5 Reasons to Visit Brunei (And Why It’s Next on My List)
Last Updated on April 18, 2024 by Adam Watts
No one wants to visit Brunei, and I mean that almost literally. It’s one of the world’s least visited countries. But it’s been very close to the top of my list to visit for a while now, first as a joke and now as a legitimate “as soon as I can, I’m gosh darn well going”, so below are 5 reasons to visit Brunei.
Where is Brunei?
Brunei is on the island of Borneo, which it shares with Malaysia and Indonesia. Borneo itself is southwest of the Philippines, southeast of Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand, east of Singapore, and broadly north of most of the rest of Indonesia. And fun fact: Borneo is the third largest island in the world (after Greenland and New Guinea).
Now we’ve established where Brunei is, let’s dive into what makes it a worthwhile destination.
1. Brunei is a Photographer’s Dream
So pretty!
I enjoy taking photos. I have a nice camera (Nikon crew whaddup!) but I only really take photos when I travel anywhere.
Adorable as they are, there are only so many photos I can take of our kittens at home before I start getting an urge to order a wardrobe of tiny clothes to dress them up in. And I’d like to avoid doing that as long as possible, for their sake and mine.
Enter Brunei.
From mosques to markets to jungles, Brunei is a photographer’s dream and I’m itching to go. I look forward to the day I get back and I can share some pics!
2. Brunei is the Home to Exploding Ants
I’ll repeat it again just so you know you read it right: Brunei is the home to exploding ants.
Do I need to say more?
I do?
Okay, I will.
These exploding ants are scientifically named Colobopsis explodens (seriously). Some tiny worker ants get assigned guard duties to their nest and then just go boom and release a toxic goo whenever an intruder comes too close to the nest.
More specifically, these exploding ants jump onto and latch themselves to the intruder, then “like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube” eject their goo onto the enemy and rupture their own organs. Not as dramatic as, say, a tiny stick of dynamite exploding like I was originally picturing, but still pretty neat.
Brunei isn’t the only home to these ants because ants, unlike humans, are not bound by arbitrary geographical borders. If they want to waltz from Malaysia into Brunei, no fancy ant with a uniform and a stern look is going to check their little ant passport.
All this is to say if “watching an ant explode” is on your bucket list, you can visit Brunei to cross off that very specific item.
>> For more insect-related content, read about cockroaches crawling on toothbrushes in the Amazon rainforest.
3. Brunei has Untouched Rainforests
Ulu Temburong National Park is the first national park to be established in Brunei and is virgin rainforest that covers 10% of the entire country, although only 1% is open to visitors.
You can go on treks through the jungle, swim in natural pools, walk in the canopy, and did I mention you might be able to see exploding ants?
4. Brunei is Super Safe and Clean
The longer I live in Singapore, the more I’ll start to feel like spending a weekend in a warzone, just to remind myself what life is like outside of one of the safest and cleanest places in the world.
But if safe and clean is an important factor in your next trip somewhere, you should visit Brunei. The government puts in a lot of effort to keep the country clean. And with extremely low crime rates, safety at all times of the day and night won’t be a concern.
>> If Brunei isn’t appealing but you still want safe and clean, read more about Singapore here.
5. Brunei is Surprisingly Cheap
Brunei is known for its wealth, particularly regarding the Sultan of Brunei. And with wealth usually comes high prices for basic essentials, like bus tickets and baked beans.
But in Brunei, many attractions are free, public transport is extremely cheap, and general travel expenses like food and accommodation will be far cheaper than in the US or Europe.
Read a detailed examination of costs here.
Bonus: Singapore and Brunei Currency is Interchangeable
This is only a good reason to visit Brunei if you’re traveling from Singapore, but the currencies of Singapore and Brunei are tied to each other and each currency is accepted as payment in the other country. This was news to me and now there’s even more reason for me to visit Brunei!
Originally set up in 1967 between Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia, the currency pegging helped to “promote monetary cooperation” between the three countries but Malaysia pulled out in 1973. Brunei and Singapore have remained best buddies until today.
Now all I need is for Singapore to open up travel and I’ll be on the first plane to Brunei. Hopefully this post has convinced you to join me!
