The Sultanate of Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam) officialy Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peaceis a small

but - thanks to natural gas and petroleum resources - very rich country located in SoutheastAsia. It's
surrounded by Malaysia and has two parts physically separated by Malaysia, almost being an enclave.
Strategically located on the South China Sea, close to vital sea lanes linking Indian and Pacific Oceans, it has
an exclusive economic fishing zone that extends as far as Louisa Reef in the southernSpratly Islands although
it makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs.

Understand[edit]
Brunei is a pint-sized and fabulously wealthy oil-rich sultanate with a population of just under half a million, if
illegal immigrants from countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines are included.
It is a member of the Commonwealth and has good education and hygiene.
The population is devoutly Muslim.

History[edit]
The Sultanate of Brunei's heyday occurred between the 15th and 17th centuries, when its control extended
over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of
decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy.
In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate. It was offered the opportunity to join Malaysia as a state in 1963,
but opted out of the Federation due to a disagreement on the amount of its oil income that would have to be
given to the central government in Kuala Lumpur. Independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has
ruled Brunei for over six centuries.

Holidays[edit]

Independence Day: 1 January (from UK in 1984)

National Day: 23 February (1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, while 23
February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection)

Constitution Day: 29 September (Brunei's constitution was promulgated in 1959, but some provisions
were suspended under a State of Emergency in December 1962, others since independence on 1 January
1984)

Economy[edit]
The backbone of Brunei's economy is oil and gas and the Sultan of Brunei is, famously, one of the richest
people in the world with an estimated personal wealth of around 40 billion dollars. Per capita GDP is far above
most other developing countries, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from
domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing.
All sectors of economy are fairly heavily regulated and government policy is an odd mixture of subsidies,
protectionism and encouragement of entrepreneurship. Brunei's leaders are attempting to balance the country's
steadily increasing integration into the world economy with internal social cohesion. It became a more
prominent player in the world by serving as chairman for the 2005 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation)
forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the workforce, reducing unemployment, strengthening the
banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

Culture[edit]

Brunei is officially an Islamic state, with hundreds of large beautiful mosques across the country. Sale of
alcohol is banned. Bringing in meat, (other than seafood) which has not been certified "halal", (slaughtered
according to Islamic law), is also banned.
During the fasting month of Ramadan, many shops and restaurants will be open. However, eating, drinking or
smoking in front of people who are fasting is considered rude and asking permission is appropriate. In
2014, new law had been passed by the government where non-fasting people onlyallowed to take-out foods
from all restaurants and eat privately. This due to the respect of the Holy Month in Islam.
The bulk of the population is Malay (67%) and there is also a significant Chinese minority of some 15% as well
as a number of indigenous peoples, including the Duson tribes who inhabit the jungle upriver and
the Temburong district, (the smaller eastern part detached from the rest of Brunei). There is a large number
of foreign workers who work on the oil and gas production or in positions such as restaurant staff, field
workers and domestic staff. The male to female ratio is 3:2. More than a quarter of the people are short term
immigrant workers, most of whom are men.

Geography and climate[edit]

The climate of Brunei is tropical equatorial. The average annual temperature is 26.1C (79.0F), with the April
May average of 24.7C (76.5F) and the OctoberDecember average of 23.8C (74.8F).
Brunei's topology is of a flat coastal plain rises to mountains in the east, the highest point being Bukit Pagan at
1,850m, with some hilly lowlands in the west.
There are no typhoons, earthquakes, severe flooding and other forms of natural disasters to contend with, and
the biggest environmental issues is the seasonal haze resulting from forest fires (that is caused by illegal
clearing of land) in nearby Indonesia.

Regions[edit]
Brunei has four districts (Malay: daerah)

Brunei and Muara

Heart of the country where the capital Bandar Seri Begawan is located.

Tutong
Lies under the coverage of the virgin forest, scattered small scale plantations.
Belait
Western-most district, also the centre of the country's petroleum industry. Seria town is a small oil town.
Temburong
Isolated eastern district, separated from the rest of country by the Sarawak district ofLimbang.

Cities[edit]

Bandar Seri Begawan the capital, sometimes known as "Bandar" or "BSB" for short.

Bangar the tiny district capital of Temburong district.

Kuala Belait town to catch transport to or from Miri, Sarawak.

Muara main port of Brunei with passenger ferries to Labuan and Sarawak.

Seria oil capital of Brunei, also known as "Shelltown".

Tutong - full of virgin forest and the beauty of nature including Tasek Marimbun

Other destinations[edit]
Gadong; shopping centres where the biggest mall in Brunei located. Local markets can be found just next to
the building. Full of local shophouses from cheap T-shirt to cheap food, even car's workshop!
Serusop; newly shopping complex. New malls and affordable Times Hotel. Serusop located just 5 min from
Brunei International Airport. The new trend for youth hang out place.
Tasek Merimbun; famous lake located in Tutong district.
Pantai Gadong, Pantai Muara and Pantai Serasa; the must visit beaches in Borneo.
Kiulap; Shophouses and Shopping Mall.
Kampong Ayer; the very old, traditional kind of the Venice of the East. It is not a shopping complex but only
cover with full of traditional and modern floating water villages.

Get in[edit]
Entry requirements[edit]
Foreign nationals of the following countries/territories can enter Brunei visa-free as long as they present a
passport valid for at least 6 months:
For up to 90 days: All European Union member states (except for Croatia passport), United States
For up to 30 days: Australia, Kuwait, Iceland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, San
Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates
For up to 14 days: Cambodia, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR and Macao
SAR), Japan, Indonesia, Laos, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Peru,Philippines, Switzerland, Thailand and Vietnam
Nationals of Israel will be refused entry, due to no diplomatic relations, but other passports containing Israeli
stamps and visas will not be an issue for entry.
Citizens of Bahrain, Qatar and Taiwan can also obtain a visa on arrival for 14 days. These citizens can obtain a
visa on arrival for B$20 or a 3 day transit Visa for B$5. Immigration officers at Sungei Tujoh between Miri and

Kual Belait will not accept payment for a visa on arrival other than in Brunei or Singapore dollars; there is no
ATM and cheques are not accepted.
Proof of return or onward travel is required to check in for your flight to Brunei. If you plan to leave by ferry you
will need to purchase a cheap flight out of Brunei before you arrive there.
Those who need a visa must apply in advance at a Brunei embassy, where processing can take up to 3 days
and costs B$20 for a single entry visa. See Brunei Immigration Department [1] for the latest details.
If you require a visa to enter Brunei, you might be able to apply for one at a British embassy, high commission
or consulate in the country where you legally reside if there is no Bruneian foreign mission. For example, the
British embassies in Addis Ababa[2] and Belgrade[3] accept Bruneian visa applications (this list
is not exhaustive). British diplomatic posts charge 50 to process a Bruneian visa application and an extra 70
if the authorities in Brunei require the visa application to be referred to them. The authorities in Brunei can also
decide to charge an additional fee if they correspond with you directly.

By plane[edit]
Brunei's sole airport of significance is Brunei International Airport [4] (BWN), the hub of national
carrier Royal Brunei Airlines [5]. The airport itself is small but clean and functional.
After over-expansion and huge losses in the 1990s, Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) has cut down on its services
considerably but still offers a reasonably comprehensive network, with daily flights to London via Dubai, Kuala
Lumpur, Singapore, and Kota Kinabalu. There are also frequent flights to Jakarta,Surabaya, Bangkok, Hong
Kong, Manila, Melbourne and Shanghai. The best prices are usually found on RBAs website. Stopovers in
Brunei are available and are good value, though you'll need to book by phone or through a travel agent. RBA is
a dry airline; if you wish to drink you must bring your own.
In addition, Singapore Airlines [6] flies 5 times a week from Singapore, and Malaysia Airlines [7] flies from Kuala
Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. In July 2006, discount, no-frills carrier AirAsia [8] started flights from Kuala
Lumpur, bringing some much-needed competition. AirAsia is the cheapest carrier to serve Brunei from an
international Hub, with fares as low as US$35 one-way from Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia flies from 35 destinations in
Asia to Kuala Lumpur, where connections to Brunei are available. Cebu Pacfiic fly red-eye flights to Manila.
Departing by plane from Brunei involves paying a departure tax: B$5 for flights to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu
and B$12 to other international destinations. This is included in the price of RBA tickets.
Getting there/away: A taxi to Bandar Seri Begawan takes 20 minutes and costs around B$25. A covered walk
down to the end of the car park further away from the Terminal (turn right from Arrivals) leads to a bus stop for
Purple buses to the city centre (B$1) along with other busses for tours & hotel shuttles. The reason for the long
walk is extensive construction of airport upgrades.

By car[edit]
You can drive into Brunei from Sarawak, Malaysia. There are two entry points for the main part of Brunei, one
from Miri at Sungai Tujuh and one from Limbang at Kuala Lurah (Tedungan on the Malaysian side). Both
these crossings have drive-through immigration checkpoints at the border but queues can be horribly long,
especially during weekends.
Note that the border checkpoint opens at 06:00 and closes at 22:00 daily. Don't get stranded!

It is also possible to drive from the Sarawak towns of Limbang and Lawas to the Temburong district of Brunei.
The drive from Limbang requires a ferry ride across the Pandaruan River (RM8 or B$4) which forms the border
between Malaysia and Brunei. You can now conduct immigration formalities at Pandaruan (no longer at
Limbang Wharf) with the opening of the Malaysian checkpoint in June 2007. Brunei immigration formalities are
conducted atPuni, about 600m away from the ferry landing. From Lawas (which is connected by road to Kota
Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia), a ferry ride across the Trusan River (RM10) is required before you can proceed
to the actual border at Labu. Malaysian immigration formalities are done in Trusan (the immigration office,
officially known as the Mengkalap immigration checkpoint, is in a shoplot just east of the ferry crossing) about
8km away, and no longer in Lawas. Those for Brunei can be done at the Labu checkpoint at border.
It is possible to drive from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah to Bandar Seri Begawan in one day. See the Kota Kinabalu to
Brunei in a day page for details.

By bus[edit]

To/from Miri: The Miri Belait Transportation Company runs buses between Kuala Belait in Brunei
and Miri in Sarawak, Malaysia. The journey requires a bus change at the Sungei Tujoh border checkpoint.
Through tickets are however available at RM12.20 from Miri. Note that there have been reports that buses
from Miri occasionally refuse to go all the way to the border and stop just before the Asean Bridge at Kuala
Baram because of the high toll charge of the bridge. You may have to use taxis to complete the final 5km
between the border and the bridge. From Kuala Belait, there are buses to Seria (B$1) approx. every 2o
minutes, where you can change to another bus for Bandar Seri Begawan (B$6). The entire journey takes
about 5 hours. Buses depart Seria every hour.

There are also two express buses a day between Bandar Seri Begawan and Miri, run by PHLS (+673 277
1668). One runs early in the morning (dep 7am?), and the second around lunchtime (dep 1pm?). Fares are
reasonable, less than B$25

To/from Limbang: The direct bus from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kota Kinibalu serves Bangar,
Limbang, Lawas and other stops en route to Kota Kinibalu. It leaves opposite Tamu Kianggeh at
approximately 8am. Alternatively, you can catch a local bus from Bandar's bus station to Kuala Lurah on
the border, walk across the checkpoint into Tedungan in Sarawak and catch a Syarikat Bas Limbang bus to
Limbang. Do the reverse if coming from Limbang to Bandar. Buses depart from Limbang bus terminal
several times a day and bear the destination "Batu Danau". Taxis are also available on both sides of the
border but bargain hard for the fare. You can also get to Temburong district by bus from Limbang, although
again, there are no direct buses into Bangar; all buses (destination "Pandaruan") stop at the ferry landing
at Pandaruan, where there is now a Malaysian immigration checkpoint. Cross the river by ferry and catch a
taxi for the 5km to Bangar.

To/from Kota Kinibalu: There is a daily bus from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kota Kinibalu. The bus
departs opposite Tamu Kianggeh approx 8am

By boat[edit]
The main ferry terminal in Brunei is the Serasa Ferry Terminal at Muara, where there are several ferries daily
to/from Labuan and one daily ferry each to/from Lawas and Sundar, both in Sarawak. With a change of boats
in Labuan, you can even make it to/from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in a day. See theKota Kinabalu to Brunei in a
day page.

Please note that the ferry terminal is quite a distance from actual Muara town where the container port is
located. The terminal is about 25km fromBandar Seri Begawan. Getting there: There are purple buses (No.
38) linking the ferry terminal with BSB. Or you can just take a tour van / taxi.
There is a car ferry service from Brunei to Sabah [9]
Please note that you need to pay a tax ("cukai kepala") to get out of Brunei (currently, B$ 2 per ferry ticket).
Enquire the counters/travel agent if you didn't get the tax coupon when purchasing the tickets.

Get around[edit]
By car[edit]
There is one "motorway", from Bandar Seri Begawan (the capital) along the coast. It devolves into dual and
then single carriageway but is suitable for all vehicles, right through to Kuala Belait and the toll bridge
to Malaysia/Sarawak in the west)
There is also a side road off this, which runs into the jungle towards the settlement of Labi and beyond.
Excellent scenery, and a 4-wheel drive may be useful, but the road is now sealed up to the longhouses some
distance beyond Labi. Stock up on water at the convenient shop at the junction.

By taxi[edit]
There are only 40 taxis in whole Brunei (2009), because the car ownership and usage are high. Since there
are around 10 waiting at the airport and 8 in the Belait District there is a little chance of finding a free taxi along
the road, especially during morning and afternoon peak hours when they are hired by business men. Needing a
taxi might require a phone call. The main taxi stand is direct north of the bus station in the capital with only a
few taxis waiting.
None of the taxis has a taxi meter since there is no taxi company nor regulation requiring to have one. Drivers
have fixed prices for most trips, although the tariffs may vary between different drivers, or they will give a price
for an irregular trip.

By tour vans[edit]
Another alternative is hiring a tour van to drive you around Brunei, for example, for a whole day, or several
hours. Try asking them from the ferry counters in Muara. Discuss the price first before agreeing to board the
van.

By boat[edit]
Waterways
209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

By bus[edit]

Brunei bus map

Around the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, there is a good-sized network of purple minibuses. Brunei's high
rate of private car ownership means very few Bruneians take these buses, which largely cater to foreign
workers. The speed of the buses are limited to 50km/h but are actually quite efficient and reliable. Note
that bus routes cease operation before 8pm.
In general, the bus system around the capital radiates from the bus terminal in the central district. There
are designated bus stops along each route but passengers are picked up or let off at unofficial locations at
the discretion of the driver. The unofficial mode of operation makes easy travel and entice patronage.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to obtain some form of details on bus routes and timetables. Recent experience
in mid 2011 prompted a small contribution in the form of pictures of the known bus routes at the time.(The
pictures of the bus routes will be posted at a later date). There are 13 routes and the fare is flat B$1.00
which is collected by a conductor. The passenger can advise the driver the location to disembark.
Sometimes, the conductor asks the passengers their respective locations to disembark and skips part of
the route, to the dismay of passenger who wish to catch the bus. This also implies that there is no strict
scheduled time. It is quite normal to wait 30 to 45 minutes for a bus.
There is also an infrequent long-distance bus which runs between BSB and Seria through Tutong.

Talk[edit]
The official language of Brunei is Malay, but due to its British colonial past, English is widely spoken and
understood in urban areas. A little Malay will come in handy in rural areas, as English proficiency is limited
there. While all Bruneians are able to speak standard Malay, the local dialect of Malay is almost
incomprehensible to other Malay speakers. Solely among the Malay-speaking states, Brunei also officially
uses the Arabic script for Malay known as Jawi, although most signs are written both in Jawi and Roman
letters. Nevertheless, the Roman alphabet is still the more commonly used script when writing Malay in
Brunei.
The ethnic Chinese community in Brunei continues to speak a variety of Chinese dialects, including
Hokkien, Teochew and several others.

See[edit]
The Istana Nurul Iman is the worlds largest residential palace in occupation. The 300-acre palace sits on a
man made hill with a clear view of Kampong Ayer. Istana Nurul Iman is the residence of the Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah, and the palace is quoted to have an estimated value at USD600 million.

Do[edit]
For things to do in and in the near vicinity of Bandar Seri Begawan, see Bandar Seri Begawan.
There are many eco-tours which typically go to the Temburong district by boat then to a native
"longhouse". It is then followed by a powered boat (by the natives) up the river to the Belalong National
Park, a reserve in the Borneo rainforest. There is a canopy walk and research centre at the park
headquarters. Visitors can book to stay overnight at the Ulu Ulu Resort.
For nature lovers, a new activity to try in Brunei is the Tutong River cruise tour, about 40 minutes away
from [Bandar Seri Begawan]. The cruise provided by Sunshine Borneo Tours & Travel emphasizes on

mangrove ecology and conservation education. The beautiful and calm mangrove-fringed Tutong River is
home to the endemic Proboscis monkeys, eagles, crocodiles, macaques, kingfishers and other wildlife.
Jerudong Park was once a decent theme park with a multitude of rides. Sadly, a downward cycle of
neglect, declining admission and unaffordable maintenance costs led to the closure and sale of most of the
big-ticket rides, including the three rollercoasters. This has given the park a sad "circus left town last week"
air about it. Though in recent years there have been attempts to revive the park, including some new rides
(mainly for children) as well as clown shows. The original bumper cars, go-karts, paddle-boats & merry-goround are still operational. As is the fountain & light show.
Most people who visit only go at night to avoid the heat during the day. Outside the park, but very close, is
a small complex of restaurants which is open at night, though only around half of the stalls are still
operational.

Scuba diving[edit]

Bonella at Icebox

Sun burst on the mast at Cement Wreck

Brunei offers some great diving. In addition to coral and fish, Brunei is home to several shipwrecks and
many species of nudibranch - one of the best places in S.E. Asia for macro photography. Water
temperature is generally around 30 degrees and visibility is usually in the 10-30m range, although this can
be changeable during the monsoon season. As diving here is not overly developed, it means that the sites,
and especially the coral reefs, are unspoiled and in pristine condition.

Popular dive sites include the Blue Water Wreck, a 80m trawler that gets her nickname from the blue
water around her and is still completely intact. Cement Wreck, a 2,687 ton Japanese freighter that hit a
sandbank in 1980 while carrying cement. She has a length of 92m and a 15m beam. Easy to penetrate,
the freighter lies upright on the bottom at 30m. Australian Wreck, In 1949 while on a voyage to Manila it
struck a mine off Brunei and sank. The wreck lies in 33m of water and is roughly 85m . Experienced divers
will enjoy exploring the interior of the wreck. Rig Reef, a decommissioned oil rig. There are 9 structures to
be explored, each seeming to be home to one dominant group of fish.
Diving is very reasonable, averaging out to BN$35-45 per dive depending on how many dives you do and
whether you bring your own gear. There are a number of organisations you can do trips with such as; Poni
Divers,Oceanic Quest, The Brunei Sub Aqua Dive Club in Brunei-Muara & Panaga Divers based in seria

Buy[edit]
The local currency is the Brunei dollar (BND) you might hear ringgit used to refer to the dollar but be sure
that participants are not talking about the Malaysian ringgit (MYR) which is valued at less than half a
Brunei dollar.
As of 25th August 2015 BND1 = MYR3.02 = GBP0.497744 = 0.651166 = USD0.753832
The Brunei dollar is tied to the Singapore dollar at a 1:1 rate. By law both currencies can be used
interchangeably, so if you're coming in from Singapore, there's no reason to change money as your cash
will be readily accepted. (Likewise, any leftover Brunei dollars can be used at par in Singapore. Although
Singaporean coins can be used in Brunei with the exception of the SGD1, Singapore does not accept
Bruneian coins. However, many stores refuse Singapore notes with seemingly microscopic tears in them,
and notices to this effect are posted at the cash register.
The Brunei dollar is divided into 100 cents. There are banknotes [10] from BND1 to a whopping
BND10,000 (handy if you're shopping for Rolls-Royces) and coins [11] of 1 to 50 cents. All smaller notes
and the 2004 series of larger notes are printed as brightly coloured polymer notes.

Costs[edit]
By South-East Asian standards Brunei is roughly on par with Singapore, meaning roughly twice as
expensive as neighbouring Malaysia. You can reduce costs by eating at local restaurants and avoiding the
more expensive restaurants in hotels. Budget accommodation, once very limited, has expanded in recent
years and you can now get a decent bed for the night for around B$30.

Eat[edit]
Knock knock, who's there? Nasi Katok
Katok is actually "ketuk" in the Malay language, and it
means knock. There is a story behind the name Nasi
Katok. It was begun by a couple of teenagers who were
feeling very hungry after a midnight practice. They went to
a place where they normally bought their food. This place
was actually a residential house, which offered Nasi

bungkus (a pack of rice with chicken and egg) even in the

middle of the night. At any time you could just Katok
(knock) on their door, and the owner will come up with
fresh hot Nasi Katok. And that's how it became Nasi
Katok.

Bruneians love to eat out and there are many excellent restaurants in Brunei serving a wide variety of
cuisines, thanks to the large number of foreign workers in the country.
There is also the local nasi katok, a simple combination of rice and curried beef or chicken, which can be
quite spicy. It is relatively inexpensive when compared to other food that you can buy, for example local
food such as chicken rice. However, it is not a healthy option, with few vegetables and too much fat.
Another choice is ambuyat, a culinary experience unique to Borneo. It is a starchy and gooey paste made
from sago that can be dipped into a savoury sauce.
Very cheap local fastfood restaurant also available across the country such as Ayamku Restaurant

Drink[edit]
Brunei is a dry country: alcohol is not sold anywhere in the country and consumption of alcohol in public
is prohibited by law. That said, non-Muslim visitors are allowed to bring in up to two litres of alcohol (wine
or spirits) plus up to twelve 330mL cans of beer, lager or cider every 48 hours, and there is a wide array of
duty-free shops just across the border in Malaysia to cater to this demand. However, alcohol permits must
be obtained upon arrival in Brunei while going through customs. (At customs you will be required to fill in a
yellow form to declare your alcohol.)
Many higher-end restaurants allow guests to bring in their own alcohol and corkage is not charged, though
this is technically illegal and it's best to keep a low profile if you choose to consume in a public
establishment. At the lower end (particularly Chinese restaurants), many restaurants supply illicit booze
under euphemisms like "special tea".
One should definitely try out teh tarik, a sweet milk tea, as well as the wide array of coffee (kopi) available
in restaurants.

Cigarettes[edit]
Currently (Jan 2013), cigarettes are difficult to obtain here. If you wish to smoke here, it is advisable to
bring your own supplies. There is no duty free allowance for cigarettes or tobacco, duty is always payable
(approx BND50 per 200 cigarettes)

Sleep[edit]
Accommodation in Brunei was until recently famously expensive there is still only one youth hostel in
the entire country but some reasonably cheap guesthouses can now be found here and there.
See Bandar Seri Begawan for listings.

Learn[edit]
Work[edit]
Many of the jobs in Brunei are in the gas and oil industry but many positions have opened up for
international English Teachers due to the booming economy and business sector. Footprints
Recruiting offers placement in teaching jobs in Brunei. This can be a great way to absorb the culture and
see many of the wonderful attractions Brunei has to offer, while making money to boot