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Brunei travel guide

Travellers to Borneo often make a bee-line for the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, but tiny Brunei on the north coast is worth including in any itinerary. This small sultanate is a place of religious piety and extraordinary wealth, but it also boasts a biodiverse landscape that shelters rare wildlife and birds, unique in all of Borneo. Our Brunei travel guide includes a useful map with regional highlights to help you plan your trip.

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Brunei travel guide

Brunei does contrasts well. It’s a tiny nation but vastly wealthy, thanks to its oil and gas reserves. Its capital city is home to gold domed mosques and vast palaces, but also an entire ramshackle suburb built on stilts. The Sultan introduced Sharia Law here in 2014, and people’s lives rotate around a seemingly contradictory pairing of worship and wealth; religious faith and mass consumption in the nation’s glitzy shopping malls.

Opulent architecture, an ancient stilt village, wild rivers, pristine rainforest and fabulous food – Brunei's riches reach far beyond oil.

Then there’s its geography, with the nation divided into two by a chunk of Malaysian Sarawak. Western Brunei boasts oil fields, while eastern Brunei is a lush, biodiverse wilderness, home to Iban tribespeople and one of the most pristine rainforests in all of Borneo. So don’t overlook Brunei; it makes a worthy addition to any Borneo tour, with time in the capital and its glorious green interior the ideal way to soak up the yin and yang of this compact but contradictory nation.

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Brunei is...

a crazy combination of wild nature and extreme wealth.

Brunei isn't...

a safe place for LGBT travellers. A law passed in 2019 punishes homosexual sex and adultery with death by stoning.

Things to do in Brunei…

Brunei is a thriving foodie destination, with a range of cuisines to suit all budgets, particularly in the capital. Tuck into Korean and Japanese food or head to its Gadong area, north of the centre, for Indo-Chinese, Chinese and Bruneian food, including ambuyat a starchy sago delicacy and nasi katok, a dish of chicken, steamed rice and chilli paste that’s served everywhere. Pasar Malam is the capital’s most famous night market and there are great food stalls at the Tami Kianggeh market too. The Temburong District of Brunei is physically separated from the rest of the nation by Sarawak, but it’s home to one of the most pristine rainforests in the entire island of Borneo. The 50m-high canopy walk in Ulu Temburong National Park lets you see the life that flourishes in the bright, upper reaches of this dense forest, including hornbills, gibbons and myriad butterflies. Visit the mosques of BSB. The Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien is Brunei’s most celebrated mosque, topped with gold domes and surrounded by a reflecting pool. Inside, the main dome has 3.5 million glass mosaics laid over gold leaf, and its walls and floor are Italian marble. Built in the 1990s, the Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is no less grand, with 29 golden domes and a vast interior. Both are impressively lit up at night.

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Things not to do in Brunei…

There’s a growing coffee culture in Brunei, but don’t ask for an alcoholic drink in a café or restaurant – booze is banned in the sultanate, although non Muslims can bring a small amount in with them. Smoking is banned in almost all public spaces and workspaces, too, which means inside shops and malls, and also in outdoor markets and near food stalls. It’s hot and humid in Brunei all year round, but don’t dress in skimpy clothes. You may see tourists walking around in strappy tops and very brief shorts, but modest clothing is the more respectful way to dress in this Islamic nation. Choose light, cool clothes that cover the shoulders and knees. Women aren’t required to cover their heads, unless attending official functions. Crucially, don’t underestimate Brunei. Its huge wealth means this nation is often overlooked by travellers looking for an authentic Borneo experience, but it is precisely that wealth that has protected much of its green interior. Brunei’s abundant oil revenue means there’s little incentive for logging or palm oil cultivation. As a result, its richly biodiverse rainforests remain intact. Organised tours often team Brunei’s wild jungle with its capital and oil fields, or tack it onto a longer exploration of Sabah and Sarawak. Even just a day or two here is worthwhile, rounding out the Borneo picture nicely.

Brunei travel guide