A backpacker’s guide to Brunei

Brunei is one of those South Asian countries that you don’t read much about in tourist brochures, and if you’re an adventurous backpacker who relies more on personal experience than what you read in guidebooks, you probably don’t mind visiting a country that is not one of the popular tourist destinations in Asia.

The Sultanate of Brunei is completely surrounded by Malaysia, and although it is pint-sized, it is amazingly rich thanks to its natural gas resources. There are lots of places for eco-tours in Brunei, the culture is interesting to say the least, and English is spoken widely enough that you won’t need a Malay phrasebook on you. Here’s a short backpacker’s guide to Brunei.

What you should know

Brunei is an Islamic country, and it is quite conservative, so if you like your backpacking trips filled with wild nights spent partying, you won’t get much of that in Brunei. Sale of alcohol is banned, and only halal meat is sold in restaurants. As far as the population goes, Brunei is quite multicultural.

While the majority of the people are Malay, there’s a significant Chinese minority, as well as indigenous people, and about a quarter of the inhabitants are temporary migrant workers.

Like in any country, it is very important to show respect for the culture of Brunei, and saying something bad about the Royal family is a huge faux pas. Other than that, the locals are very tolerant and respectful towards foreigners, but it might not be a good idea to discuss topics such as politics or religion.

Costs

Brunei is a rich country, and the costs of living are pretty much twice as high as in neighboring Malaysia. The Brunei Dollar and the Singapore Dollar have the same value, and they can be used interchangeably. Larger restaurants and hotel restaurants are quite expensive, but there are lots of local eateries where you can eat for less money, and even find better food than at ‘international’ restaurants.

If you are low on money, you can eat nasi katok, a combination of rice and curried meat, which is not exactly the healthiest option around, but it is considerably cheaper than other foods. In the past, budget accommodation was next to nonexistent in Brunei, but nowadays you can find several hostels that won’t break the bank. Expect to pay around B$30 for a decent hostel room.

Attractions

There are lots of eco-tours in the Temburong  region, and it is worth going on a tour like this if you want to see the traditional longhouses in addition to natural sights. Belalong National Park is a good destination for nature lovers, and those addicted to theme parks can go see Jerudong Park.

Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, has lots of amazing mosques and museums, but the highlight of the area is Kampong Ayer, the water village.

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