On the north coast of Borneo, the country of Brunei Darussalam is a rather modest, low-key place made up mostly of rain forest. Modernization has been largely restricted to its capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, which has gleaming modern buildings, good roads and modern conveniences. The surrounding jungle is largely unspoiled as most of the country’s oil and gas reserves are near the coast or offshore.
Located on the northern coast of the island of Borneo, Brunei consists of two coastal areas separated by a finger of Sarawak, the Malaysian province. The country ranges from coastal plain to hilly lowland and is mostly covered in equatorial rain forest. It is divided into four districts: Belait (west), Tutong (west-central), Brunei-Muara (central) and Temburong (east).
With its comfortable income, Brunei hasn’t had to exploit its other natural resources, although there are plans in the works to diversify its economy with more industry, agriculture and forestry. Most of Brunei’s income from oil and gas is spread around to make the country’s per-capita income one of the highest in the world. Housing is subsidized and available for all citizens. Education from kindergarten through the university level is also free for citizens—and even includes tuition and expenses for students to attend universities abroad. Pensions and medical care are taken care of by the government. And there’s no personal income tax.
HISTORY
Brunei is one of the oldest Southeast Asian nations. In the 16th century, it was a powerful state, ruling over Borneo and parts of the Sulu Islands and the Philippines. For nearly 100 years it was under British hegemony; full independence didn’t come until 1984. The country was renamed Brunei Darussalam, meaning Abode of Peace. Today it’s an Islamic nation, ruled by the Sultan, the 29th of his line, who has absolute control. The Sultan’s family has controlled the country for 500 years, making it one of the world’s longest dynasties.
CLIMATE
Sunny with a chance of showers would be the best way to describe the weather in Brunei. It’s always humid, and the temperatures are generally in the 80s-90s F/26-32 C during the day and the low 70s F/21-26 C in the evenings year round. The best time to visit is from March to October as the monsoon season is from September to February. Take a sweater any time of year for the cool evenings.
CURRENCY
Brunei’s currency is equivalent to that of Singapore, and Singaporean dollar notes can be used in Brunei as well.