Brunei Darussalam may certainly be off the beaten track for tourists, but it does provide a breath of fresh air for those allergic to big crowds and noisy cities. It's not a holiday for everyone, but it is a trip of a lifetime. > River Cruise > Fast Facts

For those of you who're having problems recalling where exactly you've heard of Brunei before, the word 'Sultan' should ring a bell. The man who was once the richest in the world has now been outstripped by the likes of Bill Gates, but he still rules over this oil-rich sultanate with the kind of following we Indians reserve for cricketers. Such reverence is not misplaced either. Since the standard of living is quite high, there are no personal taxes and the people are very well provided for in all respects.

Oil is the lifeblood of this country, with almost all revenues and all the Sultan's riches coming from the black gold. Royal Brunei Shell is the biggest employer in this country aside from the extensive bureaucracy. It's also probably the only place in the world where you can see oil wells, complete with oil pumps or the Nodding Donkeys as they're fondly called, by the roadside. At the same time, investments abroad, mostly in real estate, take care of most of Brunei's needs. A suitable example would be that of the cattle ranch in Australia, which is bigger in size than the country itself!

Forests are the biggest draw in Brunei. With about 75 per cent of the land protected from logging by royal decree, rainforests abound. And a walk on one of the tropical jungle trails is a must do. Walking across not-too-shallow gorges which are bridged by a single trunk of a tree, and if you're lucky, a rope, following narrow, slippery, muddy trails, wading through rivers and waterfalls brimming with leeches, all under the thick canopy of trees so old, they probably were around when Adam met Eve. This may not be your dream vacation but it certainly stokes the spirit of adventure which seems to have died out with Cecil Rhodes. Highlight of the day? The assured mid-afternoon downpour. You can actually set your watch by it.

If you're a beach bird rather than a rainforest enthusiast, you'd be at home here as well. The beaches are as untouched as you can expect, apart from a few oil wells here and there. No Baywatch here though and with good reason. Swimming in these clear waters (by South China Sea standards!) is made impossible by the abundance of the Box jellyfish, a variety with a particularly nasty sting. But you can go snorkelling or diving, provided you have a sting suit on. Fishing in the sea is another option.

The sights of Brunei are confined to the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB). Be it the beautiful Omar Ali Saifuddin mosque, or the Brunei museum or the Istana Nurul Iman. The last of these is in the record books for being the largest palace in the world. With 1,788 rooms, it has all of 388 rooms more than the Vatican palace, which counts, as a country in itself! However, catching a glimpse of its opulent interiors is out of the question, since it's open to public only on His Majesty, the Sultan's birthday and on the day of Id-ul-fitr (or Hari Raya as it's called in Malay). Only on these two days are the palace gates thrown open for the masses.

Imagine a village on stilts. A village built on myriad poles a few feet over the waters of the South China Sea. There are houses, schools, shops and mosques, even car salesmen in this village! And it's called Kampong Ayer (meaning 'Water Village').

Imagine a village on stilts. A whole village, with people living in it, built on myriad poles a few feet over the waters of the South China Sea. There are houses and schools, and shops and mosques, even car salesmen in this village! And why would a village built over water need car salesmen, you might ask. They do need to get work in downtown BSB, don't they? For this is Kampong Ayer. As unique a sight as you'll see anywhere in the world, Kampong Ayer (literally 'Water Village') counts as a part of BSB. It's not as if there isn't land available for the people here to live on. On the contrary, Brunei is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. Barely the size of Goa, the tiny nation on the island of Borneo has no more than half a million people, a whole bunch of whom are immigrants and expatriates. Tradition has kept this village going, integrating all the conveniences of modern life into their perch above the waves. You just have to see it to believe it.

While on the subject of modern conveniences, automobiles do have a position somewhere near the top. Nowhere more so than in Brunei Darussalam. Everyone who lives here has a car, or two, or three, to capitalise on the flawless roads. Public transport seems to be taboo, with next to no buses and taxis few and far between. So be careful before hailing for a cab. It's probably cheaper to rent a car.

Those who crave a little more excitement in their life can make their way to Jerudong Park. This amusement park is their answer to Disneyland, only scaled down to fit the country. In its early days, this was the only free fairground anywhere in the world -- sadly it has followed the norm now and charges people for the privileges of its rides. It's a fun evening out nonetheless.

Warm and amiable people they might be, but you have to be really lucky to meet many native Bruneians. A big proportion of the people you meet are immigrants and the expatriates. So don't be surprised if the doctor is a Bengali or a Tamil, the hotel staff a Malaysian, and the salespeople at the department store Chinese. Perhaps the largest expatriate community is that of the British Army. This being a British protectorate, the Queen's own Gurkhas nearly outnumber the Sultan's armed forces! In fact, the British have more aircraft here than the RBAF (Royal Brunei Air Force).

The Bruneians are soccer crazy, but when it comes to playing, they're not exactly Brazil or France, as a recent 5-1 drubbing from India, of all countries, proved. Doesn't stop them from flaunting football kits though: T-shirts and shorts bearing logos of the European clubs seems to be the uniform here!

The proliferation of Indians would seem to explain the popularity of our food as well. There are several restaurants serving desi cuisine, even in the smaller towns, such as Seria, Tutong and Kuala Belait. BSB again has the most choices. Gadong, the commercial heart of the city, has restaurants to suit all palates and pockets. For those with bulging wallets, the city's hotels have some very good options, though the best place to eat I'm told is the Empire Country Club just outside, on the Muara-Tutong highway. If you can't find an Indian restaurant to satisfy your longing for home food, try out the Malay eats. You'd be pleasantly surprised to see how similar these are to our own culinary delights. Alcohol isn't allowed to be served in public, thus no bars or nightclubs here.

Brunei Darussalam may certainly be off the beaten track for tourists, but it does provide a breath of fresh air for those allergic to big crowds and noisy cities. It is one of the few places left in the world, where forests are as important as the human habitat. Or where the monarch is a step below God. It's not a holiday for everyone, but it is a trip of a lifetime. If you get tired of it though, Singapore's only a couple of hours away!

Take the 90-minute river cruise for a glimpse of the country’s opulence, culture and history. The Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, with its 52-m golden dome seen from anywhere in the city, is built near a lagoon and has an observation deck in one of the minarets. Completed in 1958, it has some of the finest marble, carpets and furnishings found in any mosque in the world.

Kampong Ayer, the water village built on stilts, is home to nearly 30,000 people. The centuries-old settlement includes schools and medical clinics and houses with modern amenities. Raised walkways meander between packed houses where underneath zoom wooden boats with powerful engines.

The Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah is in a mausoleum dedicated to the nation's fifth Islamic monarch when Brunei was a dominant power in the region. Nearby are the remains of buildings from the old capital of Kota Batu uncovered by archaeologists in recent years.

The sunset cruise is from 6:30 pm to 8 pm. The dinner cruise starts at 8 pm when one can enjoy luminous sights of Brunei Darussalam until 10:30 pm.

Brunei International Airport (BWN) is only 5 miles from the city. Buses ply to the city centre every 20 minutes; taxis available at the airport.

By road: Catch a bus from Miri in Malaysia for the five-six hour journey to SBS. Be prepared to change buses at Kuala Belait and Seria.

By sea: Regular ferries connect Labuan in Sabah, Malaysia, to Muara in Brunei (about 15 min from BSB). The journey takes an hour and costs USD 15.

Money matters
The Brunei dollar (B$) has 100 sen and is on par with the Singapore dollar.100 INR = 3.6 B$

Banks open 9 am to 3 pm Monday to Friday and close at 11 am on Saturdays. It is advisable to change currency and TCs at banks. MasterCard, Amex and Visa credit cards are accepted.

Stay
Hotel options are limited. Service apartments are popular with the expatriates.

Sheraton Utama Hotel
Jalan Tasek
Bandar Seri Bagawan, BB8211
Brunei Darussalam
Tel: 673 2 244272
Fax: 673 2 221579/ 228653

Crowne Princess Hotel
Km 2.5, Jalan Tutong
Bandar Seri Begawan
1927 Negara Brunei
Darulssalam
Tel: 673 2 241128
Fax: 673 2 241138

Service apartments

Kompleks Mohammad Yussof Service
Km 1 1/2, Seri Kompleks
Jalan Tutong
Bandar Seri Begawan BA 1712
Tel: 673 2 235532
Fax: 673 2 235528

High Commission of Brunei Darussalam
A-42, Vasant Marg
Vasant Vihar
New Delhi-110057
Tel: 91 (11) 614 8340, 614 8241, 614 8343
Fax: 91 (11) 614 2101
Email: bdhcdelhi@hotmail.com
Working days: Monday to Friday
Off days: Saturday to Sunday
Office hours: 0830 to 1530