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
Once you're in Bandar Seri Begawan head down to the waterfront area and you will gaze across at Kampong Ayer. You'll be approached by guys on boats calling you over asking if you want a boat, which you do. Just tell them you are going to Kampong Ayer across the water and hop in. It's that easy!
How much does it cost to get to Kampong Ayer?
To get to Kampong Ayer you pay $1 Brunei Dollar for a single journey - so that's a total of $2 Brunei Dollars return. But you pay it each time. You just pay the guy on the boat in cash each time - there is no need to book anything or get tickets. It's a very easy process.
What can you do at Kampong Ayer?
It's a completely free tourist attraction which is great so you just walk around at your leisure taking it all in. There is no set route and you can really do as you please. Here is my list of things to see and do there.
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. Muslim Mosques - Brunei Darussalam is a strict Muslim State and Mosques are all over the place, you can view two great Mosques at Kampong Ayer, Mosques on water!
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. Sweet Shop - There is a magnificent old style sweet shop on Kampong Ayer. This is a great chance to pretend you are young again and buy some tooth destroying candy and sweets!
I grew up in Bangor in the 1980s and when I was a kid, every week my Mum and Dad would take me to the local newsagents for a "10p mix" - basically loads of sweets in a bag. Bad for your teeth I know but I used to love it. That childhood trait has continued into adulthood, and aged 33 I took great joy in paying less than a pound for a load of sweets here!
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. Walk around - Just walking around and exploring the place on your own is a great thing to do. This is a really intriguing part of your journey to Kampong Ayer.
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
Once you're in Bandar Seri Begawan head down to the waterfront area and you will gaze across at Kampong Ayer. You'll be approached by guys on boats calling you over asking if you want a boat, which you do. Just tell them you are going to Kampong Ayer across the water and hop in. It's that easy!
How much does it cost to get to Kampong Ayer?
To get to Kampong Ayer you pay $1 Brunei Dollar for a single journey - so that's a total of $2 Brunei Dollars return. But you pay it each time. You just pay the guy on the boat in cash each time - there is no need to book anything or get tickets. It's a very easy process.
What can you do at Kampong Ayer?
It's a completely free tourist attraction which is great so you just walk around at your leisure taking it all in. There is no set route and you can really do as you please. Here is my list of things to see and do there.
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. Muslim Mosques - Brunei Darussalam is a strict Muslim State and Mosques are all over the place, you can view two great Mosques at Kampong Ayer, Mosques on water!
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. Sweet Shop - There is a magnificent old style sweet shop on Kampong Ayer. This is a great chance to pretend you are young again and buy some tooth destroying candy and sweets!
I grew up in Bangor in the 1980s and when I was a kid, every week my Mum and Dad would take me to the local newsagents for a "10p mix" - basically loads of sweets in a bag. Bad for your teeth I know but I used to love it. That childhood trait has continued into adulthood, and aged 33 I took great joy in paying less than a pound for a load of sweets here!
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. Walk around - Just walking around and exploring the place on your own is a great thing to do. This is a really intriguing part of your journey to Kampong Ayer.
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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