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Brunei would probably be the least visited of Southeast Asia’s ASEAN region, which is understandable given its cost of travel when compared to neighbours, and it’s just not that easy to reach. The popular route to Brunei would be from the surrounding regions of Malaysian Borneo, although for our visit, we fly direct there on low-cost carriers.
But its high prices and lack of access do work to its advantage in parts where there’s not really much tourism or the expected hard sell and hustle known in the more popular areas of Southeast Asia. Instead, life feels calm, serene, and almost somewhat utopian.
For travel, it can be hard to find even a basic tourist infrastructure where there are few tour companies, not really many hotels, and taxis are hard to come by. Taxi prices are also high, so it’s probably best to rent a car and driver for the day, then explore the top attractions in Brunei by yourself. It can be done in a day or two.
With less than 100 hotels in the entire country, 30 are found in the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan, or BSB for short (Bandar Seri Begawan Hotels Here), and 55 are in the popular tourist area of Kuala Belait. These are obviously the more convenient areas for a stay and make the best bases to explore the top attractions in Brunei.
Opulence
As an oil-rich country, Brunei is one of the world’s richest countries (GDP per capita), and it shows in the sheer extravagance of many of the buildings here. A sizable chunk of this, of course, goes to the Sultan of Brunei and his family, who enjoy spending it on extremely nice things.
Two of the main attractions near the BSB centre would be the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque and Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, with extravagant marble minarets and domes of pure gold. Next would be the Brunei Museum, where equally extravagant trinkets are on display, including gold and jewelled ceremonial treasures.
But this is just a slight fraction of the Sultan’s collection of wealth, where much is kept behind the closed gates of his personal residence, ‘The Istana Nurul Iman’. You can photograph the palace from the front gates, but this is as close as you’re ever going to get.
Otherwise, we did get a slight glimpse of his opulent lifestyle where we stayed at the Empire Hotel, which was originally built by the brother of the Sultan, Prince Jefri. It is a 5* experience, as expected, and is said to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, but the more affordable deluxe rooms don’t quite reflect the extreme opulence of the Sultan.
The seafront here also boasts some of the best beaches in Brunei, and the hotel is a top attraction in itself.
The Traditional Water Village
Built on stilts along the edge of the Brunei River, Kampong Ayer is famously the largest water village in the world. Despite its size, it’s incredibly easy to access—just a short water taxi ride from several jetties in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Once across, wooden plank walkways lead you through a surprisingly self-sufficient community. You’ll find everything from mosques and shops to independent businesses and even a police station. On our visit, we were invited into a local stilted home. The owner, like many residents, has two houses: one in the water village and another on the mainland. Older generations tend to prefer the charm of village life, while younger family members often live in the city and return on weekends.
I expected something more rustic and traditional, but was surprised to find sleek longhouses fitted with modern comforts—flat-screen TVs, air conditioning, full kitchens. It’s a unique blend of old-world setting and modern lifestyle.
That said, modern living here does have its risks. On our way back, we passed a charred section of the village that had caught fire due to faulty electrical wiring falling into the water.
If you’re curious to learn more about the history and traditions of Kampong Ayer, the Malay Technology Museum nearby has some great displays. The water village is one of Brunei’s top attractions and is featured on many city tours. We even considered staying overnight, but accommodations within the village itself are hard to come by—though there are a few options if you dig around (hotels nearby).
Rainforests
Brunei lies within the Borneo lowland rainforests, which are relatively easy to access through tours (and possibly independently). The most accessible is Ulu Temburong National Park, which can be visited on day trips or overnight stays—we chose the latter (some tours here).
To reach the resort, we traveled by minivan to a pier near the water village jetties, then took a speedboat to a remote village. From there, we transferred into another minivan that followed winding roads to reach the main river running through Ulu Temburong.
We continued by longboat, navigating occasionally rapid riverways through mangroves and dense jungle. After about four hours, we arrived at our final destination: Ulu Ulu Resort. “Ulu Ulu” translates from Malay as “far, far away,” which felt accurate.
This is former headhunter territory, once home to the infamous Iban Tribes of Borneo. These days, they’ve left behind their more gruesome traditions and now work at the resorts. They’re a friendly bunch.
The resort offers a range of activities for exploring the rainforest, including a canopy walk, night jungle hikes, waterfall treks, kayaking, tubing, trekking, and bird-watching. The canopy walk was one of the most fascinating experiences we’ve had.
Note: this is deep primary rainforest, so expect wildlife, nature, and plenty of creepy crawlies...
