Brunei Mangrove River Safari

The Brunei River and Bandar Seri Begawan

Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, grew up on the banks of the Brunei River, and the river is still the best place to understand the city. From the boat jetty in the centre, a short drive from your hotel, your wooden boat heads out onto the wide, calm water, with the modern capital on one side, its offices, waterfront and golden-domed mosques, and the timber houses of the water village on the other.

As you cruise, your guide points out the landmarks and explains how life in Brunei has always been shaped by the river, from trade and fishing to the water taxis that still carry residents across it. You pass under the elegant cable-stayed bridge that links the city centre with Kampong Ayer, opened in 2017, whose single tower rises 157 metres above the river. This Brunei river cruise is a relaxed and memorable introduction to the country, especially on a first visit.

Kampong Ayer water village

Kampong Ayer is the historic heart of Brunei and one of the largest water villages in Southeast Asia. Built entirely on stilts above the river, it has been inhabited for many centuries and today thousands of residents live in wooden and concrete houses linked by kilometres of boardwalks. Schools, mosques, clinics, shops and even fire and police stations stand on stilts over the water.

On this Kampong Ayer boat tour you stop for about 35 minutes to step onto the boardwalks, see daily life up close and enjoy local snacks with morning or afternoon tea; as everywhere in Brunei, the food is halal. Your guide explains how families live here, how the village is connected to the city by water taxis and the bridge, and how traditions are kept alive. From the village you also get a beautiful view across the water to the golden dome of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.

Istana Nurul Iman from the river

Further upstream the boat passes Istana Nurul Iman, the official royal residence of Brunei and the largest residential palace in the world. Completed in 1984, it stretches along the riverbank among green lawns and trees, its golden domes and sweeping roofs blending Islamic and Malay architectural styles. The palace has 1,788 rooms, along with halls, a mosque and vast reception spaces.

The palace is generally closed to visitors, except during the festive open days after Ramadan, so the river is one of the best places to see it. Your boat slows down so you can take photos of the domes rising above the treeline, while the guide tells you about the palace and the role of the royal institution in the life of the country. Remember that it is a working royal residence, so the view is from a respectful distance on the water.

The mangroves and the proboscis monkeys

The final part of the trip slows right down as the boat enters the mangrove forest along the river. These tangled roots and dense green canopies are a nursery for marine life and shelter remarkable creatures: mudskippers, fish that live both in water and on land, blue and red kingfishers, white egrets and night herons. Above all, this is the habitat of the proboscis monkey, found only on the island of Borneo.

Male proboscis monkeys have large, pendulous noses and reddish fur, and the monkeys often gather near the river in the early morning and towards dusk, which is why the tour leaves at 08:30 and 15:30. In Brunei you do not need to travel deep into the jungle to see them; many can be spotted from the boat, although sightings depend on nature. Keep your voice low, have your camera ready and enjoy one of the best wildlife experiences close to Bandar Seri Begawan.