Brunei Water Village Tour
Kampong Ayer
When visiting Brunei, one thing you must do is see the famous floating village, Kampong Ayer. This is the largest floating village in the world. People have settled this river for over 1000 years, and in 2024 there were over 40,000 people living there. It is the origin of Brunei and a point of national pride. Therefore, the government puts extra investment into the area’s upkeep despite the many challenges.
Hiring a boat
In order to get to the water village you will need to find a water taxi. If you go to the Brunei waterfront you will find people in boats who you can pay to ferry you across for 1-2 USD. This price is recommended and set by the Brunei tourism board. Many of them will also offer to take you on a tour of the river which is similar to ours, for about 20 USD per person. We saw other vlogs from Brunei where they booked with Dayat, whose information was shared in the description. He wasn’t available to take us, but his father gave us the tour which was great.
The tour starts out at the pier, and goes up and down the river. You can see major sites such as the Royal Palace and the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Our guide told us that sometimes the Sultan or his children are seen at the pier and can be spotted waving to people on tours.
Proboscis Monkeys
Further on down the river, the jungle takes over and the forest is untouched. The nature here is very beautiful, and it’s lovely to go flying down the river in a boat. However, the reason people come here is to try and see the iconic proboscis monkey. These elusive monkeys only live on the island of Borneo, and have an incredibly distinct nose shape. They are considered endangered due to habitat loss. Proboscis monkeys are very shy and do not like humans, so seeing them is pretty rare. We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of them through the trees and we were shocked at their odd appearance. We’ve seen many monkeys in Asia, but we were so intrigued and thankful to get to see them in the wild.
Water village
After riding on the river we headed back to the main village. There are a few things to see in the village, such as restaurants and hostels. However, our guide had invited us into his family home. Here they have a shop where they work on boats and several large living spaces for multiple generations of family. There were so many interesting details of their daily life that are unique to them. For example, there is a hole cut in the floor to fish from, and the toilet is just a hole that empties straight into the river.
Michaels Thoughts:
Our guide offered us durian and breadfruit to try. We had never had durian, but Yemisi has had breadfruit before in Trinidad. The breadfruit was quite good, with a pleasant texture and a somewhat savory and sweet taste. The durian on the other hand was a challenge. The smell is incredibly pungent and the taste is very unfamiliar. The combination made it hard for me to eat.
Museum
The last stop on the tour was the official museum. At the far corner of the village is a large building with a museum inside where you can learn the history of the area, as well as a tower that has a great view over the village and surrounding river. The museum does not allow filming, but we found the lookout tower to be a nice place to reflect at the end of our tour. It’s uncommon to witness a way of life that is so different from your own. We always love to experience new ways of life like in Mongolia. We really recommend that anyone who comes to Brunei take a boat tour.
Roasted Sip
Continuing our journey of trying specialty coffee around the world, we visited Roasted Sip. We were surprised that we found a specialty shop in a country as small as Brunei. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! Roasted Sip is a roastery, cafe, and bakery. One of Michael’s favorite smells is the scent of freshly roasted beans and the aroma filled the air as we walked in. Roasted Sip has four other locations in Brunei and we went to their Kiulap branch as it was near Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. Brunei is a very hot and bright country, it was nice that Roasted Sip’s interior has a dim, chill atmosphere.
I ordered the menta cubano iced tea. It was sweet and spicy with the essence of mint. Michael got a V60 Ethiopia pour over which was fruity and covered his taste buds with every sip. They sell a variety of sweet and savory pastries to accompany your beverage. We decided to try the choco nutty bar and I was screaming in my head at how delicious it was. I am a firm believer that chocolate and peanut butter are the perfect companions for each other. It was a great experience and the staff, beverages, and atmosphere were remarkable. I can understand why this is THE coffee shop of Brunei.
Mercu Dirgahayu 60
In Brunei, “Dirgahayu” is used to wish someone well on big anniversaries or celebrations. It’s similar to saying “Happy Anniversary” or “Long Live”. This monument is dedicated to the sultan which is currently Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. The tall gold stand is meant to represent the shape of the number 60 in Arabic. This was made to honor him on his 60th birthday in 2006. The sultan is the leader of Brunei and the most powerful man in the country. The name Mercu Dirgahayu 60 means Long Live, Your Highness 60 Monument.
This is listed as one of the things to see in Brunei. If you take a boat tour, it is near the dock. It’s worth a few minutes to check it out, if only for its unique cultural meaning.
Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas
One of the most notable attractions in Brunei is the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. This incredible gold gilded mosque is one of the most opulent structures in Asia. We didn’t visit the mosque until the second day, however we wanted to see the park nearby. This park has a large grass area, perfect for picnics and summer activities. It is the main park in the downtown area, and there is a walking path along the riverfront from the mosque to the pier opposite of the water village. There are many places to sit, and you can rent little electric cars or bikes to ride around the area.
In the center of the park is a massive picture frame, called the BIBD Frame Brunei Darussalam. This massive structure is meant to outline the mosque as if it were a photo. It is one of the famous photo spots in Brunei, and makes for an epic shot. We noticed throughout our entire visit that Brunei is a very quiet country with not a lot of people out and about, so it was very easy to take pictures without getting in anyone’s way. If you want to spend more time in the area, there is a nearby mall as well as an alley full of food stands with many cuisine options. The food street doesn’t open until 3pm, so maybe the area would be more popping if we stopped by later.
The Mall Gadong
This is the largest shopping mall in Brunei, which carries local and international brands. It has everything from entertainment like a cinema, shopping, and dining. We really enjoy visiting malls as we use it as a benchmark for cultural differences in something that is universal. It is a 4 story mall which is a bit on the smaller side compared to the countries surrounding Brunei. If you have time to spare it’s a great place to go and walk around with air conditioning.
Dairy Queen
I haven’t eaten Dairy Queen in a long time and it’s hard for me to find mixed ice cream in Korea. I saw that there was Dairy Queen in the mall so I had to try some. Since I had durian for the first time earlier that day, I decided to try the durian cheesecake blizzard. I’m a strong believer on not letting ice cream go to waste but it was hard for me to finish eating it. The taste is very strong and so is the smell. It felt like an undertone of acidity that you get from garlic but the smell doesn’t go away. For me fresh durian is great, but used as a flavoring it is not for me. I will never forget the taste.
Gadong Night Market
Within walking distance to The Mall Gadong is Gadong Night Market. If you want to try local food, this is where you have to go. The market is open from 4pm- 10pm and there is so much energy and life here. The market is mainly for locals but tourists come as well. It is the largest market in Brunei, and was renovated in 2017. It is very organized, sanitary, and has tables to eat at.
When purchasing food you don’t need to bargain as prices are set and fair. Most things range from 2 USD – 5 USD depending on the quantity. We tried an assortment of meats like ayam tungking (chicken tail), noodles, nasi goreng (stir-fried rice), ayam separuh madu (honey spiced chicken), kelupis (glutinous rice rolls), and air lemon mint beverage. It was definitely one of our favorite night markets as it wasn’t too crowded, easy to navigate, and the vendors were friendly and helpful. If you want to eat great food and experience the flavors of local cuisine, the night market is an excellent start!
Final Thoughts
We were shocked at how much we loved our first day in Brunei. The water village tour was amazing, and we loved experiencing the country in such a unique way. Brunei has so much to offer from delicious food, incredible architecture, but most of all lovely people. Make sure to check out our article from our second day as we look at even more of the amazing sights in Brunei.
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