Brunei

 General Information

Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

The Sultanate of Brunei is one of those countries that have only recently been discovered by tourists as an eco-tourism destination. Its pristine rainforest, friendly people and high standard of living are a magnet to anyone looking for an escape from the daily rat race while still enjoying the comforts of home. This is the website of the Brunei Tourist Board.

Travelling by boat, an excellent option

Most people live in its pleasant green capital Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB in short) but Brunei’s main attraction is Ulu Temburong National park. The water taxis & longboats that ply through mangrove-fringed waterways transport you to another world. A treasure chest that is dominated by untouched nature. This is where you’ll find ants as large as a child’s finger, butterflies that could be mistaken for small birds and a canopy that is so dense, that you cannot see the ground when walking on the overhead walkway. For more information on Brunei click on this link to see what Wikipedia has to say about the Sultanate.

Language

The official language in Brunei is Malay but English is also widely spoken.

Tip: If you’re worried about going far into the jungle but still want a jungle experience, get a boat excursion from BSB to the surrounding mangroves & see an amazing sunset, fireflies and baby crocodiles.

Shops

View from the yacht club

There are quite a few little supermarkets scattered around town. We also saw quite a large market close to the river selling veggies. 

We did our grocery shopping at Supa Save . The range of products at this supermarket is very good. We even found quite a few gluten free choices and organic products.

Medical Care

Huge but friendly ants

The level of medical care is high in Brunei however, there is only one place where you can buy prescription medicine as most medicine is given out in hospitals. There are private clinics but they are expensive so be sure to come to Brunei fully insured. Most over the counter medicine can be bought at Guardian pharmacies.

These are the pharmacies that were recommended to us.

Name	Location
Guardian Pharmacy	Multiple
Guardian prescription Drugs	In the mall next to the Center Point hotel. (prescription drugs)

If you click on this link, you will get an overview of the hospitals & clinics in Brunei.

Tip: call the emergency number 112.

Hotels & Restaurants

Canopy Walk

BSB has a high standard of living and the restaurants to match it. However, like anywhere in Asia, allergies are virtually unknown and because of this it might be hard to communicate your dietary needs. If you’re unsure of the restaurant, you might just want to prepare your own.

There are quite a few nice hotels and even some serviced apartments to choose from in Brunei although we didn’t stay in any of them.

We saw the UluUlu resort in the National Park, which is large but was deserted when we were there. Possibly most guests were in the rainforest at the time.

During our trip we had lunch at Sumbiling Eco Village, which is clean but basic. The setting on the riverbed is stunning. Before we headed off into the jungle, the staff asked us if anyone had any allergies, which they had to take into account when preparing our lunch. My friend has an egg allergy and they made sure that at least one of the dishes was egg-free!

  

Tip: Bring insect repellent into the jungle.

Do you know of a restaurant, supermarket or place to stay that caters to travelers with an allergy? Make sure to share the details with us in the comments section below. Be as specific as you can and if possible add a web link.