BEST THINGS TO DO IN BRUNEI: BORNEO’S HIDDEN GEM

Known for its vast oil wealth, strict islamic law, and one of the world’s longest reigning monarchs, Brunei is a tiny sultanate in Northwest Borneo that will definitely pique the interest of curious travelers.

When we first started planning our trip, Brunei wasn’t really on our list. Many blogs and travel forums advise against visiting due to the fact that Sharia law is practiced there. Others describe it as a boring place with nothing to do. At first, we were pretty sure we were going to skip it. However, as we got closer, we became increasingly curious to see what it is actually like. We decided to give it a shot—and found a reality very different from what is often portrayed in the media.

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BEST THINGS TO DO IN BRUNEI

TAKE A BOAT TO SEE THE SULTAN’S PALACE AND THE PROBOSCIS MONKEYS

The Sultan of Brunei is known for his opulence, and his palace is no different. Istana Nurul Iman, the world’s largest residential palace, boasts 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms, and a private mosque capable of accommodating 1,500 worshippers. Yes, you read that right. If you’re lucky enough to be in town during Hari Raya—the Muslim festival that marks the end of Ramadan—the Sultan opens the palace doors for about two days, allowing everyone in the country to come in and enjoy a feast. You’ll also have the chance to shake hands with the Sultan if you’re male or with the Raja Isteri (First Lady) if you’re female. However, be aware that several locals mentioned the queues to enter the palace can take hours. If you’re not in town during this time or don’t want to wait, we recommend heading to the pier in downtown BSB and speaking to a local boatman for a tour.

I can guarantee it won’t be hard to find someone to take you. As soon as you cross the street from the mall to the waterfront, near Kaizen Sushi, a few people will quickly approach you offering tours. If you’re budget-conscious, I recommend declining the offers from individuals on the sidewalk and walking closer to the actual boats. We were originally quoted 60 BND two days in a row on the sidewalk, but as soon as we got closer to the boatmen, one of them offered to take us for 30. The price is per boat, not per person, and 30 BND seemed like a fair deal, so we didn’t bother haggling.

The tour lasts about 2 hours and truly highlights why Brunei is such a fascinating place. You start with a quick look at Kampong Ayer, the world’s largest stilt village (more on this below). Chances are, your boatman/guide lives there, so feel free to ask them questions—we found Bruneians to be some of the friendliest people we’ve met in our travels. Next, you’ll head toward the mangroves. Along the way, you’ll get a nice view of the palace. Within minutes, you’ll find yourself surrounded by untouched jungle, with a good chance of spotting one of Borneo’s endemic and most beloved animals, the proboscis monkey.

Being on the river at noon, we were worried it might be too hot to spot any wildlife, but we ended up seeing over 15 proboscis monkeys in two different areas. We later learned that these monkeys live in the trees along the river, making them fairly easy to spot at any time of day.

We also caught sight of a few beautiful stork-billed kingfishers. Crocodiles are often seen here too, so you might get lucky. Experiencing Brunei’s stunning natural wonders just a short boat ride from the capital was truly magical, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting.

VISIT KAMPONG AYER, THE WORLD’S LARGEST STILT VILLAGE

Kampong Ayer consists of 42 stilt villages connected by a network of walkways spanning several kilometers. Home to about 40,000 people, it’s a fully functional community with mosques, schools, a fire station, and various shops and restaurants. It’s a fascinating place to explore on foot, and you might even find some locals striking up a conversation out of curiosity

To get to this must see spot in Brunei, simply go to pier mentioned before and ask to be taken across the river. The fare is 1BND per person. When you are ready to leave simply wave to one of the boatmen on the other side of the river or ask a local for help, this is especially useful at nightime.

TRY AMBUYAT, BRUNEI’S NATIONAL DISH

Local food is a great way to connect with the culture and people of a place, offering a fuller travel experience. If trying new foods is one of your favorite things to do, Brunei has something truly unique for you: ambuyat. This traditional dish, made from the starchy extract of the sago palm, is known for its sticky, glue-like texture. Served with various dipping sauces and sides, it’s eaten by twirling two chopstick-like bamboo sticks. It’s best not to chew it. Ambuyat definitely takes some getting used to, but it’s a fun and memorable experience. Trust me, it is one of the most unique foods you’ll ever try.

While some travel guides recommend trying ambuyat at one of Aminah Arif’s branches, if you’re looking to taste authentic ambuyat in a beautiful setting, I recommend going to Adresto in Kampong Ayer for dinner. This affordable restaurant, run by a lovely family, serves many traditional Bruneian dishes, including ambuyat. For our dipping sauces, we were served two that we later learned were durian-based. We had been eager to try durian for a long time, but this was probably not the best introduction—the sauces weren’t our favorite. However, if you like durian or have tried it before, I’m sure you’ll really enjoy them. For our sides, we were served two fried fish, probably the best onion and veggie soup I’ve ever had, fish sambal with veggie salad, and sautéed vegetables with chicken. These were all pretty amazing. Our meal, including two teh tarik, was between 10 to 12 BND. It was an unforgettable experience.

To reach Adresto (Click here for directions), head to the pier and ask the boatman to take you there. The fare is 1BND per person. Get your boatman’s contact or tell him a time you would like to head back to town. The family at the restaurant can also help you get a ride back. Enjoy!

EAT AT GADONG NIGHT MARKET

The Gadong Night Market is a must if you want to spend your evening sampling a variety of local dishes in a lively atmosphere. Located in Gadong, one of the locals’ favorite neighborhoods in the capital, this night market offers a wide variety of affordable street food options and fruits. We ate there every single night of our 4-day stay in the country. Our favorite stall served nasi katok, white rice with fried chicken and sambal, for about 1.5 BND per serving. This, complemented with a juice, some banana fritters, popia, and apam balik for dessert, makes for a perfect dinner. There are stalls where you can get different varieties of fried noodles, but these are usually catered to locals who come to grab food to eat at home later. So, unless you like cold noodles, I do not really recommend it. There are a few tables available to eat on-site, but you may have to share with other people. As far as fruit goes, expect to see lots of durian during the season, along with other delicious fruits like mangosteen.

GO FOR A WALK IN ONE OF BRUNEI’S PARKS

TAMAN MAHKOTA JUBLI EMAS

A great way to spend your afternoon is to head to one of Brunei’s parks for a pleasant stroll and some people-watching. As big fans of local park tourism, we really enjoyed Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas. Located on the waterfront of BSB, adjacent to the stunning Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, this park really comes to life around 5 PM. Locals come to the area with tents, blankets, kites, and food for an afternoon of fun outdoors. The vibes are great. We were also surprised to see the huge number of people who come out to exercise here, considering Brunei is one of the countries with the highest obesity rates in Southeast Asia. This park is connected to a beautiful bridge that offers amazing views of the water village at sunset. We were lucky enough to witness an incredible sunset with a gorgeous rainbow stretching from the mosque to Kampong Ayer.

TASEK LAMA RECREATIONAL PARK

If you are looking for an experience where you can be closer to nature, I would recommend Tasek Lama Recreational Park. About a 25-minute walk from the waterfront, this park is a great place to exercise and disconnect. The park has a decent waterfall, plenty of beautiful trees, and many long-tailed macaques if you’re hoping to see more monkeys.

EXPLORE BRUNEI’S ARCHITECTURAL WONDERS

OMAR ALI SAIFUDDIEN MOSQUE

If you are looking to admire Brunei’s architecture, Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is definitely one of the buildings that should be on your list. Probably Brunei’s most recognizable landmark, this mosque features marble imported from Italy, granite from Shanghai, chandeliers from England, and carpets from Saudi Arabia. However, its exterior is arguably the most impressive, with a beautiful reflecting pond. If you want to go inside as a non-Muslim, you can check the opening hours here but it’s best to confirm with the on-site volunteers. I didn’t have the opportunity to go inside when I was there, but other travelers report that entrance is free, and clothing for men and women, as well as water, is provided at no cost. Don’t forget to check it out at night; the lights are stunning.

JAME’ ASR HASSANIL BOLKIAH MOSQUE

Another beautiful mosque worth checking out in Brunei is Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. Located near Gadong, this mosque is as lavishly decorated as you would expect. My favorite fun fact about this mosque is that it has a private entrance for the Sultan. Entrance is free, and appropriate attire is provided for both men and women. Opening hours for non-Muslims can be found here, but it’s best to double-check with a staff member before entering.

ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDED BY OTHER TRAVELERS IN BRUNEI

ROYAL REGALIA MUSEUM

What do you do when you are a king that can buy anything you want and you receive hundreds of gifts from other countries? You build a museum and display them for people to see. We originally planned to visit this museum, but in the end, it just didn’t work out. I think it would make for a fun and interesting stop if you have the time. Updated opening hours can be found here. Entry for foreigners is 5 BND per person.

ULU TEMBURONG NATIONAL PARK

For me, this is one of the places that will make me come back to Brunei someday. Ulu Temburong National Park is located about 2 hours away from BSB. Covering around 50,000 hectares of pristine lowland rainforest, this park is believed to host one of Borneo’s most well-preserved rainforest ecosystems. To get there, you’ll first need to take a 45-minute speedboat ride to Bangar, followed by the rest of the journey in a traditional longboat. The journey is part of the adventure. Access to the park is quite restricted: most of the park is closed to the public, and if you want to visit independently, you’ll need to secure a permit from the Forestry Department and bring a licensed guide with you. It’s possible to get to Bangar independently by land, but be aware that your passport will be stamped multiple times as you’ll cross into Malaysia twice and back into Brunei another two times. Long story short, after doing a lot of research, I concluded that if you want to visit this park, it’s best to join a tour for a day trip. It’s not cheap, with the most affordable tour costing 150 BND per person, which was the main reason we chose not to go this time.

TRANSPORTATION IN BRUNEI

If you are looking for ways to get around, you’ll quickly find that the public bus system is often unreliable and complicated for visitors to navigate. If you do decide to ride one of these buses, I recommend starting from the bus station in town. Look for the small minibuses with a number on the front that indicates their route.

The easiest way to get around Brunei is by using the Dart app, Brunei’s version of Grab. You can use it with an international number, and it worked perfectly during our stay. You can expect to pay between 5 to 7.5 BND for a ride between BSB’s waterfront and Gadong Night Market, depending on the time of day.

IS BRUNEI WORTH IT?

We found Brunei to be a fascinating place with a very interesting culture, extremely friendly people, and some great activities. Moreover, we were surprised to see many Bruneians of different races who are allowed to follow their own religions, wear whatever they want, and so on. The people are much more open-minded than what the media portrays. So, if this is one of the reasons deterring you from visiting, give it an opportunity and see for yourself. We would definitely recommend checking it out if you are traveling to Borneo. I think 3 days is the perfect amount of time to see all the highlights and make the most of your stay. It is important to note that if you are a heavy drinker or smoker, Brunei is probably not for you, since alcohol is banned in the entire country and smoking is prohibited in most public places.