Brunei

Brunei is a small country in two parts on the northern coast of Borneo, facing the South China Sea; English is widely spoken. The capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is calm and green, its skyline marked by golden-domed mosques. Water taxis cross the Brunei River to Kampong Ayer, a centuries-old water village of wooden houses on stilts linked by boardwalks. Evenings mean night markets.

Over two-thirds of the country is forest, much of it primary rainforest. Longboats head up the Temburong River into Ulu Temburong National Park, where a canopy walkway rises about 50 metres above the forest floor. Mangrove boat trips on the Brunei River look for proboscis monkeys, Tasek Merimbun is the largest lake, and beyond quiet beaches divers explore reefs and wrecks.

The national dish is ambuyat, sticky sago starch twirled on bamboo sticks and dipped in tangy sauces; try also nasi katok, rice with fried chicken and sambal, and kelupis, sticky rice cooked in leaves. The equatorial climate is hot and humid all year, around 23–33 °C; rain can fall in any month, and roughly February to April is somewhat drier. Flights arrive at Brunei International Airport, and Brunei pairs easily with Sabah and Sarawak, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. It suits travellers after a quiet, unhurried, safe-feeling Asia, rainforest and wildlife lovers, culture and architecture, and regional stopovers.