Our second cruise stop brought us to Brunei, and it is a fascinating, quiet sort of place. Coming from the UK, the first thing you notice—or rather, don't notice—is the complete lack of pubs or off-licences. It’s entirely dry and smoke-free, which gives the streets a uniquely calm, almost sleepy atmosphere.
Our guide, a friendly third-generation Chinese local, gave us a bit of insight into daily life here. Thanks to the country’s oil wealth, there’s no frantic rush or survival pressure for the 450,000 residents. Everyone just seems to go about their day at a wonderfully slow pace.
We did a bit of sightseeing, though it was a bit of a shame we could only view the Sultan’s palace and the Grand Mosque from the outside. Still, those golden domes against the bright blue sky were quite something. For me, the real highlight was Kampong Ayer, the historic water village. People have been living in these wooden stilt houses over the water for some 1,300 years, and they still go about their lives the same way today. Watching the little water taxis zip back and forth was lovely.
The town itself feels very green and tropical, with a warm sea breeze carrying a faint scent of salt. As we were wandering, we passed a bakery owned by the actor Wu Chun, with a sign reading 'bring the taste of Brunei home.' It made me smile—a little slice of local pride in a very low-key country.
“Our second cruise stop brought us to Brunei, and it is a fascinating, quiet sort of place.”@DesignThinking · 1 month ago