Brunei Culture & Visit to Water Village

An eye-opening study in contrasts, this tour presents the extravagant world of Brunei's sultan, followed by a look at life in a village built on stilts in the river.

Starting off from the pier, you will first travel inland toward the majestic Jame Mosque, Brunei's largest, where you will pause briefly for photos. Nearby, you will have a second photo stop that offers you a distant view of the Sultan's Palace (there is no stop at the Palace itself) which is situated on the leafy banks of the Brunei River.

Continuing on, you will arrive at the white-domed Royal Regalia where you can wander through exhibits of luxurious items from the Sultan's lavish coronation and other celebrations. Some of the items you may have the opportunity to see here are His Majesty's royal chariot, ceremonial swords, a model of the palace and various gifts from foreign dignitaries. But as you will soon see, there's more to Brunei than the extravagances afforded by its abundant oil and natural gas.

Making your way to a nearby jetty, you will board a boat and cruise to Water Village where you will witness firsthand a much different side of life. More than 30,000 people live here in thousands of structures built on stilts in the Brunei River. The village is an amazing assortment of homes, restaurants, mosques, shops and hospitals, all connected by wooden boardwalks. Surprisingly, some of the homes are quite elaborate, and you will have the unique opportunity of stopping by one for a cup of tea. Amazingly, people have lived in the Water Village for more than 1,300 years, making it one of the most historic areas in Brunei.

Following your time at the Water Village, you will retrace your route as you make your way back to the pier.