Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, located in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan

“Brunei makes me think of Cinderella,” I said out of the blue to the driver as he steered the car across a bridge whose name — Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien — seemed almost as long as its 30-kilometer span. He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, puzzled, waiting for an explanation. And so I did explain myself — not only to satisfy his curiosity but also to assure him I wasn’t entirely mad.

Yes, Negara Brunei Darussalam, or “the State of Brunei, Abode of Peace,” truly reminds me of the fairy-tale heroine from the Brothers Grimm. A humble figure, suddenly transformed by fortune into royalty, yet somehow retaining a quiet grace, a certain gentleness beneath gold and silk.

Travel Brunei Asia

Brunei is like Cinderella after the ball. It has everything: immense wealth drawn from oil and gas, pristine roads, palaces that shimmer over the water, and a capital city — Bandar Seri Begawan — that feels more like a well-kept secret than a display of power. And yet, despite its sudden rise, it doesn’t boast. There’s no clamor, no flashy excess. Skyscrapers are rare, shopping malls modest, luxury cars parked neatly, as if no one wants to disturb its peace.

The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

Walking through the city, you feel you’ve stepped into a place that moves quietly. The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, with its golden domes and lit minarets, rises majestically beside the river, yet it doesn’t dominate — it belongs. The Brunei River flows slowly, lined with stilt houses where life is lived much as it did decades ago. In Kampong Ayer, the “Water Village,” thousands live on wooden homes connected by walkways, with schools, mosques, and even floating police stations. It’s a world apart, yet central to Brunei’s identity.

Then there’s the monarchy. This isn’t a constitutional figurehead; here, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah has ruled since 1967, one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the world. Once listed among the richest men on Earth, his presence is everywhere — on currency, in schools, in official portraits — but never in a way that feels oppressive.

a walkway high in the canopy of the rainforest in Ulu Temburong National Park, Brunei’s first national park.

It’s more like the calm gaze of a father watching over a family shielded from the noise of the outside world.

In 2014, Brunei introduced Sharia law as part of its legal system, drawing international criticism. Yet, walking its streets, you don’t feel repression. You feel instead a deliberate balance — between modernity and tradition, between global openness and cultural preservation. Women wear headscarves, alcohol is banned, nightlife is nearly absent. But there’s no sense of sadness. Instead, there’s tranquility — a feeling that time here isn’t dictated by consumption, but by prayer, family, and community rhythms.

Kampong Ayer

The driver remains silent as we cross the final stretch of the bridge. We are now approaching the district of Temburong, an exclave of the sultanate enclosed within Malaysia’s borders and today connected to the rest of Brunei by the Temburong Bridge. After a long pause, he said, “I had never thought of it that way… I like it.”
“That’s the beauty of Brunei,” I reply. “It is as wealthy as a prince, yet it continues to live in simplicity. It’s like Cinderella who, after the ball, returned to her humble home; and when the prince found her again and made her a queen, I like to think she never wanted to forget who she once was.”

As the sun began to set, gilding the surface of the strait, the bridge stretched ahead like a thread between two worlds: abundance and restraint. And Brunei, balanced upon it, walks gently forward — as if knowing that true elegance isn’t in having everything, but in carrying it with grace.

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Brunei is not a country that reveals itself at once. You understand this as you cross the long Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge — a ribbon of asphalt suspended between mangroves and sky — linking the nation’s main territory to the Temburong enclave, isolated within Malaysian land.
It’s an hour’s ride in a silent, almost ritual minivan. Outside the window, the jungle drifts by like a dense, impenetrable wall. Inside, Margelyn — known as Margy — speaks softly, her Filipino accent and gentle smile radiating the calm of someone at peace with herself. She knows the road well. Next to her, the driver steers carefully. They seem like family — and perhaps they are. For years, they’ve been guiding small groups of visitors into the heart of Ulu Temburong National Park, one of Southeast Asia’s most pristine corners.

Ulu Temburong is often called the green lung of Borneo. It covers about 40 percent of the Temburong area and has been protected since the 1990s. The Bruneian government has preserved it with remarkable discipline: no paved roads, no industrial development, no extraction. Only scientific research, controlled tourism, and respect.
Over 150 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, and thousands of plants — some still unclassified — live here. But you don’t need to know all that to feel small. You only need to step into the rainforest.

This commitment to preservation is not just national but part of a wider regional effort. In 2007, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia signed a historic agreement known as the Heart of Borneo initiative, also supported by organizations such as WWF. Its goal is to protect one of the largest remaining tropical rainforests on Earth — more than 220,000 square kilometers — through cross-border cooperation in protected area management, combating illegal logging, and fostering sustainable practices among local communities.
Ulu Temburong is a cornerstone of this project: a tangible example of how a small nation can play a major role in safeguarding the planet’s natural heritage. Here, the jungle is not just a place to visit, but a living system — one that breathes thanks to a deliberate political choice: to place nature at the center, not at the margins.

Our starting point is a small jetty on the Tutong River. A wooden boat with an outboard engine awaits us. Onboard is Mira, barely nineteen, a local guide with a light step and steady gaze, her patience glowing in her calm demeanor. It’s clear this is not her first time leading tourists. The ease with which she moves, her spontaneous smile, and her graceful gestures all reveal how much she loves her work. Her enthusiasm has the freshness of youth but the confidence of someone who already knows exactly what to do.

The boat takes us to a base camp, a simple structure with open-air tables and a covered kitchen. This is Sumbiling Eco Village, a small settlement run in harmony with the forest, where thatched and wooden huts blend seamlessly into the landscape. It’s not a resort — more a functional resting place designed to welcome visitors respectfully within the natural environment.
Meals are served outdoors, sitting on wooden benches while the sound of the river hums in the background. The atmosphere is sober, authentic, and stripped of excess — a return to essentials, where every detail invites you to live in tune with nature.

We eat something quick, without asking much. The important thing is to continue. Soon we set off again, gliding upriver through a narrower stretch, between protruding stones and small rapids that our boatman navigates with skill.
The boat slows and slides toward the riverbank. It touches the muddy ground, and we prepare to disembark, one at a time, with that subtle hesitation born of unsteady footing. With the river behind us and the forest ahead, we face an uneven stone staircase — an entrance of sorts, inviting us to begin our trek.

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The first obstacle is a suspension bridge, made of wooden planks and ropes. It sways slightly — a challenge for anyone afraid of heights, like me. But we cross it slowly, one step at a time. On the other side, the forest reclaims its dominion. The trees soar — some over sixty meters high. Vines hang like curtains, broad leaves cast shade even at noon. The air is humid and dense, but pure. There is no scent of decay — only wet earth, resin, life.

Mira tells us the names of the plants: dahan, used for building canoes; nipah, the palm with broad leaves used for roofing; rattan, a strong vine prized for handicrafts. She speaks of animals — the colugo, a flying mammal akin to a bat; the Bornean red-headed parrot; the gibbon, whose cries echo at dawn. But today we see none.
The jungle knows how to keep its secrets.

I decide to stop at a wooden shelter — a rest spot with two stone benches, where peace is broken only by the hum of insects and a faint whisper of wind in the leaves. Alice and Mira continue ahead until they reach a sturdy metal tower, climbing up to the canopy walkway — a bridge suspended thirty meters above the ground, threading between treetops. Later, they’ll tell me that from up there, the forest looks like an endless green sea.
I remain below, content to listen to the forest’s music, to breathe in that scent of damp leaves, and to feel — thanks to my fear of heights — part of something ancient.

On the way back, the boat stops by a muddy bank along the Tutong River, where a small stream winds its way into the forest. We wade in with our feet submerged, brushing past roots, stepping over stones, and feeling the wide leaves graze our shoulders. The air cools. The main river’s murmur fades, replaced by the gurgle of water running between rocks.
After a few minutes, we reach a small waterfall, hidden among the dense vegetation. As it falls, it forms a circular pool surrounded by smooth stones and moss — an intimate, almost secret place.
This is what they call the jungle spa: tiny fish, drawn to the dead cells of our skin, swim toward our feet immersed in the cool water. The tickling is intense — almost unbearable — but it makes us laugh. It’s a light, playful moment that might seem at odds with the forest’s solemnity. Yet it belongs to the same balance — nature that nourishes, heals, and connects.

We return to base camp, sip a coffee, and board the boat back to our starting point. Margy is waiting with the minivan. No one speaks much. We’re tired, but satisfied. We’ve walked little more than three hours — but crossed worlds.
Ulu Temburong is not an extreme adventure. It’s an immersion — a place where time slows down, where the noise of the world fades, and where you can feel the heartbeat of the earth beneath the trees. It doesn’t need to shout its beauty. It simply exists. And that, in an age of excess, is already a miracle.

As the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge flashes beneath us once more — this time in reverse — the driver, perhaps to break the quiet of the journey, turns to me and asks,
“Mr. Zanchi, what do you think of Brunei?”
“Brunei reminds me of Cinderella,” I reply…
But that is a story for another chapter.

Photos by Guglielmo Zanchi (Pluto)

For more eco-travel inspiration in Brunei, visit https://www.bruneitourism.com/ 

Watch FantasiaAsia video here: https://youtu.be/VVQYIPWxky4?si=Zu696BGGZhvztIEP

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Chinese guy a the market

When you think of Brunei, what usually comes to mind are images of grandeur: golden palaces, glittering mosques, one of the richest sultans in the world. Yet what I couldn’t imagine, what no travel guide ever tells you, is that the real surprise of Brunei is not in its architecture but in the simplicity of its people.

It may sound cliché, I know. After every trip, people say: “We met wonderful people!” But after years of traveling, rarely have I felt so moved. Here, there is no forced smile, no politeness worn like a duty, as you sometimes find in places overwhelmed by mass tourism.

Three ladies at the Royal Regalia Museum

No. Here, the smile is genuine. Kindness is spontaneous. Perhaps it is precisely because mass tourism hasn’t arrived yet, because Brunei hasn’t “sold itself” to the world, that such authenticity survives.

The first person I want to remember is Darren, the manager of the Badi’ah Hotel. Of Chinese origins but deeply rooted in Brunei, he hosted us for four nights, offering us a more than generous price. But it wasn’t just a business exchange. He went beyond that.

3 girls we met prior to our jungle tour

He arranged our tours, personally drove us to the starting point of an excursion difficult to find, and made sure every detail was perfect. Not like a professional on duty, but like a friend. And when I say friend, I don’t exaggerate: there was genuine care, almost affection, in his attitude.

Then there was Mohammed, our city tour driver. He speaks little, smiles even less, but his kindness shows in his gestures: patient, precise, respectful. He drives calmly, obeys the rules, and never rushes. And in a world where hurry is the norm, such slowness feels like respect. Even his English, though simple, was clear and helpful. Not a talker, but a man who knows what he’s doing.

Kampong Ayer boatman

And what about the boatman who took us through Kampong Ayer, the village on stilts, in search of proboscis monkeys? I don’t remember his name, but I will never forget him. With his modest boat, he guided us through canals, shallow waters, and tiny rapids. He spoke enthusiastically about his country, wanted to know who we were, what we did. And when we finally saw the monkeys — yes, we saw and photographed them — his pride was genuine. A rare person: polite, curious, sincere. The kind you wish to meet again on your next trip.

Then came another unexpected pair: the driver and guide who took us into the jungle. He, far more talkative than the guide, spoke non-stop for an hour and a half, explaining every detail of the journey.

Mira, our jungle guide in Brunei 

She, Margy — or rather Margelyn, a Filipina, administrative director of the tour operator, not just a guide — was young, professional, impeccable. And him? Perhaps the owner of the company himself, stepping in because, in a country where tourism is still slow, there simply isn’t enough staff. Two managers working as driver and guide, smiling and flawless in their knowledge. And yes, when you joke with them, they laugh because they understand, not because they must.

But if I must choose the person who struck me the most, it would be Mira. Nineteen years old, from the Iban people — the ancient Dayak — freshly graduated as a guide. Confident, intelligent, with impeccable English. She led us into the jungle on a “long boat” as narrow as a nutshell, steered with skill by Jimmy, another local, who navigated the shallow rocky riverbed with the mastery of someone who does it daily.

Alis, Pluto and the Iban guide Margy

Then came the trek, the suspension bridge… I, with my fear of heights, trembled, making the rope bridge tremble too. But Mira accompanied me calmly, without rush, with a reassuring tone. And I made it. Perhaps not a great triumph, but at 62 years old, it felt like a small victory. While she and Alice continued to the canopy walk, I stayed behind to rest. And above all, to reflect.

And then there were others: Somboon, the Thai cook from Korat working here, who after a week without pasta promised me spaghetti al dente “just the way you like them.” A simple gesture, but full of humanity, for someone like me who is so sensitive to the pleasures of the table. Or the three ladies at the Royal Regalia Museum, who stood up for a photo so as not to look like they were on break. Or the Chinese man at the market, proud of living in a country where, as he said, “the government helps the people.” Or the three smiling girls who greeted me with a heartfelt “Welcome to Brunei,” without pretense.

Sonboon the Thai chef

These people, even those with whom you exchange only a few words, tell you more about a country than a thousand speeches. They show you a Brunei that is not only sharia, monarchy, and oil. It’s a place where kindness is not an exception but the norm. Where hospitality is not a service, but a way of being.

And maybe, in the end, this is the Brunei worth knowing: not the one of golden palaces, but the one of sincere eyes, genuine smiles, and open hands. A country that, despite everything, leaves you with a lighter heart.

To learn more about planning your trip and experiencing authentic Brunei hospitality, visit the official Brunei Tourism website.

Photos by Guglielmo Zanchi (Pluto)

Watch Fantasia Asia video on Brunei HERE:

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Bamboo Band

The Lun Bawang community in Sarawak is looking forward to the annual Irau Aco Lun Bawang (Lun Bawang Festival) to be held from 30 May until 1 June 2023 in Lawas, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. The festival, a celebration of Lun Bawang’s rich culture and heritage through displays of traditional music, performances, exhibitions and community sports, is organized yearly by the Lun Bawang Association of Sarawak since 1988.

“Irau Aco Lun Bawang is the most sought after event by the Lun Bawang community in Sarawak and also across the region where our fellow natives are situated including in Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Traditional Music

With the rounding success from last year’s event, we are bringing the festival to a bigger venue at Lawas Stadium so all activities are concentrated in one place. It will also allow participants and visitors to fully enjoy and experience the festival,” said Dolphina Balang, President, Lun Bawang Association of Sarawak.

The 3 days festival will be a display of various cultural programs and sporting activities which will see at least 3,000 participants involved including the opening ceremony, cultural nights, arts and cultural exhibitions. To promote unity amongst community, modern sports are held including football, volleyball and badminton while community sports like tug of war and blowpipe for men and women are included to add variety.

Community Sport

This year, a fun run with a cultural theme will be added into the program to kick off the festival.

Dolphina added, “The planning has begun earlier this year and the Association believes the organizing of this year’s festival will continue its success and even better. The festival hopes to also boost economic opportunities for the locals whilst discovering Lawas unique tourism offerings.”

Jude Benjamin Lisa

For the year 2024, Irau Aco Lun Bawang is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Limbang Resident Office, Lawas District Office and the Limbang Tourism Task Force Group which has been the driving force of the festival’s success over the years. The 37th edition will carry the theme ‘Culture Inspires Unity’ and the Association has also named Mr Jude Benjamin Lisa as the organizing chairman for the third consecutive year.

Jude said, “The success of Irau Aco Lun Bawang relies a lot on sponsorship as being a self funded program. We invite corporate partners to participate and leverage this as part of their community engagement. Aside from arts and culture, brand activation can also be explored through other aspects like sports, women and youth. As we aim to be inclusive for all to celebrate, it will be a synonymous branding exercise especially catered for the northern region of Sarawak.”

Ruran Ulung competition for Lun Bawang’s beauty pageant

Kicking off the 2024 festival, the search for Ruran Ulung and Padan Liu Burung competition for Lun Bawang’s beauty pageant for the ladies and warrior contest for the men, has opened its registration which offers total cash prizes worth RM20,000. Enrollment to participate is open to Lun Bawang descent across Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia with registration closing by 30 April 2024. click here

For more information and highlights, follow Irau Acu Lun Bawang on Facebook and Instagram. For sponsorship and partnership inquiry, contact Jude Benjamin Lisa at 017 877 3871.

READ ABOUT PREVIOUS LUN BAWAN HERE

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Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of Brunei, a country that is waiting to be discovered, and with a tourism industry that still has a lot to develop despite the high growth margins. We were a bit concerned about our visit, as at the time of our stay, Brunei had just reopened but only partially after a long closure due to well-known causes.

Badi’ Ah Hotel superior room

However, it was thanks to our choice of stay, Badi’ Ah Hotel, and to the attention of all the staff and the professionalism of the Hotel Manager, Mr. Darren Tan, that we were able to spend the 4 days we had planned in a pleasant, comfortable and relaxing way inside a structure that is a guarantee in the sector.

Badi’ Ah Hotel is an excellent three-star hotel, located a stone’s throw from the city center – only 15 minutes walking to reach the iconic Omar Alì Saifuddien Mosque – and along an important avenue you will find Istana Nurul Iman – the Palace of the Light of Faith – residence of His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei. Badi’ Ah Hotel can guarantee its guests excellent value for money thanks to good quality services at a times that business is getting back to normal.

Badi’ Ah Hotel standard room

Of its 55 rooms, all equipped with air conditioning, LCD flat screen TV, safe, free internet access and water kettle with complimentary tea and coffee, 25 are Standard rooms, furnished in a simple but amply comfortable with spaces that do not impose any particular sacrifice; 22 are Superior, more spacious and with slightly more refined furnishings; 8 are Executive Deluxe, the rooms of the highest category, with an even greater surface area than the two previous types, equipped with two queen-size beds, a comfortable sofa and, for those who need to work, two shelves close to the wall where guests are able to open a laptop.

Banquets, conferences and events hall

Badi’ Ah Hotel also offers three large halls dedicated to banquets, conferences or events, all equipped with internet connection and properly adaptable to the various possible types of events, factors that make it a preferred choices in the business sector. An outdoor swimming pool and a space dedicated to children complete the recreational facilities of the property.

The hotel’s food & beverage is still conditioned by the recent reopening and by local regulations that do not yet allow to offer buffet meals. Nevertheless, breakfast was the classic exception that confirms the rule: the buffet breakfast was limited in its “mise en place”, yet is was earthy and with a good variety of food.

The property’s independent restaurant, the Bristodeli, offers good local cuisine and, thanks to a Thai chef, Mr. Somboon, excellent Thai cuisine too, though at the time of our visit a regular lunch and dinner service has not yet been reactivated. Bristodeli can be accessed directly from the hotel lobby.

The generous-sized swimming pool

In general terms, Badi’ Ah Hotel certainly proved to be a valid and brilliant structure for our stay in Bandar Seri Begawan despite the limits due to the recent reopening of both the hotel itself and the country, where many tour operators and some important attractions are still closed. Personally I can only confirm that the added value of the structure is to be found in the staff and above all in its Manager, to whom we regularly contacted for what we needed.

Mr. Darren organised our tours for us, successfully finding an adequate balance between price and quality. He also gave us all the information needed to move around the capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, giving us the feeling that he was doing all this out of pure passion. In short, it was an important point of reference.

We visited a country that is gradually reopening to tourism, and we felt a bit like pioneers in this almost ‘out of time’ visit. Yet, we have felt interesting potentials in this country which, despite the richness of its subsoil, still maintains its humility and its personality, not yet conditioned or misled by mass tourism. And in this context, Badi’ Ah Hotel occupies an important role, because it fully reflects in the efficiency and simplicity that characterises, in the tourism sector, the entire country.

Asian Itinerary stayed at Badi’ Ah Hotel in June 2022. For accounts of our tours in Brunei, click on the following links: 

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Photos by Guglielmo Zanchi (Pluto) 

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