Brunei
Asia · Bandar Seri Begawan · BN
Brunei is the small, oil-rich sultanate on the north coast of Borneo, an Islamic monarchy of golden-domed mosques, water villages and the rainforest that covers most of its quiet territory. Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital, holds the great Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque with its lagoon and its ceremonial boat, the huge golden dome of the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosque and the Kampong Ayer, the stilted water village of the river that has stood for centuries. Beyond the capital, the country's forests spread the proboscis monkeys of the riverbanks, the longhouses of the interior and the quiet beaches of a coast that runs to the borders of the island. Calm, safe, wealthy, discreet and devout, Brunei is a rare and revealing glimpse of a tiny, petrol-rich state that has kept its traditions, its forest, its quiet pace and its green heart fully intact.
Overview
Brunei is a country in Asia. Its capital is Bandar Seri Begawan and the international dialling code is +673. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Malay. Local currency is the Brunei Dollar (BND). We also list 1 city in Brunei: Bandar Seri Begawan.
The Great Mosques and the River of the Capital
The capital of Bandar Seri Begawan is a small, immaculate city laid out around the broad river of the Brunei waterway, and its two great mosques frame every view. The Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque rises with its marble, its lagoon and its golden dome above the city, its ceremonial boat moored in the artificial lake that surrounds it, while the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah, its arches and its vast golden roof, sits across the river valley as the sultan's own gift to the city. The waterfront opposite runs the royal regalia museum and the streets of the few old shop houses, and the whole centre is quiet, green and orderly. The best views come from the water, on the river cruises that circle the mosques and the palaces as the evening light turns the gold to a deep, soft glow.
Kampong Ayer, the Water Village and the Houses of the River
Across the river from the capital, the Kampong Ayer, the village on stilts, still spreads its crowded maze of wooden houses, schools, mosques and shops above the water of the Brunei river, a settlement that has stood here for a thousand years and is still home to a large share of the country's people. The boardwalks of the village run for kilometres, and the water taxis of the local drivers, the small speedboats that serve as the village's buses, scurry between the houses and the shore. The village holds its own history, its own craft and its own daily life, and the visits to the homes of the residents and the museums of the waterfront are arranged with a friendly ease. It is a living piece of the country's long river culture, modernised but never abandoned.
The Forest, the Monkeys and the River Cruise of the Mangroves
The rainforest of Brunei covers most of the small country, and the river systems of the coast hold one of the richest wildlife spectacles of Borneo. The boat cruises of the mangroves, leaving from the capital in the late afternoon, drift through the channels where the proboscis monkeys, the famous long-nosed primates of the island, leap through the branches of the river trees, and the crocodiles and the hornbills complete the parade. The deeper forests of the Ulu Temburong district, the least touched wilderness of the country, are reached by the boats and the jungle walks of the national park, with their canopy walkways and their night safaris. The country protects much of its forest, and the result is a pocket of pristine, enduring Borneo that the traveller can reach in a single day.
The Longhouses, the Crafts and the Interior Villages
The interior of Brunei, the southern hills and the rivers of the watershed, holds the villages and the longhouses of the indigenous peoples of the island. The longhouse communities, the rows of the family apartments built along the riverbanks under one great roof, keep the traditions of the weaving, the beadwork and the carving, and the guided visits to the villages give a gentle introduction to the daily life and the hospitality of the interior. The markets of the countryside sell the durian, the tropical fruit and the woven mats and the baskets of the households, and the rivers of the interior are the fishing and the boating grounds of the villages. The countryside of Brunei is quiet, green and welcoming, and the whole interior feels a world away from the golden mosques of the capital.
The Beaches, the Borderlands and the Slow Pace of the Country
The coast of Brunei runs a calm, humid line of beaches and the mangrove edges of the delta, and the stretches near the capital fill with the families of the weekends for the swimming, the volleyball and the stalls of the coconut and the grilled fish. The border towns to the north, with their markets and their freight of the daily trade, give a glimpse of the life of the wider island, and the roads of the country run safe, easy and famously uncrowded. The pace of Brunei is unhurried, the crime is low and the welcome is polite and genuine. It is a country for the visitor who wants a calm, safe, deeply unusual corner of Southeast Asia, rich, devout and green, without the crowds of its neighbours.
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- Capital
- Bandar Seri Begawan
- Currency
- Brunei Dollar (BND)
- Languages
- Malay
- Calling code
- +673
- Internet TLD
- bn
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Brunei.
Which nationalities can enter Brunei?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Brunei?
For the origins we track, travellers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Italy currently enter Brunei visa-free for tourism, and 3 more origins are visa-free too. Entry rules depend on your passport and the purpose of your trip, so check the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Brunei?
Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of Brunei, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in Brunei?
You pay with Brunei Dollar (BND) in Brunei. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Brunei?
The languages we list for Brunei are Malay. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Brunei?
The dialling code for Brunei is +673 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Brunei do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Brunei: Bandar Seri Begawan (capital).