Discovering Brunei

Perched in a small corner of Borneo island, 1,500 km directly south of Hainan province, lies the small but wealthy country of Brunei Darussalem. The 400,000 inhabitants are blessed with some of the largest oil fields in Southeast Asia making it, one of the wealthiest countries (per person) in the world.

The country is made up of two small slivers of land separated a part of eastern Malaysia. It boasts two worthwhile attractions. The capital of Bandar Seri Begawan, with its striking mosques and picturesque water villages, makes for a relaxing days exploration. The city is small and easy to get around on foot, or by using the water taxis that take you out to the stilted villages in the Sungai river. Allow a good few hours to loose yourself in the maze of boardwalk paths that weave through the water villages.

The second must-see attraction is the pristine rainforest that has been left untouched, unlike much of the rest of Borneo. The stunning Ulu Temburong National Park is the easiest entry into the forest though you will have to join a tour if you want to avoid complex permits. Most tours go by boat from Bandar and last two days.

Brunei is not a country with much to offer a long term holiday but worth a visit for a short break or while travelling through Borneo.

By D J Clark
Music by Symphony-of-Specters
Producer: Flora Yue

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About D J Clark

D J Clark has worked worldwide as a multimedia journalist for more than 20 years. As well as working for China Daily he runs an MA course in Multimedia journalism at Beijing Foreign Studies University and is Course Director of Multimedia at the Asia Center for Journalism in Manila, Philippines.