Brunei Darussalem is a small nation located on the island of Borneo. It is completely surrounded by the nation of Malaysia. One fun fact is that it is divided in half, so to get from one side of Brunei to the others you have to pass over Malaysia. Fortunately, they have built a large bridge out into the ocean that skirts around Malaysia so you can get to the other side while bypassing Malaysia. But even though it is a small country our family found many things to do in Brunei.
We definitely think it is worth the visit, and we think your family will think so too!
Visa Requirements
Brunei is a free tourist visa upon arrival for United States citizens. Every country has different relations with Brunei, so check the requirements of your nation if you are under a different passport. Many nations from Africa, South America, and the Middle East will require obtaining a visa prior to arriving in Brunei.
Before entering Brunei each person is required to fill out an entry pass online. Every member, including children, needs to fill one out. Also, each person is required to do a health declaration online. Both require setting up username and passwords, so it takes some time.
If you are bringing a vehicle over the border you will also be required to fill out an EEC. The EEC provides you with a QR code that you scan to allow the vehicle to pass. This is not a requirement by air, or if you are taking a bus over the border. This is for a rental car that you are driving.
Best time to Visit
Brunei is a tropical nation. This means that it is always hot and humid with a high chance of rain. Most rainfall happens from October through January.
As a muslim country, if you visit during the month of Ramadan many things and places will be closed down. You can see a list of this year’s, and tentative future dates of Ramadan.
Even at a regular time of year, we did not find this country very busy. Based on our experience in other Muslim countries during Ramadan and how fully Brunei embraces Islam, we can imagine the country would feel very shut down during Ramadan. So unless you want a very quiet holiday, we recommend that you avoid coming to Brunei during the Ramadan period.
Is Brunei Safe to visit with kids
Brunei is safe to visit with kids. In our experience, the people in Brunei were extremely respectful and polite. The nation was clean and well organized, and we felt safe the entire time we were there. The Sharia Law is very strict in Brunei, and criminal activity is heavily punished, so crime rates are low.
As always, make sure to watch your valuables at all times. Kids included.
What Can I Wear in Brunei
Because of the strict muslim laws, you should dress modestly while in Brunei. The local population definitely covers up fully, but nothing like the Middle East. The Brunei muslims love to dress in many different and fun colors!
As a tourist, you can get by with more, but you should be respectful. While wearing shorts as a tourist is fine, we recommend staying modest and aiming to have shorts that are knee length when you are out and about. You should also aim to have your shoulders covered.
Tourists are not required or expected to cover their heads.
If you want to go into any attractions such as museums and mosques then you will be required to have shoulders and sleeves covered and wearing pants. Many mosques will provide/require robes to cover up.
Shoes are never an issue as you will often have to remove your shoes to enter places anyway.
Our children wore shorts to walk around outside, but they did put on long pants when we went to do indoor activities.
Transportation around Brunei
The days of hailing a taxi from the street corners are mostly gone. While you can ask your hotel to call a taxi for you, most people use the ride sharing app, Dart. We recommend using this app if you wish to get a taxi.
We opted to rent a vehicle in Malaysia and drive it into Brunei. This came with a few unexpected challenges. We were not allowed to top up our gas with a non-Brunei vehicle. If you wish to self-drive a reasonable distance, we would suggest renting a vehicle from Brunei in order to be allowed to refill.
As it was, we rolled back across the border into Malaysia having almost run out of gas. Fun times!
Parking around the capital was not difficult. There were multiple parking lots around. Payment could be made in cash to the parking lot security guard before exiting. Pay the security in their office, before trying to exit the gates in the car. Parking spaces outside the capital city were free in most places.
If you are planning on just staying in the capital city of Bandar and see the main tourist spots, you will not need transportation at all. You can walk easily around the main attractions.
20 Things to Do in Brunei with kids
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is free to walk around outside as well as inside. In order to go inside you will need to make sure you are dressed appropriately. Women visitors will be given a robe to wear to make themselves modest, even if they are dressed appropriately.
When we entered the mosque, the man at the entrance came in with us and gave us lots of information about the history and specific details about the mosque. He was very knowledgeable about all the specifics ranging from how much things cost to who built the different elements of the mosque.
Spoiler: This mosque was made using the best materials from around the world!
Our family loved the tour inside and learning all about how the mosque was built. We also really enjoyed being able to see the outside. The outside is just stunning. They have a pond around one side of the mosque with a replica of a ceremonial boat. Makes for great photos.
Fun tip: it just so happens that the Sultan Oman Ali Saifuddien Mosque is featured in the Legoland Miniland in Malaysia. It is part of a large display of different famous places around Southeast Asia.
BIBD Frame Brunei Darussalam
We don’t usually go for instagram spots with our family, but the BIBD Frame was super cool to look through at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.
Another unique feature is the BIBD Frame. This is mostly an Instagram and social media hot spot. The large frame is an iconic spot to get a good view and photo of the Sultan Oman Ali Saifuddien Mosque. The frame is also located in a park called Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas. It is a great spot for a picnic or a place to burn off some energy for the little kids. There were other local families hanging around with their kids as well. We sat and had a short picnic here, until it started to rain. Fortunately there is a small mall next door to get out of the rain!
Riverwalk
Along the outer edge of the park where the Frame is located, you will find a nice Riverwalk. There were many people out jogging each evening we visited this area, even when it had started to sprinkle. The riverwalk offers some fantastic views of Kampung Ayer, the floating village, as well as some other beautiful architecture on buildings scattered around. The Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Seleha Bridge rising up behind the Kampung Ayer is impressive.
Locals use the Riverwalk heavily in the evening as a place to do walks and jogging. During the day it was mostly empty. There are a few small gazebos dotted along the edge next to the river that offer a nice place to sit and relax.
Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
This mosque is impressive. Maybe more impressive than the Sultan Omar mosque. We recommend driving by at nighttime to view this mosque as it is especially impressive at night with all the lights shining on it. During the day it looks cool, but if you’ve already seen the other beautiful mosque it is more of the same. This one is bigger, but does not have the water around the one side.
When we arrived at this mosque during the early evening there were no guards stationed at the entrance gate. The gate was left ajar, so we just went in and walked around the parking lot inside for a bit.
Sultan’s Palace
The sultan’s palace, Istana Nurul Iman, seems to always be on people’s list of places to go when in the capital city of Bandar. The palace is extremely beautiful and ornate; however, visitors are only allowed inside the palace grounds 3 days each year. These are the 3 days following Ramadan when the palace provides food and ceremonies. The sultan is there for the three days to greet guests.
So if you are dying to see the inside, and perhaps meet or see the sultan, come to Brunei right as Ramadan ends.
Since we did not visit during those three days, we only viewed the front gate. We would not recommend a special visit just to view the front gate or the little you can see behind the gate. The ASEAN Park (our #17 on our list of Things to Do in Brunei) is just down the road from the palace. You can actually look from there and see more of the palace itself than you can from the gate. You are just looking at it from a distance.
Food Street
The Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah shopping center is a top spot to get some local street food right in the center of town. The shopping mall is divided in half with the open air Food Street running through the middle. The street is lined up perfectly to give great views of the beautiful mosque.
Come here if you want to try different local street food and have a picturesque place to sit and enjoy the food.
Prices of the food here are not too expensive. We found it to be almost as cheap as the Gadong Night Market food. There are a variety of stalls selling various types of street food. Even our picky kid found food he would eat, which is a win for us!
The Empire Hotel
The Empire Hotel is located about 20 kilometers away from the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan. Since we were driving in from Malaysia, it was an easy stop on our way into the city right off the highway.
This hotel is part of the Empire Country Club, and fancy is an understatement. The amount of money spent to build the hotel is not certain, but when it was built in the 1990’s it was valued at slightly over $1 billion USD.
It is free to walk around the lobby and some of the hotel grounds. The hotel goes right out onto the beach and you can see the ocean views from the windows of the lobby. They have multiple restaurants that you can eat at if you want a fancy snack or lunch. You can eat inside the magnificent hotel or even out by the swimming pools.
Our whole family ooh’ed and aah’ed over the beautiful lobby and the decadence we saw all around the interior and exterior of the hotel. If you have a vehicle to get there, we highly recommend making this a stop on your list. If you need to take a Dart taxi, I would be more hesitant to leave the city as it might be hard to call a taxi to come pick you up when you are finished looking around.
Gadong Night Market
The Gadong Night Market is the hopping place to go in the evening. It opens up at 4:00pm and stays open until 11:00pm. We recommend coming around sunset or a bit after as the stalls don’t all open right away and it starts picking up after normal working hours.
It is about 15 minutes outside of the main tourist downtown area, but since it is still in the city center, you should be able to get a Dart taxi both to and from the night market. If you have a car, the parking is free next to the night market and cars are literally parked everywhere!
This is the cheapest place to find local food and drinks. We definitely recommend this for one of your dinners while in Brunei. There are many different local dishes to try. There are tables around the edges and a few in the middle to sit and eat at. Many foods are ready to eat, so you just pay, pick up, and carry to your table. A few dishes you need to wait a few minutes for.
We were there during the peak durian season, and it was amazing how much durian was being sold, purchased, and eaten right there on the spot! However, we hear you can find supplies here most of the year-round.
If your family has not tried the smelly durian fruit, you definitely need to give it a try! The durian with the dark orange flesh is the local specialty to Brunei. It is more expensive, but if your family hasn’t tried durian, we would recommend you trying several kinds. You don’t need to buy whole durians at the market! You can buy packages that are already cut and prepared for you.
Our kids loved the large fruit drinks for sale. Only one Brunei dollar for a large drink! We recommend perusing the market before settling down with food. There are so many great options to choose from!
Royal Regalia Museum
Located in the downtown area, the Royal Regalia Museum is a very popular spot to visit. This museum houses some of the gifts that have been given to the royal family throughout the years. Items range from boats to chariots, and thrones to military uniforms. Many of the items have been gifted by other royalty from around the world.
Unfortunately, the Royal Regalia Museum only allows the entry fee to be paid with cash. We had been advised that the entry was free, so we failed to have the cash on hand enough to pay for our large family.
Cost Foreign Adult: $5BND Child: $2BND Resident: Free Royal Regalia Museum Hours Monday - Thursday, Saturday: 9:00am - 17:00pm Sunday: 8:30am - 16:30pm Friday: Closed During Ramadan Hours Monday - Thursday: 9:00am - 15:00pm Friday: Closed Important Information Must pay in cash only (Brunei or Singapore Dollar)
Brunei History Center
We were a bit disappointed to not be able to enter the Royal Regalia Museum as we had wanted to spend a few minutes in an awesome free museum. However we ended up being extremely happy that we were turned away because next door was the Brunei History Center. This museum had not made it on our list of places to see, but ended up being amazing.
It also happens to be free. We highly recommend this museum to help your family get a Bruneian historical perspective of Brunei!
The Brunei History Center is full of the history of Brunei. There is a room of important historical documents, rooms explaining their independence, history of trade in goods and spices, and many more. Many of the rooms are child-friendly. We were so impressed how they were able to make history come alive throughout the museum with hands-on displays, stamps to collect, and lots and lots of pictures.
Our kids loved the room on the spices which included an interactive display set up where you can feel, touch, and smell all the different spices that were important during the spice trades that went through Brunei.
We came away with a deep understanding of the long history of the country and the important part that Brunei played in the spice trade.
Cost
Free
Brunei History Center Hours
Monday-Thursday, Saturday: 9:00am - 16:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Friday: Closed
Kianggeh Wet Market
The Kianggeh Market is the place to shop like a local. Here you can find all the fresh fruits and veggies you want. Unlike other wet markets around Southeast Asia, the Kianggeh Market is surprisingly clean. The ground is free from rubbish and dirt, obviously cleaned regularly.
It is not very large, so you will only need a short time to visit. There are some drinks available, but don’t expect to buy ready made meals here. It is more a market to buy ingredients.
You can also find a few souvenirs available here at a stall. We try to collect magnets everywhere we go, and this was the perfect place to pick one up for a good price!
Tokong Chinese Temple
The Tokong Chinese Temple is a good little stop amongst all the Islamic things you are seeing in Brunei. Besides being an active Buddhist temple there is not so much available there except looking at it. The bright red color and very Chinese architecture is striking because of this location. We enjoyed walking by and having a quick peek at it.
It is found in close proximity to the other downtown places to visit.
Brunei Arts and Handicraft Centre
The Handicraft Center located along the river was probably our least favorite thing to visit in Brunei. We, wrongfully, assumed a handicraft market was going to be stalls selling handicrafts. This was our experience in many other places around southeast Asia.
However, upon getting there, we discovered that the Handicraft Market is a very high end place. The things that are for sale are of museum quality and priced accordingly. The kids were not allowed to touch anything in the show rooms (which were also the sale rooms). Each room had a different handicraft type with a video showing the creation process.
At the back of the building, there were some tables with ‘lessons’ that you could buy for your children to learn how to make some of the handicrafts. They cost B$5-$10 each lesson and some women were sitting at the tables to help. However, all the instructions for purchasing and making the handicrafts were in Bahasa and so we could not read them.
All that to say, this is a wonderful place to see some of the best craftsmanship around. They had amazing bowls, knives, beadwork, and silver items, to name a few. If you want to see the most ornate and intricate things, come here.
This was the only place we felt uncomfortable and prayed the kids, or we, would not break anything.
Cost
Free
Hours
Monday - Thursday, Saturday: 7:45am - 4:30pm
Friday: 8:30am - 11:00am / 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Sunday: 8:30am - 11:30am / 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Kampong Ayer
Probably the most notable spot to visit in Brunei’s capital is Kampong Ayer. It is a throwback and reminder of what Brunei has been for centuries. Most of Brunei’s population once lived in this floating city. Many people have chosen to continue living in this floating city instead of relocating onto the land.
It is estimated that there are still over 10,000 people currently living at Kampong Ayer!
Kampong Ayer stretches along the riverbank across from the main downtown area of the city. Getting there is easy. Just go to the waterfront, and you will be approached by a boatman willing to speed you over to the other side.
A ride to the Kampong Ayer from downtown will cost just $1 Brunei Dollar ($0.70USD). Of course the boatman will want to take you to see other things. One popular place he will ask to take you is to see the proboscis monkeys. This will end up costing much more, but may be worth it!
Our family enjoyed walking around Kampong Ayer and seeing how the local people live on this unique floating town. There is not much to actually do except walk around the area.
There is a museum called the Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery you can visit that is located on the water.
Proboscis Monkeys
If your goal is to see proboscis monkeys, then you have come to the right place. The mangroves and forests lining the river just outside the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan are known for having families of these monkeys.
River boat drivers are eager to take you on a 2-3 hour trip up the river in search of spotting them. Simply flag down a boat driver, or wait for them to come to you, and book yourself a trip to see the monkeys.
We opted to not have a boat driver take us on a monkey tour as we were told that the Royal Tomb of Sultan Husin Kamaluddink is also a common place to see the monkeys. We chose to try and site them at the tomb, which lines the same river, but ended up not getting to see any monkeys. It was a drizzly afternoon, so the conditions were not ideal for monkeywatching.
Royal Tomb of Sultan Husin Kamaluddin
We ended up going to this tomb because it is built out in an island in the middle of the river. There is a bridge that goes over the river, and offers excellent views of the riverbank. And on the other side of the island there is a gorgeous pier that offers amazing views of the jungles. These jungles around the tomb are a popular location to see the proboscis monkeys.
The tomb itself was not very interesting for the kids. There is a small building to commemorate the Sultan, and some tombs in the field next to it.
ASEAN PARK
Brunei is a member is ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations. There is a park alongside the river, slightly out of town, that pays tribute to their member nations.
Each nation created a modern art sculpture to represent an element of unity, togetherness, and oneness. The ASEAN Park has each sculpture displayed along with a nice pathway along the river.
It is worth a short stop here with kids to show the unity of the Southeast Asean Nations. It is also supposedly a good place to spot proboscis monkeys, but we did not see any.
Tasek Lama Park
The Tasek Lama Park is a large park on the Eastern side of the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. It is a beautiful place for locals to go for a walk or a run. There are many hiking trails to enjoy, and you can spend a long time enjoying the park.
The main pathways are very well maintained and easy to follow. Our kids enjoyed the playground, even though it was rather dated and the equipment was somewhat rusted.
This is an urban park, and as a large green space in the city, it attracts a lot of the birds. It is an excellent place to spot different bird species.
Cost
Free
Hours
Saturday - Thursday: 6:00am - 6:00pm
Friday: 6:00am - 11:00am / 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Ulu Temburong National Park
Ulu Temburong National Park makes up a large portion of the nation of Brunei. It makes up the eastern half. You can get to this national park by driving over, and around Malaysia, on a very long bridge built out over the ocean.
The national park is home to many amazing animals and birds, and there is a very tall (albeit rickety) canopy walk.
We were not able to make it to the national park on our visit to Brunei, but it has officially been added to our list of things to do next time we go back to Brunei!
1 Billionth Barrel of Oil
Brunei has made its money from oil. When they finally hit their 1 billionth barrel of oil, they set up a memorial to this achievement. It is located a fair distance away from the city, so we would only recommend heading out to it is you are passing by.
It is right along the road to and from Malaysia which we were driving, so it made for an easy and fun stop. The memorial itself is not that exciting, however the area around it is rather cool.
You can see oil rigs out in the water, as well as oil pumps working in the fields all around. Then there are the many large pipes running all over the place.
The site was set up by Shell Corporation many years ago, and the quickly built buildings/homes in the area all chime back to the 1950’s when they were built. We found the history of the area more interesting than the 1 billionth barrel memorial.
Brunei Itinerary
3 Day Itinerary
Day one: We would recommend starting off by visiting the downtown area of Bandar Seri Begawan. This would include seeing the Grand Regalia Museum, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and the frame, followed by a stop at the History Museum, then an evening at the Tasek Lama Park.
Day two: This day we would say you can spend exploring the Kampong Ayer, and mix that with a tour of the proboscis monkeys. Then spend the evening exploring the great food at the Gadong Night Market.
Day three: We recommend going to Ulu Temburong National Park and spending time exploring this enormous national park.
Top Places to Stay in Brunei with Kids
When it comes to a place to stay, we feel that location is very important. Being able to be close to the things you want to see is great. Bandar Seri Begawan is a very small city, so getting around by walking is easy and safe from many of the hotels in the city. Here is our list of places we think are in a good location.
The Capital Residence Suite is located just on the edge of town making it an ideal location that balances budget and nearness to the city. It took our family about 10 minutes to walk to the downtown area from the hotel.
The hotel rooms are not large and a family of 6 needs two separate rooms. The breakfast was pretty good.
Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalem
Radisson Hotel is slightly closer to the city than the Capital Residence Suite; we walked right by it on our way. The plus of the Radisson is that it has a pool on site.
Badi’ah Hotel is another great option if you are looking to explore Brunei with kids. This is slightly further from the town center.
If you want ultimate luxury, check out The Empire we mentioned in the things to do in Brunei section of this post. It is a glamorous hotel that was way out of our price range, but if you want the best of the best, go here! It is around a 15 minute drive from this hotel to the city, so that is not an ideal location for easy touring of the city.
Final Thoughts
Brunei has gotten a good amount of bad rep with travelers. After having visited, we feel that Brunei is a great option to visit. We felt safe while we were there, and we enjoyed being able to explore this small country. It is true that Brunei is not large, so you should not expect to need to spend a great deal of time here. However, we would encourage anyone to add it to their list.