Brunei is a small, wealthy sultanate on the north coast of Borneo, with gold-domed mosques, a large village built on stilts over the river and a great deal of untouched rainforest. It is calm, orderly and quiet, and few tourists stay more than a few days.
Brunei for visitors
Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital, is compact and easy-going. Its landmarks are the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, rising above a lagoon, and the larger Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, with its gold domes. Across the river, Kampong Ayer is a water village of wooden houses, schools and mosques on stilts, linked by walkways and reached by water taxi. Boat trips into the mangroves often spot proboscis monkeys. Temburong, the eastern part of the country, separated from the rest by a strip of Malaysia, is mostly rainforest, and Ulu Temburong National Park has a canopy walkway high above the trees. A long bridge across Brunei Bay now links it to the capital by road. Buses are limited and taxis few, so many visitors hire a car or join tours.
Time in Brunei
Brunei has one time zone, Asia/Brunei, and is on UTC+8 all year, the same time as Malaysia and Singapore. Right now Bandar Seri Begawan is 1 hour ahead of Bangkok, 4 hours ahead of Dubai and 8 hours ahead of London.
Climate and weather
Brunei has an equatorial climate: hot, humid and wet all year, with no real dry season. In Bandar Seri Begawan, average highs stay between 31°C and 33°C, with average lows of about 24°C. About 3,066 mm of rain falls a year, on around 211 days, and December is the wettest month there. Rain usually comes in heavy afternoon or evening showers rather than all day, and the capital gets about 2,422 hours of sunshine a year.
- Bandar Seri Begawan
- Singapore
Show the numbers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bandar Seri Begawan | 321 | 163 | 143 | 242 | 260 | 238 | 242 | 232 | 235 | 314 | 323 | 359 |
| Singapore | 222 | 105 | 151 | 164 | 164 | 137 | 145 | 149 | 125 | 166 | 254 | 332 |
Best time to visit Brunei
Brunei can be visited all year. February and March are usually the least rainy months in the capital, good for the rainforest, while October to January brings more frequent heavy showers. During Ramadan, life slows by day, and the end of the fast is a major celebration.
Practical facts
- Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan. Population: 458,949 (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: Brunei dollar (BND). Singapore dollars are accepted at the same value; cards are widely accepted in the capital.
- Language: Malay. English is widely spoken; terima kasih means thank you.
- Calling code: +673.
- Driving: on the left.
- Customs: Brunei is a Muslim country and alcohol is not sold; dress modestly, especially in mosques.
- Emergency numbers: police 993, medical help 991, fire 995 ([1]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- The live weather and the month-by-month climate table for Bandar Seri Begawan are on this page.
- Kuala Lumpur city guide and Singapore city guide: the usual connections, with their own climate tables.
- World Clock and Weather for Kuala Belait, Bangar or any other town in Brunei.
- Asia: time zones and key facts for the continent.
Sources
- Government of Canada, Brunei: local services: police 993, medical assistance 991, firefighters 995.