Brunei: A Candid Travelogue for 2025
Brunei might be a small nation, and perhaps not a top-tier destination for many, but I'm here to share a little review of my time exploring this unique country.
Getting to Brunei
We opted for a bus journey from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, to Brunei's capital. The trip stretched for a grueling 10 hours, leaving us feeling quite stiff.
Interestingly, every time you exit a Malaysian state, you need to go through immigration again. What's more, our route even involved crossing a part of Brunei and then re-entering Malaysia. This meant we collected eight immigration stamps for what was essentially a two-country trip! While this overland experience was an eye-opener, the ticket cost around 1 million Vietnamese Dong. For just a little more, perhaps 1-2 million more, flying directly from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan would have been a much more comfortable and efficient option.
Brunei Currency Exchange
Do you need to exchange money in Brunei? Nope! You can use Singaporean dollars, and they're accepted at a 1:1 exchange rate. However, if you find yourself at the central market near the Bandar bus station, make sure your Singaporean dollar bills are crisp, clean, and in good condition. We encountered a souvenir vendor who scrutinized every note, making the purchase a rather tedious affair.
Getting Around Brunei
Transportation in Brunei presents a unique challenge. We found there are only about five Grab drivers in the entire country (I can share their contacts if you need them!). Taxis are also quite scarce, and the local ride-hailing app doesn't allow registration with Malaysian or Vietnamese phone numbers. Consequently, our transportation was 100% reliant on buses. A word of caution: buses are primarily used by low-income immigrants and tourists, and they are, to put it mildly, basic. Expect no air conditioning, well-worn vehicles, and limited operating hours, typically from 7 AM to 5 PM. This means nocturnal adventures in Bandar Seri Begawan are practically impossible; you'd likely end up sleeping on the streets after an evening out!
The bus fare is a flat rate, and drivers are quite independent, stopping wherever they please, not necessarily at designated stops. To catch a bus, simply wave one down anywhere along the road, and they'll pull over.
Google Maps doesn't accurately show bus routes in Brunei. Our strategy was to flag down any bus that passed, show the driver our destination, and they'd guide us on which bus to take. Asking locals for directions wasn't always helpful; they're accustomed to their own vehicles and may not be familiar with bus routes.
Must-See Attractions in Brunei
Brunei is quite small and, dare I say, a bit understated, with a limited number of attractions. For us, the most enjoyable activity was a boat trip to the floating village and a visit to the fringes of the Borneo rainforest. The price was reasonable, around 450,000 Vietnamese Dong for two people for a 20-minute tour (we haggled fiercely, even showing our empty wallets to convince the boatman of our plight!). We wished we could have ventured deeper into the forest, but our funds were depleted. Imagine the wildlife sightings if we had!
Our second recommended stop is Brunei's two magnificent mosques: the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, located in the heart of the capital, which often hosts royal events, and the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. While both retain the traditional exterior of Islamic mosques, their interiors offer a surprising European cathedral style, a stark contrast to mosques in other regions. The exteriors are beautifully ornate, but the interiors can feel rather bare.
Entry to both mosques is free, and they provide robes for visitors. We found the design of these robes rather amusing; we felt like wizards when wearing them!
Another worthwhile visit is the Royal Regalia Museum. It's a place to truly grasp the immense wealth and splendor of the royal family. A fascinating note: despite its vastness, a significant portion of the museum is dedicated to King Bolkiah's 1967 coronation!
Due to a lack of thorough information checking, we visited the Royal Palace, only to discover it's open to the public for just three days a year. The most amusing part was that the locals on the bus didn't warn us, simply saying "Good luck" as we disembarked. The result? No palace tour and a sunburnt head while waiting for a bus. From then on, we developed a curious aversion to the phrase "Good luck."
If your visit to Brunei happens to be on a Sunday morning, don't miss the Sunday market in central Brunei. It's a fun place to browse, though most items are second-hand. Prices are incredibly low, around 1-3 Singapore dollars per item. The real steals are the Arabian carpets; they look surprisingly high quality and are priced at just 1-2 Singapore dollars!
One of Brunei's most striking features is that most museums offer free admission. They are often sparsely populated, with only one or two visitors, yet the air conditioning runs at full blast all day. It's an ideal spot for a cool afternoon nap.
Given the limited bus schedules, nighttime activities are quite subdued. Our evenings usually involved a trip to the Gadong night market for dinner and some window shopping at the nearby malls.
Brunei Cuisine
The food is remarkably similar to Malaysian cuisine, but it comes with a price tag four times higher, which was quite a shock to our wallets.
The People of Brunei
The people are generally very enthusiastic, open, and peaceful, with the exception of that "Good luck" incident! We initially thought Bruneians might be quite conservative, but that wasn't our experience. Immigrants are also very friendly; most are from India and Indonesia, working as bus drivers or in kitchens. Hard labor is typically carried out by immigrants, while roles in the oil and gas sector are reserved for Bruneians.
Brunei Weather
July in Brunei is intensely hot. Every day, we started our explorations early, around 7 AM, to visit the city center. As the sun grew stronger, we'd seek refuge in museums or mosques for the cooler interior and a nap. After a cool lunch in an air-conditioned restaurant, we'd retreat back to museums or mosques for more sightseeing before returning to our hotel. We spent most of our time indoors; stepping outside even briefly meant facing scorching heat.
Visa and Duration of Stay
Brunei enforces strict limits on the duration of stay, tied directly to your visa. Therefore, if you haven't booked a return flight, you might not be granted entry.
Source: An Nguyen
