Venice is in Italy, but around the world other towns have earned themselves the title "Venice of Asia" including Suzhou in China and Tai O in Hong Kong. Enter the kingdom of Brunei and their very own Venice of Asia, known as Kampong Ayer - this village on stilts is fantastic.
How to get to Kampong Ayer, Bandar Seri Begawan
Head to the waterfront of Bandar Seri Begawan at any time during the day and guys on boats will shout up at you asking if you want a boat. Tell them you're heading across the water, directly to Kampong Ayer. They all speak English and rely on tourists so you'll have no problems. Failing all else just point to where you want to go.
What price does it cost to get to Kampong Ayer?
Each single journey costs $1 Brunei Dollar one way per person so that's all you need to pay to get to Kampong Ayer. You'll have to do the same on the way back. Never pay any more than $1 Dollar for it. It's a standard rate. No tickets - just pay the guy on the boat.
What are the main attractions of Kampong Ayer?
The best thing about visiting Kampong Ayer is it's totally free! You arrive there and then have the place to yourself to walk around and enjoy it. It's a great place!
1. Houses - All the houses in Kampong Ayer are built on stilts on the water, so they are worth admiring, checking out, getting up close to and popping inside. Great for photographers, loads of colour, loads of angles and not many people about to disturb you. I went inside one of the houses - some are open - but people live here so respect that too.
2. Mosques - Brunei is a staunch Muslim State and Mosques are everywhere - even built on the stilt villages at Kampong Ayer. We found two Mosques but there may be more.
3. Get to know the locals - the people of Kampong Ayer are approachable and friendly. They will stop and have a chat and join you for photos.
4. Buy Sweets - This might seem like an odd one, but there aren't many shops in Kampong Ayer, one which stood out was a traditional Sweet Shop!!
At the old fashioned sweet shop on Kampong Ayer they sell lots of traditional candy and sweets which reminded me totally of my childhood days buying 10p mixes in Bangor in Northern Ireland. They are also very cheap - you can pick up a lot of sweets for just 1 Brunei Dollar.
It's also a nice touch to pay for something on your visit to give the locals some money. It was free for you to visit their village on water so leave them with something.
5. Walking - The best thing is just to walk round and explore it on your own - there is no set route and you can find all sorts of paths past houses and mosques. It's a feast for the eyes and a great place to see.
That's really it for Kampong Ayer for this lifetime. If you're in Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei, make sure you get the boat across to it - it's really worth seeing and it definitely deserves it's "Venice of the East" title - I'd say Kampong Ayer is much better than Venice. Less tourists for a start so you'll have the place to explore all on your own. I also wrote about how to get to Brunei from Malaysia , how to take alcohol into Brunei and drinking in Brunei which are worth checking out. A country well worth a trip.
How to get to Kampong Ayer, Bandar Seri Begawan
Head to the waterfront of Bandar Seri Begawan at any time during the day and guys on boats will shout up at you asking if you want a boat. Tell them you're heading across the water, directly to Kampong Ayer. They all speak English and rely on tourists so you'll have no problems. Failing all else just point to where you want to go.
What price does it cost to get to Kampong Ayer?
Each single journey costs $1 Brunei Dollar one way per person so that's all you need to pay to get to Kampong Ayer. You'll have to do the same on the way back. Never pay any more than $1 Dollar for it. It's a standard rate. No tickets - just pay the guy on the boat.
What are the main attractions of Kampong Ayer?
The best thing about visiting Kampong Ayer is it's totally free! You arrive there and then have the place to yourself to walk around and enjoy it. It's a great place!
1. Houses - All the houses in Kampong Ayer are built on stilts on the water, so they are worth admiring, checking out, getting up close to and popping inside. Great for photographers, loads of colour, loads of angles and not many people about to disturb you. I went inside one of the houses - some are open - but people live here so respect that too.
2. Mosques - Brunei is a staunch Muslim State and Mosques are everywhere - even built on the stilt villages at Kampong Ayer. We found two Mosques but there may be more.
3. Get to know the locals - the people of Kampong Ayer are approachable and friendly. They will stop and have a chat and join you for photos.
4. Buy Sweets - This might seem like an odd one, but there aren't many shops in Kampong Ayer, one which stood out was a traditional Sweet Shop!!
At the old fashioned sweet shop on Kampong Ayer they sell lots of traditional candy and sweets which reminded me totally of my childhood days buying 10p mixes in Bangor in Northern Ireland. They are also very cheap - you can pick up a lot of sweets for just 1 Brunei Dollar.
It's also a nice touch to pay for something on your visit to give the locals some money. It was free for you to visit their village on water so leave them with something.
5. Walking - The best thing is just to walk round and explore it on your own - there is no set route and you can find all sorts of paths past houses and mosques. It's a feast for the eyes and a great place to see.
That's really it for Kampong Ayer for this lifetime. If you're in Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei, make sure you get the boat across to it - it's really worth seeing and it definitely deserves it's "Venice of the East" title - I'd say Kampong Ayer is much better than Venice. Less tourists for a start so you'll have the place to explore all on your own. I also wrote about how to get to Brunei from Malaysia , how to take alcohol into Brunei and drinking in Brunei which are worth checking out. A country well worth a trip.
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