Brunei Darussalam

Overview

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".

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.

Experiences

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.

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.

Diving is very reasonable, averaging $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.

Culture and food

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. The most popular local cuisines are Malay and Chinese and are largely identical to what you get across the border in Malaysia: see Cuisine of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei for a detailed guide.

A Brunei specialty is 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.

Brunei's national dish is ambuyat , a culinary experience unique to Borneo. It is a starchy, gooey and virtually tasteless paste made from sago eaten with special linked chopsticks called chandas : you spin them around to collect a bundle of ambuyat and dip it in a savoury sauce. Despite the national dish status, ambuyat is not terribly common (the locals prefer rice), but there are a few specialty restaurants that serve it.

Since Brunei is Muslim, nearly all food sold in the country is halal , the exception being most Chinese food stalls and restaurants, which are allowed to sell pork.

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.

Planning your route

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 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.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.