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Brunei is one of the most developed yet least visited countries in the entire world and is situated on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo.
This tiny Islamic nation is somehow frequently overlooked by backpackers and travellers on a budget and over time has become known as “Boring Brunei”. Well, luckily for me, that meant that the country was almost completely tourist-free when I visited in early 2020 and allowed me to delve deep into all that it has to offer over a few days.
Despite being the 5th wealthiest country on earth because of the massive oil and gas industry, Brunei is a surprisingly budget friendly travel destination where you can easily see the sights over a few days without breaking the bank. By basing yourself in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan you can see all the best bits in a day or two, including the world’s largest water village and the elusive proboscis monkeys that are endemic to Borneo.
Famed for its grand mosques and urban architecture, a visit to Brunei is certainly a unique cultural experience, but what if I told you there are also idyllic sandy beaches and a whopping 123,552 acre National Park! Not so boring now, huh?!
- Language: Malay
- Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
- Population: Brunei’s population is only about 445,000!
- Currency: £1/$1 = $1.60/$1.30 BND (Brunei Dollars)
- Visa info: Brunei offers 14-day visas on arrival to some countries but more commonly they offer a 90-day visa on arrival which costs 20 BND ($18 USD). Look for your country’s requirements for Brunei here.
Where is it
Check it out on the interactive map below.
How to get there
Brunei has a well-connected international airport with flights arriving from all over Asia regularly. Use Skyscanner to find the best deals on airfares.
Grab a local SIM card and download Dart, Brunei’s version of Uber, at the airport and book a car to get to your accommodation. Some hotels will offer airport transfers for free like mine did, so be sure to double check that beforehand too!
When to visit
The temperature and climate in Brunei can be pretty extreme so its good to know when to visit to avoid the sweltering humidity as best you can!
There are two monsoon seasons from November to December and May to July, with the high season (dry season) being between January and May. February and March are the driest months of the entire year and are super-duper humid.
I visited Brunei in March and the humidity outside was borderline unbearable. Short walks were okay, but at some points I genuinely felt like I was in a sauna. I’d never experienced humidity like it and I really recommend not visiting at that time of year.
Aim to visit in the shoulder season in January or May to get the best of both worlds.
How to get around
Bandar Seri Badwan, the nation’s capital, is such a small city that once you’re in the downtown area you can easily travel between locations on foot. That said, sometimes walking is not appealing.
Dart: To stay out of the heat, use Dart. Brunei’s version of Uber is a no-brainer as normal taxis are infrequent and inconvenient and with Dart you know how much it’ll cost before you get in. In-App payments are sometimes used but it’s more common that you’ll pay with cash for Dart rides in Brunei so make sure you’ve got some notes with you just in case.
Tours: Another way to get around quickly and efficiently is by guided tour. This means you can see the sights with a professional guide while receiving interesting information about everything. For the best tours in Brunei use Viator.
This is one of the best tours on offer in the country: Brunei Full Day City Tour including Tamu Kianggeh, Royal Regalia & Kampung Ayer.
Where to stay in Brunei
Brunei’s capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan, is the only logical option when it comes to choosing where to stay. The country is very small so all attractions can be easily visited from there, plus it’s also where you’ll find the best choices and deals on accommodation.
The best resources for finding good accommodations in Bandar Seri Begawan are Booking.com and Hostelworld, but you could also try Airbnb in Brunei too.
I stayed at EZ Lodgings which was in a great location and is one of the best rated and most affordable places to stay on Booking.com at around $20 USD for a private room.
How long to stay
Visiting the best bits of Brunei could easily be accomplished in less than a week due to its size.
There is obviously more to the country than just the capital city, but most of the highlights are located around there and day trips are available to the locations further afield. Overall, I would recommend 3 or 4 days in Brunei.
Expected costs
Thinking of visiting Southeast Asia soon? Don’t miss these essential guides to help planning your trip:
3 Day Brunei Itinerary
Day 1
Download Dart
First things first, make your life easier and download Dart.
Brunei’s version of Uber is by far the best way to get around the country on a budget as well as staying out of the blistering humidity as much as possible.
You’ll need a local SIM card to hail a ride, but believe me, it’s worth it. Taxis are infrequent in Brunei and by using Dart you can also pay online so you never need to fumble around with cash.
Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
The majestic Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is the largest mosque in Brunei and one of the nation’s two most famous religious sites.
It is unquestionably a must-see attraction in the country.
Depending on where you’re staying you may want to book a Dart to get here as it’s outside of downtown Bandar Seri Begawan and walking that far in the heat is not recommended.
The massive structure was built in 1994 as a dedication to the 29th Sultan of Brunei, hence the 29 golden domes. It has four 60 meter tall minarets and appears on a $10 Brunei Dollar bill!
Entrance is completely free, but you must be dressed appropriately to be granted access. It was closed when I visited, but we were still able to wander around and admire the stunning exterior.
River boat tour along the Brunei River
No trip to Brunei is complete without a boat trip along the Brunei River.
On your trip you’ll see the famous proboscis monkeys that are found only in Borneo, as well as saltwater crocodiles and an abundance of bird life.
To find a boat simply head down to the BSB wharf behind the Tourist Info centre here and wait a few minutes. Someone in a small boat will appear and then it’s up to you to agree on a price for the river and water village tour. For a private 2 hour boat excursion the price was 30BND which is about $21 USD or £17. Originally it was 40BND, but after a quick haggle a discount was agreed. I’m not sure if this is a good price or not, but it seemed reasonable to me at the time and the man put a lot of effort into showing us everything, so I’m happy with it!
The river takes you past palaces before suddenly turning into a dense mangrove forest which is when you think “wait, wasn’t I just in the capital of Brunei?”. It’s crazy that this wild place is in the heart of a capital city!
The monkeys are shy and very good at hiding, but in the end I spotted about 10 of them as well as 3 salt water crocodiles.
The tour will also then go to Kampong Ayer.
Alternatively to doing a river boat tour you can head to the wharf and ask the boat-taxi to go directly to Kampong Ayer for something like $1 to explore it on foot by yourself, but this means you won’t get to see the monkeys or crocs further down the river and you’ll need to find a ride back later too.
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer, meaning “water village”, is the world’s largest floating settlement and is found just across the river from downtown Bandar Seri Begawan.
This sprawling stilt-village is a striking contrast to the gold domes and majestic buildings of Bandar Seri Begawan and it’s the perfect opportunity to experience what local life on the water is like.
Sometimes referred to as the “Venice of the East”, you can find a large community of nearly 30,000 people living here in a mixture of new government-built buildings and old wooden stilt houses.
Meandering through the fully functioning river-streets of Kampong Ayer you can admire the fire station, school, police station, houses and museum before hopping off to explore on foot.
Kampong Ayer Cultural Museum
I feel it’s always important to learn about the history of the place where you stand, so when the boat driver asked if we’d like 15 minutes to look around the museum, I gladly accepted.
Inside the Kampong Ayer Cultural Museum you can view photos and read an abundance of information on how the village has changed over the years and how all of the different services are able to work here. Learn how the floating town holds ceremonies like weddings and funerals and how they move houses too. Who knew moving house could be such a big deal?!
The museum is free to enter and I highly recommend popping in for 10 minutes.
Day 2
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in Asia and is named after Brunei’s 28th Sultan (the current Sultan’s father).
The 52m high mosque is the most popular tourist attraction for the very few tourists that visit Bandar Seri Begawan.
It is built on an artificial lagoon which creates awesome reflections and makes it appear even more epic. The mosque’s most recognizable feature, the main dome, is covered in pure gold.
Even when the mosque is closed to the public you can still enter the gates and look around the complex to take photos, which is what I did. There is a short, winding walkway leading to a slightly elevated viewpoint at one side and around the other is a picturesque palm tree avenue with the mosque as a towering backdrop.
Golden Jubilee Crown Park
After you’ve wandered around Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque, make sure to tie in a visit to the nearby Golden Jubilee Crown Park for a slightly elevated view.
Surrounded by floral gardens and water features, the small park is the perfect place for a better view of the iconic mosque and an afternoon stroll.
Royal Regalia Museum
Another massive gold-domed building… who’d have thought it?!
I think it’s always appropriate to learn about a country when you visit for the first time, and so I was excited to read about Brunei and the Sultan in the Royal Regalia Museum. Inside you can view old weapons, artifacts and vehicles used by previous sultans as well as paintings and other artworks.
Unfortunately, due to Covid 19 slowly creeping into our lives by this point, it was closed during my stay and I didn’t get to see inside. I’d still say you should check it out though, as it’s free and, if nothing else, provides some shelter from the sticky heat outside.
Visit Brunei Empire Hotel
Fellow budget travellers… bare with me here!
The Empire Hotel is a 6 star luxury hotel 20km north of Bandar Seri Begawan on the coast of the South China Sea where the grand architecture and posh surroundings are sure to be a shock to any budget backpacker’s system.
Spending a day at the hotel is a popular thing to do as they actively welcome walk-in guests to use their large pool and other amenities. There’s a beach, cinema, golf course and plenty more, so don’t rule it out just because it’s a fancy hotel!
Getting here is easy from downtown Bandar Seri Begawan as you can book a Dart for around $11 BND and spend your day at the pool or by stuffing your face with their incredible afternoon tea and cake selection.
Day 3
Ulu Temburong National Park
Most of the landmass that covers Brunei is rain forest, and Ulu Temburong National Park covers an impressive 123,552 acres out of Brunei’s 1.42 million.
Also called the “Green Jewel of Brunei”, take a scenic boat journey through the unspoiled mangrove forests of Ulu Temburong National Park to see lesser spotted monkeys as well as gibbons and hornbills.
The park has mountain peaks rising to 1800m and a stunning canopy walk is also available which offers breathtaking views and plenty of animal sightings.
Book a tour from Bandar Seri Begawan below.
My experience in Brunei
I spent 4 nights in Brunei in March 2020, just days before Covid shut down the entire world.
Apart from the blistering humidity, I really enjoyed my time in Brunei. It was much more affordable than I imagined beforehand, and despite being a lot more expensive than most other Southeast Asian countries I was pleasantly surprised by the prices for food, transport and accommodation. The culture is also really interesting and the people I met were very friendly and welcoming.
There’s enough here to keep you entertained for 3 or 4 days, but after that you might find yourself twiddling your thumbs a little.
Overall, I definitely wouldn’t rule out Brunei as a travel destination like so many people do, just make sure you avoid the most humid times of the year!
Moral of the story: it’s only “boring Brunei” if you make it boring!
Best tours in Brunei
Thank you for reading this travel guide – I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible 
Happy travelling!
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Accommodation: Booking.com, Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, TripAdvisor
Transport: 12Go, Omio, Trip.com, Rome2Rio
WHO IN THE WORLD IS JAMES?
Click below to learn more about my story, including 5 random facts about me, some travel FAQ’s and my entire travel history.
