Brunei

Often called “the most boring country in the world”, Brunei is a severely unknown and misunderstood microstate in the tropics of Asia. Join us as we demystify this controversial sultanate, and see if it’s as dangerous and obscure as people say it is.

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Brunei Travel Info

NOTE: Brunei is critiqued internationally for it’s human rights record. In 2019, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah implemented Sharia law, which allowed for the death sentence and torture as legal punishment for breaking Islamic law. Specifically, any LGBTQ+ activity is completely outlawed and punishable by death, and the country lacks much legal representation for its citizens. In our experience, the people of Brunei are overwhelmingly kind and accommodating, even to LGBTQ+ travelers. Overall, we witnessed a much more relaxed and loose adherence to Islamic law compared to other countries with similar controversies. As of writing, no person has ever been put to death or punished under this law. That being said, the existence of such laws at all should be condemned and may impact your decision to visit.

Language

Brunei’s official language is Malay which is the primary language spoken. However, English is also prevalent in school, business and government, making it the second most spoken language in Brunei. Most locals are fluent in English, and most written signs are in both Malay and English. If you don’t speak Malay you will not find it hard to get around, especially in popular areas like hotels and restaurants.

Demographics

Located on the Island of Borneo, Brunei’s population is mostly of Malay descent. The national religion is Islam, and other religions like Christianity are prohibited in public. Although most Bruneians follow Sunni Islam and the government is vocal about its implementation, it is not usually practiced fervently or enforced harshly. Many women do not wear head coverings, even in mosques. Foreigners are not expected to follow Islam, and many rules are loosely followed in day to day life. Our experience was that nearly all residents take things much less serious than the government would have you believe.

Weather

Brunei sits a few miles north of the equator, and therefore weather is consistent year-round. No matter the time of year, expect very warm nights, and very hot days. The island is generally humid, but experiences significantly more rain from October to January, with a short dry period in February and March.

Public Transit

Public transportation is non-existent in Brunei. Being one of the least populated countries in Asia, as well as having incredibly cheap oil thanks to it’s reserves, it has the highest car ownership in East Asia. The country only has around 80 taxis, and while there is a ride hailing app, you can expect waits of over 30 minutes, and may not be able to visit all areas. We strongly suggest you rent a car on your visit, unless you only want to stay at your resort or hotel, as there is simply no other way to get around without pre-arranged rides.

Brunei FAQ

Brunei is one of the most affordable countries in South East Asia. Because of it’s natural resources, the country is quite wealthy compared to its neighbors. Therefore, many services and amenities are subsidized for citizens, and cheap for travelers. Food is incredibly cheap from markets to nice restaurants. If you rent a car, expect the lowest gas prices you’ve ever seen. Hotels are affordable as well, with the world famous 7-star hotel still having reasonable prices for some rooms.

Brunei is an incredibly safe country. The violent and petty crime rates are low and comparable to central Europe. Scams are not generally an issue. Despite international condemnation of it’s implementation of Sharia law, as of writing there has never been any incident. Be aware that the fresh water of Brunei is infested with crocodiles, making it dangerous to get close to rivers and lakes, although the ocean is not dangerous.

Yes, most Bruneians speak fluent or conversational English. Especially in hotels, restaurants, and tourist heavy areas. Government services and road signs are also available in English, making navigation and transportation simple.

Weather in Brunei is remarkably consistent, so you do not need to worry about temperatures. Although there is more rainfall in autumn and winter, showers don’t usually last the entire day. However, tourism is highest in the summer, and schools are out all December. With lower tourism, lowest rainfall, and schools in session, we recommend aiming for February and March if possible, although any month will be great.

This is a common question. Brunei is often seen as one of the most controversial countries in the world. Drew Binsky, the most subscribed travel vlogger who has been to every country in the world said in 2022 that Brunei was his 2nd least favorite country in large part due to it’s human rights record, and encouraged viewers not to go. He has since softened his view, but many have continued to boycott and critique the nation, especially on LGBTQ+ issues.

Visiting Brunei will certainly funnel some amount of funds to the government. If that is unacceptable to you we understand, especially if you are in a group that could be harmed by their laws. That being said, many more countries have much worse human rights records where innocent people are actively killed, genocides are committed, and war is waged. These countries get much less hate, and are often backed by western governments. We encourage scrutiny of governments like Brunei, and also highly encourage the same level of scrutiny towards our own governments in the western world, and to consider if similar levels of harm might be being caused locally.

We have always believed that the people are not the government, and that you can simultaneously be critical of a countries leadership and enjoy your time there, and not hold the people accountable for the governments actions. We have found all over the world that even in the harshest places, people want happiness, peace, and love for them, their families and everyone around them. Brunei is no exception, we had an incredible time meeting amazing people who do not at all reflect the issues of the government.

As of 2024 there have been no major incidents regarding the strict laws for LGBTQ+ people. From our experience, staff and agents at tourist areas are very much catering to a western demographic. Even at one of their largest mosques, women were not required to wear a head covering inside for pictures, which is rare even in South East Asia. We recommend you watch Oskar and Dan’s vlog on Brunei for LGBT+ representation of the country.

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