7. BRUNEI

During my first trip to Malaysia it was time to visit country number 7: Brunei

The small Sultanate of Brunei is located on the island of Borneo and is thanks to huge natural gas resources a very rich country. I spent one week there which is totally enough to explore the countries highlights and learn about its history, political system and way of living. What makes it quite unique is that Brunei´s capital and society refuse to embrace modernity even though they would have the wealth and funds to do so.

Most of the time I have spent in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan which has beautiful mosques & palaces and an impressive water village (Kampong Ayer), which is the world´s biggest settlement on stilts. There is also a great big night market with delicious food and tons of durian.

Another great activity was to take a local boat on the river through the jungle and swamps just near the capital. We were able to spot some Proboscis Monkeys (funny monkeys with big noses), crocs and hornbills.

Besides all activities, I was lucky to find an amazing hostel, where I met great people (Hi Neil and Akram ! :D) to discover the country together.

Brunei might not be a top destination by itself but in case you are on Borneo anyway, it's definitely a recommended place to visit! Because of the weird location on the map, I got eight passport stamps within a six-hour bus journey and crossed the Brunei Malaysia border several times.

3 Highlights:
- boat trip to wetlands to see Proboscis Monkeys and Crocs

- Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

- Kampong Ayer ( Water Village)