4 Days in Brunei: The Complete Travel Guide to Bandar Seri Begawan
I’ve been curious about Brunei since I watched a vlogger say he didn’t like it, then went back to explore it again, and fortunately, he had a good time. So, I want to visit and see for myself what Brunei has to offer.
Sandwiched between Malaysian states on the island of Borneo, this tiny, oil-rich sultanate quietly goes about its business while travelers rush past it on the way to somewhere busy.
It’s small, you can cover most of Bandar Seri Begawan (the capital, BSB for short) in a few days.
A few well-traveled friends told me 2 days is enough in Brunei, so they were shocked when I told them I booked a 6-day trip. 😅 So, we decided to shorten our trip to 4 days and spent 2 days in Kota Kinabalu instead. I’ll be honest, if we spent the whole 6 days in Brunei alone, that would be pretty amazing too!
We went during the Ramadan season, we were a bit worried since they would be fasting, and based on our research that restaurants would be closed. But as it turned out, it is one of the best times to visit Brunei, according to our Bruneian friends.
This is the guide I wish I had before I went. Honest, practical, with all the things I actually did plus a few I added afterward because you really shouldn’t skip them.
Things to Know Before You Go
Best Time to Visit
February to April: dry season, cooler mornings.
I wrote a different blog post about the Best Time to Visit Brunei, According to a Local.
Money
Brunei Dollar (BND). Singapore Dollar is accepted at par, very handy. ATMs widely available in BSB. Cards work at most hotels and malls.
We only withdrew cash the moment we arrived in Brunei.
Planning Your Trip to Brunei
Visa
Most nationalities (including Filipinos and many ASEAN passport holders) get visa-free entry for 14–30 days. Always double-check your specific passport on the Brunei immigration website before booking.
Getting There
Royal Brunei Airlines flies direct from several Southeast Asian hubs, including Manila, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.
BSB International Airport is compact and surprisingly easy to navigate.
However, for us we booked our flight via Cebu Pacific. And our route is Cebu-Manila-Brunei.
How to Stay Connected
We bought a SIM card at the airport the moment we arrived. They say a physical SIM card is better. But if you want to use an eSIM, they are also available.
Getting Around
Brunei has almost no public transport. Your options are Dart (it is like grab), metered taxis, or car rental. If you’re based in BSB, most major sites are walkable or a short ride away. For Kampong Ayer, you take water taxis, small wooden boats that cost next to nothing.
Just during this travel, we were lucky to meet Bruneian friends, who took us around Brunei.
Where to Stay
BSB has options across all budgets. Budget travelers do well in guesthouses near the waterfront. Mid-range and up, the Radisson and Empire Hotel are popular picks. I’d recommend staying close to the city center — you’ll walk less and stress less.
During our travel, we stayed at:
- Al Afia Hotel ➭ We stayed most of the days here.
- Jubilee Hotel Brunei ➭ We stayed here just to leave our bags before our flight at night. We came from Kota Kinabalu.
4-Day Brunei Itinerary
Please know that we have a very flexible time during this trip. But if I have to share a really good itinerary. This will be my suggestion.
Day 01: Mosques, Royalty & the Floating Village
We packed Day 1 with the big landmarks, and it was a LOT. In a good way.
Get an early start because the mosques are best in the morning before the heat kicks in.
Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
The largest mosque in Brunei, with 29 golden domes, one for each Sultan. We went first thing in the morning and had most of the grounds to ourselves. Bring socks. The marble is smooth and cool and very slippery in the wrong footwear.
Royal Regalia Museum
Free entry. No photography inside, which sounds annoying but actually forces you to just look. Gold royal carriages, ceremonial costumes, gifts from world leaders. Genuinely fascinating. Give it at least an hour.
Brunei Energy Hub
The museum tells the story of Brunei’s oil and gas industry, the thing that pays for everything, including free education and healthcare for every citizen. Thoughtful, well-designed, and surprisingly moving when you understand what it means for the country.
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer is a floating village of around 39,000 people, built on stilts above the Brunei River. It has been here for over 1,300 years. Walk the wooden boardwalks slowly. This is not a tourist attraction. It’s someone’s neighbourhood. Treat it like one.
We had tea with Bruneian snacks. Also,o we had a tour of the house. It was much bigger than I expected.
Brunei Arts and Handicraft Centre
Watch local artisans work with silver, brass, and traditional textiles. The prices are a bit high but honest, and the quality is real. A good early scouting trip before your souvenir shopping on Day 4.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
We went during the hottest time, so if you do not go with the Klook tour, save this one for late afternoon. The marble catches the light differently at golden hour, and the reflection in the man-made lagoon doubles everything. It’s the postcard shot of Brunei, and it earns that title completely.
Istana Darussalam & Istana Nurul Iman
A quick stop for these two. Istana Nurul Iman is the official palace of the Sultan, the largest residential palace in the world. You can’t go inside, but seeing it from the road is enough to make your jaw drop at the sheer scale of the thing. Istana Darussalam is quieter and surrounded by trees. Good for a quick photo stop.
Pacing note: Day 1 is your biggest day logistically. A hired car or Grab works best; public transport is limited. Book transport in advance if you can. End the evening along the waterfront promenade and watch the Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque lights come on. Free and perfect.
We booked a Half Day City & Water Village Tour in Brunei, so we finished in the afternoon.
Day 2: Markets, Murals & Good time
Kianggeh Market
A proper wet market near the river. Morning is best, tropical fruits, local snacks, ambuyat ingredients, fresh produce, and all the smells that come with it. Not polished, not staged. Just real and alive. Try something you can’t identify. You’ll probably love it.
The Big Wall Brunei
A sprawling outdoor mural project that turns the city’s walls into a gallery. Hunt the murals on foot; each one tells a story about Brunei’s culture, history, or natural world. Great for photos and a reminder that cities reveal themselves in unexpected places. Allow more time than you think you’ll need.
The Frame Brunei Darussalam
Shaped like a giant picture frame, a nod to framing Brunei’s past, present, and future. Interactive exhibits inside walk you through the country’s history and identity. Worth an hour or two, especially for context on everything you’ve been seeing.
Play Bubbles
Blowing soap bubbles in the park was such a fun experience. We loved watching them float and dance with the wind, creating a simple moment of joy. It’s the perfect activity for kids and kids at heart, and we genuinely enjoyed every minute of it.
Dinner at Soto Pabo
One of the best meals of the entire trip. Soto is a Bruneian-style clear broth soup loaded with chicken, vermicelli, fried shallots, and fresh herbs. Soto Pabo does it right. Order a bowl, then order another. The second one always tastes better than the first.
Day 03: Into the Jungle & Along the River
Day 3 is the one that makes you feel like you actually went somewhere. Leave the city behind entirely.
This is the one I missed in our Brunei trip, but it is okay since I have a reason to go. So if you want to have a full experience, do this on your Day 3.
Ulu Temburong National Park
The jewel of Brunei. A pristine rainforest accessible only by a combination of ferry and longboat, the journey is part of the experience. Inside the park, a canopy walkway rises above the ancient jungle canopy and gives you a perspective on Borneo that is genuinely hard to put into words. It’s one of those places that makes you feel very small and very glad to be alive at the same time. Must book in advance through a tour operator. Full day affair, and start early.
Getting there
Ulu Temburong is in the Temburong district, an exclave separated from the rest of Brunei by Malaysian territory. You reach it by express boat from BSB’s Serasa Ferry Terminal, then a longboat upriver. Most tour operators include transfers. Budget a full day and bring waterproof shoes, insect repellent, and more water than you think you need.
Crocodile Spotting on the Brunei River
End the day on the water. Dusk boat tours along the Brunei River are where the wildlife comes out, proboscis monkeys (the large-nosed ones that look permanently alarmed) swinging through the trees, and if luck is on your side, the occasional saltwater crocodile surfacing in the dark water. It’s quieter and stranger than any night market, and it stays with you.
Brunei had already been great. But standing on a canopy walkway above ancient jungle in the morning, then watching crocodiles surface at dusk from a wooden boat, that’s is unforgettable. Definitely coming back to try this,
Day 04: Food Trip, Cafe Hopping & Souvenirs
The send-off day. No agenda. No rush. Eat everything that’s left on the list and leave room for at least three cups of coffee.
The Brunei food you need to try first
Ambuyat
Brunei’s national dish. Gluey sago paste dipped into various sauces. Tasteless on its own. Oddly addictive with the right sambal. Order it at least once.
We tried it with Durian dipped. It was spicy, and surprisingly,y it works.
Soto Brunei
Clear aromatic broth with chicken, noodles, fried shallots, and a hard-boiled egg. Brunei’s most beloved comfort food. You already had it at Soto Pabo — have it again.
Nasi Katok
Steamed rice, fried chicken, and sambal in a paper packet. Brunei’s iconic cheap eats. It is a full meal for under BND 1. Available at roadside stalls across the city at any hour.
Kelupis
Glutinous rice wrapped in nyirik leaves and steamed. A traditional Bruneian snack you’ll find at the market. Soft, fragrant, slightly sweet. Perfect with tea.
Rendang
Slow-cooked dry beef curry with coconut and spices. The Bruneian version has its own depth, richer and more aromatic than what you’ll find elsewhere. Find it at local restaurants or warung stalls.
Teh Tarik
Pulled milk tea: frothy, sweet, and served everywhere. The unofficial national drink. Order it at every cafe stop. Compare. Pick a favourite.
I honestly have tried a lot more, but I think that list is pretty good already.
The cafes we went to
- Batches Coffee
- Fiorise Artisan Patisserie & Cafe
- Plant Folk Cafe
- Roasted Sip
- Kafe Melor
Cafe hopping tip: BSB’s cafe scene is small but genuinely really good. Don’t try to hit all five in one morning. Pick two or three, sit properly, and enjoy each one. Cafe hopping in Brunei is not a race.
Where we bought souvenirs
- BWN Souvenirs Store: Great range of Brunei-themed gifts, keychains, magnets, and printed goods. Good for the people back home who want something from Brunei without knowing what Brunei is. Also, they have a free photo opt where you can try Bruneian clothes.
- Happy Star: Quirky, colourful, and fun. More creative picks than the standard tourist shop. Good for something a little different, we bought a lot of ref magnets here.
- Brunei Arts & Handicraft Centre: If you want something made by hand in Brunei (silverware, woven textiles, brasswork) come back here on Day 4 with a clear head and a budget. The quality justifies the price.
- Kianggeh Market: Don’t overlook the market for souvenirs, local spices, pandan products, dried goods, and Bruneian snacks, which make excellent gifts. We bought a postcard from an artist selling his paintings here.
We left BSB with full bags, full stomachs, and the particular kind of tiredness you only get from a trip that actually delivered. Brunei, we’ll be back. Probably for Hari Raya.
We had an amazing time in Brunei. From exploring more of Brunei to spending time with the kindest people, this trip ended on such a beautiful note.
Honestly, it’s the people who made this adventure unforgettable. Thank you again to Haz & Datul, Aziim & Fatin, and it was such a joy meeting Umar & Naila too.❤️
Watch our Brunei Vlogs
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My Travel Faves!
🌎 Safetywing: For travel insurance
✈️ Google Flights: For finding flight deals
🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels
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☀️ Klook: For tours and activities
📷 Canon G7X Mark II: My travel camera
🧳 Luggage: My favorite luggage
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