Brunei is an independent sultanate with its own cultures and customs on the corner of the large island of Borneo. The island of Borneo is actually shared by three different countries – Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Flights directly to Brunei are quite expensive and since we have a big family, we needed to find another way to get to this tiny country. What we needed was information on how to cross the land border from Miri to Brunei.
We found it cheaper to take a domestic flight from Kuala Lumpur to Miri, Sarawak. Miri is close to Brunei and serves as a great stopover on the way to Brunei. And when we learned we could drive directly from Miri to Brunei, we decided to try that route instead. This worked best for us as we were already in Kuala Lumpur. If you want to get to Brunei from another country, then perhaps flying directly into the capital city Bandar Seri Begawan will be the most effective option (see below)
What are the options for crossing the border by road from Miri to Brunei?
Initially, we wanted to take a public bus from Malaysia into Brunei. We found a lot of information about different buses that go from Miri to Brunei. However, the information found online was not up to date, so we decided to go to the official tourist office of Miri to get their help. The Tourist Office clerk confirmed: There is no bus from Miri to Brunei.
So what are the other options for a family by road?
Rental Car
The Tourist Office clerk was very helpful in this regard too. He prompted us to contact our rental car company that we had used around the town of Miri earlier in the week. He said that many companies allow rental cars to go into the country of Brunei. We were given three other companies that would also work with us around town if our company did not have a vehicle for us to use.
In our opinion, renting your own car is the best option if you are wanting to stay a few days, or at least overnight, in Brunei.
You do not need a Malaysian driver’s license. Our USA driver’s license worked just fine. We do have an international driver’s license, but we were never asked to show it and did not need it.
We were able to rent directly from our rental car company. A few more local companies you can explore would be Luth Car Rental. We used them and the vehicle was great. It cost RM500 for having the vehicle for 2 days, plus RM100 free to take it to Brunei. That is about $150USD for two days having a 7-seater vehicle.
Before you cross the border into Brunei, you will need to make sure you complete:
- The car form (one for the car) EES online. You will need to create a username and password. This is for entry with a vehicle and you will need specific information from the rental car. See below. This costs $6USD and you will be given a QR code to scan at the crossing.
- The Brunei health form (one for each passenger)
- The Brunei immigration form (one for each passenger)
Here is the important information you need to know about the rental car company to cross the border:
- Car registration
- Car Plate Number
- Road |Tax Expiry Date
- Engine number and Chassis Number
- Car Owner Name
- Car Owner IC number (this is their national ID number)
- Car owner address, date of birth, phone number
This sounds overwhelming, but our rental car was able to give all the information to us quickly when we needed it.
It would have been nice if they gave it up-front as we told them we were driving the car into Brunei and we asked if there was anything we needed. They said no, then when we got to the border and we were asked for all this extra documentation. They replied quickly and knew what we were asking for without any issues.
Step-by-Step to Cross from Miri to Brunei
- Stop to get gas at one of the gas stations on the way out of Miri to make sure you have a full tank of gas.
- Drive from Miri to the Sungai Tujuh Border Crossing. Wait in the car line for Malaysian immigration. Here they do not ask for any car information. Just show the passports of all passengers in the car. Wait for the passports to be scanned. Passports will be returned and you will be asked to continue on.
- Drive down the road a few minutes and you will see the Sungai Tujuh Control Post for Brunei. At this border crossing, you will need to show:
- Your passports
- The QR code for your completed car EES form
- The email with each passenger’s Brunei E-Health Declaration Arrival Form
- The email with the immigration form
- If all your documents are already completed and you can show them to the immigration official, they should stamp and let you through.
If you do not have all the paperwork that is necessary, then they will send you to another window. You can park your car and get help completing all the necessary forms. We ended up in this other line because our rental car company didn’t tell us anything about the EES forms. We had all the other things taken care of beforehand.
- Once you have your stamps in your passports and the passports handed back to you, you are officially in Brunei.
To enter the capital city of Bandar Seri Bagawan from the Sungi Tujuh Border Crossing, you need to drive another one and a half hours.
Important to note: If you are renting a car in Malaysia, you need to make sure you have a full tank of gas BEFORE you cross the border. Do not expect to be able to buy gas in Brunei! Because Brunei is a major oil-producing nation, the gas price is one of the lowest in the world. However, it is only reserved for Brunei registered vehicles.
We were almost out of gas as we were about to leave Brunei, so we decided to fill up. They wouldn’t let us because our car had a Malaysian license plate! Thankfully, we made it back over the border before we ran out. So, keep this in mind. Perhaps you could find a place in Bandar Seri Bagawan that will sell it to you for a more expensive price, but we don’t recommend taking the chance like we did!
When is the Border Open between Miri, Malaysia and Brunei?
The border to drive over is open daily from 6:00am until 10:00pm. Of course traffic patterns change every day, but it is best to avoid crossing during normal heavy traffic periods before and after working hours. It is best to check the traffic apps if you want to try and avoid long ques.
If you want to beat the traffic leaving Malaysia then you should aim to avoid crossing the border at in the mid/late afternoon on weekdays or late morning on weekends.
If you want to beat the traffic leaving Brunei then you should aim to avoid crossing the border at later in the afternoon.
Car with Driver / Guided Tour
If you don’t feel comfortable renting your own car, you can rent a car with a driver. This is a good option if you are just taking a day trip. If you decide to enter Brunei with a driver then the driver will take care of the documents and EES forms for the vehicle. You will still be required to fill out other forms such as:
The Brunei health form (one for each passenger)
The Brunei immigration form (one for each passenger)
It will cost more to hire a driver but if you would like to eliminate uncertainty then this is a good option.
Guided tours and using a driver means that you will only be able to visit Brunei for the day. It is possible to see a number of sights in Brunei in one day, as it’s such a small country. But we recommend having the extra time to spend the night if possible.
How to Hire a Driver or a Tour
If you want to hire a driver to take you the cheapest option is to hire a local company to do that for you. We highly recommend asking at the Miri Visitor Center about local companies. You can always find an option online, such as through Booking.com.
At the time when we went Luth Car Rental did offer chauffeur service however this would be subject to available personnel in their smaller company.
So, Can I fly from Miri to Brunei?
There is, of course, still the option to fly if you do not want to cross a land border, just not a direct flight. The road option is forty minutes to the border from Miri and 1 ½ hours more to the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan, with some potential waiting time at the border. Flying would take half a day, at the minimum.
For the quickest routes, stay within the island of Borneo. From Miri, you can fly to either Kuching or Kota Kinabalu, which will then get you a direct flight to Brunei.
You can check for best deals on Booking.com or any airline for flights.
The Bandar Seri Bagawan airport (airport code BWN) is located quite near the city center, so expect 15-20 minutes by taxi to get from the airport into the main part of the city.
Conclusion
We were happy with our choice of getting a rental car to go into Brunei. The process was easier than we expected it to be. We loved having the freedom of having our own set of wheels in Brunei.
We were able to explore more sights than just the ones in downtown Bandar Seri Begawan, because we had a car. Our family loved visiting Brunei!