Traveling Borneo: The Brunei Edition
"Don't spend money on things... spend money on experiences. You'll enjoy life a lot more!" Ziad K. Abdelnour
8/10/20255 min read
Borneo is the third-largest island in the world, shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. While based in Kota Kinabalu for an extended stay, we decided to hop over to Brunei for a quick weekend getaway. Despite mixed reviews, the advantages of a short 35-minute flight on Royal Brunei Airlines persuaded us to take the plunge. First up: finding a place to stay. We’d heard that The Empire Hotel in Brunei’s capital once claimed a “7-star” rating. Read on to discover whether it lives up to the hype—and whether Brunei should be on your travel radar.
The Empire Hotel was touted as "a beautiful resort in the wrong location." Stepping onto the grounds, the grand, Hawaiian-resort-style entrance greets you with tree-lined driveways—complete with roaming monkeys. The lobby is nothing short of spectacular: a massive mural shows Europeans meeting Sultan Bolkiah in 1521, while chandeliers, soaring columns, and layered seating offer sweeping views over lush lawns, the pool, and the South China Sea.
The grounds stretch across several buildings, boasting a movie theater, multiple pools, and a country club with gym facilities. Our room was tastefully clean but felt slightly dated—the furniture had faded wear, and the in-room TV was a modest 32-inch. On-site shops and cafés are convenient but notably pricey—one small donut cost around USD 5. Situated outside the city center, the hotel isn’t walkable to other dining options, though the DART taxi app or willing guides made excursions easy. Complimentary refreshments—sodas, milk, water, and snacks—were stocked in our room. Initially, our “sea-view” room had just a glimpse of the ocean, but staff graciously relocated us to a full sea-view—no fuss.
During our visit, Brunei celebrated the Sultan’s 78th birthday, bringing vibrant markets and festivals to life in the city, especially at night. We took two tours: one arranged via the hotel, visiting the Royal Regalia Museum, Sultan’s palace, two mosques (perfect photo ops), and the Gadong Night Market—and exploring festival markets along the way. Our second adventure, booked via Viator, was a private proboscis-monkey tour: a boat ride along the river revealed water villages, birdlife, mangrove-lined waterways, and glimpse of the famed proboscis monkeys. The water was littered near the villages, but beyond that, the mangroves were stunning. We spotted the monkeys high in the trees, their distinctive noses visible only with binoculars or a long lens. Our guide, Augustine, even stopped by a local store so we could grab some snacks—a thoughtful touch.
A few practical notes: Brunei is about 70 % Muslim, and alcohol isn’t available for sale—though you can bring up to 1 L per person for private use. Taxis are readily available from a stand at the airport. One to two days are sufficient to see Brunei’s highlights, but expect higher costs for food and accommodation compared to other Southeast Asian destinations—even the night market feels pricier. So come prepared to spend a bit more.
Borneo is the third-largest island in the world, shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. While based in Kota Kinabalu for an extended stay, we decided to hop over to Brunei for a quick weekend getaway. Despite mixed reviews, the advantages of a short 35-minute flight on Royal Brunei Airlines persuaded us to take the plunge. First up: finding a place to stay. We’d heard that The Empire Hotel in Brunei’s capital once claimed a “7-star” rating. Read on to discover whether it lives up to the hype—and whether Brunei should be on your travel radar.
The Empire Hotel was touted as "a beautiful resort in the wrong location." Stepping onto the grounds, the grand, Hawaiian-resort-style entrance greets you with tree-lined driveways—complete with roaming monkeys. The lobby is nothing short of spectacular: a massive mural shows Europeans meeting Sultan Bolkiah in 1521, while chandeliers, soaring columns, and layered seating offer sweeping views over lush lawns, the pool, and the South China Sea.
The grounds stretch across several buildings, boasting a movie theater, multiple pools, and a country club with gym facilities. Our room was tastefully clean but felt slightly dated—the furniture had faded wear, and the in-room TV was a modest 32-inch. On-site shops and cafés are convenient but notably pricey—one small donut cost around USD 5. Situated outside the city center, the hotel isn’t walkable to other dining options, though the DART taxi app or willing guides made excursions easy. Complimentary refreshments—sodas, milk, water, and snacks—were stocked in our room. Initially, our “sea-view” room had just a glimpse of the ocean, but staff graciously relocated us to a full sea-view—no fuss.
During our visit, Brunei celebrated the Sultan’s 78th birthday, bringing vibrant markets and festivals to life in the city, especially at night. We took two tours: one arranged via the hotel, visiting the Royal Regalia Museum, Sultan’s palace, two mosques (perfect photo ops), and the Gadong Night Market—and exploring festival markets along the way. Our second adventure, booked via Viator, was a private proboscis-monkey tour: a boat ride along the river revealed water villages, birdlife, mangrove-lined waterways, and glimpse of the famed proboscis monkeys. The water was littered near the villages, but beyond that, the mangroves were stunning. We spotted the monkeys high in the trees, their distinctive noses visible only with binoculars or a long lens. Our guide, Augustine, even stopped by a local store so we could grab some snacks—a thoughtful touch.
A few practical notes: Brunei is about 70 % Muslim, and alcohol isn’t available for sale—though you can bring up to 1 L per person for private use. Taxis are readily available from a stand at the airport. One to two days are sufficient to see Brunei’s highlights, but expect higher costs for food and accommodation compared to other Southeast Asian destinations—even the night market feels pricier. So come prepared to spend a bit more.
