Lady’s Itinerary for 2 Days in Brunei

Today I want to share my travel itinerary for 2 days in Brunei with you. This tiny sultanate on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia is home to a bustling capital city, lush rainforest, and beautiful beaches.

2 Days in Brunei

It’s not every day I wake up in time to see the sunrise. And it’s not every week I wake up in time to see it twice.

But after the spectacular pink sky I saw at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, I couldn’t turn down an opportunity to see the sunrise over the rainforest in Borneo during my 2 days in Brunei.

Standing atop a 60-meter (197-foot) platform in the middle of the rainforest, I was awed by the beauty of the golden disc ascending over the misty mountains in Brunei’s Ulu Temburong National Park.

Brunei

But let me back up. I arrived in Brunei on a flight from Bangkok after traveling to Siem Reap, Luang Prabang, and Thailand on my Southeast Asia trip. The small sultanate in Borneo was my 85th country.

Bandar Seri Begawan

I spent the first morning of my 2 days in Brunei exploring the pint-size capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

The small city was home to the Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, which was one of the largest mosques I’ve ever seen.

There was also an impressive collection of state treasures in the Royal Regalia Museum in Brunei.

Nearby was a large food market, and across the wide river sat Kampong Ayer, the famous floating village locals referred to as the Venice of the East.

Ulu Temburong National Park, Brunei

After exploring Bandar Seri Begawan, my 2 days in Brunei continued as I met guides who took me on an Ulu Temburong National Park tour. First we traveled by speed boat to Bangar, a town in the Temburong district.

From Bangar we drove overland to a second river. There we boarded a motorized longboat for an adventurous journey upstream.

Shooting across rapids and navigating narrow passages, we soon found ourselves at a remote resort in the middle of Ulu Temburong National Park.

I spent the rest of the first of my 2 days in Brunei enjoying afternoon snacks and inner tubing down the river.

In the evening I took a longboat ride under the stars and went on a night walk. During the walk I saw everything from green frogs to yellow snakes, giant spiders, enormous snails, and big bats.

The next morning my 2 days in Brunei continued as I woke up at 4:30am to climb a massive hill that led to the rainforest canopy walkway in Ulu Temburong National Park.

Five towers rose 60 meters (197 feet) into the air, their platforms sitting over the treetops. At first I couldn’t figure out how we were supposed to get to the top. Then my guides pointed out the ladders.

I’m afraid of heights at the best of times, but climbing 60 meters worth of wet ladders in the pitch dark with only a flashlight to guide me was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.

It was worth it, though. After getting to the top, we spent 30 minutes watching the stars disappear before the sun gently illuminated the mist over the trees.

All the while we heard the calls of baboons, the squawks of hornbills, and the chirping of other rainforest birds. It was a magical scene.

Back on the ground, my 2 days in Brunei continued as we went hiking to some waterfalls. Our path was a shallow river lined with thick green foliage, and our reward was two beautiful natural falls at the base of which were clear pools.

In the afternoon we took the longboat back down the river and drove to Bangar. There we caught the speed boat back to Bandar Seri Begawan. When we arrived in the capital I was driven to the airport to await my flight home from Brunei.

2 Days in Brunei

As short as my time in Borneo had been, I thoroughly enjoyed my 2 days in Brunei and was glad to have ended my Southeast Asia trip on a high note.

As I flew back to London, I wished I could’ve spent more time in the region. But I don’t think I’ll mind sleeping in later than the sunrise for a while.

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