Country Information

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Location: Brunei is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Population: 417,200
Currency: Brunei dollar (BND)
Language: Malay
Main Religion: Sunni Islam

Good Morning: Selamat pagi (sounds like “pag-ee”)
Good Afternoon: Selamat tengah hari (sounds like “teen-gah har-ee”)
Good Evening: Selamat Petang (sounds like “puh-tong”)
Good Night: Selamat Malam (sounds like “mah-lahm”)
Thank you: Terima kasih

Dates in the country

January 2017

Climate

The climate in Brunei is tropical equatorial and humid subtropical at higher altitudes with heavy rainfall. Bandar Seri Begawan’s climate is tropical equatorial with two seasons. Dry season is extremely hot (24 to 36 °C or 75.2 to 96.8 °F). Wet or rainy season is generally warm and wet (20 to 28 °C or 68.0 to 82.4 °F).F).

Public Holidays


  • 01-Jan New Year’s Day
  • 02-Jan New Year Holiday
  • 28-Jan Chinese New Year
  • 23-Feb National Day
  • 24-Apr Israk and Mikraj
  • 27-May Awal Ramadhan
  • 31-May Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Day
  • 12-Jun Nuzul Al-Quran
  • 25 Jun to 28 Jun Hari Raya Aidil Fitri
  • 15-Jul His Majesty the Sultan’s Birthday
  • 01-Sep Hari Raya Aidil Adha
  • 02-Sep Hari Raya Aidil Adha Holiday
  • 22-Sep Islamic New Year
  • 23-Sep Islamic New Year Holiday
  • 01-Dec Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
  • 02-Dec Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Holiday
  • 25-Dec Christmas Day


VISA


  • British citizens may enter Brunei for up to 90 days without a visa.
  • A departure tax (five Brunei Dollars for travel to Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines and 12 Brunei Dollars for all other destinations) is payable in local currency at the airport check-in desk on departure from Brunei International Airport.
  • More information: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brunei/entry-requirements


Medical

Vaccines advised:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Tetanus
  • Typhoid
  • Yellow Fever – There is no risk of yellow fever in Brunei, however, there is a certificate requirement. Under International Health Regulations, a certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and for travellers having transited for more than 12 hours through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.


Rules of the Road


  • Traffic moves on the left side of the road.
  • Minimum driving age is 18.
  • Overtaking is on the right.
  • It is permitted to turn left on red light unless otherwise indicated by a sign at the intersection.
  • Hazard lights are required when vehicle approaching an accident or is disabled.
  • The driver and passengers in the front seats are required to wear seat belts.
  • Helmets are compulsory for driving of motorcycles and scooters.
  • Children under 3 years must be fastened securely in government-approved car seats.
  • Speed limits are: 80 km/h (55 mph) on the highways; 60 km/h (37 mph) in built up areas; 15 mph in school zones.
  • Third brake light is advisable.
  • Catalytic converter of petrol engine is required.
  • All vehicles are required to be insured against Third Party risk.
  • Transportation of hazardous materials is not permitted.
  • Tinted glass is not permitted.

Additional information:

  • In Brunei, some road signs are in Malay script so foreign drivers who are not familiar with Malay must know the signs well before driving.
  • At night time, police routinely stops vehicles to check a driver license and registration documents and to search for contraband drugs and alcohol.
  • While driving, drivers always must have their identification cards (driver licenses, International driver permits, and passports), vehicle registration documents, and insurance policy in the car.


Places to Visit


  • Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
  • Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
  • Kampong Ayer – Venice of East
  • Day Trip to Ulu Temburong National Park from Bandar Seri Begawan
  • Kg Kianggeh Open Air Market


Route

A detailed route showing where we went overlanding and exploring. We jotted down the routes we travelled on a physical map which travelled with us from Australia to the UK, then transferred this to a digital form using Google Maps (KML and GeoRSS Layers)

These are exact appropriations, maps differ between brands and converting from paper to digital may lose some details in translation. This should still show in great detail our route.