Visiting the World’s largest Water Village – Kampong Ayer in Photos
We had a 10 hour layover in Brunei on the way back to Edinburgh from New Zealand. We had no idea what to see and do but knew that we had just enough time to jump aboard the local bus and head into the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan.
Some fellow travellers from Australia suggested we share a boat ride along the Brunei River to get a closeup view of the world’s largest water village – Kampong Ayer. Over 39,000 residents live in 42 villages that are built atop wooden stilts, 29 km of footbridges and 36 km of boardwalks.
With access only by water taxi’s or across the bridges it is a really unique part of the world.
Many of the homes are bright and colourful in contrast to the brown muddy waters.
We headed up river and came across barges that looked like they had been abandoned on the river banks. Our driver didn’t seem to mind flying around the ends of them without being able to see if anyone was coming the wrong way. Luckily we only had one close call.
The driver led us up a tiny waterway so we could sit under the trees and watch the local Proboscis monkeys jump around the rainforest. We were there early in the morning which was lucky as during the middle of the day they disappear into the shade. This was ecotourism at it’s best!
For 1300 years people have lived on the river here and it has become very self-contained with police stations, clinics, a waterborne fire brigade and mosques above the water as well. This was one of the local High Schools with several hundred children catching the “water bus” to school each day.
To fill up all these water taxis they of course have the local petrol station from which they pass the hose down to your boat to refuel. Brilliant.
I think one of the best views ever of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is from the water. The solid gold dome towers above the city and there are always people praying here. When we returned to land they even let Adela enter in as long as we covered up in traditional robes and removed our shoes.
Have you ever been here? What about on other river boat tours?
Category: Asia
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Must be such a different way of life. I visited something which seemed similar but on a smaller scale in Krabi province in Thailand.
Have not heard of the place in Krabi province Sam but if we head that way we will be sure to check it out. Thanks.
Looks pretty interesting. I always find villages build on top of water fascinating. I went to Tai O in Hong Kong few weeks back which is a fishing village partly build on stilts also, but lot of it is on land also.
Cheers for sharing Jarmo. Definitely need to visit that one in Hong Kong once we head through Asia in another year or so.
I really enjoyed touring around here several months ago. I found it just as fascinating to walk along the planks as I did out on the boat.
We never wandered the village ourselves as we only had time for the boat tour. Would have been fun to walk along the planks though!
What a nice way to spend a layover! Much better than sitting an airport
I love being on the water in anyway. One of the best border crossings I’ve ever had was by river from Vietnam to Cambodia!
We really need to travel to Asia! Sounds like one of the coolest border crossings ever. Was it just a little shack on the other side?
A nice long layover like this is perfect for a mini holiday
I did something similar in Shanghai, only with less monkeys, on my way to NZ 
It’s so nice to be able to get off the aeroplane for a few hours and leave the airport. I hate the layovers that are only like 4-5 hours as usually you don’t have time to get out of the terminal!
Great pics…interesting colors to the houses!
They are a real contrast to the dark muddy waters of the river!
Of all the places to have a layover, this one seems like one of the more interesting ones!
You probably don’t need more than a day in the capital but there are loads of places you can go such as the rainforest!
I visited a similar one on the Amazon in Peru. I really get a kick out of the gas stations, and the churches.
Wow the Amazon would be awesome! Its crazy how they can spend their entire lives above the water and not need to step on land. Would love to live like that for a while.
Fascinating pics! The rainforest sounds amazing. I’d like to hear more about this destination.
I wonder how the water village started and what allowed it to prosper to it’s current size. It always makes me nervous when people pump gas directly over open water – nothing to slow down or absorb a spill.