The next stop on our Norwegian Spirit Christmas cruise through Asia was Brunei Darussalam—a country I hadn’t even realized existed until I saw it on the itinerary. And let’s be honest, I’m probably not the only one! After visiting Taiwan, the Philippines, and Malaysia, this marked country number four on our journey.

Unfortunately, we only had one day here, just like in Malaysia. But on day 10 of 14, we managed to make the most of our time and left feeling satisfied with our visit.

We arrived in Muara early in the morning and took a taxi straight to the main waterfront, knowing we’d have better luck finding a tour there. Since Brunei is a Muslim country with more conservative dress norms, we all wore long pants and shirts to cover our shoulders and midsections.

One thing I didn’t know about the religion is that men can have up to four wives, depending on their salary. I found that both surprising and interesting when our taxi driver casually mentioned it to us on the way to the waterfront.

Once we reached the main area, we easily found a mangrove boat tour that fit perfectly within our limited time in Brunei.

To reach the mangroves, we boated through a water village where all the houses stood on cement pillars, almost like stilts. It was fascinating to see these homes, which looked like they could topple in a strong storm. The villagers have to commute from their stilted homes to the mainland for work, which is one of the reasons fewer people are choosing to live in them. While it was once essential for fishing, today, living on the water is more about affordability than necessity.

Driving further, we pulled up to a riverbank where a rope hung from a tree into the water. Out of nowhere, our guide started tugging on it. To our complete shock, he pulled up a live alligator, its snout tied shut. We were so confused, but he explained that the government was working to reduce the alligator population by capturing and relocating them. Whether that was true or just something for the tourists, we weren’t entirely sure, but it was crazy either way!

Continuing on, we officially entered the mangroves, surrounded by dense trees and thick vegetation lining the banks. Unfortunately, there was also a lot of trash floating in the water, which was sad to see. Still, being out there was super enjoyable! The fresh breeze made for a comfortable ride, and the sun wasn’t beating down on us as much on this day. But I will say, make sure to get a boat with a roof if ever in this area, otherwise it might be a bit unbearable!

As we stopped at random spots, we spotted all kinds of wildlife hiding among the trees. Monitor lizards, monkeys, and birds darted between the trees. If you were fast enough, you could even catch a glimpse of alligators (or baby ones like we saw) along the banks. In the distance, we also spotted some long-nosed monkeys! I wish they could have been closer, but it was cool nonetheless.

Venice of the East

On the way back, we stopped at the Kampong Ayer water village built entirely on stilts above the water. Or rather, a combination of over 100 villages as they say. But although they say villages, they are interconnected streets or cul-de-sacs. The houses are connected by narrow wooden walkways, some of which looked incredibly fragile. The homes themselves didn’t appear to be in great condition, many in need of repairs. It’s a bummer that a country ruled by one of the world’s richest monarchs has communities living in such conditions.

We started at the edge of one of the villages, where we came across a sports court built over the water. The court was specifically designed for Sepak Takraw, a game that’s like a mix of volleyball and soccer. Instead of using their hands, players can only use their feet, head, knees, chest, or shoulders to hit a small rattan ball over the net. I would have loved to watch people play it!

Carefully making our way across the wooden planks, we had to watch our steps, although not just for weak boards but also for cat feces scattered everywhere! The village was filled with mostly stray cats, and there wasn’t a litterbox in sight.

There is even one house we passed at one point, that technically belonged to two villages because it was built right on the border between them.

As we explored, we walked past an outdoor gym with weights and benches, a pet store of some sort, a hotel, and even a small self serve kiosk where we stopped to grab some juice. It was mind blowing to see how self sufficient this water village was with bridges and walkways connecting everything they needed to function like any other town.

On the way back, we also passed a fire department on the water. In a place like this, where the houses are built on stilts All connected by wooden bridges, a fire can quickly spiral out of control, almost like a match igniting a chain reaction that’s hard to stop. That’s why these floating fire departments are so crucial. We even saw the aftermath of previous fires, where all that remains sticking out of the water are the concrete pillars of the former houses.

Our visit to Brunei was as brief as you’d expect when trying to explore a new place in just one day. While it was definitely an interesting experience, I wouldn’t say a second visit is essential. After enjoying some coffee and churros to wrap up the day, we set off for the next stop on our cruise itinerary: Vietnam!

Highlights:

• Mangrove boat tour along the Brunei river
• Venice of the East water village touring (Kampong Ayer)