across the border in Malaysia to cater to this demand. However, alcohol must be declared upon arrival in Brunei while going through customs. There are also numerous bars and nightclubs in Tedungan just across the border in Malaysia 's Limbang district, Sarawak, which is where many Bruneians go for a good night out.

Many higher-end restaurants allow guests to bring in their own alcohol and corkage is not charged, though this is actually illegal and it's best to keep a low profile if you choose to consume in a public establishment. At the lower end (particularly Chinese restaurants), many restaurants supply illicit booze under euphemisms like "special tea".

One should definitely try out teh tarik , a sweet milk tea, as well as the wide array of coffee ( kopi ) available in restaurants.

Sleep [ edit ]

Accommodation in Brunei used to be very expensive, but some reasonably cheap guesthouses and hostels can now be found here and there. See Bandar Seri Begawan for listings.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Brunei is a very safe country, with low crime rates and no major security concerns. Brunei has a strict legal system ― which combines British common law and Sharia law ― that punishes crime severely, adding a huge layer of deterrance. The full harshness of Brunei's laws is reserved for criminals and those actually looking for trouble.

Brunei, like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, has very strict laws when it comes to drugs. Drug trafficking to a certain degree has a mandatory death sentence . Other crimes, such as murder, kidnapping and unauthorised possession of firearms are also punished with death. That said, an informal moratorium of capital punishment exists, though offenders should expect life imprisonment or long prison term. Brunei uses caning (for males only) for rapes, as well as for less serious crimes, including illegal entry, overstaying your visa for over 90 days, robbery, corruption and vandalism. Caning is no slap on the wrist. Strokes from the thick rattan cane are excruciating . They can take weeks to heal, and even scar for life. These laws apply to foreigners as well.

In theory, offences such as rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insult or defamation of the Prophet Muhammad carry the maximum penalty of death, though this is not enforced. Homosexuality carries a penalty of 40 strokes of the cane and/or a maximum of 10 years in jail. The punishment for theft that exceeds a certain amount is amputation . Those who "persuade, tell or encourage" Muslim children under the age of 18 "to accept the teachings of religions other than Islam" are liable to a fine or jail. (These laws mostly apply to Muslims, though some aspects apply to non-Muslims.) Homosexuality and adultery are illegal in Brunei, and can result in being stoned to death .

During the Islamic month of Ramadhan , avoid consumption of food and beverages in public as a hefty fine in the thousands will be levied if caught doing so. Additionally, all restaurants, including non-halal ones, cease dine-in services during the day. It is best to avoid visiting Brunei during Ramadhan.

Driving in Brunei is easy. Most drivers obey the traffic rules, and the roads are well maintained. Distances are not great. If you're driving around Brunei, however, do watch out for impatient and/or dangerous drivers. Some drivers obviously consider themselves above the law, and given the social structure of Brunei, this is likely to actually be the case. Take extra caution around midnight and early morning as some drivers illegally race on the roads.

Public celebration of non-Muslim religious festivals such as Christmas and Easter is illegal in Brunei. It is still legal to celebrate them in private, so long as the celebrations are kept secret from Muslims.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

Eating out is generally safe because of good food safety standards. But drink water only if it's been boiled, or bottled water. Protect yourself from mosquito bites . Dengue fever is a real risk. Malaria risk is low.

Brunei's hospitals are generally adequate for most routine procedures. However, due to the lack of specialists, you may need to be airlifted to Singapore if your case requires complicated surgical procedures; ensure that your insurance covers this if you plan to be in Brunei.

Respect [ edit ]

The Brunei Government is run as a Malay Islamic Monarchy ( Melayu Islam Beraja ) principle, which means that the Sultan of Brunei, apart from being one of the richest men in the world, effectively runs the country. You can expect the Sultan to appear on the front page of the two local daily newspapers almost every day, and occupy the first ten minutes of the local TV news bulletins.

You'll see the wealth of the country in everything that the Sultan touches, but much of the rest of the country misses out on badly needed investment and development. Over half of the country are expatriate workers or permanent residents, and it's not hard to engage them in a conversation about the political situation once you gain their trust. Brunei is a country where your race, religion and heritage matter in day-to-day life. Still, it's best to approach the subject very carefully, especially with Bruneians.

The Bruneian Royal Family is protected by lèse-majesté laws; speaking out against them or making fun of them is a crime and will culminate in a prison sentence.

Bruneians are generally courteous and tolerant. Non-Muslim visitors are generally not restricted in their manner of dress. Women can wear sleeveless shirts and shorts and blend in, and are not legally required to wear the hijab, known locally as the tudung . Super-skimpy swimming attire is probably one step too far.

It is a good idea to keep your ideas to yourself on politics (domestic, regional, or international) and world events, particularly those relating to Islam or Islamic countries, but most Bruneians are more than happy to discuss the role their religion and royalty play in their lives if you listen respectfully.

Like in Malaysia, you'll often be expected to take your shoes off in Brunei, in places like hostels, museums, and mosques. Wear socks if you want, and be grateful for the opportunity to cool off your feet after walking around in the tropical heat.

Connect [ edit ]

By phone [ edit ].

The international code for Brunei is 673 . The telephone numbers in Brunei consist of 7 digits with no local codes, although the first digit of the number indicates the area such as 3 for the Belait District and 2 for Bandar Seri Begawan.

The prepaid Hallo Kad , available from TelBru telephone offices (including one at the airport) and other outlets in denominations from $5-50 can be used at any phone in the country to make local and international calls. Other phone cards are also available for use in public phones.

Mobile phone services are provided by two network operator DST e Progresif Cellular . Coverage is completed across almost all of the country. Coverage in the Temburong national park areas may be patchy.

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Travel advisory, travel advisory during covid-19.

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) makes its best effort to update the information reflected in all  Travel Advisory pages regularly, however entry or exit requirements and other travel requirements may change at very short notice. We advise our guests to check the latest advisory issued by relevant governments or authorities and be well-informed on all the travel requirements before their trip. Visit here to check the visa requirement and it is encouraged for you to check with your local embassy to confirm your visa and immigration requirements.

Please note it is our guests’ responsibility to ensure they meet the travel criteria and have all appropriate approvals and documents for travel.  Without this RB is not permitted to allow guests to travel in-line with international air transport regulations. RB shall not be held responsible for any guests being denied boarding for not meeting the travel requirements.

Brunei Darussalam

Republic of singapore, the philippines, united kingdom, people's republic of china, saudi arabia, indian subcontinent, hong kong sar, china, united arab emirates, south korea.

This section gives a summary applicable to foreign nationals entering or exiting Brunei Darussalam. Full entry/exit requirements can be found on the PMO Press Releases and announcements .  Please note it is our guests’ responsibility to ensure they meet the travel criteria and have all appropriate approvals and documents for travel.  Without this RB is not permitted to allow guests to travel in-line with international air transport regulations. RB shall not be held responsible for any guests being denied boarding for not meeting the travel requirements.

Failure to comply to any of the requirements is an offense under the Infectious Diseases Act (Chapter 204) and if found guilty, will be liable to a fine for up to $10,000 or imprisonment for a period of up to 6 months or both.

Exiting Brunei on and after 15 September 2022

Destination country requirements.

• It is travellers’ responsibility to check and fulfill other requirements as required by the destination country to visit.   
• Should destination countries to visit require travellers to undergo RT-PCT test or ART before departure, travellers may undergo RT-PCR test at health center or private health clinic that provides services for RT-PCR test or ART at certified ART centres .
• Travellers are advised to check Visa requirement of the country to visit before exiting Brunei.  Travellers need to check with foreign embassies or refer destination country’s website for latest Visa requirement.

Travel Medical Insurance

Brunei Citizens and Permanent Residents travellers who are travelling for a short trip before 1 December 2022 , must obtain Travel Medical Insurance with COVID-19 coverage of a minimum coverage of BND 20,000 from Brunei-based or overseas insurer.   The insurance must be valid for the duration of their stay in the destination country.  

The following travellers are exempted from being required to obtain Travel Medical insurance with COVID-19 coverage:  

• Brunei Citizens and Permanent Residents travelling overseas for employment, for studies, as eligible dependents or hold a long-term visa/immigration pass in the destination country.
• Permanent Residents who are travelling to their country of nationality.
• Civil servants who are travelling overseas for official travel sponsored by Government of Brunei Darussalam.

Starting 1 December 2022 , Brunei Citizens and Permanent Residents travellers are no longer required to obtain Travel Medical insurance with COVID-19 coverage.  Travellers wishing to obtain such insurance for their own peace of mind are welcome to do so.

Form and application

• Brunei Citizens and Permanent Residents travellers are required to complete registration through the e-Register system at Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)  website .  This is ease communication in the event that assistance is required during emergency or crisis.
• Citizens and Permanent Residents of Brunei exiting Brunei for education (Private Student) who will begin their studies overseas or returning to the country of studies must complete Ministry of Education’s Registration Form for private student .

Vaccination status

Starting 15 September 2022, COVID-19 vaccination is no longer be an entry or exit requirement for Brunei Darussalam.

Mask policy on RB Flights

As per the updated regulations by Brunei government, effective 15 September 2022, use of face mask onboard RB flights is no longer mandatory with the following exception:

• for guests travelling to a country/destination where face mask is required, and/or
• for guests exhibiting symptoms of an infection.

As Brunei travel requirements may change at short notice, please refer to the latest travel advisory issued by the Brunei government and  Prime Minister’s Office  before your departure. If the information differs from our travel advisory, it is recommended that you follow the official guidance from  Prime Minister’s Office,  as we may still be processing the latest regulatory changes.

Entering into Brunei on and after 15 September 2022

E-arrival card effective 9 february 2023.

Starting 9 February 2023, it is a mandatory for foreign nationals arriving Brunei Darussalam to register the electronic e-Arrival Card.  This is to replace the previous Form 19, the physical registration paper for arrival/departure.

• Mandatory to register at least 3 days before arriving and entering Brunei Darussalam. No fee will be charged for registration.
• Foreign nationals who travel to Brunei for the purpose of transit/stopover and not going through the immigration control post (LTAB)  are not required to register e-Arrival Card.
• Passport/Valid Individual Travel Document
• Information on residence in Brunei Darussalam
• Flight or Vehicle information used

Visa requirement for Foreign travellers

Foreign travellers are advised to check Visa requirements before entering Brunei Darussalam in accordance with regulations that are currently enforced.  Visa requirements can be referred from Ministry of Foreign Affairs website .

Foreign travellers who are on short-term visit into Brunei Darussalam before 1 December 2022 , must obtain Travel Medical Insurance with COVID-19 coverage of a minimum coverage of BND 20,000 from Brunei-based or overseas insurer.   The insurance must be valid for the duration of their stay in Brunei Darussalam.  

• Brunei Citizens and Permanent Residents returning to Brunei Darussalam.
• Foreign nationals entering Brunei Darussalam for the purpose of long-term visit such as employment, studying or as eligible dependent.

Starting 1 December 2022 , foreign travellers are no longer required to obtain Travel Medical insurance with COVID-19 coverage.  Travellers wishing to obtain such insurance for their own peace of mind are welcome to do so.

With the above, non-fully vaccinated travellers are not required to undergo post-arrival COVID-19 tests.

Starting 15 September 2022, travellers are not required to complete Arrival Declaration Form (ADF) before travelling into Brunei Darussalam.

All guests arriving into Australia are reminded to comply with all other requirements set-forth by the Australian government and state/territories. Please check the  latest requirements  to confirm your eligibility before booking.

All guests arriving into Australia who do not meet these criteria will be subjected to Australia’s travel restrictions as well as state or territory quarantine requirements of the jurisdiction where they arrive into Australia.  If you do not meet these criteria and wish to travel to Australia, please  contact Royal Brunei Airlines  to make arrangements.

International guests arriving in New South Wales, Victoria or the Australian Capital Territory are not automatically permitted to transit to another state or territory. Guests are advised to check interstate travel requirements.

Masks are mandatory  for the duration of the flight and while in Australian airports, and should also be worn in airports in other countries.  

Travelling to Australia on or after 18 April 2022

For more information on the travel requirements to/from Australia, you may visit the following links.

• Australia’s Official COVID-19 Travel Requirements Homepage

From 6 July 2022, the followings are no longer needed:

• Travellers travelling to and departing Australia are no longer required to provide evidence of their vaccination status
• Unvaccinated visa holders will not require a travel exemption
• Travellers are no longer required to complete the Digital Passenger Declaration

Effective 00:01 AEDT on 5 January 2023, t ravellers entering Australia by air from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, either on a direct flight, or on a flight that has a stopover in another country before landing in Australia are subjected to a new requirement. It is travellers’ responsibility to check the latest requirement or here and be well-informed on the requirements before their trip.  

For travellers, including Australian citizens and permanent residents who are listed below, COVID-19 test is mandatory to be taken within 48 hours prior to departure Australia .  

• Travellers entering Australia from the People’s Republic of China and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau.  
• Travellers boarding flights from China, including Hong Kong and Macau and ending in Australia.  This includes indirect flights transiting through a third country.    
• Travellers who are from China and intend to spend several days in Australia before travelling to another country.  
• Travellers who are transiting through China, including Hong Kong and Macau and spending several days prior to travelling to Australia.  
• In the case of flight has been re-scheduled or cancelled, travellers are required to present negative COVID-19 RAT, NAAT or PCR test result taken not more than 48 hours before the day of new departure time.  

With the above, travellers are required to provide evidence of a negative test result prior to boarding and upon arrival and may need to provide the evidence of negative result again upon arrival in Australia.  

Accepted test for COVID-19 are as follows:  

COVID-19 test is not required for:  

• Travellers who travel from China, including Hong Kong or Macau to another country and spend several days there prior to travelling to Australia.  
• Travellers who are transiting through China, including Hong Kong or Macau originating in other countries.  
• Travellers who are transiting in Australia and directly travelling to and onwards destination.  
• Airline crew.  
• Children under age of 12 years on the day of scheduled departure.  
• Travellers with evidence from medical practitioner of a COVID-19 infection in the last 30 days, and must present confirmation they are no longer infectious or symptomatic.  Travellers’ first of positive result must be at least days before the date of the medical certificate.  
• Travellers with evidence from medical practitioner in the last 30 days with medical condition that prevents them from undertaking a COVID-19 test.  
• Emergency medical evacuation flights and those who are accompanying people of these flights.  
• In the case of flight delay and travellers have met the pre-departure testing requirements, new RAT, PCR test or other NAAT is not required.    

All travellers entering Singapore on/after 1 April 2022 are subjected to Singapore’s new Vaccinated Travel Framework. Travel requirements via the Vaccinated Travel Framework is dependent on the traveller’s vaccination status.

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore has provided detailed travel requirement checklist for the following traveller’s profile:

• Entering Singapore
• Transiting in Singapore
• Departing Singapore

Malaysia has reopened its borders to international travellers.  All travellers are to comply with the travel requirements by the Malaysian government.  We advise our guests to check the latest advisory issued by relevant governments or authorities and be well-informed on all the travel requirements before their trip.  Malaysia’s travel requirement can be checked from safetravel.gov.my .

Take note that requirements may change last minute and it is travellers’ responsibility to have all necessary approvals and/or documentation for travel.

In accordance with the Philippines Department of Transport, guests entering and departing from Manila (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) are required to wear a face mask onboard the aircraft and at the airport (face shields are optional). All passengers are no longer required to download and register an account in the TRAZE CONTACT TRACING mobile app prior to entering The Philippines.

In compliance with Philippines regulations, the Inter-Agency Task Force on the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), guests are required to follow the arrival and quarantine protocols for non-OFWs and returning Overseas Filipinos & Foreign Nationals when travelling to The Philippines. Guests are reminded that it is their responsibility to follow, meet all entry/exit guidelines of The Philippines.

Effective 1 May 2023, paper-based Arrival/Departure Cards will be discontinued by The Philippine Bureau of Immigration. All passengers are required to fill in the eTravel declaration before their arrival into Manila. It is recommended for travellers complete their registration within 72 hours/3 days prior departure at the country of origin to avoid inconvenience upon arrival.

Philippine additional travel requirement

Guests carrying foreign or Philippine currency or monetary instrument exceeding USD 10,000 or PHP 50,000 pesos are required to fill out the Customs Baggage Declaration Form and Currencies ( here ) Declaration Form. This form is then to be submitted by guests to Duty Customs Officer at the arrival area of the airport

More information on infomercial on cross-border transport of local and foreign currency and monetary instrument can be found here .

Philippine's Fully vaccinated criteria

Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is considered:

• If travellers has received the second dose in a 2-dose of COVID-19 vaccines series OR
• If travellers has received a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine more than fourteen (14) days before the departure date of country of origin

Travel Requirement-For Vaccinated Travellers

• Fully vaccinated Filipinos and Foreign Nationals are no longer required to do pre-departure test.
• With primary vaccine are allowed to enter the Philippines provided that the last dose is received 14 days before date of departure.  Booster is no longer required.
• World Health Organization International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis;
• National or state manual/digital vaccination certificate of the country/foreign government;
• Other proof of vaccination.

Travel Requirement-For Unvaccinated Travellers, Partially Vaccinated

• Filipinos and Foreign Nationals travellers who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or those with vaccinations which cannot be verified are allowed to enter the Philippines provided that travellers take antigen test for COVID-19 24 hours before travel.
• Antigen test is available upon arrival for purchase, however, passenger is encouraged to take the COVID-19 test before travelling into the Philippines.  This is to avoid the inconvenience of queuing in order to be tested upon arrival and waiting for the result to be released.
• Filipinos and Foreign Nationals of age fifteen (15) years or older shall present a remotely supervised, or a laboratory-based rapid antigen negative test result administered and certified by a healthcare professional in a healthcare facility, laboratory, clinic, pharmacy, or other similar establishment taken within twenty-four (24) hours, prior to the date and time of departure from the country of origin/first port of embarkation in a continuous travel to the Philippines, excluding lay-overs; provided, that he/she has not left the airport premises or has not been admitted into another country during such lay-over.
• Filipinos and Foreign nationals of age fifteen (15) years or older who fail to present negative pre-departure testing with conditions set forth above, shall be required to undergo a laboratory-based rapid antigen negative test administered and certified by a healthcare professional in a healthcare facility, laboratory, clinic, pharmacy, or other similar establishment taken upon arrival at the airport.
• Accompanied minors of age below fifteen (15) years who are not vaccinated for any reason whatsoever shall follow the quarantine protocols of their parent/s or an accompanying adult/guardian traveling with them.
• Unaccompanied minors of age below 15 years who are not vaccinated for any reason whatsoever shall follow the protocols set forth in #3 and #4 above.

Additional requirements for Foreign Nationals

Foreign Nationals must:

• Hold passport with a validity of at least 6 months at the time of entry into the Philippines.
• Have a valid visa (if applicable) for those who are not entitled to a visa-free entry in the Philippines, as well those with immigrant and non-immigrant status.
• Foreign spouses and/or children of Filipino citizens who are travelling with them.
• Former Filipino citizens with Balikbayan privileges under Republic Act  No. 9174, including their spouse and/or children, who are travelling with them.

Isolation and Quarantine

In the event that travelers tested positive for COVID-19, they will be subjected to undergo further testing validation, mandatory facility quarantine and recovery as implemented by the Philippines Bureau of Quarantine and Department of Health (DOH).

As of 4am on 18 March 2022, all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, are not required to take any COVID-19 tests or fill in a passenger locator form when travelling to the United Kingdom from abroad.

We advise our guests to check the latest advisory issued by relevant governments or authorities and be well-informed on all the travel requirements before their trip. Please note it is our guests’ responsibility to ensure they meet the travel criteria and have all appropriate approvals and documents for travel. Without this, RB is not permitted to allow guests to travel in-line with international air transport regulations. RB shall not be responsible for any guests being denied boarding for not meeting the travel requirements.

Effective 04:00 UTC on 5 January 2023, travellers entering United Kingdom by air from China (not including Hong Kong and Macau), either on a direct flight , or on indirect flight . It is travellers’ responsibility to check the latest requirement  and be well-informed on the requirements before their trip.   

It is mandatory for travellers stated below to obtain pre-departure COVID-19 test and a  negative result from Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or Lateral Flow Device (LFD)/RAPID Antigen Test (RAT) taken within 2 days of departure . Please note that pre-departure tests are not accepted if they are provided or administered by the UK National Health Service.

• Travellers arriving United Kingdom by air, either on direct or indirect flight from China (not including Hong Kong and Macau). Indirect flight is referred to booking either via single airline operator or with more than one airline operator as a single itinerary journey where travellers are ‘ticketed through’. Indirect flights are only in scope if the traveller transits airside through any connecting airports, i.e. without passing through immigration control. The requirement applies where travellers’ final destination is in England or where they are transiting through England.  
• Indirect flights via any third country or territory, Hong Kong or Macao are included.  
• Traveller’s flight departing mainland China is delayed and previous pre-departure test sample is taken more than 2 days of departure.  
• In the case of indirect flight, pre-departure must be taken within 2 days of departure of the first flight that departs mainland China. Delays to subsequent sectors does not require travellers to undertake new pre-departure test.  

As of 8 January 2023, some passengers will be invited to participate in a voluntary test upon arrival in order to monitor for potential new variants.  

Proof of negative result must be:  

• An original copy of certificate either paper or digital form.  
• In English, French or Spanish.  
• Containing name of the person from whom the sample was taken (Name should matches with traveller’s travel document).  
• Containing date of birth or age from whom the sample was taken (Date of birth should matches with traveller’s travel document).  
• Stating the result of the test.  
• Stating the date when the sample was collected or received by test provider (which must be within 2 days of departure).  
• Stating the name of test provider and their contact details.  
• Stating the name of test device or type of test used.  

This requirement is not mandatory for those mentioned below. Please refer here  for latest exemption.  

• Children of age 11 years or below.  
• Aircraft crew.  
• Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) inspectors.  
• Crown Civil servants on diplomatic duty or carrying out essential government work.  
• Defence workers.  
• Essential or emergency workers.  
• Travellers travelling to the UK to conduct official business.  
• Travellers who have travelled to the United Kingdom for the purpose of transporting material which is to be used for the provision of healthcare by a healthcare provider.  
• Travellers with medical condition or disability and unable to take COVID-19 test and must provide supporting evidence. Evidence can be obtained from medical practitioner in English or certified English translation should be provided by traveller.
• Travellers travelling for urgent medical treatment where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain negative COVID-19 test within 2 days before departure.  
• Travellers accompanying another traveller travelling for urgent medical treatment where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain negative COVID-19 test within 2 days before departure.  
• Extradited travellers.  

Effective 1 December 2020, All China-bound guests, regardless of nationalities, are required to  present a green HS code (Chinese nationals) or HDC code (Foreign nationals)  on their mobile devices or in print in order to board the flight. Guests are advised to upload copies of their  negative COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) result and a negative IgM anti-body test  from an authorized testing institution; within 2 days before boarding via Wechat (Chinese nationals) or website  https://hrhk.cs.mfa.gov.cn/H5  (Foreign nationals) and fill in the required information. The Chinese Embassy will issue a green HS code (Chinese nationals) or HDC code (Foreign nationals) as soon as it verifies the results. Guests who fail to present all required documents will be denied boarding.

Only travellers with Umrah Visa is entitled to carry Zamzam bottles.  Please note that Zamzam bottles will not accepted for travellers holding tourist visa.

All guests arriving Saudi Arabia must hold a passport and no other type of identification.  Online eVisa is only eligible for Brunei Citizenship passport holders and not Brunei ICI (International Certificate of Identity) passport holders.

Immune travellers must fill out the Registration Immunization Information Form before traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to allow them to register their immunization data which will enable them to use TAWAKKALNA APP. This does not apply to Saudi Citizens and exempted categories.

For more information, you may contact the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA)’s Passenger Care Center with toll free number 8001168888 or enquire through social media (@GacaCare), e-mail ( [email protected] ), or the Authority’s website: ( gaca.gov.sa ).

Please  click here  for details of the temporary suspension on travelling to and from countries within the Indian subcontinent.

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced in a press release on 28 December 2021 that in view of the latest global developments of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, Brunei Darussalam will be specified as Group A specified places from 00:00hrs on 31 December 2021 to tighten the boarding and quarantine requirements for relevant inbound travellers.

• Non-Hong Kong residents are not allowed to enter Hong Kong.
• If they have stayed in the same country in the previous 14 days
• Have been fully vaccinated and hold a recognised vaccination record
• Hold a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based nucleic acid test collected within 48 hours before departure
• They will have to undergo compulsory quarantine in a designated quarantine hotel for 7 nights or 14 nights upon returning to Hong Kong. Refer to the official Hong Kong Government website for full quarantine requirements.
• Details on the relevant boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for respective specified places can be found here .

Brunei-issued vaccination booklet (yellow booklet) is not recognised as a valid proof of vaccination status. Using your BruHealth app, download a digital copy of your vaccination certificate to be used as a valid proof of vaccination status.

Travellers arriving into Indonesia are reminded to comply with the requirements set by the destination’s government and  may change last minute.  It is travellers’ responsibility to check the latest requirements and have all necessary approvals and/or documentation for travel.

Electronic Custom Declaration (e-CD) - Jakarta & Surabaya

Travellers arriving Jakarta are required to complete Electronic Custom Declaration (e-CD) three (3) days before arriving to Jakarta & Surabaya.

QR code will then be generated for travellers and to be shown custom officer.

Vaccination

• All travellers (fully vaccinated and not fully vaccinated) are allowed to enter Indonesia.
• Showing card or certificate as a proof of vaccination is no longer needed.

Mobile Application

Travellers are no longer required to download and use SatuSehat/Peduli Lindungi mobile application .

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport reminds passengers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure for international flights. With longer waiting times and queues reported at the airport within the last month, RB advises our guests to immediately proceed to immigration and security check after check-in/baggage drop. We would also like to advise you to utilise online check-in for faster check-in process. Please be reminded that RB Check-in counter at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport opens 3 hours prior to scheduled departure and closes 45 mins before scheduled departure time.

Starting 9 January 2023, entry measures into Thailand are as below.  We advise our guests to check the latest advisory issued by relevant government or authorities and be well-informed on all travel requirements before their trip.

• Foreigners are longer required to show proof of COVID-19 insurance coverage.  However, purchasing travel insurance is highly recommended.
• Travel insurance is mandatory for travellers from and to India and China.  Insurance validity must be +7 days for the duration of stay in Thailand.
• Foreigners are no longer required to register Thailand pass or Certificate of Entry (COE) before departure.
• Mandatory Quarantine requirement has been removed.
• Proof of vaccination to Thai authorities before arriving are no longer needed.

All United Arab Emirates (UAE) residents, visitors and tourist can enter Dubai.  However, visitor and tourists have to meet the visa requirements (if needed) before travelling into Dubai.  Refer here for visa requirements to enter UAE.

It is travellers’ responsibility to check the  latest requirements  and have all necessary approvals and/or documentation for travel.

• Be fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) or the UAE .
• All travellers arriving into the UAE are no longer required to present a COVID‑19 vaccination certificate or perform PCR tests.
• Recovered COVID-19 traveller must present a valid medical certificate from the relevant authorities issued within one month before the date of arrival.  The certificate must contain a QR code.

The following people are exempt from presenting a COVID-19 test or a vaccination certificate at the departure airport:

• all UAE nationals returning to Dubai from any country
• non‑UAE nationals accompanying a first‑degree UAE national family member
• domestic workers accompanying a UAE national sponsor.

The following people are exempt from being tested for COVID-19:

• children below 12 years of age
• passengers with moderate to severe disabilities.

Moderate or severe disability includes neurological disorders and intellectual or developmental disabilities. For example: Acute spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Ataxia, Autism spectrum, Bell’s palsy, Brain tumours, Cerebral aneurysm, Cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy and seizures. All other passengers, including those who are visually impaired, have a hearing impairment or are physically challenged, must hold a negative COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test certificate as per the requirements.

Guest arriving into Korea are reminded to comply with the requirements set by the destination’s government and may change last minute.  It is guests’ responsibility to check the latest requirements  and have all necessary approvals and/or documentation for travel.

• Pre-departure COVID-19 test or PCR is no longer required upon arrival to South Korea.
• From 18th December 2023 to 31st December 2024, Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) will be temporarily exempted for guests coming from Brunei. For guests who still wants to apply K-ETA to receive benefits such as not having to submit an arrival card upon entry, guest may apply for K-ETA and pay for the fee.  Previously approved K-ETA will remain valid until its expiry date.

Japan has reopened its border to international travellers.  All travellers are to comply with the travel requirements by their government.  We advise our guests to check the latest advisory issued by relevant government or authorities and be well-informed on all travel requirements before their trip.

Vaccinated travellers

• Certificate must be issued government or public institution.
• Items in the certificate must be indicated in Japanese or English
• It must be clearly stated on the certificate that the applicant has received three (3) doses of any of the vaccines listed on the WHO’s Emergency Use List.
• Travellers are not required for pre-departure COVID-19 test.
• Travellers are encouraged to fill up the questionnaire from FAST TRACK
• To wear face mask indoors.
• To sanitize hand thoroughly and wash hand frequently.
• Avoid the three C’s (closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings).

Unvaccinated travellers

• Travellers who does not have a valid vaccination certificate must obtain a certificate of test for COVID-19 (confirming negative) within 72 hours of departure.  Without the certificate, travellers are not permitted to land in Japan.
• Children under the age of 18 years without a valid vaccination certificate but travelling with guardian with a valid vaccination certificate, will adhere to same protocol as valid vaccination certificates.

All travellers travelling into Taiwan are to comply with the travel requirements by their government.  We advise our guests to check the latest advisory issued by relevant government or authorities and be well-informed on all travel requirements before their trip.

• Travellers arriving into Taiwan are no longer required to submit a health declaration via Quarantine System for Entry.
• Travellers arriving into Taiwan are no longer required to have a mobile phone with a Taiwanese number.
• Arriving travellers are no longer issued COVID-19 Health Declarations and home quarantine notices.
• Covid-19 positive travellers must postpone their flights to Taiwan within five days after the specimen was collected.
• Travellers arriving in the country with any suspected COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days of arrival should be assessed by a quarantine officer upon arrival and undergo a saliva PCR test.
• Arriving travellers are no longer required to undergo quarantine, but rather undergo a seven-day period of self-initiated prevention.

Upon arrival,

• Four rapid test kits will be provided to all travellers aged 2 and older. The rapid test kits should be stored properly and tested on the designated dates. Rapid test kit will not be provided to passengers who are under the age of 2, and they will not be required to perform rapid tests during the period of self-initiated prevention.
• Passengers without symptoms may use public transportation, picked up by friends, relatives, companies or organizations.
• Passengers with symptoms should take the quarantine vehicles.

During Self-initiated prevention measure period,

• Travellers are required to stay at their primary home, a friend or relative’s residence, or a hotel that meets the requirement of one person per room (with a private bathroom) during the whole 7 days Self-initiated prevention measure period. However, if a shared bathroom can be cleaned and disinfected after each use, travellers can undergo self-initiated prevention in a room without a private bathroom. Cohabitants must take appropriate protective measures, including wearing face masks, practicing respiratory hygiene, washing hands frequently, and maintaining good hygiene and social distancing. They must avoid sharing food. Note: If all the people living with you or traveled with you need to undergo self-initiated prevention, the one person per room principle does not have to be followed.
• Perform one rapid test on the date of entry or 1st day of self-initiated prevention (D0/D1).
• A negative result from rapid test taken within the past 2 days is required before going out during the Self-initiated prevention period.
• If travellers developed symptoms during the Self-initiated prevention period, rapid tests should be performed by travellers themselves.
• Instructions for rapid test can be found here .
• For children aged below 2 years and developed COVID-19 symptoms during the Self-initiated prevention period, caregivers can take symptomatic children to a doctor by driving, riding, walking or getting a ride from friends or family members.  Caregivers can also contact their local health bureau to arrange medical treatment. In case of emergency medical needs, please call 119. Calling 119 for an ambulance is the advised mode of transportation. If an ambulance is not available, the caregiver should take a quarantine vehicle as instructed, get a ride from an individual residing in the same household to seek medical help, or seek medical care by themselves (e.g., walking or driving/riding). Note: Masks must be worn at all times, and no public transportation is allowed.

Please be informed transit at Brunei International Airport is currently not permitted. Guests are advised not to make bookings through a multiple city search that require a transit. Guests will not be permitted to board if travel restriction criteria and government approvals are not met. For further information please click here .

Requests for a full refund into a RB credit voucher or rebooking to a new travel date is applicable for all existing or new flights booked for travel until 31 October 2022 . This only applies to guests on affected flights. Please contact your nearest RB Customer Service Centre for assistance.

Please note that during this time, print-at-home boarding passes are temporarily unavailable. Kindly proceed to check-in counters for entry/exit approval verification and boarding pass collection. Check-in counters at the airport open three (3) hours prior to scheduled departure. It is our guests' responsibility to ensure they meet the strict travel criteria and have all appropriate approvals and documentations to enter/depart any country. Without these, RB is not permitted to allow guests to travel inline with international air transport regulations. Visit our dedicated COVID-19 page for more information.

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Brunei Travel Guide – Everything You Need to Know

Nestled on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, Brunei, officially known as the Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace, offers a unique and serene travel experience. Despite its small size, this oil-rich sultanate boasts a rich cultural heritage, stunning rainforests, and striking Islamic architecture. From exploring the opulent Istana Nurul Iman, one of the world’s largest residential palaces, to wandering through lush national parks and embarking on river safaris, Brunei promises a tranquil escape into a world of natural beauty, spirituality, and royal splendor.

What’s the Best Time to Visit? 📅

The best time to visit Brunei as a tourist is during the dry season, which typically spans from December to April. This period offers pleasant weather and is considered the high tourist season in Brunei. Here are some reasons why this time is ideal for a visit:

• Dry Weather: Brunei experiences less rainfall during these months, providing a more comfortable and enjoyable travel experience. Rainfall is minimal, and you can expect plenty of sunny days.
• Festivals: The dry season aligns with several cultural and religious festivals in Brunei, including Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr) and the Sultan’s birthday celebrations. These events offer unique cultural experiences and colorful celebrations.
• Outdoor Activities: The dry season is perfect for outdoor activities like hiking, exploring rainforests, and visiting national parks. You can enjoy nature walks, river cruises, and wildlife spotting in more favorable weather conditions.
• Clearer Skies: The dry season often results in clearer skies, making it an excellent time for stargazing and enjoying views of Brunei’s lush landscapes.

While the dry season is the most popular time to visit, it’s also essential to keep in mind that this is the peak tourist season in Brunei, and accommodations may be in high demand. If you prefer to avoid crowds and have a more budget-friendly experience, consider visiting during the shoulder seasons, which occur in November and May. These months may still provide decent weather with fewer tourists.

The wet season, which runs from May to October, can bring heavy rainfall and humidity, making outdoor activities less enjoyable. However, if you don’t mind occasional rain and want to experience Brunei with fewer tourists, the wet season may offer unique advantages and opportunities for a quieter visit.

What’s the Best Way to Get Around? 🚌

Getting around Brunei as a tourist is relatively straightforward, as the country has a well-maintained transportation infrastructure. Here are the best ways to explore Brunei:

• Taxis: Taxis are a convenient way to get around the cities and towns in Brunei. They are metered, so you can be assured of a fair fare. Taxis are readily available at airports, hotels, and popular tourist destinations. Negotiate fares for longer journeys.
• Public Buses: Brunei has a public bus system that operates in major cities and towns, including Bandar Seri Begawan. The buses are clean, safe, and relatively inexpensive. Be sure to check the bus schedules, as they may not operate as frequently in some areas.
• Water Taxis: In Bandar Seri Begawan, water taxis are a unique and scenic way to navigate the waterways and explore the city. They connect different parts of the capital, and you can enjoy beautiful views along the Brunei River.
• Rental Cars: Renting a car is a good option if you want more flexibility and plan to explore outside the cities. Roads are well-maintained and driving is on the left side of the road. Rental agencies can be found at the airport and in major cities.
• Cycling: In the capital and some other towns, you can rent bicycles to explore at your own pace. Some hotels and hostels may also offer bike rentals.
• Walking: Brunei is a compact country, and many cities and towns are pedestrian-friendly. Exploring on foot allows you to immerse yourself in the local culture and discover hidden gems.
• Private Tours and Guides: To make the most of your visit, consider booking guided tours. Experienced local guides can provide insights into the culture, history, and natural attractions of Brunei.
• Airport Shuttle: Bandar Seri Begawan has an airport shuttle service that can take you from the airport to various city hotels. Check the schedule for the shuttle service.
• Apps: Consider using ride-sharing apps if they are available in Brunei. This can be a convenient and cost-effective way to get around, especially in Bandar Seri Begawan.
• Domestic Flights: If you plan to visit the remote areas of Brunei, you may need to take domestic flights from Bandar Seri Begawan to destinations like Labuan and Belait.

Brunei is a small and safe country with a well-organized transportation system. Your choice of transportation will depend on your itinerary and preferences. Whether you’re exploring the capital city, visiting cultural sites, or venturing into the rainforests, there are options to suit your needs as a tourist.

What’s the Official Language?

The official language of Brunei is Malay, and Standard Malay is widely spoken throughout the country. Here are some common Malay phrases and words that can be helpful for tourists:

• Hello – Selamat pagi (morning) / Selamat tengahari (midday) / Selamat petang (afternoon or evening)
• Thank you – Terima kasih
• Please – Sila
• Yes – Ya
• No – Tidak
• Goodbye – Selamat tinggal
• Excuse me / I’m sorry – Maafkan saya
• How much is this? – Berapa harga ini?
• What is your name? – Apa nama anda?
• I don’t understand – Saya tidak faham

While Malay is the official language, English is widely used and understood, particularly in urban areas and in the tourism industry. Many street signs, menus, and official documents are also in English, making it easy for tourists to communicate and navigate.

Where to Stay? 🏨

Brunei offers a range of accommodation options to suit various budgets and preferences. The majority of accommodations are located in the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan, where most tourist attractions are concentrated. Here are some options for where to stay as a tourist in Brunei:

• Luxury Hotels: Brunei has several high-end international hotel chains, such as The Empire Brunei, The Rizqun International Hotel, and Radisson Hotel Brunei. These hotels offer luxurious amenities, stunning views, and excellent dining options.
• Mid-Range Hotels: There are many mid-range hotels and boutique accommodations in Bandar Seri Begawan, providing comfortable rooms and good facilities. Examples include The Brunei Hotel and Jubilee Hotel.
• Guesthouses and Hostels: For budget-conscious travelers, guesthouses and hostels offer affordable and clean accommodations. Some well-rated hostels in Bandar Seri Begawan include KH Soon Resthouse and Badi’ah Hotel.
• Resort Stays: The Empire Brunei and other luxury resorts offer stunning beachfront locations and world-class facilities.
• Eco-Lodges and Homestays: For a unique and eco-friendly experience, consider staying in one of Brunei’s eco-lodges or homestays in rural areas and national parks. These provide opportunities to immerse yourself in nature and local culture.
• Serviced Apartments: Some serviced apartments in Bandar Seri Begawan cater to travelers staying for an extended period. They come with kitchen facilities and additional space, making them ideal for families or long-term visitors.
• Homestays: Experience the local way of life by staying with a Bruneian family through homestay programs. This allows you to engage with the culture and community on a deeper level.
• Camping: Some national parks in Brunei offer camping facilities for those who prefer to stay close to nature. Permits may be required.
• Floating Houses (Water Villages): In Kampong Ayer, the water village in Bandar Seri Begawan, you can find unique accommodations in traditional wooden stilt houses. These offer a glimpse into the local way of life and scenic water views.

When booking accommodations, consider factors like proximity to the attractions you plan to visit, your budget, and the type of experience you want. In Bandar Seri Begawan, you’ll find the most diverse range of accommodations, while in other parts of Brunei, such as Temburong District, options may be more limited. It’s advisable to book in advance, especially during the peak tourist season, to secure your preferred lodging.

What to Eat? 🍽️

Brunei offers a diverse range of culinary delights influenced by Malay, Chinese, and Indonesian flavors. Here are some must-try foods when visiting Brunei as a tourist:

• Ambuyat : Brunei’s national dish, ambuyat, is a starchy, gooey substance made from sago palm starch. It’s typically eaten with a bamboo fork, dipped in various condiments like spicy sambal, fish, and vegetables.
• Nasi Katok : A simple yet flavorful meal consisting of white rice, fried chicken, and a spicy sambal sauce. It’s a popular street food and a budget-friendly option.
• Ayam Penyet : Fried and smashed chicken served with a fiery chili paste, cucumber, and rice. The chicken is often tender and crispy, making it a favorite among locals and tourists.
• Roti Canai : A type of flatbread served with a variety of curries or dhal (lentil soup). It’s a common breakfast or snack option.
• Mee Goreng : A stir-fried noodle dish seasoned with spices, vegetables, and your choice of protein, often topped with a fried egg.
• Laksa : A spicy noodle soup with a coconut milk base, typically served with prawns, chicken, or a combination of both. Laksa is known for its rich and aromatic flavors.
• Kolo Mee : A popular Malaysian dish found in Brunei, kolo mee features springy egg noodles, minced meat, and a savory sauce. It’s often garnished with fried shallots and vegetables.
• Satay : Skewered and grilled meat, often served with a peanut sauce, rice cakes, and a small serving of a cucumber-onion salad.
• Rendang : While originally from Indonesia, rendang is widely enjoyed in Brunei. It’s a flavorful, slow-cooked meat dish, usually made with beef, in a rich coconut and spice sauce.
• Nasi Lemak : A fragrant rice dish cooked with coconut milk and served with a variety of side dishes, including sambal, peanuts, anchovies, boiled eggs, and cucumber.
• Tutong Satay : A regional specialty, Tutong satay is marinated and grilled skewered meat served with a unique peanut sauce. It’s often considered some of the best satay in Brunei.
• Bamboo Chicken : A traditional dish where chicken is marinated and cooked inside bamboo tubes, imparting a smoky flavor. It’s a specialty in the Temburong District.
• Pisang Goreng : Deep-fried bananas, often coated in a crispy batter and served as a delightful snack or dessert.
• Local Fruits : Sample local fruits like durian, rambutan, mangosteen, and snake fruit. Each fruit offers a unique and delicious tropical flavor.
• Talur Dadar : A rolled omelette filled with a sweet coconut and palm sugar mixture, making it a popular snack or dessert.
• Teh Tarik : A strong and creamy pulled tea, a popular local beverage often enjoyed with roti canai or snacks.

Exploring Brunei’s diverse culinary scene is an integral part of your travel experience. Be sure to try these dishes at local eateries, food markets, and street stalls to savor the authentic flavors of the country.

What to See? 🔍

Brunei offers a variety of attractions that showcase its rich culture, history, and natural beauty. Here are some must-see places for tourists in Brunei:

• Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque : One of Brunei’s most iconic landmarks, this mosque is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. The mosque’s golden dome and stunning surroundings make it a must-visit.
• Kampong Ayer (Water Village) : Explore the world’s largest water village, a unique settlement on stilts along the Brunei River. Take a water taxi and visit local houses, schools, and markets.
• Istana Nurul Iman : The official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, this lavish palace is one of the world’s largest residential palaces. While the interior is not open to the public, the exterior and grandeur of the palace are worth admiring.
• Ulu Temburong National Park : Located in the Temburong District, this pristine rainforest is a biodiversity hotspot. Enjoy activities like canopy walks, river cruises, and exploring diverse flora and fauna.
• Brunei Museum : Learn about Brunei’s culture and history through the exhibits at the Brunei Museum. It’s a great place to gain insights into the nation’s heritage.
• Royal Regalia Building : Visit this museum to view the royal regalia and artifacts associated with the Sultan’s coronation. It’s a showcase of Brunei’s royal heritage.
• Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque : Also known as the Kiarong Mosque, it’s another architectural gem and one of Brunei’s most beautiful mosques. The stunning mosaics and gardens are worth a visit.
• Tasek Lama Recreational Park : A peaceful park with walking trails, waterfalls, and lush greenery. It’s an excellent place for a relaxing stroll or a short hike.
• Jerudong Park Playground : A family-friendly amusement park offering a range of rides, attractions, and entertainment options.
• Serasa Beach : Enjoy a day at the beach and unwind along the beautiful coastline. It’s a great spot for swimming, picnicking, and water sports.
• Tutong and Belait Districts : Explore the serene countryside and visit Tutong and Belait, known for their rustic beauty, parks, and natural attractions.
• Istana Darul Hana : This new landmark along the Brunei River features traditional Malay architecture and is the site of the annual Royal Regatta. The compound is open to visitors.
• Kianggeh Market : Experience a bustling local market where you can sample traditional snacks, fruits, and browse through a wide variety of goods.
• The Empire Hotel & Country Club : Even if you’re not staying here, visit this opulent resort for its stunning architecture, beautiful beach, and exquisite dining options.
• Tamu Kianggeh (Kianggeh Open Market) : A local food market where you can savor traditional Bruneian dishes and snacks.
• Tamu Selera (Gadong Night Market) : A bustling night market with a wide range of street food stalls serving local and international dishes.
• Bukit Patoi : A hill in Tutong with a stunning viewpoint offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. It’s a popular hiking destination.

These are just a few of the many attractions that Brunei has to offer. Whether you’re interested in cultural heritage, natural beauty, or architectural marvels, Brunei has something for every type of traveler.

What to Do? 📸

Brunei offers a range of exciting activities and experiences for tourists to enjoy. Here are some must-do things when visiting Brunei:

• Take a Water Taxi in Kampong Ayer : Explore the picturesque water village of Kampong Ayer by hopping on a traditional water taxi. This unique experience allows you to visit local houses and experience the village’s way of life.
• Visit the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque : Admire the stunning architecture and serene atmosphere of this iconic mosque. Make sure to explore the beautifully manicured gardens surrounding it.
• Explore Ulu Temburong National Park : Go on an adventure to the heart of the rainforest. Participate in canopy walks, river cruises, and jungle hikes in this pristine wilderness.
• Shop at Local Markets : Discover local culture and flavors by visiting markets like Tamu Kianggeh and Gadong Night Market. Sample traditional Bruneian snacks and shop for souvenirs.
• Try Ambuyat : Savor the national dish, ambuyat, which is made from sago palm starch. Dip it in a variety of condiments and experience Brunei’s unique culinary culture.
• Visit the Royal Regalia Building : Explore the royal artifacts and regalia that showcase Brunei’s royal heritage and traditions.
• Take a Mangrove River Safari : Embark on a river safari in the mangrove forests near Bandar Seri Begawan. You’ll have the chance to spot proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, and other wildlife.
• Hike Bukit Patoi : Hike to the summit of Bukit Patoi in Tutong for breathtaking panoramic views of the countryside and the coast. It’s a popular spot for nature enthusiasts.
• Enjoy Water Sports : Brunei’s coastline offers opportunities for water sports, including kayaking, jet-skiing, and scuba diving.
• Learn About Malay Culture : Engage with local communities to gain a deeper understanding of Malay culture and traditions. You can participate in cultural tours and watch traditional dance performances.
• Discover Wildlife : Explore the rainforests and national parks to observe Brunei’s diverse wildlife, including proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and reptiles.
• Visit the Brunei Museum : Dive into the country’s rich history and culture by exploring the exhibits at the Brunei Museum.
• Try Local Fruits : Sample a variety of tropical fruits such as durian, rambutan, and mangosteen. These fruits are delicious and abundant in Brunei.
• Attend Local Festivals : If your visit coincides with a local festival, join in the celebrations. Festivals like Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the Sultan’s birthday offer unique cultural experiences.
• Stay in a Water Village : Book a homestay or accommodation in one of the water villages for an authentic experience. You’ll get a glimpse into daily life on the water.
• Take a Cultural Village Tour : Tour local cultural villages to learn about traditional practices, crafts, and history.
• Stroll Around Bandar Seri Begawan : Walk around the capital city to explore its picturesque streets, markets, and historical sites.
• Visit the Temburong Canopy Walkway : Experience the thrill of walking along the treetops on the canopy walkway in Temburong’s rainforest.

Brunei offers a blend of cultural, natural, and adventure experiences that will leave you with lasting memories of your trip. Whether you’re exploring the capital, immersing yourself in nature, or enjoying traditional dishes, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in this charming nation.

Culture and Safety 🦺

• Respect for Religion: Brunei is an Islamic country, and respect for Islamic customs and traditions is of utmost importance. When visiting mosques or other religious sites, dress modestly, remove your shoes, and behave with decorum.
• Greeting Customs: Greetings are significant in Brunei. The common greeting is “Salam sejahtera” (peace be upon you). When greeting someone, it’s customary to offer your right hand for a handshake. Use your right hand for giving and receiving items or food.
• Public Behavior: Displaying affection in public, such as hugging and kissing, is considered inappropriate. It’s essential to maintain a conservative demeanor and avoid public displays of affection.
• Conservative Dress: Dress modestly, especially when visiting religious sites and rural areas. Women should cover their shoulders, and both men and women should avoid revealing clothing. Swimwear is suitable at beaches or pools but not in public areas.
• Photography: Always ask for permission before taking photos of people, particularly in rural areas and markets. Respect the privacy and traditions of the locals.
• Greetings and Titles: Use titles like “Encik” for Mr., “Cik” for Miss, and “Puan” for Mrs. when addressing people, followed by their last name.
• Low Crime Rate: Brunei is known for its low crime rate, making it a safe destination for travelers. However, exercise common-sense precautions such as safeguarding your belongings and avoiding poorly lit areas at night.
• Health Precautions: Ensure you have adequate travel insurance that covers medical emergencies. Check with your doctor about necessary vaccinations or precautions. Mosquito repellent is advisable due to the presence of dengue fever in the region.
• Conservative Behavior: Being respectful of local customs and traditions is key to safety. Avoid behaviors that may offend local sensibilities.
• Environmental Awareness: Brunei’s natural beauty is a point of pride for the country. Respect the environment by following the “leave no trace” principle and adhering to the rules in national parks and nature reserves.
• Road Safety: Be cautious when driving in Brunei. Roads are generally well-maintained, but traffic rules and local driving practices may differ from what you’re used to. Wildlife, such as monkeys, may cross roads, so drive carefully.
• Currency and Payment: The local currency is the Brunei Dollar (BND). Credit cards are widely accepted in urban areas, but it’s a good idea to carry some cash for smaller towns and rural areas.
• Emergency Contacts: Familiarize yourself with local emergency numbers, as well as the nearest embassy or consulate’s contact information.
• Travel Advisory: Check your government’s travel advisory for Brunei before your trip, as situations can change.
• Respect for Customs: When visiting Brunei, it’s important to remember that the country adheres to conservative Islamic practices. Alcohol is strictly regulated, and it is essential to respect local customs and laws.

By embracing the cultural norms and respecting the local way of life, you can have a safe and rewarding travel experience in Brunei. The country’s warm and welcoming people, coupled with its natural beauty and cultural heritage, make it a memorable destination for tourists.

In conclusion, a visit to Brunei offers travelers a serene and distinctive experience. From the grandeur of its royal palaces to the untouched beauty of its rainforests and rivers, Brunei is a destination that combines cultural richness with natural wonders. The country’s strong Islamic heritage and the warm hospitality of its people make it a peaceful and enchanting place to explore. Whether you’re touring opulent mosques, enjoying river cruises, or immersing yourself in the country’s lush greenery, Brunei is a destination that leaves an indelible mark on those who seek its unique charm.

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Brunei travel blog — The fullest Brunei travel guide for first-timers

Brunei is a small country (only about 5.765 km²) but very rich and prosperous. Not as famous as Singapore or Thailand, but Brunei is known as the world’s richest Muslim kingdom, traveling to Brunei you not only visit the famous places but also have the opportunity to explore and experience life lavish of this kingdom. With a small population and huge oil revenues, so the wealth in Brunei is evident in everywhere. Especially, It is very clear in the mosques. In recent years, Brunei has always been an attractive and extremely interesting destination with many features of natural as well as culinary and cultural. Now, let’s check it out our Brunei blog (Brunei travel blog) with the fullest Brunei travel guide (Brunei guide) for a wonderful and budget trip to Brunei for the first-timers below.

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Brunei blog: When to visit Brunei?

Like other Southeast Asian countries, Brunei’s climate is divided into two seasons, the rainy season and the dry season, but this division is not really clear and it also does not affect much on your trip. From September to January every year is a humid season with average temperatures between from 24 degrees Celsius to 31 degrees Celsius. The weather is quite humid and uncomfortable, with heavy rains, so you avoid traveling to Brunei in this time. The period from April to August, the weather during this period is very pleasant, so this is the best time to visit Brunei.

In Brunei, there are two main celebrations that you should know:

Ramadan: It takes place within a month starting in mid-May, this month the Brunei people will be eat vegetarian or not eat at all during the daylight, so when traveling in this time, you should avoid eating in front of the people.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri: It takes place after Ramadan in the middle of September, pilgrims from all over the world come here to meet, greet and receive souvenirs from the Sultan and the Queen (a chocolate bar is sealed by Royal stamp or 5 Brunei dollars (BND) if is a child) on the occasion the Royal palace open only once a year, to receive good luck.

Brunei travel blog: How to get to Brunei?

According to Brunei travel experience, there are no direct flights from Vietnam, so you have to transit in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore or Malaysia and then getting to Brunei. Here is how to getting from Vietnam to Brunei short and convenient by air as follows.

From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City you can buy tickets from airlines such as: Air Asia, Vietnam Airlines to Kuala Lumpur. Then from Kuala Lumpur you can go to Brunei in two ways:

You can buy cheap air tickets from airlines such as AirAsia for round trip Hanoi – Kuala Lumpur or Ho Chi Minh City – Kuala Lumpur. Then you continue to fly round trip Kuala Lumpur – Brunei.

When arrived at Brunei Airport you must pay the airport fee of 12 Brunei Dollar or 12 Singapore Dollar (note that the airline only accepts paper money).

• From Miri Airport in Malaysia, you buy a taxi ticket to the Long Distance Bus Station, it takes 26 Ringgit (about $6.4) per trip.
• Then from the bus station you buy tickets to Brunei of PHLS Express company for 25 Ringgit (about $6.11). There are only 2 trips for a day at 7am and 15:45pm so you should keep in mind.
• In the opposite direction at the bus station of Bandar (Brunei), only PHLS Express company sells tickets from Brunei to Miri (Malaysia) for 18 Brunei Dollar or 18 Singapore Dollar.

Note: Israeli citizens may be banned enter Brunei. Southeast Asia countries has no need VISA.

Getting from Brunei Airport to the city center

In Brunei there is only one main bus station in the center of the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan Bus Station, so all arrivals / departures are pass this station. There is a very large details map of all bus routes in Brunei. If you a backpack visitor to Brunei remember get here to refer to it first!

There are 4 easiest bus routes from the airport to the city center (and back) are 23, 24, 34 and 38, blue cars. Buses in Brunei are quite old but run smoothly and safely. Ticket prices for all route or a half route are B$1 (1 Brunei Dollar), rno matter which bus route. That means you just have to pay B$1 and you want to get down at any place, at any time.

Brunei blog: How to getting around Brunei?

The main means of transport in Brunei are buses, cars and taxis. Each type of vehicle has its own advantages. If you want to go around to exploring the capital, you should take the bus, because here the bus system is very cheap, safe and convenient. But if you want to go deep in inner of the country, you must rent a car or take a train. As follows:

Taxi: Most of the Brunei people have their own cars so there are only about 50 taxis in the country. If you want to take a taxi from the airport to the city center it will take about 20 minutes at a cost of 25 – 30 Brunei Dollar. But you will be wait a long time.

Bus: The special feature of the Brunei bus has no waiting point, you stand at the edge of the road for 5 to 10 minutes, you can tell the driver about your destination. The fare for one bus trip is 1 Dollar Brunei.

Bus routes to distant locations

• Brunei International Airport: Bus No.23, 24, 34, 35, 36, 38
• Kuala Lurah: Bus No.42, 44
• Kuala Belait/Tutong District (pass the Proposed Rimba Terminal): Bus No.22, 57
• Kianggeh Jetty: Bus No.39
• Labuan/Kg Menumbok (Kota Kinabalu) pass Muara Passenger/Car Ferry Terminal: Bus No.33, 37, 38, 39

Bus routes to places of interest

• Brunei Royal Regalia Museum: All bus routes
• Jame Asr Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque: Bus No.01, 20, 22
• Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque: All bus routes
• Tasek Lama Recreational Park: Bus No.01
• Museums of Brunei: All bus routes
• Jerudong Park: Bus No.55

Brunei travel blog: Where to stay in Brunei?

Most hotels in Brunei are very expensive. However, there are many cheap hotels in Brunei, but if you have a lot of money you can stay in more upscale hotels. The rental price is an average of $55 per night/per room. Here are some budget hotels you can refer to:

• Jubilee Hotel (2 star standard). Address: Jubilee Plaza, Jalan Kampong Kianggeh, BS 8111 Bandar Seri Begawan. Room rates from $40/night.
• The Brunei Hotel (3 star standard). Address: 95, Jalan Pemancha, BS8811 Bandar Seri Begawan.
• Badiah Hotel : (3 star standard). Address: Mile 1 1/4, Jalan Tutong , Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan. Room rates from $55/night.
• Qing Yun Resthouse Sdn Bhd (1 star standard): Address: No 16 1st floor ,block I ,Abdul Razak complex,jalan Gadong BE3519,Brunei Darussalam. Room rates from $30/night.
• Palm Garden Hotel Brunei (3 star standard). Address: Lot 45328, Simpang 88, Kampong Kiulap, BE1518 BSB. Room rates from $40/night.
• Mulia Hotel (4 star standard). Address: EDR No. BD 30040 Lot No 31954, Kg Anggerek Desa, Mukim Barakas, Brunei-Muara, Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan, agoda.

If you have more money then the following are high-end (luxury) hotels in Brunei with furniture, professional services, facilities, luxury equipment, modern that you refer to:

• The Rizqun International Hotel : Address: Abdul Razak Complex, Gadong, Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan, 5 star standard and room rates from $121.66/night.
• The Empire Hotel and Country Club : Address: Jerudong Negara BG 3122, Jerudong, Bandar Seri Begawan, 5 star standard and room rates from $194.33/night.
• OSP Puni Indah Luxury Residence : Address: Jalan Ong Sum Ping, Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan with, 4 star standard and room rate from $183.21/night.

However, there is a very interesting way to explore the culture and learn about the customs and habits of the people of Brunei is to apply for stay in homestay. The people of Brunei are very hospitable and willing to help others. You just login into the Couchsurfing Social Networking site to apply for homestay.

Guesthouses

If there are no conditions to stay in the hotel you can rent a cheap guesthouse for about 10 Brunei dollars. Below is a list of some popular budget guesthouses you can refer to:

• Pusat Belia (Youth Center Hostel) . Address: Simpang 336-17, Jalan Kebandasan, Bandar Seri Begawan.
• Harmoni Ria Guesthouse . Address: 21 Jalan Medewa, Km 7, Jalan Tutong, Bandar Seri Begawan.

You can find, check rates, availability & booking for other hotels in Brunei on Agoda.com or Booking.com .

Brunei blog: Best places to visit and top things to do in Brunei

Istana nurul iman – sultan’s palace.

In Arabic the Istana Nurul Iman means “Palace of the Light of the Saints”. This is the largest and richest palace in the world. The Royal Palace of Brunei is located on a high hill next to the lower of Brunei River. The palace’s door towards Bandar Seri Begawan capital. This is the main residence of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his royal family.

With a total construction cost of about $ 1.4 billion, when visiting the Royal Palace, visitors will admire the unique Islamic architecture with extremely expensive luxury furniture. The palace is decorated by high-end furniture, luxuriously decorated with gold and silver materials, diamonds and gems, etc. Inside, there are a throne, tables and chairs for guests, paintings, bowls, glasses, all made from gold. Some lucky visitors have the opportunity to enter the palace of gold, will feel like to sink into the world of the King’s fairy and do not want to come out realistic.

Royal Palace is a must visit place in Brunei. Normally, the palace is not open to the public, except for the annual Hari Raya Aidilfitri festival, where visitors visit the Sultan to be blessed and receive the presents.

Kampong Ayer Water Village

As a village with a history of more than 600 years, there are still big nose monkeys living in simple houses on the peaceful river. In the village there are schools, hospitals, administrative offices … To get here you have to go by wooden boat or also called water taxi. But the price is not cheap, about $20- $40 for a tour around the river. Another trip from shore to floating village cost about $1- $2.

Unlike the outside appearance of the village, looks like “slums”, the inside space of the village is very … good, every home is full of modern facilities. Each house in Kampong Ayer is linked by a Brunei-style road system made of special wood on the island of Borneo.

The rustic life but also very romantic with wide yards and common paths are planted a lot of flowers and bonsai. The floating villagers are very focused decoration for their home, this is where you can not miss when traveling to Brunei.

Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

Brunei is dubbed the kingdom of the mosques. With an area of only 6,000 square kilometers and a population of nearly 400,000 people, but Brunei has over 100 mosques. The devotion of the people of Brunei is a great source of inspiration for creating spectacular, beautiful mosques. Among them, the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Brunei is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia with the stunning and magical of five tons of gold plated all over the mosque.

All the columns, the stairs are made of marble, the carpets in the mosque are imported from Arabia, the tiles paved wall are imported from Europe and the sparkling chandeliers are made of gold and diamonds are very brilliant.

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

Considered as Asia’s largest mosque at this time and also the first in Brunei, with a dome plated with 5 tons of pure gold. Interior and exterior are also used luxury materials imported from many countries in the world.

Reading continued…

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Travel in Brunei: 13 must-know travel tips for Brunei Darussalam

December 18, 2017 by Karen Turner 26 Comments

I chose to visit Brunei Darussalam this year after two Bruneian friends invited me to visit Bandar Seri Begawan. I love reading blogs, but I can’t believe how  wrong  some of them were about travel in Brunei for Westerners.

Let’s set the record straight about must-knows before you travel to Brunei, what to wear in Brunei without offending folks, and what to expect when traveling in Brunei. (Thanks to B., C., and D. for showing us around Brunei.)

• 1 Don’t underestimate this small Asian sultanate
• 2 Controversial statement: Bruneians are some of the friendliest people you’ll meet while traveling
• 3 Sharia law doesn’t apply to everyone in the same way, but use your judgment
• 4 Brunei is boring if you’re trying to party in Brunei
• 5 How to dress appropriately in Brunei
• 6 What to wear in Brunei for women
• 7 What to wear in Brunei for men
• 8 Politics are better not discussed.
• 9 Public transit isn’t that commonly used.
• 10 Bruneian food y’all.
• 11 Everyone speaks English and people are super friendly
• 12 Don’t miss Ulu Temburong National Park
• 13 LGBT rights
• 14 Brunei isn’t cheap
• 15 In Bandar Seri Begawan, don’t miss the Kampong Ayer water village
• 16 When is the best time to visit Brunei?
• 17 Have you been to Brunei? What do you recommend that tourists traveling in Brunei know?

Don’t underestimate this small Asian sultanate

A lot of people only visit one or two days in Brunei, but I’d say at least four days in Brunei is perfect.  There’s more to do than people realize, so if you’re only visiting Brunei for two days, you won’t get to visit Ulu Temburong National Park.  It’s a fascinating country and not the kind to rush through.

Controversial statement: Bruneians are some of the friendliest people you’ll meet while traveling

Bruneians LOVE tourists and Brunei might be one of the friendliest places to visit in the world. Every single street, people would welcome me to Brunei before asking where I’m from.

Even as we got onto a bus going to Malaysia, we were welcomed to Brunei by a friendly local who passed by the luggage hold.  (It was a bit awkward to explain we were about to get on the bus to Miri.) Bruneians absolutely love travel, so expect to hear some stories about what they thought of your country too.

The whole reason I went to Brunei was that I met two girls from Brunei who invited me to visit Brunei.  This was years ago.  True to their word, our Bruneian hosts showed us around, took us out to dinner, and tried to ensure that we tried traditional Bruneian food by showing them a little slice of their lives in Brunei.  My most important tip: Make Bruneian friends! I recommend using Couchsurfing to make new friends .

Sharia law doesn’t apply to everyone in the same way, but use your judgment

Brunei has sharia law, but sharia law doesn’t equally apply to non-Muslims depending on the law .  This is a  big misconception I see on a lot of blogs written about travel in Brunei.  This was told to us by so many people and although I had no plans to break the law, I was a bit nervous before our trip.

Once we were in Brunei, I was shocked how laid-back Brunei felt.  That said, don’t be stupid and stick to your best behavior as tourists are still a rarity in Brunei. We don’t need a bad reputation abroad (We’re both Americans…)

Many Bruneians that we met were frustrated by Brunei’s perception abroad, due to stories by sensationalist newspapers elsewhere. This is not to say that you should be careless, but it’s good to stay informed about recent changes in Brunei, including the 2019 update to Sharia law in regards to theft and homosexua lity.

Tourists are beloved, but still, try to be respectful and use your judgment.  This involves trying just a little bit with dressing respectfully with not wearing sheer/ripped clothing that might attract attention at home.

Brunei is boring if you’re trying to party in Brunei

My mother-in-law likes to say only boring people get bored.  A lot of people find Brunei boring as it doesn’t have nightlife, but we loved Brunei.  I went all in trying to experience local Bruneian culture and came with an open mind.

• No, you can’t wear your short shorts.
• Yes, there are no nightclubs or bars.
• Yes, there’s no alcohol sold in most of Brunei. However, it’s allowed if you’re drinking the homemade rice wine with the Iban in the Temburong district during the harvest festival.

That said, Bruneians love lingering at coffee shops and restaurants over long dinners and coffees at night, so you’ll find many restaurants open until 10/11pm still serving food.

If you’re into culture, sustainable tourism, and elaborate architecture, you will probably enjoy traveling in Brunei.

Bruneians are proud of their country and happy to show a little piece of Brunei to foreigners, but you also need to be interested in experiencing Brunei. If you’re following the Southeast Asia party route, you’ll hate Brunei.

How to dress appropriately in Brunei

Although I read a lot of blogs about travel in Brunei and I asked a lot of people about what was appropriate to wear in Brunei, so I came off my flight wearing a hijab, a long-sleeve shirt, and a long skirt.  Immigration asked me if I was Muslim. I had to explain that I was trying to be respectful before the officer was like …. Thanks, but you don’t need to try hard.  Okay officer. 😉

I was lucky to visit friends in Brunei who told me not to worry much about appropriate clothes in Brunei while other female travelers in the travel community told me to dress very conservatively.

I think somewhere in between the two is best as one girl at our homestay did not dress appropriately (crop tops / sheer clothing / short shorts with rips) both inside/outside the home. It was not appreciated by our host.

Brunei is very humid and as a tourist, you’ll be walking around in the heat day-time, so keep this in mind when looking for clothing for Brunei.

What to wear in Brunei for women

What did I wear in Brunei? Most days, I wore a non-sheer loose fitting t-shirt, jeans, a silk scarf, and sandals.

On some days, I wore a tulle skirt (MISTAKE as it is a really heavy material) with a t-shirt. I’d recommend a lighter material.

Do not wear short shorts in Brunei and stick to lighter fabrics (think cottons). If you’re planning on visiting the national park, bring a bathing suit to go swimming in the waterfall!

Just in general, avoid excessive skin, cleavage, sheer clothing, and clothing with holes that might be seen as revealing. Use your judgment and try to dress appropriately in Brunei.

To get into the major mosques in Brunei, they will give you a garment to wear over your clothes and as well as a hijab, so no need to bring your own.

You see some Bruneian women dressed more conservatively, but I saw some women who were not Muslim wearing shorts (let me clarify: knee-length shorts). For women, I’d recommend a comfy appropriate skirt /t-shirt combination with a cotton/silk scarf.

I recommend a scarf as it’s nice to be able to cover up your arms when you’re in restaurants/cafes as the air conditioning can be quite high and you don’t want anything heavy.

I don’t recommend a dress as I ended up sweating through my dress while walking around day-time.

A skirt/t-shirt combination allows more possibilities for a clean outfit if you’re not packing a lot of clothes as you can just swap your t-shirt out for a clean one the next day!

For going out to eat at sit-down Bruneian restaurants, bring a nice modest knee-length dress as eating out is a big deal in Brunei. People definitely dress up for a nice sit-down dinner, so I recommend getting dolled up with a nice dress and makeup.

What to wear in Brunei for men

For men, we’d recommend wearing pants with a plain t-shirt (preferably white to help with the heat) are okay. My husband is a metalhead and toned it down while we were in Brunei although we saw some wearing printed/band t-shirts (although not metal t-shirts) around Brunei. We did see some Westerners in knee-length shorts too.

Politics are better not discussed.

Be careful what you say about Brunei, especially about the Sultan.  This is a sensitive topic, with legal implications, and it’s best not to discuss politics in Brunei, especially if you have something critical to say.  Remember:  Brunei does not have freedom of speech.

Public transit isn’t that commonly used.

I asked my Bruneian friends about it and they drive everywhere. If you’re visiting without a car, be wary of planning your journey entirely by public bus.  There is  a bus from the airport to the city center, but it does not run late.

Brunei’s waterfront is fairly walkable, however for further distances or on especially hot days, you will want to take a taxi.  It’s best to stay close to the city center unless you’re willing to splurge on taxis. (Note:  there aren’t  that many hotels in Brunei, so book ahead as the good ones sell out.)

For taxis (or something similar to Uber), download Dart to get rides around Brunei. This is a local app where you can provide your location, see the cost, and have a local taxi driver pick you up.

Bruneian food y’all.

I thought  Singaporeans loved food, but I had never visited Brunei.  Bruneians are HUGE foodies, so don’t leave without trying ambuyat and sampling the Bruneian food at the night markets . The seafood is fresh and very spicy, so if you see a local food centre, consider trying some seafood.  I swear, I gained 5 pounds while in Brunei.

A local also recommends ‘Nasi Katok’ .  I had a number of traditional dishes and I wish that I could remember the names of all the food that I had.  Just be adventurous and it will be delicious ( I hope).  I also really loved the dried squid with chili.

Everyone speaks English and people are super friendly

Bruneians speak flawless English.  In case you forgot, Brunei used to be a British protectorate, so not surprisingly, English is still taught in schools.  That said, many menus may be in Malay, but if you ask, the locals are happy to help.

Don’t miss Ulu Temburong National Park

Brunei may produce a lot of oil, but the government has made significant conservation efforts to preserve its incredible environment, and Brunei has some of the best preserved virgin rainforests in the world.

60% of the country is made up of virgin rainforest, which is unaffected by human activity.  The parts of Ulu Temburong that the public can access are limited, but incredible.

From the top of the slightly terrifying canopy bridge (not for those with a fear of heights..), you an see rainforest for miles… and the boat ride upstream in a traditional boat is worth it.

Read tips for visiting Ulu Temburong National Park.

LGBT rights

We can’t avoid talking about LGBT rights in Brunei as many people avoid going to Brunei for this specific reason.  Let’s be clear: there’s a death penalty for same-sex sexual activity, and non-gender conforming people may have issues . Recent changes in Bruneian law mean that LGBT travelers should show significant caution prior to traveling in Brunei.

We met some LGBT travelers who told us that LGBT travelers could visit Brunei with no problems with some precautions regarding appearances, getting separate hotel rooms if traveling together, not posting photos on social media, keeping a low profile, and being very careful as the government takes homosexuality seriously.

That said, travelers who are coming to Brunei will be surprised by the friendliness of its citizens towards any foreign tourists, but it’s your call if you’re willing to visit a country where homosexuality is illegal and enforced by law. I think that Meg Cale’s article about travel in anti-LGBT destinations is a good read if you’re on the fence.

Brunei isn’t cheap

You’ll find hotel prices in Brunei similar to prices in Singapore although hotel prices were surprisingly high.

If you’re coming from Malaysian Borneo, brace yourself for hotel prices that are generally higher than $50.  Homestays are catching on within Brunei, so consider doing a homestay if you want to experience a bit beyond the hotel.

 We stayed at the  Kunyit 7 Lodge , a sustainable tourism homestay in the middle of the Kampong Ayer water village.  Book your accommodation in Brunei as there’s not  that  many hotels in BSB.  The good ones that are affordable book up. I was about to book two different hotels and both rooms actually sold out for the dates that we visited Brunei in December after I waited a few days just to decide. 

Check hotel prices in BSB now!  

Nearly all the attractions in BSB are free, so expect to save some money on sightseeing although you’ll end up spending money on drinking ice cold coffee as it’s pretty hot day time.  Similarly, visiting Ulu Temburong isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it 100%.

In Bandar Seri Begawan, don’t miss the Kampong Ayer water village

I’ve visited a lot of countries and a lot places, but few places have inspired such awe in my mind.  Kampong Ayer is a fully functional village on stilts and it’s not just for tourists; people actually live there. I have no idea how it’s not a UNESCO attraction, but I suspect that it might become one in the future.  See it before the rest of the world discovers it…

When is the best time to visit Brunei?

Probably not summer as it’s hot year-round, but especially hot in summer.

There are four great times to visit Brunei:

• July 15th for the Sultan’s Birthday. If you’re considering visiting for the Sultan’s birthday, bring a fancy modest outfit that covers your arms, closed toe shoes, and a hijab (ladies). You will not be admitted otherwise. There’s a long line to get in, but if you’re curious what the sultan’s palace looks like, this is your chance to get in!  According to a kind local, you will only see the Sultan’s car on this day.
• Apparently the best day is Eid Day (date varies).  Men will be able to meet the Sultan while women can meet the Queen.
• We were luckily enough to visit just in time for the Regatta to see the boats racing on the Brunei river.  There’s a few each year, so check for events ahead.
• If you’re into fireworks and celebrations, visit for the National Day celebrations on February 23rd.
• June 1st for the Harvest Festival in the eastern part of the country.   It might shock people visiting Brunei for the first time, but there are non-Muslims living in Brunei.  One of the major ethnic groups of Brunei is Iban.  The Iban have their own culture and villages in the Temburong province, so consider visiting to take part in the annual harvest festival in Bangar.  It’s considered lucky if the vat of homemade rice wine prepared by each family is finished before the end of the festival, so non-Muslims, expect to give some assistance.

Have you been to Brunei? What do you recommend that tourists traveling in Brunei know?

Enjoyed this? Click for tips on things to do in Bandar Seri Begawan , visiting Ulu Temburong National Park , my complete Borneo itinerary , or an insider’s guide to Singapore.

About Karen Turner

New Yorker–born and raised. Currently living in the Hague, the Netherlands after stints in Paris and Amsterdam. Lover of travel, adventure, nature, city, dresses, and cats.

Reader Interactions

December 19, 2017 at 1:55 am

OMG! I cant believe the office said that to you! But thanks for clarifying!

January 17, 2018 at 1:26 pm

Hello! Thank you SO much for these great posts about Brunei! I’m off to Brunei tomorrow, and I’m so excited! Can I ask you about transportation? What’s the best way to get from the airport to BSB? And what’s the best way to get around on daily basis? Thanks in advance 🙂

January 17, 2018 at 5:56 pm

Hi Lene, There’s a public bus that goes into the city that costs $1 as soon as you leave Arrivals. You should see a sign for a Public Bus, so just ask if you don’t. Just ask for directions as soon as you get there. Once you’re in the city, it’s very walkable besides getting to the water village (water taxi) although you might want to take a cab if you go to one of the further spots. Some hotels will arrange pick up for you. It’s best to carry a little cash on you for taxis and water taxis.

Glad these helped and hope you enjoy!

Best, Karen

January 24, 2018 at 7:07 pm

Hi Che, I heard the buses stop early and you’ll need to take a taxi if it’s late. I wish you a great trip in Brunei. 🙂

January 31, 2018 at 2:40 am

Hi Karen, As a Bruneian i see that many of your information is spot on. Glad to see some tourists appreciate Brunei which is underrated in terms of tourism. Just to add information and just a small correction. 1) During the Sultan’s Birthday you will only see him in his car when he passes by from the palace to the city centre where the main event takes place. If you want to see the Sultan in person and shake his hand is on Eid Day (You have to check your calendar as Eid Day falls at different dates every year) and only men are allowed to see the Sultan while the women are allowed to see the Queen. Just brace yourselves for the long que.

2) Another best time to visit Brunei is during the National Day celebrations which falls on the 23rd of February.

3) For local delights, i recommend eating ‘Nasi Katok’ that is rice with fried chicken with a little red spicy sweet sauce wrapped in paper. Its sold in many food stalls or the Gadong food market. It’s cheap (BND1) and most important delicious. A fast food restaurant called ‘Ideal’ and try their roasted chicken. It’s unique. There are many other delicacies but these two are the most famous among ‘ambuyat’ that i heard from other visitors.

February 24, 2018 at 9:24 am

Your posts regarding Brunei are really helpful, thanks a lot! 🙂

Do you have any updated info on the public buses in BSB? Been trying to search online but it is so limited. Would like to travel by public buses during my short trip in BSB.

February 24, 2018 at 10:56 am

Hi Shanice, let me shoot a message to my friends about it (I’ll reply once I hear back) although I know ALL of them drive. It’s best to stay close to the city center as not to inconvenience yourself as the main bus line goes between city center of BSB and the airport. Once you’re in Brunei, it’s possible to arrange transportation on private buses/ferries to nearby cities if you talk to anyone in the tourism industry.

Glad to hear that!

March 3, 2018 at 2:16 pm

Thanks Karen!

And yes, will just be trvelling around BSB but there are some places ie. The Mall & the night market @ Gadong that is located a little far out from my accom, which requires me to arrange transport. A new public transport Dart was also launched just months ago too!

Hope to hear from you soon! 🙂

March 3, 2018 at 4:54 pm

Hi Shanice, I haven’t heard anything back from my friends yet, however Gadong shouldn’t be too far by taxi from the center (maybe 15 minutes). Curious what you think about the Dart public transit option when you’re there. 🙂

I’ll remind them to answer.

Apologies, Karen

May 11, 2018 at 5:10 pm

hello! is the hariraya scheduled on june? or july? thank you very much!!

May 13, 2018 at 7:39 pm

In 2018, it’s 15 Jun to 19 Jun.

June 19, 2018 at 5:33 am

hi .. may i ask if its possible to get a taxi late night ? or do they have grab ? we will be arriving around 11.45 pm from manila Philippines.

June 20, 2018 at 3:38 am

Look up DART! It’s a new app similar to Grab for Brunei.

June 20, 2018 at 7:49 am

Very informative post! Thanks a lot for writing in such detail. Planning t trip to Brunei and your blog is immensely helpful!

Keep writing!

October 14, 2018 at 1:23 pm

Is Brunei safe for solo female travelers?

October 14, 2018 at 2:55 pm

Hi MM, A few female friends of mine have traveled solo in Brunei. They were quite comfortable. 🙂 Best, Karen

April 4, 2019 at 11:54 am

Thank you so much for the very informative article! Many things you said there will come in handy for my up coming trip there.

I have a question, what is you view on… I am going there with my opposite sex partner. We are non-Muslim and are not married. We are planning to stay in same hotel room. Is that just a no no? I am very worried about the newly in place adultery punishment! Some people said it doesn’t apply to foreigners, some say it does… Any idea?

And again, thank you for the article and for sharing your travel experience 🙂

April 5, 2019 at 6:05 pm

Hi Julz, I was married when I visited, but I’ve met others who were unmarried and had no problems traveling in Brunei. I’d skew on the side of more conservative if asked about your marital status.

Kind regards, Karen

July 15, 2019 at 12:47 pm

SO interesting and I want to travel there but there’s the thing I worry the most is : seafood allergy which I have, There’s any restaurants without seafood? Brunei is know for seafood right?

July 17, 2019 at 12:21 am

Hi Melody, I hope that it’s not an issue, however, I can’t say for sure. I recommend asking your hotel or accommodations to look up restaurants that cater well to other allergies. Hopefully, you’ll find somewhere good!

October 9, 2020 at 11:44 am

Wow this is very interesting! I’ll like to visit Bunrnel sometimes very soon. Love your write ups and hints! Very handy and straight forward! Thanks for this.

February 21, 2022 at 1:37 am

Hi this post is so helpful thankyou! I’m thinking of spending 1 week here as I travel around aisa but I’m struggling to find transport out of the country. I’m going to the Indonesian area of the island next making my way down to evenutaully et to Jakarta. Do you have any information on how to leave Brunei and where to travel to next?

Thanks in advance!

March 17, 2022 at 9:38 pm

The world is a weird place right now, so I would recommend checking the options for flying out of Brunei (mostly Royal Brunei air).

October 16, 2022 at 10:12 pm

Is Brunei ok for one to migrate to,what I mean is did they have jobs that pays well? Thanks for your write up bro.

[…] you might be visiting a couple restaurants with intense air conditioning during your trip (especially in Brunei) I recommend having a comfortable light layer that you can put […]

[…] You can read travel tips for Brunei here. […]

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Anna Sherchand

Solo Female Travel Blog

Brunei solo travel itinerary for 5 days

This trip was in collaboration with Brunei Tourism, Thank you for the amazing time! PS: all opinions are my own.

Brunei is one of the hidden gems of a place in Asia. Whether you are on a visa run or looking for a week-long escape, this country could be the one for you. Especially the Ulu Temburong National Park, the tranquility and peace I felt there is off the charts! So if you looking for a Brunei solo travel itinerary, read on till the end.

At first, I wasn’t sure how many days I should plan for Brunei and when I googled, I found loads of people were saying there is not much to do and 1-2 days is enough but one thing I know for sure after traveling to 45+ countries, is 1-2 days is never enough.

Every country is beautiful in its own way and with a new culture, food, history, sightseeing and off-the-beaten-path places to explore, you definitely need more than 3 days. So, I went for jam-packed 5 days but in the end, I was wishing I was there longer. (maybe next time) Alright without further ado, let’s begin!

Brunei solo travel itinerary

Day 1: mangrove sunset and more, day 2: kampong ayer, day 3: back from temburong and to soto pabo, day 4: brunei half-day tour, flower show, and more, day 5: bandarku ceria and shopping, travel tips to brunei:.

I landed in the afternoon around 4ish and still had the rest of the day to explore. So, from the Badi’ah Hotel , you can either walk 20 minutes or order a car from Dart App (cost 5BND only!) and go to Mangrove Sunset Cruise on a Water Taxi to see the proboscis monkeys. The perfect time to go would be around 4:30 PM.

To get on a Mangrove Sunset Cruise, you need to approach any water taxi located by the jetty. The price for a tour to see the proboscis monkeys (and crocodiles and monitor lizards, if you’re lucky!) should be around BND15-25 and should take about 30-45 minutes.

When you come back walk to nearby Frame Brunei Darussalam. It is a quite special view of the Mosque from here. Then for the dinner I recommend going to Kaizen Sushi Restaurant Waterfront which is within short walking distance from Frame Brunei. Dart back to the hotel and good night’s sleep.

After having my complimentary buffet breakfast at the hotel, I could have walked 15 minutes but I order Dart (again it was only 5 BND) to the water Jetty area where the water taxis are. You can ask to be dropped off at the “Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery” for your own self-guided tour.

This should be about a 1-minute boat ride and should cost no more than 50 cents to a dollar. Once you are there, you can ask for a walking tour map from the Gallery. When I was there they were out of the map, but you can also take a photo of the map outside the gallery. Plus there are signs everywhere so you will hardly get lost!

Kampong Ayer is an interesting area, with little wooden pathways leading to the historic settlements of the local people, a mosque, local handicraft shops all above the water! Famously known as the water village aka Venice of Asia! Main highlights include – Jabal Rahmah, Pottery House, Arch Maker, colorful houses, and Kunyit 7 Lodge.

When you wish to get back, flag the boat and pay 50 cents to a dollar to get back as well.

TIP: Make sure to bring an umbrella/hat and a bottle of water and use plenty of sunblocks! And be careful on the wooden walkways as the planks have large spaces in between them.

I had lunch at Mekong Cafe back in the city. They do Indian, Malay, and Chinese food. If you don’t care much about the interior but want good food then go here.

After lunch, it was time to call Dart again and head back to the hotel. As I was headed to Temburong for 2D and 1 N, I left my carry-on suitcase at the concierge and only took a night bag with me.

I left Temburong around 2 PM and was back at the Jetty. A guide from Pan bright travel service was waiting for me and then he dropped me off at my hotel. It was 3 pm at this point, I checked in again at Badi’ah Hotel and rest for a few hours.

For the evening I recommend taking a Dart to “Soto Pabo” for a local sunset dinner. The “local sticky noodles” you see above on the picture is actually called “ambuyat” and it’s actually just a starch dish made out of sago palm flour with hot boiling water stirred in. We also had the beef soupy noodles called “Soto”. A write-up of local Bruneian delicacy on the “ambuyat” can be found here: https://sutera.co/the-story-behind-ambuyat/ .

It is popular among the locals and it could get busy during the evening. So arrive a little early to get tables before sunsets and enjoy that amazing food with fantastic sunset views!

After breakfast at the hotel. I was picked up by Pan Bright Travel Service for my half-day city tour to:

• Royal Regalia Museum
• Tamu Kianggeh
• Waterfront Dermaga (if open)
• Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
• Taman Mahkota Jubilee Emas

Happy to let you guys know Mr. Lim the guide was fluent in English, knowledgeable, and respectful. He explained in detail the history of places, about the Sultan Omar, hotels and night market too. It was hot during the day, but we were driving around in a car with full blast AC and that made all the difference! Overall, 10/10 for the guide, what the tour included, and pickup/drop-off service. I highly recommend Pan Bright to organize your Brunei solo travel itinerary tours.

When I got back to the hotel, it was time to shower and get ready again! I took a Dart to “Rimba Garden Central” for the Brunei International Flower Show. It was such a pretty place full of different flowers, plants, trees, and they even had how-to grow plants workshops! Loved it! TIP: The flower show doesn’t run all year round so, I suggest checking the Brunei Tourism website to see what’s currently on. I would also like to take this opportunity to Thank you team over at Brunei Tourism Board and the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism for a pleasant stay in Brunei. I look forward to visiting Brunei Darussalam again!

Then for the evening, I went to the Empire Hotel to watch yet another Bruneian sunset. It was beautiful, to say the least, but there were a lot of couples too. It seemed like it was the local’s favorite dating destination. Anyhow, you can have dinner at the Empire or back at your hotel. As for me, one of my Bruneian friends invited me to the 30th Toyota Classics performed by the London Chamber Orchestra!! Her Royal Highness of Brunei attended the show and I got to see her in person too! It was an evening of beautiful music and delicious food. What a way to end my last night in Brunei!

My last day was Sunday. And I didn’t know the main road will be shut and open to pedestrians for the weekly Sunday “Bandarku Ceria” (translates to My Happy City).

So after breakfast, I took a leisurely stroll around the city center of Brunei. It was weirdly exciting to see many people on the open road which made Bandar Seri Begawan more lively on Sundays. The area spanning from the Royal Regalia to the Waterfront is a car-free zone from 6 am to 10 am every Sunday.

Alternatively, you can take a Dart to The Mall Gadong to see a different commercial area in Brunei or do some last-minute shopping!

TIP: Ask for a late checkout if you have an afternoon or late night flight. Usually, the hotel approves it or you just have to pay for the day.

1 To find the cheapest flights to Brunei, book it through the most trusted sites such as Skyscanner or Momodo.

2 Get a local Sim card After you land in Brunei international airport, get yourself a local BND25 sim card with Progresif from the Progresif Airport Counter, which should be on your left as you exit Customs.

3 There’s no Uber in Brunei, Install Dart app Download the Dart app from the App Store and Google Play on your day of arrival. It is Brunei’s first ride booking app. Taxis are not only expensive in Brunei but there is no clear public transportation route. Even locals told me they aren’t sure how to use the bus in the city and perhaps will take an hour to get from point A to B. So, I myself used the Dart app and found it very convenient and easy to use. Works exactly like Uber, with reliable and fast door-to-door service.

4 Good to know Currency = Brunei dollar Capital City = Bandar Seri Begawan is formerly known as Brunei town Districts and their capital cities = Belait (Kuala Belait), Brunei-Muara (Bandar Seri Begawan), Temburong (Pekan Bangar) and Tutong (Pekan Tutong) Good morning = Selamat pagi Good afternoon = Selamat petang Goodnight = Selamat malam Thank you = Terima kasih You’re welcome = Sama-sama What is your name? = Siapa nama awda? My name is = Nama saya Anna Excuse me = Maafkan saya Yes = Ya No = Tidak How much? = Berapa?

5 Where to stay in Brunei? I stayed at the Badi’ah Hotel in Brunei Town (Bandar Seri Begawan) It is only a few minutes from the airport and not too far from the must-see places in town as well. Plus they provide pick-up and drop-off shuttle service from the hotel.

I stayed in the executive room and must say there was a lot of space! Huge King size bed, a nice comfortable leather couch, desk, and chair to work, water delivered daily and newspaper too if you are into it, and free wifi!

Buffet breakfast was fresh every day, mostly Asian inspired but there was an element of English with cakes, bread and you can order your eggs as you wish. There is also a swimming pool on level 3 (from memory) and a cafe/restaurant on the ground floor which I didn’t get to visit because of my busy schedule but spend a few minutes checking it out. Overall, I liked this hotel, enjoyed my stay here, and recommend it to you on your visit to Brunei.

6 Is Brunei safe to travel to? I solo traveled myself and didn’t have any problem throughout my stay. Pretty much everyone spoke English, from a cab driver, tour guide to local on the street. Unlike other destinations in Southeast Asia, Brunei is probably the safest.

It could be because there is extremely low consumption of alcohol by visitors and none by locals, and with no clubs or bars, they seem to have ultra-low crime rates (apart from the occasionally petty theft).

7 Can I wear shorts in Brunei? Although Brunei is an extremely conservative country, it’s acceptable to wear shorts or even swimwear of your choice here. Having said that though, I would respect the culture and wear a long sarong that can be worn as a skirt or a thin crop top on top of my swimwear. I also wore all long skirts and half sleeves during my stay.

When is the best time to visit Brunei? June – September is the high season but I recommend visiting between January and May. You will have dry and warm weather but not too hot. February and March are the driest months of the entire year though.

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19 thoughts on “ brunei solo travel itinerary for 5 days ”.

Looks like a beautiful place! Putting this on my bucket list now!

Wow! Looks like you are having such a great time in Brunei! Looks like I will be adding it to my bucket list. Those palaces are incredible!

That is such a pretty place! If I ever get there, I’ll probably follow this itinerary exactly.

From your picture, Brunei looks like a lot of fun. And that I am sure you did.

What an adventure. I will need to check sky scanner out when I book my next trip.

WOW! What a fabulous destination! This the type of place I would like to visit. Would definitely follow your itinerary.

I will be very honest here….I can only visit Brunei for the food and nothing else! Their human rights record is still so much wanting, to me. And that alone, is the very first item on my travel checklist!

I’ve never heard of Brunei but it sounds and looks like a wonderful place to visit! I’ll have to check it out!

the staircase is instagram worthy. cinderella, no? and a water taxi? how fun! i have never used one before.

What a gorgeous place to visit and that sunset photo is insane!

I love the photos! I was there last year. It’s cheap and the food is amazing! Public transport is an issue though!

I’m not traveling to Brunei soon but I’ll be saving this itinerary for future reference! Thank you!

Thank you for taking us along with you for your travels. The pictures are beautiful. I will be looking more into this location, it looks like a great spot.

Looks like a beautiful place! Thank you for sharing your adventure with us 🙂

Girl you looked like you had the time of your life! I love this and I would be interested in visiting Brunei one day!

After reading the sultan of Brunei this isn’t really a place high on my list to visit. I don’t like double standards.

Your photos all look amazing and it sounds like you had a very wonderful time there during your trip. I haven’t been to Brunei but hopefully soon with the family.

Sure looks like a place worthy of a visit! I love the photo of you with the orchids and the pretty plants in the background. I will now add Brunei to my travel bucket list. Thanks for the travel guide!

I honestly had never heard of Brunei before. Looks like a beautiful place to visit. I love all of your pictures. 🙂

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Brunei Darussalam

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Exercise normal safety precautions in Brunei.

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Local emergency contacts

Fire and rescue services, medical emergencies.

Call 993 or contact local police.

Advice levels

Exercise normal safety precautions in Brunei.

• Serious crime is rare in Brunei. Petty crime such as theft and burglary does occur. Keep your valuables secure. Lock your accommodation, even when you're inside.
• Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning strikes are common throughout the year. Incidents of objects and people being struck by lightning have occurred.
• Weather conditions can change quickly and leave you stranded or injured, especially at sea or in a remote area. If you're sailing, hiking, or in a remote area, be prepared and take all the necessary precautions that qualified personnel and local authorities recommend.  
• Crocodiles are common in Brunei, and crocodile attacks have occurred along the rivers. Use caution when around water sources and follow the advice of local authorities. 
• Stray dogs are common. Don't approach or touch dogs and be mindful of dogs when walking or exercising. Although there have been no official rabies cases in Brunei recently, cases have been reported recently in Malaysia close to the border with Brunei. See a doctor immediately if an animal scratches or bites you.

Full travel advice:  Safety

• Insect-borne diseases occur. Make sure your accommodation is insect-proof. Use insect repellent. Get vaccinated before you travel.
• HIV/AIDS is a risk. Take precautions if you engage in high-risk activities.
• Foodborne, waterborne and other infectious diseases include hepatitis, hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and tuberculosis. Avoid raw and undercooked foods.
• Local authorities may issue Red Tide warnings when red algae reach dangerous levels. These include warnings about swimming in certain areas or eating certain types of seafood. Check local media for Red Tide alerts.

Full travel advice:  Health

• Brunei's Infectious Disease Act includes penalties for various offences relating to controlling and preventing COVID-19. You must wear a mask when entering a hospital or medical clinic or attending an event where the organiser has directed participants to wear masks.
• Brunei is a Muslim country and has strict religious laws. These include laws around fasting during Ramadan, preaching without government permission, and Muslim religious observance. Know and follow these laws.
• Brunei's Sharia (Syariah) Penal Code took full effect in April 2019. It applies to everyone, including foreigners and non-Muslims. Some crimes, including blasphemy, sodomy and adultery, attract the death penalty under sharia law. Understand the law before you travel.
• Selling alcohol and consuming alcohol in public is against the law. Smoking is illegal in most public places. It's also illegal to import alcohol and tobacco products above legal limits. If you import alcohol, keep the paperwork to prove it's legal. Check with the  Brunei Customs and Excise Department  before bringing alcohol or tobacco into Brunei.
• Don't use or carry illegal drugs. Some drug offences have mandatory death penalty sentences. Other penalties include long prison sentences or physical punishment.

Full travel advice:  Local laws

• To enter Brunei, you'll need a visa. In some cases you may be able to obtain and pay for a visa on arrival. Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. You should contact the nearest high commission or consulate of Brunei for the latest details.
• You're required to complete an E-Arrival Card online before arriving in and departing Brunei. This includes air, land and sea routes. If you're transiting, you will not be required to complete an E-Arrival Card. 
• You no longer require COVID-19 insurance to enter Brunei, but this is strongly encouraged.

Full travel advice:  Travel

Local contacts

• The  Consular Services Charter  details what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
• For consular help, contact the  Australian High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan .
• To stay up to date with local information, follow the High Commission's social media accounts.

Full travel advice:  Local contacts

Full advice

Serious crime is rare.

Travellers are occasionally the victims of petty crime, such as theft, burglary, and vehicle break-ins.

To protect yourself from crime:

• leave valuables in a secure location
• watch your personal belongings
• always lock doors and windows at your accommodation

Cyber security

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you're connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth. 

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media. 

More information:  

• Cyber security when travelling overseas  

Civil unrest and political tension

Demonstrations and protests.

Civil unrest is rare.

Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.

To protect yourself from possible violence:

• avoid protests and demonstrations
• follow the advice of local authorities

More information:

• Demonstrations and civil unrest

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

Climate and natural disasters

Brunei experiences heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning strikes throughout the year. Incidents of objects and people being struck by lightning have occurred.

The wet seasons are September to January and May to July. Flooding and mudslides are common during these times.

Severe weather  can affect essential services, such as power.

If a  natural disaster  occurs:

• secure your passport in a safe, waterproof location
• monitor local media and other sources such as the  Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
• keep in contact with friends and family

Wildlife and outdoor activities

Brunei is home to saltwater crocodiles. They live along the Brunei River and beaches. People fishing on the riverbank have been attacked and killed by crocodiles.

There are venomous snakes in Brunei. Keep your distance if you encounter a snake outdoors. If a snake is found indoors or in a confined space, call Fire and Rescue Services on 995, who also capture and remove crocodiles.  

Stray dogs are common. Don't approach or touch dogs. Be mindful of dogs when walking or exercising.

Although there have been no official rabies cases in Brunei recently, cases have been reported recently in Malaysia close to the border with Brunei. Rabies is fatal if you don't get vaccinated or don't get medical treatment quickly. See a doctor immediately if a dog, monkey or other animal scratches or bites you.  

Outdoors Activities

Trekking in the jungle and parks can range from beginner-level to more advanced options. Trekkers have been known to go missing. Inform family and friends before your trek and take a phone and sufficient supplies. 

Avoid swimming in rivers, wear a life vest when on boats and adhere to local advice when near a water source, as crocodiles in Brunei have been known to attack people. 

Local beach rescue services may not be of the same standard as in Australia.

Travel insurance

Get comprehensive  travel insurance  before you leave. 

Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won’t pay for these costs.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

• what activities and care your policy covers
• that your insurance covers you for the whole time you’ll be away

Physical and mental health

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition. 

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

• have a basic health check-up
• ask if your travel plans may affect your health
• plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare, or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your  nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate  to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.

• General health advice
• Healthy holiday tips  (Healthdirect Australia)

Medications

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Brunei. Take enough legal medication for your trip.

Carry a copy of your prescription and a letter from your doctor stating:

• what the medication is
• the required dosage
• that it's for personal use

Health risks

Insect-borne diseases.

Insect-borne diseases occur, including:

• Japanese encephalitis

To protect yourself from disease:

• make sure your accommodation is insect-proof
• use insect repellent
• wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing

We recommend you get vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis if you travel to rural areas. Seek medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, rash or severe headache.

HIV/AIDS  is a risk in Brunei. 

Take precautions if you engage in activities that expose you to the risk of infection.

Other health risks

Waterborne, foodborne and other infectious diseases are common, including:

• hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD)
• tuberculosis

Severe outbreaks sometimes occur.

Avoid raw and undercooked food, such as salads.

Seek medical advice if you have a fever or diarrhoea.

• Infectious diseases

Red algae sometimes reaches dangerous levels in coastal waters. Local authorities may issue red tide warnings about:

• swimming in certain areas
• eating certain types of seafood

Local authorities print warnings about red algae in local newspapers, including in English-language publications.

If there's a red tide alert, follow local warnings. This algal bloom can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Avoid shellfish and seafood because they may be affected.

Medical care

Medical facilities.

Medical facilities in Brunei's public hospitals are of reasonable quality.

Private hospital facilities are of a high standard.

If you have severe symptoms of COVID-19 you may be treated at a dedicated COVID-19 hospital.

If you become seriously ill or injured, you may need to be moved to Australia or Singapore. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our  Consular Services Charter . But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

In Brunei, it's illegal to:

• eat, drink or smoke in public places between sunrise and sunset during  Ramadan
• persuade a Muslim to neglect their religious duties
• preach religions other than Islam, or preach Islam without permission from the government
• fail to attend Friday prayers if you are an adult male Muslim
• teach Islamic doctrine outside your own home or to anyone outside your household, without permission

It's also illegal to:

• conduct same-sex sexual activity
• possess pornographic material
• carry firearms or related items, including ammunition and empty cartridge shells
• sell alcohol
• import alcohol or tobacco products above legal limits

If you import alcohol, keep documents to prove you did so legally.

• Advice for LGBTI people
• Royal Customs and Excise Department

It's illegal to smoke in:

• government buildings
• recreational and educational centres
• public transport
• restaurants
• other specified public places

Photography

It's illegal to photograph:

• government or military infrastructure or equipment
• places used by security forces
• communications infrastructure
• civil infrastructure
• any other prohibited places or areas in the vicinity of such places

Brunei’s Sharia (Syariah) Penal Code came fully into effect from April 2019.

Sharia law applies to:

• Muslims and
• non-Muslims

whether resident Bruneians or foreigners. It applies even when transiting on Brunei-registered aircraft and vessels.

Non-Muslims may be arrested for being in close proximity with a Muslim of the opposite sex under the Sharia Penal Code – an offence known as khalwat .

Common law and courts will continue to operate in parallel with the Sharia Penal Code and courts.

Serious crimes can attract:

• the death penalty
• physical punishment
• imprisonment

Crimes that attract the death penalty include:

• Syariah Penal Code (Brunei Attorney-General's Chambers)

Some drug offences carry a mandatory death penalty. Other penalties include long prison sentences and physical punishment.

• Carrying or using drugs

Australian laws

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you’re overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

• Staying within the law and respecting customs

Dual citizenship

Brunei doesn't recognise  dual nationality .

Australians entering with a Bruneian passport will be treated as Bruneian by local authorities.

Enter on an Australian passport to ensure access to Australian consular services.

Local customs

Dress and behaviour standards are conservative. Take care not to offend.

If in doubt, seek local advice.

Be cautious when making comments about local issues, particularly those relating to the royal family. You could cause offence or even attract legal consequences.

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is observed in Brunei. Respect religious and cultural customs and laws at this time.

During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking may be illegal in public during the day. If you're not fasting, avoid these activities around people who are. Seek local advice to avoid offence.

Explore our Ramadan page to learn more, including dates for Ramadan.

Visas and border measures

Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering. 

You need a visa to travel to Brunei. Visas and other entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the nearest Brunei High Commission or Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs for details about visas, currency, customs, and quarantine rules.

Immigration regulations are strictly enforced and overstaying can attract physical punishments.

Check the entry stamp in your passport to confirm how long you can stay.

Monitor your immigration status and visa expiry date.

• Brunei Department of Immigration and National Registration
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Border measures

You must have the following before boarding your flight:

• a valid air ticket
• a valid visa (for visa-required passport holders).
• a completed E-Arrival Card

You're required to complete an E-Arrival Card online before arriving in and departing Brunei. This includes air, land and sea routes. Transit passengers who do not pass through Brunei's immigration control posts will not be required to complete an E-Arrival Card. Refer to Brunei's  Immigration and National Registration System Portal  for more information.

Children under 18 do not need to be fully vaccinated to enter or transit through Brunei.

Other formalities

If you wish to cross Brunei's land or sea borders, you must apply online through the  Exit and Entry System (EES) . There is a service fee of $BND 3.00.

Some countries won’t let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you’re just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport’s expiry date before you travel. If you’re not sure it’ll be valid for long enough, consider getting  a new passport .

Check that your passport has at least 6 blank pages back-to-back, as recommended by Brunei authorities.

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

• In Australia, contact  the Australian Passport Information Service .
• If you’re overseas, contact the nearest  Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate .

Passport with 'X' gender identifier 

Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can't guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest  embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination  before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers. 

• LGBTI travellers  

The local currency is the Brunei Dollar ($BND). You can also use Singapore dollars ($SGD). They have the same value as the BND.

You can use credit cards in some places.

Australian dollars can be changed at banks, hotels and authorised exchange bureaus.

Local travel

If you plan to visit Malaysia, including Sabah or Sarawak, read our  travel advice for Malaysia .

If you plan to visit Kalimantan, read our  travel advice for Indonesia .

Driving permit

To drive in Brunei for up to 1 year, you need both:

• an Australian driver's licence
• a valid international driving permit (IDP)

Driving without an IDP could void your travel and vehicle insurance.

You should get a local driver’s licence if you need to drive for longer than 1 year.

Road travel

Driving can be dangerous. It's common for drivers to:

• drive through red lights
• exceed the speed limit
• not use seatbelts
• drive without a licence or insurance

If you plan to drive:

• check that your insurance policy covers driving
• get to know the local traffic laws and practices
• drive legally
• avoid 'road rage'
• don't react to other drivers

If you're involved in a road accident as a driver, don't leave the scene or move your vehicle until the police have arrived.

There are limits on the sale of diesel and petrol for vehicles not registered in Brunei.

• Driving or riding

Motorcycles

Check whether your insurance policy covers you when using a motorbike, quad bike or similar vehicle.

Always wear a helmet.

Only use registered taxis and authorised limousines. You can arrange them:

• through your hotel
• at the Brunei International Airport
• through DART Taxi online

Public transport

A very limited public bus service operates throughout Brunei.  For the main Brunei-Muara and Kuala Belait districts the services operate between 6am and 8pm.

The bus service is often unreliable.

• Transport and getting around safely

International cruise lines stop over in Brunei.

• Going on a cruise

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Check  Brunei's air safety profile  with the Aviation Safety Network.

Emergencies

Depending on what you need, contact your:

• family and friends
• travel agent
• insurance provider

Always get a police report when reporting a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.

Consular contacts

Read the  Consular Services Charter  for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

For consular assistance, contact the Australian High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Australian High Commission, Bandar Seri Begawan

Level 6, Dar Takaful IBB Utama building Jalan Pemancha Bandar Seri Begawan BS 8711 Brunei Darussalam Phone: (+673) 222 9435 Fax: (+673) 222 1652 Email:  [email protected] Website:  bruneidarussalam.embassy.gov.au Facebook:  Australia in Brunei Darussalam

Twitter:  @AusHCBrunei  

Check the Australian High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can’t contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

• +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
• 1300 555 135 in Australia

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Travel Blog, Itineraries & Guides, Hotel Reviews

Ultimate Brunei Itinerary – How to Fully Cover the Country in 3 Days

June 25, 2019 by Bino 13 Comments

Nestled in the northern part of the island of Borneo, the oil-rich state of Brunei is one of the smallest countries in Asia and also one of the least visited. If you fancy history and amazing architecture (particularly Islamic) with a bit of the tropical vibe thrown in, then Brunei is for you. As a developed country and owing to its small size, it is relatively easy to get around and you can conveniently see the sights of Brunei within a few days. Personally, I found three nights to be enough to see Brunei. Here is my suggested itinerary for a trip to the country:

omar ali saifuddien mosque in bandar seri begawan

Table of Contents

Day 1 – Bandar Seri Begawan / Kampong Ayer

Stroll the grounds of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and marvel at its ornate marbled exterior. Do this as your first stop in the morning to “whet your appetite” on Brunei. Check out the main dome which is covered in pure gold. Admission is free and you can enter the mosque outside of prayer hours.

From here, it is just a short walk from the Yayasan Complex from where you can buy souvenirs or stock up on groceries if you are ever in need of any. The area is also filled with restaurants and you can stop here for lunch. If you’re not feeling peckish, the area immediately east of Yayasan Complex contains the Teng Yun temple (the oldest in Brunei) and has a number of traditional family-run stores – an interesting place for a short stroll.

the jame asr bolkiah mosque

It’s a short walk to the Royal Regalia Museum which features a number of objects including gifts the Sultan of Brunei has received over the years as well as equipment used during his coronation and silver jubilee (check out the royal chariot in the entrance hall). Opening hours: Sun-Thu from 9am to 5pm, Fri 9-11.30am & 2.30-5pm, Sat 9.45am-5pm, last entry 4.30pm.

Head over to the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque . Built in 1994, this is Brunei’s largest mosque and it boasts of 29 golden domes. Surrounded by a landscaped garden as well as fountains, it’s also a noteworthy sight in the evening when the mosque is floodlit. From the city center, you can take Bus #1 and stop right by the gate. Do note the opening hours: 8am-noon, 2-3pm & 5-6pm Mon-Wed & Sat, 10.45am-noon, 2-3pm & 5-6pm Sun, closed Thu & Fri

Take the #1 bus again and head back to Bandar Seri Begawan in the late afternoon. By this time, it won’t be too hot to visit Kampong Ayer (the water village). Point to point rides around Kampong Ayer cost $1 while a one hour boat ride around Kampong Ayer should not cost more than $10. So what will you get to see within that hour? You’ll be shown places such as the floating fire station, floating mosque, floating school and plenty of houses built on stilts. You can also ask the boat man to take you for a glimpse of the Istana Nurul Iman, the residence of the sultan. If you have time, you should also check out the Kampong Ayer Museum which details the history of the area. An overnight stay in one of the houses on stilts is also possible if you wish to spend more time there.

long boats at the ulu temburong national park

Day 2 – Ulu Temburong National Park

Morning & Afternoon

Head out to Ulu Temburong National Park – a trip which will take you the entire day. The journey is an adventure in itself where from downtown BSB, you’ll take a ride through mangroves on a speedboat to the lodge before being transferred to a longboat. Exploration of the national park generally includes various attractions such as the waterfall with “fish spa” and an exhilarating climb up a rickety set of stairs to the canopy walk for a bird’s eye view of the rainforest.

translucent waters at the national park

Most tours start at around 7:30AM from the pier in Bandar Seri Begawan and end at around 5pm.

enormous pool area of the empire hotel, brunei

Tip: Singapore Dollars can also be used in Brunei at a rate of 1:1.

Day 3 – Gadong & Chilling at Empire Hotel

Chill at one of the most resplendent hotels in the world, the Empire Hotel & Country Club – where you should give yourself a treat and stay at least a night. A self-styled 6-star property, you can either have a relaxing time inside the luxurious room or chill outdoors. There’s a decent beach with a lagoon that is good for swimming and kayaking. For sports enthusiasts, the property has actually won a couple of awards for golfing.

the beach of the empire hotel

Afternoon & Evening

For some last minute shopping, go to The Mall at Gadong – Brunei’s largest shopping center. It’s a mostly modern affair where you can find high street brands. From Empire Hotel, #57/58 bus will take you there.

A short walk from the shopping center is Gadong Night Market . You will find a lot of interesting eats in the outdoor space from 4PM onwards. Make sure to try the pulut panggang (rice stuffed with meat and wrapped in banana leaves), local kueh (small cakes) as well as the grilled seafood.

If you have extra time in Brunei…

Not a must-see but if you find yourself with extra time in Brunei, consider making the 1.5 hour trip to Seria in western Brunei to gain a better understanding of the industry that’s powering the economy of the nation. There is a monument dedicated to the billionth barrel of oil extracted in Brunei and it’s erected in the site of the first oil well discovered in the country.

Travel Tips for Brunei

• Singapore Dollars can also be used in Brunei and the exchange rate is 1:1. Likewise, if you have leftover Brunei Dollars, you can easily use them in Singapore.
• As a rule of thumb, taxi fares from the airport to downtown Bandar Seri Begawan should cost no more than B$25. If you’re heading to Empire Hotel from the airport, the fare should be around B$15.
• Brunei is under Sharia law and all restaurants and eateries are closed from 12 noon to 2pm every Friday. To save yourself from getting hungry during lunch time, you may take an early lunch or buy a takeaway meal.
• I typically shop around when buying travel insurance and using this travel insurance aggregator allows me to compare prices and benefits in one glance. 

Where to stay in Brunei

I have stayed in a number of lodging options in Brunei. To experience the best that the country has the offer, do book at least one night at Empire Hotel and Country Club . The property is an attraction in itself. For something closer to the city, the recently renovated Radisson Hotel Brunei is an excellent choice. You can also compare for the best prices for Brunei hotels HERE .

You May Also Like

Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Alternatively, you can also email me at b i n o (at) iwandered.net. You can follow I Wander on Facebook , Telegram , or Instagram . Also, if you liked this article, please feel free to SHARE or RETWEET

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August 25, 2017 at 12:36 am

I’m going to Brunei tomorrow. Thank you so much for this useful post!

August 29, 2017 at 10:25 pm

No problem! Hope it was helpful!

January 8, 2018 at 8:22 pm

Your post is very useful, thanks!

I’m going there this August, is the weather good for travelling that time? How’s the actual weather?

January 9, 2018 at 3:48 pm

It’s ok at that time but there’s a tendency to have haze — it’s a seasonal thing and dependent on wind patterns.

January 10, 2018 at 12:42 pm

Thanks for that info, will take note of that.

January 11, 2018 at 9:32 am

One more question, is it possible to go inside the Empire Hotel and Country Club and use the amenities (even with a fee, it’s ok) or at least stroll along the beachfront even if you did not check in on the hotel?

February 1, 2018 at 8:57 pm

Very informative & useful post! ? thanks!

February 28, 2018 at 11:30 pm

This is one of the most detailed and practical itineraries for Brunei which I’ve read in a while, Bino! Now I feel ready to cross Brunei off my bucket list and thus, your post will come in handy. When would it be the best time fo the year to explore Brunei?

March 10, 2018 at 10:19 am

Hi, will you suggest car rent at brunei if we have 4 adult & 2 small kids? For 4 days 3 nights (perhaps 2 nights at city & 1 night at empire hotel. TQ

March 10, 2018 at 11:12 pm

Yes, car rental sounds sensible for a family. It’ll be hard to bring the kids along if you commute.

June 18, 2018 at 4:16 am

HI Bino Great information – thank you. Would suggest taking an organised tour or could we do this on our own using public transportation or taxis?

July 27, 2021 at 2:29 am

Does tourists can visit the palace during Id El Fiter or only local citizens.

March 6, 2023 at 11:51 am

Hi which tour you booked to go to ulu temburong?

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Is Brunei Worth Visiting? My Experience in the Sultanate

I went to Brunei because everybody said it was boring.

I’m aware that’s a weird reason to go somewhere, but I’m a contrarian at heart. If somebody insists a place isn’t worth visiting, I immediately add it to the top of my list and set off in search of its redeeming features.

When I first considered checking out Brunei, I struggled to find many positive write-ups about the sultanate. Everyone declared the country dull. Articles explained it was only worth visiting for a day and that you should only go if you’re into counting countries.

I subsequently gave myself four days to explore — more than most visitors ever consider allocating. I was determined to dig deep, however, and discover worthwhile activities in the country. I like to believe that every place is worth visiting, and I wanted to find what it was that made Brunei special.

My first impressions were excellent.

We had chosen to stay at Taman Mawar Guesthouse because it was the highest-rated guesthouse in the city. (Update 2024: Unfortunately, Taman Mawar has since closed down; I now recommend staying at Capital Residence Suites , which is well-rated and in a decent location).

Previous guests at Taman Mawar had raved about the owner, Maya, writing about how she’d shown them the country — driving them to the sights, taking them out to dinner, and doing everything she could to make their trip wonderful. It turned out she was just as lovely as I’d hoped.

She met us from the airport in the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, and asked what we loved to do most when we travel.

“Eat!” Dave and I chorused.

“Excellent,” she said with a smile. “I have the perfect place for you.”

Gadong Night Market was the exact opposite to what I pictured when I imagined eating in Brunei, and I loved that Maya had spontaneously chosen to take us there.

Before arriving, my uninformed brain assumed that dining in Brunei meant perching atop solid gold thrones, sampling diamond-infused noodles while a dark plume of petrol gently wafted past my emerald-encrusted table.

A bustling night market, Gadong was filled with both locals and smoke, as vendors barbecued meat and vegetables on skewers, and customers snacked on the offerings. Stalls offered a variety of fruit juices, from orange to rambutan; mango to durian. It was possible to eat here for as little as 1 BND ($0.75) . For a country that has a reputation for being over-the-top ostentatious and expensive for visitors, it was fascinating to see a side of it that was the exact opposite.

“Do you want to try something very local?” Maya asked us.

“Always,” I said.

“Well,” she began to laugh. “It’s something that even I don’t eat. I don’t know if you’ll like it. My guests often do not like it.”

“What is it?”

She laughed again, then whispered, “Chicken butt.”

I joined in with her giggles. “Yes,” I told her. “I totally want to try that.”

After all, chicken is chicken is chicken, right? And I always support the decision to use every part of an animal in recipes.

So, how was chicken anus?

It was, um, tubular . It was chicken nugget sized, but there was also this tough, chewy tube in the centre. It wasn’t bad! I 100% know that I am not in any way selling this to anyone, but if you get the chance to sample it at any point, it’s worth having a quick nibble.

After a wonderful start to our time in Brunei, Dave and I set off the following morning surrounded by bright blue skies. I was thrilled.

A significant number of the photos I had seen of Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque — the most famous building in the country — depicted it sheltering beneath grey clouds, so I suspected that like many equatorial countries, having a perfect sky was a rarity. Being able to take photos of it on a sunshine-filled day felt like a privilege, and I was practically jogging to get there.

I’ve never been able to warm to any religion, but I have a soft spot for mosques.

And this particular mosque was glam.

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque was built in the 1950s and was named after the 28th sultan of Brunei.

Interestingly, the materials used to build the mosque were sourced from countries around the world: the granite from China, the marble from Italy, the carpets from Saudi Arabia, the timber from the Philippines, and the chandeliers from the U.K. Topping it all off are the sparkling domes that are blanketed in gold leaf.

The mosque is the tallest building in the country, at a not-so-towering height of 53 metres, which gives some indication as to how built-up this capital city is. Answer: not at all.

At one point, the Bank of Brunei built their headquarters higher than the mosque — it didn’t last long, though, as the sultan ordered the top floor of the building to be removed.

As an appreciator of all things mosque-y, I consider the Omar Ali Saifuddien to be right up there among the most beautiful. In my opinion it doesn’t quite  top the Sheik Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, but it was so special nonetheless.

One of the biggest surprises from my time in Brunei was just how few tourists there were. We had this gorgeous mosque all to ourselves for half an hour — if you were to place a building this beautiful in many other countries around the world, you’d be jostling for space with a camera-wielding crowd.

I snapped my dream photos with the blue, almost-cloudless sky and was already convinced that Brunei was worth visiting.

An interesting fact is that everything in Brunei shuts down every Friday between 12 and 2 p.m. to allow residents to pray. But not only that: every building in the country has to be within listening distance of a mosque and public displays of Christmas have been banned within the country. The sale of alcohol is also banned within the country, but non-Muslim visitors can import a reasonable amount if they wish.

As we searched the streets for somewhere to have lunch, I was struck by how safe the city felt, and how quiet it was for a capital.

Thanks to its vast reserves of oil and gas, Brunei is one of the richest countries in the world, with one of the highest GDPs. You probably already know the sultan is the richest monarch in the world, and he flaunts this wealth shamelessly.

Fun fact: My mum used to work for a bank in her twenties, and one of her tasks was to look after the Sultan of Brunei’s bank account in the U.K. He once invited her to lunch while he was visiting London, but she was too nervous to attend and pretended to be unwell!

In some respects, the sultan does a hell of a lot of good for Brunei. The country doesn’t have personal income tax, sales tax, or VAT, and citizens receive free education, healthcare and pensions, along with access to social housing and cheap loans. I didn’t see a single homeless person in Bandar Seri Begawan and crime rates are very low. Everyone I ran into spoke impeccable English.

Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll discover life in the sultanate isn’t quite the definition of perfect.

In 2014, the sultan announced he was going to be introducing Sharia law, which is never a good thing, in my opinion. A decade later, however, it has yet to be fully implemented. Regardless of that, Brunei is a strict Islamic country with several inhumane laws. Most notably, LGBTQ+ rights are non-existent, with same-sex relationships punishable by up to 10 years in prison. If Sharia law was actually enacted, it could be punishable by death by stoning. While Sharia law will technically only apply to Muslims in Brunei, that’s still a whopping 65% of the population. If you’re not straight and cisgender, life in the country is tough.

Freedom of speech doesn’t really exist in Brunei, either. They have an unelected ruler that can never be removed, and lèse-majesté laws means that saying anything negative about the sultan is a crime. You could be jailed indefinitely for doing so. It leaves me wondering: could I even safely return to Brunei after writing the previous few passages? 

Ten per-cent of residents in Brunei are Chinese, and it’s almost impossible for them to gain citizenship, which makes them ineligible for many of the benefits that come from living there. Over 90% of them are stateless.

It’s a travel writing cliche, but Brunei is a complicated country of contrasts.

Our next stop of the day was the Royal Regalia Museum, which was free to enter. This bizarre place is home to a vast number of extravagant gifts that the sultan has received from heads of state from around the world. You couldn’t take photos inside the the museum, unfortunately, so we took a couple of snaps of the golden chariot in the entrance, then wandered in.

The museum covers the life of the sultan, from birth to his coronation to the present day, then branches off into the collection of gifts he’s received over the years. It was interesting to see which countries had gifted him the most lavish presents, and which had presented him with things that looked, um, a little bit lame in comparison.

We spent two hours inside the museum and left feeling as though we had a better understanding of the sultan, so I’d recommend heading there if you find yourself in Brunei.

Not wanting to run out of things to see on our very first day (which is perhaps your first indication of how much the city has to offer), we decided to head back to our guesthouse.

In a country where oil and gas money subsidise the cost of petrol, Brunei is a country where almost everybody drives — it’s common for households to have as many as four cars. As we didn’t have our own transport, we opted to do as the few carless locals do and take the bus back to our guesthouse. It was inexpensive at 1 BND ($0.75) for a 15-minute ride.

The following morning, I had one activity in mind: to head out on the water.

Bandar Seri Begawan is home to a population of proboscis monkeys, which are only found on the island of Borneo. I’ve always wanted to hang out with these unusual-looking animals, so when I found out you could hire a boat to take you to see them, I was up early and walking into town.

I mentioned above that practically everybody in Brunei drives, and that driving is seen as the only way to get around. We rarely saw anybody walking into the city, and I soon learned why when Dave and I attempted the hour-long trek into the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan.

Within two minutes of setting out, a car pulled over and a smiling middle-aged woman waved us over.

“Get in! Get in!”

We piled inside, thanking her profusely.

“Welcome to Brunei!” she said. “Where are you going? Where can I take you?”

Dave and I communicated with each other using our eyes to try and work out if we were in a taxi. I’d read that Brunei has less than 50 across the country and that it’s super-rare to see any driving around. After all, there isn’t much point in operating as a taxi when most of the locals drive themselves.

When she dropped us off at the waterfront, we offered her money for petrol and she laughed, eventually accepting a few Bruneian dollars for the ride. That experience coupled with the wonderful hospitality we’d been shown by Maya had me bowled over by the kindness of the locals.

Of course, given that I’m bisexual, it also had me wondering if people would have been quite so welcoming if I hadn’t been travelling in the country with my boyfriend.

We approached a local guy on the jetty and asked how much it would cost to spend a couple of hours on the water. We wanted to catch a sighting of the proboscis monkeys, but also take a look at Kampong Ayer: a series of floating villages where three per-cent of Bruneians live their lives. After negotiating the price down to 30 BND ($22) , we clambered into his boat and put on our life jackets.

Minutes later, we were racing towards the mangroves; the wind causing my eyes to water. I wasn’t holding out much hope for a monkey-sighting, as I knew we were roughly two hours past prime observation time, but smiled anyway. I love jungles, and spending time in them was precisely why we had chosen to travel to Borneo.

After half an hour of high-speed boating, during which we paused for a few moments to take in the view of the largest residential palace in the world (#Brunei), we spotted a small clearing through the mangroves, and manoeuvred our way between the roots.

Within minutes: movement!

I couldn’t believe it.

Ahead of us, a silhouette of a proboscis monkey made its way up a distant tree trunk and caused my jaw to drop.

These days, I prefer to spend my time in the moment rather than witnessing magic from behind a camera screen. It’s a fairly poor decision to have made as a travel blogger, I’ll admit, to often have only a couple of photos to choose between rather than hundreds, but it’s one I’ve made peace with. I spent ten minutes watching the proboscis monkeys scrambling through the trees before reaching for my camera.

“You need a zoom lens,” our driver said, as though he could read my mind.

“Yup,” I said, frowning as I squinted at my photos.

I wasn’t too concerned, though. We were planning to travel into Malaysian Borneo after our time in Brunei and I’d read that animal encounters were far more frequent and exciting in Sabah.

I asked our driver if he’d mind showing us around Kampong Ayer.

He’d grown up on this group of floating villages, so was able to tell us about his life on the water, pointing out the school-on-stilts that he used to attend, as well as the local police and fire stations — all of them on stilts above the river. While most people think of Kampong Ayer as a single village, it actually encompasses 42 villages on the water, stretching out for 23 miles.

This part of Brunei is over 1,000 years old and is home to a dwindling population of around 13,000. Within the villages, you’ll find 13 schools, an art gallery, a mosque, post offices, petrol stations, and even a prison. If you look on Booking , you’ll find half a dozen private rooms you can rent out in order to gain a taste of this traditional Bruneian life.

If you’re anything like me, you probably hold the misconception that these homes are primitive in nature, but residents on the water have access to electricity, air conditioning, running water, TVs, and the internet. Some of Bandar Seri Begawan’s wealthy residents choose to live on the water, and you’ll see their luxury cars parked up on the banks beside the river. And yet, Kampong Ayer is also home to a population of undocumented immigrants and poverty is rife. Just like any other city.

You can walk along the boardwalks that connect the villages to gain a closer look at the locals’ existence, but I was content to observe from afar. I’m always hyper-conscious of intruding into the lives of locals — I know I’d hate having groups of tourists peering into my windows all day long — so always keep my distance in these situations.

We paid our driver for our 90 minutes on the river, and received a text from Maya as we clambered out of the boat. She had finished her yoga class and wondered if we wanted to grab lunch with her.

Obviously, we did.

I can’t fully express how much richer Maya made our time in Brunei, so I’m disappointed she’s since closed down her guesthouse. Without her, we would have experienced greater challenges in a city with limited public transport, and wouldn’t have been able to explore as much of the country’s food scene.

She picked us up and told us she was going to drive us to one of her favourite restaurants. On the way, we discovered that her daughter is currently studying at the same university that I went to! My university was known for having one of the highest percentage of international students in the U.K., and many Bruneians choose to study in the U.K. on a full scholarship, but it still felt like a bizarre coincidence.

We pulled up outside Aminah Arif, and Maya told us she was going to introduce us to ambuyat: the national dish of Brunei.

Ambuyat is a bit of an odd meal, which was exactly why I had been so desperate to try it.

It’s made from the interior of a sago palm, and is completely tasteless. Its texture is gooey, gluey, and gloopy, and it’s eaten with a special type of fork called candas. These forks are made from two bamboo sticks that are glued together at one end and splay out to give a gap of around an inch at the other.

I have a feeling I’m not explaining this well. Here’s a photo of Dave using them.

Because ambuyat has zero flavour whatsoever, it’s a boring-ass dish to eat on its own. That’s why you order a ton of dips and dishes to accompany it! We chose a fantastic sauce that was made from fermented shrimp, durian, and chilli, and it gave each mouthful an incredible spicy, sweet, and sour flavour.

To eat ambuyat, you stick your chandas into the starch and start spinning the fork in your fingers, as you would with spaghetti. Once you’ve got a mouth-sized ball on the end of your fork, flick the chandas upwards, dip the ambuyat into the sauce, then place it in your mouth. Because ambuyat has such a glue-like texture, you need to swallow the ball immediately, totally whole, as chewing achieves nothing — trust me, I tried.

We spent three hours chatting with Maya as we sampled everything, then protesting when she told us this was her treat and refused to accept our money.

Maya: totally the best.

With our stomachs full, we returned to our guesthouse and pondered what to do next. We had the rest of the afternoon to explore, as well as the following day, and I realised we’d exhausted all of the touristy things to do in the country.

As in, there was nothing left to do.

Well, I mean, there were things .

I could have done the canopy walk at Ulu Temburong National Park, but everything I’d read said that the jungle was more impressive and less expensive to see in non-Bruneian Borneo, where I was going to be heading to next. I’d be spending money just for the sake of having something to do.

I could have gone SCUBA diving, too, but long-term readers already know I’ll spend the rest of my life writing about how I want to try it, but never actually having the courage to do so.

I could have taken a day trip out to Pantai Seri Kenangan, which is the best beach in Brunei, but the weather wasn’t conducive to sunbathing while we were there.

The rest of our time in Brunei could therefore be classified as a bit boring. For a capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan appeared to have next-to-nothing going on.

So, is Brunei Worth Visiting?

Brunei is the only country I have little desire or need to return to. I don’t feel as though there’s more left to discover as a visitor, and it’s ones of the few countries where I felt I’d experienced almost every tourist-related activity within 48 hours.

Does that mean you shouldn’t go?

Not necessarily.

I genuinely enjoyed wandering around Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, loved trying ambuyat and experiencing Bruneian night market culture, and was fascinated by the way of life in Kampong Ayer. They were all worthwhile experiences, and I would recommend them to anyone planning a trip there. I also experienced such an extreme level of kindness and friendliness from the locals that it really stood out to me. I felt welcomed and safe.

Despite that, you can do the majority of the tourist activities within 24 hours. All of them within a couple of days.

The contrarian in me is livid that I’m about to offer the exact same recommendation as I’d read before arriving in Brunei.

You should visit Brunei if you want to visit every country in the world. You should visit Brunei if you find yourself passing through on a layover or when travelling in Borneo. You should visit Brunei if you want to see what one of the least visited countries in Asia is like. You should visit Brunei if it sounds interesting to you.

But, uh, you probably shouldn’t spend more than a couple of days there.

It turns out it does get pretty boring after all.

Would you make the effort to go to Brunei?

Related Posts on Brunei and Borneo 🇧🇳 How Much Does it Cost to Travel in Brunei? 🚍 How to Get From Brunei to Kota Kinabalu 🍜 Where to Eat in Kota Kinabalu 🪲 Catching Fireflies on the Kawa Kawa River

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Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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38 comments.

We did Borneo (Malaysian, based out of Kuching), and I loved it and wanted to go to Brunei when we went to the caves at Mulu, but just didn’t have the time. So I’m glad you’ve gone and done (as you always do) a great write up on it so I know what I missed.

And question for you – when you and Dave travel to more conservative countries like Brunei, do you wear wedding bands to avoid problems as two unmarried people staying together? I’ve heard that it’s a smart thing to do, and we did it before we were married just to be safe…

Nope, we have never worn rings. Never been asked to prove if we’re a married couple or had anyone object to us staying in the same room, and we’ve been to quite a few Islamic countries. If a hotel didn’t let us stay in the same room, we’d just book separate ones or stay in a different hotel.

Haha, I also choose to go places just because people say they’re boring! I’d definitely love to go to Brunei, even if there’s only like 2 days worth of stuff to do there. :)

High five for wanting to see a place in a different light! :-) Even though I didn’t quite manage it this time…

Cool! I’ll admit that Brunei has never been on my travel radar but sounds like a great stop. That food market sounds awesome and those monkeys are so cute! I’m glad you enjoyed your time there, even if you don’t need to go back. I think that’s okay. We don’t have to love every place and want to revisit. I also tried chicken butt in the Philippines and remember it being a big joke at the table!

Honestly, it feels so good to not feel a desperate urge to a return to a place for once. My travel wishlist is forever growing, so I’m always looking for an excuse to strike places from the list! :-)

I challenge you to visit East Timor

Already have a trip booked there for March.

Nice one. Would be really interesting to read something about it first hand as there is not much info on any travel blog.

Yeah, I haven’t been able to find much online about it so I’m super excited to get there! That’s always my favourite kind of travel destination.

Actually, the Chinese population takes up 30%~ of the country.

I’d read that in a few places, but also that it was around 10% in others, like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_Chinese_in_Brunei Thanks for reading!

I have to admit, despite your claims it was boring, somehow this post has made me want to visit (but maybe just for a day). Ambuyat looks so interesting and I want to try it! Hard pass on the chicken anus though.

Ha! Ambuyat, at least, is really worth trying. I wish it was available outside of Borneo so that more people would have the opportunity to try it.

Did you guys tried the Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosque? I read in another blog that while not as pretty as the Omar Ali Saifuddien, it is still attractive and plus it is the biggest in the country. Just an idea for an additional activity.

Yep! It was pretty nice. You can see the outside within five minutes, though, and we weren’t allowed inside.

Fascinating! I knew virtually nothing about Brunei and I think if I had looked into visiting, I probably wouldn’t have bothered because like you say, most people just say it’s boring – but you’ve actually made me interested in going! Everyone sounds so friendly too. It would be interesting to see what you would have thought if you had just gone for 2 days and not run out of things to do.

That’s so funny! Even when I came to write this post, I was expecting it to turn out super-negative, but by the end of it, I was like, oh okay, Brunei wasn’t actually that bad . Just a little boring, but as long as you visit for just a couple of days, you won’t have enough time to experience that.

Thanks for sharing, I’m always curious to know more about these least-popular countries. I don’t think I will ever go there myself as I don’t travel full time so I need to manage my itineraries well – with so many interesting places and activities in that region of the world, I guess Brunei will not fit in there ;) But I enjoyed learning more about it from your post. And respect for trying that chicken butt… ;)

Hey man, Just a suggestion. you guys should try to go to Temburong ( 4th District of Brunei ). since you said you love jungle. you will love it

Thank you! Maybe if I head back to Brunei for a second time :-)

I grew up in Brunei in the 90’s/early 2000’s, had 12 years there as an expat from the UK. I’m so happy you went and that other people are thinking of going. I know I’m bias as I had a wonderful childhood and still think of it as home but I’m happy from the sounds of it Brunei is still Brunei regardless of the law changes. I went round selling flowers as an enterprising 10 year old and got invited for a lot of cups of tea. A couple of things; you can go trekking on horseback on the beach, go to the Empire Hotel (very posh but fun if you want to splurge), wander through the jungle to waterfalls, have a night over the border in Miri if you want some local nightlife, stay in a traditional long house in Temburong. I’ve always said Brunei is the kind of place that you are either there for a weekend or a lifetime.

My husband & I visited Brunei for 5 days. We enjoyed the peacefulness & the nature of Brunei.

Thanks for the good writing. It seems Brunei has nothing going on in it after all. There is much greater mosque on it’s neighbour, Kinabalu. Better museums thorough South East Asia.

Also Kampung Ayer is nothing compared to Kapuas riverside in my city (Pontianak). We have much better food too.

Brunei will be the last country to visit, for me. Even though it’s a neighbouring country.

Yes, it’s not really a country to go out of your way to check out, but if you do get there, there’s at least a day or two’s worth of things to keep you busy.

Thanks Lauren for what you wrote about Brunei, it helped me a lot. I like Brunei, two days are perfect. I found an old chineese, second generation (58 years old) that drove us around half day for $ 60 No stress and he knew everything like a guide. Only problem is that you cant have a beer when you want to but I see it like a rehab ! Tomorrow he pick us up and drive us to the airport cheaper than a taxi and he bring me a beer ! Hans

That sounds like such a great trip! I’m glad you had a nice time :-)

Thanks Lauren for sharing your experience. It sounded you have a pleasant visit after all! Brunei may not have some of the “fun” places that tourists can find in other countries for e.g. 🍻🍷or night life, but Brunei offers fun eco-tourism (if one goes beyond Bandar Seri Begawan) in addition to places which offer local (and international) delicacies and cultural experience. Brunei is a safe, peaceful and a generally clean country. The people are friendly and hospitable and that makes you feel welcomed as a tourist! How one’s visit to a place turned out to be “boring” or “pleasant”, it sometimes depends on whether you feel welcomed or unwelcomed! It’s a pity you didn’t visit the amazing waterfall “tasik” which is about 15 mins away from town, the ulu Belalong national park in Temburong district, the Empire Hotel, the Jerudong theme park… For those who are yet to visit Brunei, you can do a trip around Borneo…Kota Kinabalu – Brunei – Miri – Kuching – Pontianak. Every stop will give you different experience. A number of my friends after they did the Borneo experience, they shared that they appreciate Brunei being a safer, peaceful and a cleaner country.

I appreciate the details you gave about your visit. It definitely sounds like a place to visit for some people and not for some. Like you, I like to visit places that most people advise against, in the hopes of discovering something different or unique that others may have missed. I have to say, however, that I am disappointed in your views of Sharia Law, especially in its practice in a place where you were only a visitor. The reason they don’t pay taxes, have free healthcare and education, and many other liberties (that the so-called free world doesn’t even have) is directly from Sharia Law. For you to imply that Sharia Law “is never a good thing” is absolutely offensive and inconsiderate to over 2 billion of the world’s population. You may not believe in or agree with Sharia Law or certain aspects of a specific religion, but that doesn’t give you (or anyone else) the right to judge or criticize. It’s like someone saying, “Most things about Italy were great, but a majority of the people are Catholic, which is never a good thing because, you know, they’re all pedophiles and they hate gays. But I loved the food and cathedrals!” It’s offensive, ignorant, and careless.

For informational purposes, I would also like to add that Mosques are places of worship for Muslims. Their extravagance and beauty are meant to show devotion to God and love for the faith. Comparing Mosques and saying that one is more beautiful than the other is frowned upon because they are all considered “House of God.” One can absolutely have a favorite, but comparing them as if it were a competition of architecture is considered disrespectful.

All in all, I enjoyed reading about your experience in Brunei and I thank you for sharing them. I only ask that you think carefully next time before insulting an entire group of people.

I’m queer. How can I be positive about something that states I should be murdered because of who I love?

If Catholicism resulted in Italy introducing a law where humans like me were stoned to death, then yeah, I would have the same opinion as I do with Sharia law.

Hi Lauren, This is the first article of yours I have read, having wandered here through the glories of random links. I shall certainly read more, your style is very informative and has a pleasant, conversational tone.

I felt I must comment (I rarely do) in response to the previous politely disparaging post. Strict Sharia law is an extreme element of Islam, any attempt to justify extremism is indefensibly wrong, regardless of context or faith. I don’t have a deity, but if I did I would not trust anyone who told me to kill for that deity, that is their own agenda speaking. Similarly, as a non-Muslim it is totally acceptable to consider Mosques in terms of their aesthetic qualities. I suppose I would be assumed to be Christian by default; I’m not, but I adore Christian churches, especially York Minster. They are often beautiful and I’m in awe of what we can achieve, that’s not disrespectful to a faith I have no interest in or interaction with.

Anyway, more power to your elbow, Lauren, I’m off to browse your archive.

“Sharia” only means “law”. It is not the problem. The problem is what some countries make of a simple arabic word. You could have simply boycotted the place this said, instead of spending money in a country without basic human rights.

I don’t believe in travel boycotts — if I did, I wouldn’t be able to visit anywhere. All countries are unethical in some way. I wouldn’t even be able to spend time in my own home country! The places that I visited in Brunei were locally-run establishments — locals are not their governments.

Hi! I’m glad that you visited Brunei. :) It certainly isn’t the place for people who seeks for adventure and this is coming from a person who’s lived here for 20 years.

Even though we are lacking in terms of development, it still is a place that is close to my heart. When the government provide all these free stuff they’re forsaking development / infrastructure (or at least that wasn’t their priority). This is probably why it’s terribly boring here. However, I still wouldn’t leave this place. It’s probably difficult for people to fathom why but this country I call home is far more than what is said on the news.

I can’t say how life is like for queer people here since I’m not one. But my best friend is. She loves Brunei with her entirety. Of course that doesn’t speak for all the queer people. And I certainly do not agree with how Chinese are not being treated as one of us. Or how low-skilled immigrants are treated by some locals. These are some social problems that we have. But it’s still a beautiful place to me.

I’d like to end this message with how I’ve learned to come to love my country. I wasn’t a patriot. I was liberal than most people my age when I was younger due to being exposed to western laws and media. So I disagreed with a lot of things done here. There was this instance in my life where I visited the rehabilitation centre for drug addicts. This one staff who was in charge of touring us really spoke to me when he teared up over how though there are people on death rows the Sultan never passed for them to be executed. The last execution was in 1950s. Then there was another instance, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and we didn’t have to pay a single cent for her treatment. If we had to we probably wouldn’t have been able to afford it since I don’t come from a privileged family. Where healthcare is scarce and a luxury at some places I am eternally grateful for being born here.

OKAY IM PROBABLY RAMBLING on why I love this country but yeah just an insight.

Kind regrads, Nazihah

What an ignorant idiot. Sharia laws should be implemented as they are so beneficial for societal stability and Human rights. Imagine living somewhere where there is nothing wrong with being gay. What a disgraceful violation of human rights. Sharia is so lenient. It simply allows Muslims to be Muslims and non Muslims to be non Muslims privately. But of course, westerners want Muslims to be nuked. Homosexuality should obviously be punished with stoning;. A baby whom hasn’t been manipulated by the west could tell you as much.

You know, in my experience, I’ve found the people who are most disgusted by LGBTQ+ humans are those who secretly wish they had the freedom to explore that side of themselves. I hope one day you’ll be able to get the opportunity to do so 💜

Youre so disgusting

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BRUNEI TRAVEL GUIDE 2024: DIY Itinerary, Things to do + How to get there and more

Brunei darussalam travel guide blog and places to visit in brunei.

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2024 Travel Guide to Brunei for First-time Travelers

Table of Contents

B andar Seri Begawan – Brunei is a less-visited country on the north coast of Borneo, but don’t let this fool you, for the place is beaming with so many exciting attractions to see. This wealthy southeast Asian country ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is famous for its low crime rate and beautiful spots where tourists can enjoy it.

About Brunei

The country is an independent Islamic sultanate. It lies near the South China Sea to its north and Sarawak, East Malaysian State. The soils found along the rivers and areas of the coastal floodplain are regarded as fertile soil.

A big part of the country consists of virgin tropical rainforest where plants and creatures thrive.

In this Brunei Travel Guide Blog, we listed some tips for making your DIY Day trip to Brunei. We also included Brunei Itinerary, Things to do and see, how to get there, and more.

Brunei Visa Requirements

Foreign travelers from the following countries can enter Brunei visa-free as long as they present a passport valid for at least 6 months:

For up to 90 days: All European Union member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States.

For up to 30 days: Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, Singapore, South Korea, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.

For up to 14 days: Cambodia, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Maldives, Myanmar, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Currency of Brunei and Accessibility to ATM Machines

Brunei’s currency is the Brunei dollar. It’s used in establishments, so tourists must exchange their currency for the local currency to get around and do stuff. Singapore coins can also be used in Brunei. ATM machines are typical in Brunei in large and small establishments and tourist areas.

Brunei’s official language is Malay , but English is widely spoken and understood in urban areas due to its British colonial past.

WIFI Access

Some hotels offer free Wi-Fi, while telecom companies sell broadband sim cards that tourists can use in the country.

Best Time to Visit Brunei

Brunei has two seasons: dry season and wet or rainy season. January to May is the best time to visit the country because this is what they consider spring, although the peak tourist season is from June to August, which is too hot.

How to Get to Brunei

Cebu Pacific and Royal Brunei Airlines have daily flights from Manila to Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei.

Brunei’s sole airport of significance is  Brunei International Airport  ( BWN ), the national carrier Royal Brunei Airlines hub. 

How to get to the City from the Airport

A taxi to Bandar Seri Begawan takes 20 minutes and costs around B$25. A covered walk down to the end of the car park further away from the Terminal (turn right from Arrivals) leads to a bus stop for Purple buses to the city center (B$1) along with other busses for tours & hotel shuttles. The reason for the long walk is the extensive construction of airport upgrades.

Getting Around Brunei

Brunei’s taxis are not plenty, but they’re available at the airport to transport tourists to their locations. Tourists can also ride taxis by booking in advance through their hotel. Car rentals like Hertz and Avis are at the airport, but booking in advance is required. It’s also available for exploring for B$85 per day. The drop-off and pick-up service for car rental costs about B$100 per day.

An excellent way to go to Bangar and Temburong from Bandar Seri Begawan is through Water Taxis at the Canal Market or behind Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. There’s rail travel, but it’s not available to the public.

Where to Stay in Brunei

The empire hotel and country club.

Address: Jerudong Negara BG3122, Jerudong, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

Deluxe Room price starts at USD249++ via Agoda

This 5-star hotel is one of the best in Bandar Seri Begawan. It has 518 guestrooms and high-class amenities for guests to enjoy.

There’s actually something for everyone. There are a business center and conference rooms for working guests, a fitness room for guests who want to continue their workout, a kids club for younger ones, and a swimming pool.

The Rizqun International Hotel

Address: Abdul Razak Complex, Gadong, Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

Deluxe room price starts at USD115++ via Agoda

The Rizqun is located inside a large shopping complex. Through this, tourists can enjoy a live setting where they can go to local cafes in the afternoon and have foodie adventures in the night market, which isn’t far away. The hotel is adorned with ornate decorations that feature world-class elegance. It’s near the airport and features luggage storage.

The CentrePoint

Address: Hotel Abdul Razak Complex, Gadong, Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

Deluxe room starts at USD83++ via Agoda

Accommodations in the Hotel include sports activities like tennis or racquetball and dining options at the food court on the ground floor or trying out Italian cuisine at Fratini’s. There are electric stoves and kitchenettes in the executive rooms. The hotel is also located in Gadong’s shopping district, so there’s much to see and buy.

Mulia Hotel

Address: EDR No. BD 30400 Lot No. 31954 Kg Anggerek Desa, Mukim Barakas, Brunei- Muara, Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

Standard room price starts at USD73++ via Agoda

Mulia Hotel offers high-quality accommodation at a much lower price than the first two. The hotel features rooms with big beds, big living rooms, cable TV, and other standard items. Guests can have their currency changed at the travel counter inside the hotel. A salon is located inside the hotel for last-minute beauty services.

Easybox Budget Hotel

Address: No. 4&5 First Floor Block E Abdul Razak, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam, Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei- Muara, BE3159

Standard room price starts at USD20++ via Agoda

The hotel ensures guests get special treatment through their 24-hour front desk. All rooms have free Wi-Fi and a convenience store in the vicinity. It’s in the middle of Gadong, so guests can have access to all that the city has to offer. There are English, Filipino, and Malay language speakers in the hotel.

Qing Yun Rest House

Address: No.16 First floor, Block I, Abdul Razak Complex, Jalan Gadong BE3519, Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan

The standard room price starts at USD25++ via Agoda

Travelers who wish to stay in a budget hotel without sacrificing comfort will find this Rest house ideal. There are non-smoking rooms in the rest house and air-conditioning in some of the rooms. It’s near town facilities for easier access.  They have a taxi service, daily housekeeping, a car park, and free Wi-Fi in all their rooms.

Also Read:  List of the Best Hotels in Bandar Seri Begawan

Where to Eat

Kaizen Sushi Waterfront

Address: Waterfront, BSB or Kiarong Complex, Hassanal Bolkiah Highway

The restaurant overlooks a river. Its serene ambiance is the perfect setting for its menu.  This restaurant serves Japanese food like sushi. It has vegan, Halal, and gluten-free options. Their sashimi looks fresh and sumptuous. Their serving is enough to satisfy cravings. They’re open for families with children, business meetings, special occasions, and large groups.

Roti Culture Brunei

Address: Block H, Unit 8&9, Ground Floor, Gadong, BE3719, Brunei Darussalam

This vibrant restaurant’s history started in the home kitchen of the owners in 2004. Since then, they’ve been serving delicious Roti Prata made by their celebrity chef. The restaurant has received praise from its guests. They serve Indian, Asian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Vegan, and Halal dishes.

It’s a Grind Coffee House

Address: Simpang 13, Berkas, Citi Square/ G20, Ground Floor, Citis Square, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

This coffee shop is an American franchise. They serve espresso-based and non-espresso-based drinks. They have cakes and pastries for guests with sweet teeth but also prepare sandwiches. The café can serve 40 guests and has free Wi-Fi. They also have Halal and vegan options.

Just Momos Nepali Restaurant

Address: Sdn Bhd, Jalan Bunga Tajong/Lot 82 Units A and B, Kuala Belait KA1131, Brunei Darussalam

This is a restaurant of its kind in Kuala Belait town. They serve Nepali/ Tibetan dumplings called momos and Nepali-style fried noodles and fried rice. They do serve other Nepali dishes as well as some Indian dishes. They boast of cooking with no MSG and using only a tiny amount of sunflower or mustard oil.

Where to Shop

There are notable places to shop in Brunei. Below is a list of those places.

Gadong Night Market

What to find

• Street food
• Plenty of shops and some stores which sell Muslim fashion

Hua Ho Department Store

• Daily necessities
• Supermarket
• Household items
• Restaurants
• accessories

Tamu Kianggeh

• street food
• other items

Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex

• budget items

Paul and Elizabeth Book Services

• different kinds of books

Arts and Handicrafts Training Centre

• silverworks
• carved wood
• ceremonial swords
• brass mini-cannons

Things to do and see in Brunei

Brunei is currently improving its tourism efforts, and with this, tourists can take part in tours and take pleasure in what the country has to offer.

Brunei is rich in wildlife and takes pride in its temples and establishments, such as Omar Ali Saifuddien. Below are some of the things you can do while in Brunei.

Pay Respect at the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

Location- Jalan McArthur, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8711, Brunei

This place of Islamic worship is touted as one of the most beautiful mosques in Asia. It’s a major historical site and a renowned tourist attraction.

The building, completed in 1958, is named after Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the country’s 28 th sultan. Visitors can come every day except Thursday and Friday. The entrance fee is free.

Check Out Brunei History Centre and Royal Regalia Museum

Location- Jln James Pearce, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8610, Brunei

The Brunei History Centre is Brunei’s go-to place for historical records and other pertinent details about the country. The construction of the History Centre was approved in 1982 by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

The Brunei History Centre is open every Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 7:45am-12:15pm and 1:30pm-4:30pm. The entrance fee is free.

The Royal Regalia Museum (formerly Royal Regalia Building) houses ceremonial objects of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the royal family. Visitors can also see the exhibits about the Silver and Golden Jubilee celebration of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s rule.

Water Taxi Your Way to Kampong Ayer

The settlement features clusters of traditional stilt villages on the Brunei River. It’s often called the “Venice of the East” and used to be the country’s main settlement.

It was the principal settlement in Brunei before serving as a social and economic center. The water village can be reached by water taxis.

Experience the Gadong Night Market

Location-  Simpang 37, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Pasar Gadong, or Night Market, is a busy place where visitors can enjoy street foods like chicken wings, fried kuey teow, meat satays, sweet pancakes with peanuts, raisins, and sugar fillings, etc. What’s tempting about all the food served there is that they make it after your order. Dishes usually cost B$1-B$3. The night market opens from 4pm until 12 midnight.

Experience Nature at Ulu Temburong National Park

Don’t miss the chance to see what nature in Brunei looks like. It’s located within Apoi Forest Reserve, and you’ll see a virgin forest called the “Green Jewel of Brunei.” Many fruiting figs and common plants like ginger, begonias, and aroids abound in the park, while different types of mammals, reptiles, butterflies, insects, and birds can be seen.

Location- Jln Sungai Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8111, Brunei

The marketplace opens early, and you can buy local vegetables like pucuk piai, langkubok, and lamiding. Other more familiar vegetables can be bought, like bamboo shoots and chilies. They also sell herbs, spices, dried fish, fermented fish, and shrimp. Some non-food products tourists can buy as souvenirs are parang (machete-like knife) and decorative food covers. There is plenty more to believe in this place.

Visit Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque (Kiarong Mosque)

Location- Kampung Kiarong, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

This impressive Islamic temple has 29 golden domes in honor of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s spot as Brunei’s 29 th ruler. The mosque was built in 1992 and features minarets and woven rugs in the men’s prayer hall. The towering house of prayer is so lavishly designed that tourists won’t miss it even from afar. The entrance fee is free.

Take a Look at Istana Nurul Iman Palace

Location- Jln Menteri Besar, Bandar Seri Begawan BA2112, Brunei

This is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, and it’s the seat of the country’s government. Brunei River cradles the palace, which is often the location for state celebrations. It’s called the “world’s largest residential palace.” Istana Nurul Iman comes from Istana (Malay word) and Nur-ol Imaan (Arabic word), which means the Palace of the Light of Faith.

Book Tutong River Cruise

The river cruise will take tourists to a mangrove river and possibly the endangered Proboscis monkeys. Tourists will be picked up by the designated driver from their hotel and taken to the tour’s meeting place. They will then ride a pontoon boat to see Nipah palm trees, sea eagles, Kingfishers, white egrets, and long-tail macaques. They might catch a glimpse of saltwater crocodiles and langurs.

Is it safe to travel to Brunei?

With very few negative travel advisories against Brunei, Brunei is one of Southeast Asia’s safest countries to visit. With low crime rates, those traveling solo can always feel safe while roaming in Bandar Seri Begawan, even at night.

Brunei Sample Itinerary 2N/3D

10:05 pm – Arrived at Bandar Seri Begawan 11:35 pm – Arrived at the hotel 6:00 am – Eat breakfast 8:00 am – Visit Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque (open daily except for Thursday and Friday morning; the entrance fee is free) 10:00 am – Visit Brunei History Centre and Royal Regalia Museum (located near each other) 12:00 NN – Have lunch 2:00 pm – Visit Kampong Ayer (can be reached through water taxis) 7:00 pm onwards – Visit the Gadong Night Market (street foods and other items)

6:00 am – Eat breakfast 7:30 am to 5:00 pm – Take a day tour of Ulu Temburong National Park (see native wildlife) 6:00 pm – Eat dinner 8:00 pm onwards – Have a drink or two

6:00 am – Eat breakfast 7:00 am – Visit Tamu Kianggeh 8:30 am – Visit Jame Asr Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque (Kiarong Mosque, the entrance fee is free) 9:30 am – Go to Istana Nurul Iman Palace 12:00 NN – Eat lunch 1:00 pm – Visit shopping areas 3:00 pm 6:30 pm – Join Tutong Proboscis Monkey Cruise 7:00 pm – Eat Dinner 8:00 pm – Get ready for departure 10:00 – Flight to Manila

Important Brunei Travel Tips

• Book a car or taxi in advance to get to the places you need to go to
• Take advantage of the places where you can visit for free
• You can use the wooden walkways instead of hiring water taxis to visit water villages (in case you’re on a tight budget)

Important Contact Infos

In another country, it’s essential to know some agencies’ contact details like the tourism office, hospital, and police department.

Brunei Tourism Website: www.tourism.gov.bn Tel: +673 2382 822

Brunei Police Department Website: www.police.gov.bn Telephone: +673-2242334

Ministry of Health, Brunei: www.moh.gov.bn Ambulance:991 Fire & Rescue: 995 Police: 993 Search & Rescue: 998 Talian Darussalam: 123

Searching for the best hotels, resorts, and affordable flights to Brunei? Check out our list of best Brunei hotels and resorts  via  Agoda  and Booking , or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.

Want more updates about the best activities and tourist attractions in Brunei? Follow #TeamOutofTown,  on  Facebook , Twitter ,  Instagram , and  Pinterest for Brunei Travel Guide updates and local travel recommendations.

• Top 5 Reasons Why I Want To Visit Brunei!
• Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque: Cotabato City’s Golden Mosque

Written by Melo Villareal

Melo Villareal is the Online Publisher of Outoftownblog.com. He is an Accountant by profession who left the corporate world at the age of 23 to explore his beautiful country and the rest of the world. Today, Melo works as a part-time Social Media Manager for local and international clients. His full-time work focuses on discovering interesting culture, explore different cuisines and take memorable photos from local and international destinations he's visiting.

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20 Must-Visit Attractions in Brunei

The Sultanate of Brunei is known for mosques, virgin rainforest and the world’s largest floating village. Here are our top 20 attractions in Brunei for tourists staying in Bandar Seri Begawan on a stopover to those exploring the best of the country.

1. omar ali saifuddien mosque.

The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan is the most striking image of Brunei . An artificial lagoon-cum-reflecting pool surrounds the mosque which overlooks the Brunei River and Kampong Ayer. This is one of the most Instagramable attractions in Brunei.

2. Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

The second of Brunei’s grand mosques sits a few kilometres from the city centre. With the title as the country’s largest mosque, it’s a favourite stop on short itineraries to Bandar Seri Begawan. But because of its size, you might have difficulties finding the perfect photograph!

Kampong Ayer

Always featured among the top attractions in Brunei, Kampong Ayer provides an experience found nowhere else on the planet. The historical floating village consists of more than 40 smaller settlements connected with a maze-like network of wooden boardwalks. A total of 13,000 residents live inside Kampong Ayer who have their own schools, mosques and shops. Speedboats cost approximately B$1 ($0.66 USD) to ferry residents and tourists to the world’s largest stilted village.

Bandar Seri Begawan Waterfront

Hugging the banks of the Brunei River, The Waterfront is an ideal place for a pleasant evening stroll. Apart from views of the river and Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, this is our favourite place to get photographs of Kampong Ayer.

3. Istana Nurul Iman

With almost 1,800 rooms, the Istana Nurul Iman is officially the world’s largest house. The Sultan’s palace lies a short drive from Bandar Seri Begawan’s city centre. Featuring as a favourite stop for day trippers, appreciating the vast size and splendour gives you an idea of the Sultan’s wealth. Tourists can’t go inside apart from during Hari Raya. Take photographs from the nearby river or park.

4. Royal Regalia Museum

After seeing the palace, head to the Royal Regalia Museum and see his collection of gifts. From a giant chariot used in his silver jubilee to countless jewels and gold, the free museums offer a glimpse into the luxurious lifestyle of a Sultan.

5. Malay Technology Museum

Another must-visit attraction in Brunei for those looking to learn about the country’s culture. Several rooms have displays on Malay and Bruneian ethnography including a collection of traditional costumes. Others show how residents live in the floating village. Expect to spend approximately one hour at this museum.

6. Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum rarely features on the list of top attractions in Brunei, but we think it deserves a special mention. Located some six kilometres (3.7 miles) from the Waterfront in Kota Batu, it makes a perfect cultural combination with the Malay Technology Museum. Three galleries cover maritime trading history in the region as well as displaying artefacts recovered from a nearby shipwreck.

7. Twelve Roofs House

The former High Commissioner’s house is one of Brunei’s oldest buildings. Dating back to 1906, the colonial structure has deep ties to imperial Britain. After gaining their independence in 1984, the Twelve Roofs House has since become a museum. Inside, you’ll learn about the friendly relationship between Britain and Brunei and the Queen and the Sultan. We suggest visiting to appreciate the style of architecture and learn more about the evolution of modern-day Brunei.

8. Tasek Lama Recreational Park

Hiking Trail, Natural Feature

Tasek Lama sits a few kilometres north of Bandar Seri Begawan and provides a slice of nature in the heart of the city. Apart from a favourite picnicking spot for local families, the park has short trails through the jungle. Expect to spend an hour or two appreciating the rainforest habitat, snapping photos from viewing platforms and admiring the waterfalls.

9. Taman Persiaran Damuan Park

Park, Forest

We recommend this park as one of the top attractions in Brunei for every visitor to the country. Stretching along the Brunei River, the park is a haven for locals and families in the evening. The island in the centre houses monkeys including the endemic and endangered Proboscis Monkeys.

10. Muara Beach

Natural Feature

Brunei’s best beach is approximately 30 minutes by car from Bandar Seri Begawan. The clean stretch of coastline and adjacent parks has several benches for picnics, a jogging trail and a prime position to see Borneo’s famous sunset. Why not combine a day at the beach with a sunset picnic? But remember to respect local customs and leave the speedos and bikinis in the hotel.

11. Jerudong Park Playground

Amusement Park

When Jerudong Park opened in 1994, it was one of the largest theme parks in Asia. But after a lack of investment, it dwindled to a fraction of its former size. Despite having just a few rides and being rather uninspiring by European standards, it still gets classified as one of the top attractions in Brunei in guidebooks. We suggest considering a trip here if you’re visiting with children.

12. Gadong Night Market

Every evening at 4pm, Gadong Night Markets officially opens. Stalls sell local dishes including grilled fish and chicken. Because Bandar Seri Begawan gets so few tourists, the night market retains an authentic flair. If you want to soak up a bit of the Bruneian culture and taste regional cuisine, head to Gadong. Try nasi katok (steamed rice and Bruneian-style fried chicken with a spicy sauce).

13. Tamu Kianggeh Market

Located near the Brunei River, Tamu Kianggeh sells fruit, veggies and fish. Other stalls have locally-made handicraft and souvenirs catering towards the stopover tourists in Bandar Seri Begawan. This is also our favourite place in the city to buy fresh tropical fruit.

14. Ulu Temburong National Park

Hiking Trail, Forest, Park

Brunei’s first national park opened in 1991 in Temburong District. The vast protected area consistently features as one of the top attractions in Brunei for ecotourism. Unlike their Bornean neighbours, the Sultanate’s rainforests remain intact in a type of state-sponsored conservation. Visitors can hike jungle trails, get views of the rainforest from canopy walks and see some of the island’s wildlife.

15. Billionth Barrel Monument

The monument in Seria near the border with Sarawak commemorates Brunei’s production of its billionth barrel of oil. Offshore oil drives Brunei’s economy making it one of the wealthiest nations in Southeast Asia. Stop by for half an hour when passing between Miri and Brunei’s capital. But unless you have a car, it might not be worth the effort to travel from Bandar Seri Begawan specifically to see this monument.

16. Tasek Merimbun

Park, Natural Feature

Brunei’s largest lake sits some 70 kilometres (43 miles) from Bandar Seri Begawan. The ‘S’-shaped lake supports a variety of flora and fauna including a rare species of fruit bat. Apart from snapping photographs and enjoying the environment, tourists can take boat trips and visit the two lake islands. Because of its proximity to Tutong Town, why not visit both the lake and Seri Kenangan Beach as part of the same trip?

17. Pantai Seri Kenangan

In English, Pantai Seri Kanangan translates to ‘Unforgettable Beach’. The stretch of orange sand is sandwiched between the rough waters of the South China Sea and the relatively calm Tutong River. The best time to enjoy this attraction in Brunei is with a late afternoon picnic or during the sunset.

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Guides & Tips

How to navigate transport in bandar seri begawan, brunei.

How to Navigate Transport in Brunei

Architecture

The most beautiful mosques in brunei.

The History of Brunei's Royal Family

Welcome to Kampong Ayer: The World's Largest Floating Village

Restaurants

Top restaurants in bandar seri begawan, brunei.

See & Do

The most beautiful places to visit in brunei.

Bars & Cafes

The best coffee shops in bandar seri begawan, brunei.

How to Spend 48 Hours in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

A Guide to Brunei's Ulu Temburong National Park

10 Must-Visit Attractions in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

The Top 10 Things to Do in Brunei

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COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

Brunei travel advice

Latest updates: The Health section was updated - travel health information (Public Health Agency of Canada)

Last updated: March 13, 2024 14:33 ET

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Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, brunei - take normal security precautions.

Take normal security precautions in Brunei

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Violent crime is rare.

Petty crime, such as break-ins and theft, occurs. Crime increases in July when school is out of session, and during the December holidays.

Ensure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times. Do not leave possessions in unattended vehicles.

If you intend on trekking in the rainforest:

• use recognized and well-known guides
• stay on the footpaths
• ensure that your physical condition is good enough to meet the challenges of your activity
• ensure that you’re properly equipped and well informed about weather and other conditions that may pose a hazard
• inform a family member or friend of your trekking area, including when you expect to return from your activity
• obtain detailed information on trekking routes before setting out and do not venture off marked paths

Brunei Tourism – Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism

Road safety

Road conditions and road safety are good throughout the country.

Speeding, running red lights and distracted driving are common traffic infractions. In case of an accident, remain at the scene and do not move your vehicle until police arrive.

You can get a self-drive rental or chauffeur-driven car from major hotels and the airport. You should make arrangements for this before you arrive.

Public transportation

Buses operate between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. but are infrequent.

Public bus route – Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications

You can usually get a metered taxi at hotels, shopping centres and the airport. Your hotel can arrange for a taxi or provide a taxi driver’s cell-phone number. Some drivers will negotiate a fare.

Water taxis are the most common form of transport to and from Kampong Ayer. Fares are negotiable.

Brunei Metered Taxi - Land Transport Department of Brunei

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Bruneian authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Brunei.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Tourist visa: required for stays of more than 14 days Business visa: required for stays of more than 14 days Student visa: required

If you need a visa, you must have at least 6 blank pages in your passport.

Visa information – Ministry of Foreign Affairs Brunei

E-Arrival Card

You must register and get approved for an E-Arrival Card before arriving in Brunei by air, land or sea. If you arrived in Brunei before February 9, 2023, and didn't get an E-Arrival Card, you will need to get one before leaving Brunei. The E-Arrival Card is separate from any visa requirements.

You are exempt from this requirement if you are transiting through Brunei.

• Register for the E-Arrival Card online – Brunei’s Immigration and National Registration System portal
• Guidelines for E-Arrival Card - Government of Brunei

Health screening

You will not be allowed entry into Brunei if you have HIV/AIDS or any other communicable disease. You will be asked to complete a health declaration form upon entry.

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever   is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from or have transited through an airport of a country   where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is not recommended.
• Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
• Contact a designated  Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre  well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada * It is important to note that  country entry requirements  may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest  diplomatic or consular office  of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection that can cause swelling of the brain.  It is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Risk is very low for most travellers. Travellers at relatively higher risk may want to consider vaccination for JE prior to travelling.

Travellers are at higher risk if they will be:

• travelling long term (e.g. more than 30 days)
• making multiple trips to endemic areas
• staying for extended periods in rural areas
• visiting an area suffering a JE outbreak
• engaging in activities involving high contact with mosquitos (e.g., entomologists)

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that is caused by parasites spread through the bites of mosquitoes.   Limited malaria transmission may occur in this destination, but risk to travellers is very low.    Antimalarial medication is not recommended for most travellers. Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic before travelling to discuss your options. It is recommended to do this 6 weeks before travel, however, it is still a good idea any time before leaving.    Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times: 

• Cover your skin and use an approved insect repellent on uncovered skin.
• Exclude mosquitoes from your living area with screening and/or closed, well-sealed doors and windows.
• Use insecticide-treated bed nets if mosquitoes cannot be excluded from your living area.
• Wear permethrin-treated clothing. 

If you develop symptoms similar to malaria when you are travelling or up to a year after you return home, see a health care professional immediately. Tell them where you have been travelling or living. 

In this destination, rabies  may be present in some wildlife species, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. 

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. 

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who will be working directly with wildlife. 

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

There is a risk of chikungunya in this country.  The risk may vary between regions of a country.  Chikungunya is a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Chikungunya can cause a viral disease that typically causes fever and pain in the joints. In some cases, the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times. There is no vaccine available for chikungunya.

• In this country,   dengue  is a risk to travellers. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
• Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
• The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
• Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by bacteria and usually affects the lungs.

For most travellers the risk of tuberculosis is low.

Travellers who may be at high risk while travelling in regions with risk of tuberculosis should discuss pre- and post-travel options with a health care professional.

High-risk travellers include those visiting or working in prisons, refugee camps, homeless shelters, or hospitals, or travellers visiting friends and relatives.

Medical services and facilities

Medical facilities are good, but medical evacuation to Singapore may be necessary for serious medical problems.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Death is the mandatory penalty for many narcotics offences, including trafficking controlled drugs, even in very small amounts.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

You can't purchase alcohol in Brunei and the import of alcohol is strictly regulated.

• Narcotics Control Bureau  - Government of Brunei
• Import regulations - Ministry of Finance of Brunei

Illegal activities

The following activities are illegal and convicted offenders can face severe penalties:

• possession of pornographic material
• possession of firearms, weapons and related accessories
• photography of government and military establishments or equipment
• persuading or inciting a Muslim to neglect their religious duties
• promoting any religion other than Islam

Overstaying a visa

Immigration regulations are strict. Foreign workers who overstay their visas face harsh penalties, including jail sentences and caning. If you’re working in Brunei, closely monitor your immigration status and visa expiration dates.

Extramarital relations

Extramarital relations and public displays of affection between a Muslim and non-Muslim may be considered a crime in Brunei.

Sharia penal code

The Sharia penal code applies regardless of a person’s religion or nationality. Penalties for certain offences can be severe, and can include physical punishment and the death penalty. Penalties may be applied for certain offences that would not be considered criminal in Canada. Brunei’s existing civil penal code and civil courts will continue to function in parallel with the Sharia penal code and Sharia Court.

Sharia penal code - Attorney General’s Chambers

In 2024, the lunar month of Ramadan is expected to begin on or around March 10.

In public, between sunrise and sunset, refrain from:

Discussing royal family

Avoid any public criticism of His Majesty the Sultan or other members of the Bruneian royal family.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers

Bruneian law prohibits sexual acts between individuals of the same sex. Those convicted can face severe penalties, including the death penalty.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Brunei.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in Brunei.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of Brunei, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

Travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and Brunei.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Brunei by an abducting parent:

• act as quickly as you can
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Brunei to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre.

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country’s judicial affairs.

• International Child Abduction: A Guidebook for Left-Behind Parents
• Travelling with children
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Emergency Watch and Response Centre

Traffic drives on the left.

Foreigners holding a driving permit issued by a country that is party to the Geneva Convention may convert that permit to a Brunei permit that can be used for up to one year.

You should carry an international driving permit.

International Driving Permit

Land Transport Department - Government of Brunei

The currency in Brunei is the Brunei dollar.

Earthquakes

Brunei is located in an active seismic zone. However, earthquakes and volcano activity are not common.

Rainy/monsoon seasons

The rainy (or monsoon) seasons occur from September to January and from May to July. During these periods, even small storms can quickly develop into major ones. These severe rainstorms can put you at risk and hamper the provision of essential services. They may also cause flooding and landslides.

If you decide to travel to Brunei during the monsoon seasons:

• know that you expose yourself to serious safety risks
• be prepared to change your travel plans on short notice, including cutting short or cancelling your trip
• stay informed of the latest regional weather forecasts
• carry emergency contact information for your airline or tour operator
• follow the advice and instructions of local authorities
• Tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons
• Large-scale emergencies abroad
• Local weather updates - Brunei Meteorological Department

Unrestricted burning in neighbouring Indonesia periodically causes atmospheric pollution to rise to unhealthy levels. Pollutant standard index levels (PSI reading) change quickly and you should closely monitor them by consulting local news and weather reports.

PSI readings - Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation of Brunei

Local services

• police: 993
• medical assistance: 991
• firefighters: 995
• search & rescue: 998

Consular assistance

The High Commission of Canada in Brunei is currently offering consular services by appointment only at the British High Commission in Brunei. If you need consular assistance, contact us by email to make an appointment, or book an appointment online .

For emergency consular assistance, call the High Commission of Canada in Brunei and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

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Activities at Freme Rainforest Lodge

Here at Freme we are extremely proud of our lodge and Adventure Park. Situated on the banks of the Temburong River the lodge is a great place to experience the natural wonderland that is the Borneo rainforest

Morning Tea

Canopy Walk

Wall Climbing

Customers Feedback on Brunei Tours

Testimonials.

 I am Super Satisfied with the facilities provided by Freme Rainforest Lodge Temburong. I enjoyed everything!

Keep it up the standard, Indian style cuisine around the afternoon was finger-licking utterly, utterly delicious. I ate at least 2 plates ( Min & his team were excellent).

Sgt Mimlal Thapa

Excellent package, friendly staff + a wonderful experience that we + the kids will remember for a very long time.

Our favourite is Kayaking and Canopy walking + asking Questions about the forest and Iban culture. With Freme Iban Guides, Their knowledge and attitude make the trip better with Freme than other operators.

Stephanie & Jeff Barrus

I really enjoyed the canopy walk, waterfalls and water activities. Sunset too! I wish we could have done the night walk but the weather last night wasn’t good.

Thank you so much for your help in the planning for the trip to HCMC. Overall, we had a great time together 🙂

Group Trip to Vietnam

Really enjoyed the Rafting – Longboat, Flying-fox, Abseiling and cooling down in the waterfall. Overall excellent activities and service

Maita Gunung

The guide was very patient with our children and showed them how to write the rocks and build rock towers. We loved the kayaking and ziplining, my 4 year old squealed with delight.

Garret Flynn

We all enjoyed our one-day Temburong trip. The good memories we brought back will stay with us for many years to come. We will not hesitate to recommend our friends to join Freme for this trip.

Ms Phang and PTY

The whole day was excellent! We can’t pick just one activity. The food was delicious and the guide was helpful. The boat was masterfully steered. Everything was awesome!

It was fun & everyone was so friendly.  We are sad that we have to leave. Keep doing all that you are doing. You bring joy!

Our friendly tour guide, Aqilah showed us all the interesting parts of the trip.

It was perfect!

Stefan Peters & Group

After 4 months apart, my husband and I  had a wonderful trip to Singapore, Malaysia, and Qatar. Visiting wonderful attractions, great selections of hotels, and accompanied by drivers and guides with great professionalism and human quality. Thank you for everyone’s dedication to their task but also for going the extra mile to look after us each step of the way was fabulous.

Sara M.Vargas

The service is really great! Keep up the good work. Very friendly staff. Strongly recommend doing the Rafting when the water current is good. unfortunately, ours is not as extreme as we want due to low-level water current.

Ms Zakirah Hussin

The tour is very well organised. It is perfectly planned with lots of activity. We love that it does not disrupt nature & that it is run by local people who are very kind, knowledgeable and accommodating.

Charlotte & Chris

Very kind Tour Guides & Very accommodating staff.

Our tour guide Sufi is five-star!

Ciara Higgins

The friendliness of our tour guide (Min) to show us everything the view from canopy walkway was superb. Rafting was good fun, a very enjoyable experience. A friendly & confident tour guide, tree top walk was great and waterfall visit highlight.

The whole tour was excellent, especially the boat tour, Canopy and Multi-tower activity. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The food was excellent. Personnel were excellent and good service.

Enjoyed the arrangement by Freme! Well done! We’re most satisfied. Keep it up!

Siti Hafsah

The Longboat ride on the river was very enjoyable. The quaint and peaceful outdoors, and the freezing cold waterfall. The kids really enjoyed the Flying Fox and tower activities. Two Thumbs up!

Excellent Service. Tour Guide in particular was so polite and helpful. Overall Good Customer Service, able activity coordinators and good value for money.

Sightseeing and learning more about the rocks and stones in Temburong. It was a safe trip, although there were high elements (canopy walk and obstacles (waterfall).

I really enjoyed the boat trip and water activities. Lunch was very good. The tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable.

Very Beautiful!

Yu Wen Juan

We love hiking, boating, rock climbing, BBQ, and ziplining. Nice food and very polite and helpful staff.

Dhirendra Rai

Such beautiful scenery and friendly guides~

We loved the longboat trip to Ulu-Ulu Temburong National Park, Jungle Trekking and Canoeing.

Lee Ruh Chung

The Tour guides were knowledgeable, polite and kind, very helpful as well. One small suggestion, Have some more rubber shoes for guests. other than that everything was excellent!

Dr. Asif & Family

We love Everything, Punctual & Organized

Abdul Aziz Johari

Honestly, I’ve been to 154 countries and Zul & Sugu were among the most informative, knowledgeable and professional guides I’ve ever had. Also very personable and relaxed. Thanks to all!

David Clarke

Tour Guide and Staff are very friendly. Excellent Food. Lodge was very hygienic and comfortable

Leong Mong Seng

Our favourite is the zipline!

Rebecca Dillon

Gratitude to all the staff who guided us. James, Robby, Hasban.  Thank you so so much for your amazing guide! We truly enjoyed the tours, and the experience you provided made us a big fan of Brunei! I definitely will recommend your tour to my friends 🙂

We love the coffee with a sunrise walk.

Ravi Karsan

It was great to learn about local Iban culture, including during our herbal medicine walk. The zipline was also lots of fun. Staff were very flexible – particularly in response to the rain, thank you.

Leli Australia HC

Awesome Hospitality. Great coverage of activities – Trail to canopy, 1 waterfall, Great Food!.

Azlin Zulkifli

We love all activities and Foods!

Tini Rostika And Eviana Tengah

We love the Butterflies, bugs, dragonflies, waterfall and more!

Ross Bannister

I enjoyed the whole day. the canopy walk & I really like the kayaking. All the staff I met and talked to were very friendly.

Ms. Danielle

Our Favorite is the Dinner & Breakfast also the hospitality demonstrated by the staff was above my expectation.

Sagar Gurung

We love riding the longboat, Going to waterfalls, and Rafting down the river.

Hye Ran Cho

I enjoyed the waterfalls, food service and more. Our tour guide was really friendly and made sure all of our safety. I hope to visit here again for next year.

Nursyafiqah Basirah

Boat trip into virgin rainforest was spectacular. The waterfalls was really cold & refreshing – freezing!

Joseph Heath

Thank you for arranging the trip to National Park Ulu Temburong, we really enjoyed the program – the boat ride, Canopy Walk, the waterfalls, rafting & lunch. I really appreciate the personal attention that you gave to us & the VIP treatment. We definitely come again, perhaps in different itinerary.

H.E Dato' Reza

Rafting was the best part for me!

Cwhoting Sherpa

We enjoyed the canopy tower & Rafting. It was really good and we took a lot of nice photos. Really good Adventure!

Then & Alvin

Longboats + waterfalls are our favourites.

Charlotte Ashodi

Everything was great 😉 + very nice bus driver 😊 # Great Vegetarian meal!

We enjoyed everything! Swimming in the river, absorbing the sceneries & clear water during the boat ride. Being on the flying-fox and enjoying the sceneries at the canopy. Keep up the Great work!

Nicole Amma

The whole tour, from the longboat ride to the flying-fox. Everything was fun!

Md Aiman Ifwad

We love the temuai(longboats) ride & Morning hill view and everything

Hanafiah Moksin

Can't find what you're looking for, reach out to our agents now.

• Address: Unit 404B-408B Wisma Jaya, Jalan Pemancha,P.O. Box 3075, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam
• [email protected] [Bandar]
• [email protected] [Seria]
• [email protected] [KB]
• [email protected] [Outbound]
• [email protected] [Inbound]
• +(673) 2234277 [Bandar]
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• +(673) 3335025 [KB]
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RB ITALIA Blog

14 Countries You Probably Haven't Heard Of But Need To Visit This Year

Posted: April 6, 2024 | Last updated: April 6, 2024

Located in southeast Asia, Brunei is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and boasts gorgeous landscapes. Tourists can explore Omar’Ali Saifuddien Mosque, boat over the Kampong Ayer River, and take canopy walks in Ulu Temburong National Park.

A small archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, Vanuatu brings colorful reefs and volcanic sites. Tourists visiting Vanuatu can climb Mount Yasur, hike the Millennium Cave, or dip their toes at its beaches. They can even visit local coffee plantations and learn how the local coffee is grown.

A quaint Oceania country, Kiribati has pristine beaches and diverse wildlife. Tourists can explore frigate bird colonies, snorkel in protected areas, and even join and learn about a Te Aba, a traditional Kiribati dance performance.

An underrated gem in Central Asia, Tajikistan boasts breathtaking mountain ranges and stunning landscapes and invites tourists to learn about its rich history. Tourists can trek the Fann Mountains, visit Khujand Bazaar, and explore Hisor fortress, among many other lesser-known attractions.

Straddling eastern Europe and western Asia, Azerbaijan brings the best of both worlds. Tourists must visit Baku to see UNESCO-listed architecture, such as Shirvanshah’s Palace and Maiden Tower. Azerbaijani mud volcanoes and Gobustan Rock Art engravings are also worth the visit.

An overseas French department, Mayotte invites tourists to explore a mix of French, African, and Malagasy cultures. The locality is famous for Mayotte's Coconi Mangrove forest, hiking to the volcanic Mount Tchoungui, and snorkeling in its infamous Le Lagon Maoré.

A small island country in Oceania, Nauru offers a rich culture with stunning beaches and gorgeous bays. Tourists can explore the local freshwater Buada Lagoon and snorkel in Anibare Bay. They can even view WW2 relics at Command Ridge.

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is a small landlocked country in West Africa with stunning landscapes and unique culture. The UNESCO-listed Ruins of Loropeni are a popular tourist spot in Burkina Faso. You can also head to Banfora to explore local waterfalls.

Ivory Coast

Another West African delight, the Ivory Coast is home to rainforests, coastal areas, and savannahs. Tourists can enjoy stunning beaches along the Gulf of Guinea and explore wildlife at the Comoe National Park.

Straddling the Pacific Ocean, this small town welcomes visitors to enjoy its tranquil coral reefs. Tourists can attend the Tuvalu Arts and Culture Festival, explore local cuisine, and go island hopping across atolls.

Located in the Pyrenees bordering France and Spain, Andorra offers stunning mountain ranges, perfect for skiing and snowboarding. Tourists can also explore the capital city, Andorra la Vella, famous for its exquisite architecture.

Liechtenstein

Situated in the Alps between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein boasts snowy mountain peaks, prehistoric castles, stunning hiking trails, and a rich culture. Tourists can visit the Gutenberg Castle, Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Kathedrale St. Florin, and the quaint cafes across the town.

Palau is an island country in Oceania famous for its jellyfish lake, pristine marine environment, and sustainable tourism practices. Palau offers a plethora of scuba diving opportunities, with Blue Corner Wall ranked among the top five dive sites in the world. Visitors can also enjoy kayak tours and visit museums and historical attractions dating back to 2000 years ago.

Not many people are aware of this landlocked country in Southern Africa. Eswatini boasts vibrant cultural festivals, wildlife reserves, and the Malolotja Canopy Tour, one of Africa’s longest ziplines.

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This article was first published at Rbitaliablog .

The post 14 Countries You Probably Haven’t Heard Of But Need To Visit This Year appeared first on RB Italia Blog .

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A Brunei firm has proposed the first high-speed rail network in Borneo to shorten travel between Kalimantan, Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.

Brunergy Utama Sdn Bhd’s Trans-Borneo Railways (TBR) project route will span 1,620km and trains will travel at speeds of between 300 and 350kph.

According to its website, stations will be an estimated...

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No plans for Trans-Borneo Railway yet, Brunei govt clarifies

Thursday, 04 Apr 2024

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Blood supplies running critically low in brunei, donors needed urgently, says health ministry, brunei govt says no company has been appointed to undertake trans-borneo railway project.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) in a statement on Thursday (April 4) said that the Brunei Government has not offered or appointed any local or foreign company to undertake the Trans-Borneo Railway project.

The statement was issued following recent discussions surrounding the project that has garnered widespread attention, both domestically and in neighbouring countries, through various news and social media platforms.

The ministry also clarified that there have been no official discussions at the governmental level regarding the matter, including among the states and relevant stakeholders.

ALSO READ: Jakarta has ‘no idea’ about Brunei HSR network

Given the scale of the project, the ministry said it would necessitate commitment from each respective government before any further action is taken.

The ministry emphasised the importance of exercising caution when interpreting information and urged the public to scrutinise and verify any received information.

“This is important to avoid any misunderstandings and maintaining the stability and harmony of society and the nation,” it added in the statement.

Brunergy Utama Sdn Bhd, a company reportedly based in Brunei, claimed recently on its website that it would implement the US$70 billion project which aims to establish Borneo’s inaugural high-speed bullet train network connecting Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak, and Kalimantan in two phases involving a route spanning over 1,600km with trains capable of reaching speeds up to 350 km per hour. The details also went viral on social media.

The Malaysian government on Tuesday also denied any involvement or discussions on the project.

Malaysian Minister of Transport Anthony Loke said the project is still a proposal and has not been offered to any company, while also advising all parties including companies to be wary in announcing major projects, adding that any mega projects are only considered valid if the government announces them.

The company’s website appears to be inaccessible as it is under maintenance as of Thursday. - Borneo Bulleting/ANN

Tags / Keywords: Brunei , HSR , Trans-Borneo Railway

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