Brunei Travel Guide

Runners WRC Brunei 2012

Most Recent Brunei Travel Articles from BootsnAll

Ten reasons to make that detour to Brunei

Brunei gets a bad rap sometimes for being boring. Or worse still, it is often overlooked completely or not even known about by travellers to South East Asia. But there are some rather compelling reasons to visit this little-known sultanate.

Living in a Muslim Paradise – Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

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Brunei Travel Facts

The Basics Country: Brunei Where is it?: Brunei is in southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia. Why do people go here?: Most people have never heard of Brunei, which is sandwiched between Malaysia. Outside of the capital, expect a countryside that has little modernization. Brunei is one country that sees few travelers [...]

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Brunei Travel Guide Overview

Very small and very rich, Brunei has a population of just over 300,000 and has been ruled by the same family-successfully-for over 600 years. The Sultan of Brunei is, depending on the stock market and various international economies and exchange rates, the wealthiest individual in the world. He alone controls the country's vast oil and natural gas reserves and is worth an estimated $40 billion. That said traveling to Brunei is becoming less expensive. In recent years the number of budget accommodations and cheap travel options have increased and Brunei is creating a nice little tourism industry for independent travelers to enjoy.

What to do

Despite the country's economy being based on pillaging the Earth's oil deposits, one of the most popular tourist attractions are the ecological tours. Tours take visitors around the Temburong District and then up the river to Belalong National Park, where travelers can explore a jungle canopy skywalk and a rainforest research center.

The main attractions of Brunei though, are in the country's capital. Bendar Seri Begawan is home to a majority of the country's population as well as many of the spiritual sites. Mosques are friendly places to visit when open to outsiders and there you can often get a first hand look at the Islamic religion as practiced by the people of Brunei.

Getting there

Flights to Brunei land in Bendar Seri Begawan (BSB). The airport is the only international terminal in the country. The border with neighboring Malaysia is fairly permeable for certain nationals: US, UK, Japan, Canada and New Zealand citizens do not need a visa.

Where to stay

Lodging options in Brunei used to be just like the country: very small and very rich. The expensive hotels and luxury accommodations have given way to hostels and guesthouses (a few at least) that fit the independent traveler's budget a little better.