Breaking the Boring Stereotype! Brunei's Best Muslim Cultural Land Tour ✕ An Honest Review of a Beyond-Five-Star Imperial Hotel

Picking up from the last article on world-class wreck diving, the right way to do a Brunei dive trip is simple: dive in the morning, explore on land in the afternoon. After wrapping up three solid dives in the morning, the afternoons and any free land-tour days are where you really start to unlock this mysterious country's culture. If you haven't read the previous article yet, head over to 《The Most Underrated Wreck Diving Destination! Complete Brunei Dive Travel Guide: Preparation ✕ 6 Dive Sites Scouted》 to finish the underwater itinerary first, then come back here for the land edition.

By the end of this article, you'll know exactly how to get the most out of Brunei on land:

• Night-one snack hunting: Gadong Night Market street food and a cultural wake-up call.
• Top land-tour attractions: the cross-sea bridge, Proboscis Monkey boat tour, and how to avoid the pitfalls at landmark mosques.
• Beyond-five-star hotel review: just how luxurious is The Empire Brunei?
• High-value leave strategy: an honest breakdown of the itinerary and budget.

Day 1 Arriving in Style: Head Straight to Gadong Night Market for Street Food

Royal Brunei Airlines departs in the afternoon, and you'll land in Brunei just after 5 p.m. — the whole journey feels wonderfully smooth. For your first night's dinner, the only choice is the Gadong Night Market (also known as the One-Dollar Night Market).

The local snacks here genuinely cost just 1–2 Brunei dollars each (roughly NT$24–48). The Editor strongly recommends arriving on an empty stomach to go treasure hunting: fragrant satay skewers, soul-warming nasi lemak, and outrageously good grilled chicken tail are all on offer, and the whole place is remarkably clean — no need to worry about an upset stomach.

Days 2 & 3 Afternoon Bonus Land Tours After Diving: Nothing Is Far — Mix and Match as You Like

The best part of diving in Brunei is finishing three dives by 1 p.m. After a shower back at the dive shop, you have a generous stretch of afternoon to fill with land activities. Since Brunei's city attractions are all relatively close together, everyone can mix and match according to their energy levels and time.

Temburong Bridge

This is Southeast Asia's longest bridge, connecting the two pieces of Brunei's territory that are separated by Malaysia. While crossing it, the Editor even spotted enormous Bornean hornbills gliding through the air. Sixty percent of Brunei's land area is a protected primary forest reserve, giving the country an astonishingly intact ecosystem. If your holiday is long enough and your legs are willing, it's strongly recommended to spend one day crossing the bridge to Ulu Temburong National Park and tackling the famous Canopy Walkway — standing atop the towering treetop tower and gazing down over a vast tropical rainforest is a perspective you'll never forget.

Royal Regalia Museum

Shoes must be removed before entering this Sultan's memorial museum. Inside, you'll find the regalia used at the Sultan's coronation, lavish state gifts from nations around the world, and the King's personal childhood treasures. The air conditioning is absolutely ferocious — after a day of diving, remember to bring a light layer when you head in.

Kampong Ayer Water Village

Dubbed the "Venice of the East," this floating city is best explored by water taxi. As you weave through it, you'll discover an on-water police station, a floating fire station, schools, and mosques — a completely self-sufficient community all built over the water. Cats wander freely across the walkways, making it an absolute paradise for cat lovers. The best time to visit is the afternoon, perfectly avoiding the direct overhead sun while you stroll along enjoying the sea breeze.

Day 4 Land Tour Highlights: A Must-See Mosque and a Hunt for Proboscis Monkeys

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque: Best Visited in the Evening

As Brunei's most iconic landmark, the golden dome and white walls are incredibly photogenic. Women are reminded not to wear shorts or bare their shoulders (robes are available to borrow for free at the entrance). But the most beautiful time to photograph it is at night, when the lights come on and you can capture the mosque together with its reflection.

Proboscis Monkey Boat Tour: Borneo's Living Treasure, Right Behind the Water Village

Hop on a water taxi, thread your way through the water village, and you'll enter the mangrove reserve behind it in search of wild Proboscis Monkeys. Because Brunei prohibits the commercial logging of mangroves, the Proboscis Monkey population here is far more stable than in neighboring countries. On this trip, the Editor also lucked into spotting a wild baby crocodile — two of Borneo's star species in a single boat ride, which is outstanding value.

Checking in to The Empire Brunei: A Day of Sultan-Level Luxury

On the evening of Day 4, the Editor checked in to The Empire Brunei. This resort — officially rated beyond five-star — was formerly the private royal guesthouse of the Sultan's brother. Impressively, it also boasts a championship-grade 18-hole golf course that has hosted international tournaments, plus a wide range of complimentary recreational facilities. The grounds are vast, and whenever you don't feel like walking, a free golf cart shuttle is just a call away. The Editor's firsthand experience of genuine luxury: 5 top-tier pools ✕ private beach, complimentary entertainment activities, and an unrivalled sense of having the whole place to yourself.

Day 5 Seria Oil Fields: Understanding the Lifeblood of Brunei's Wealth

For the final day of land touring, the Editor drove an hour to Brunei's financial backbone: the Seria Oil Fields. Honestly, the Editor almost skipped it out of laziness — but after the visit, the conclusion was clear: if you haven't seen the oil fields, you haven't really understood Brunei as a country.

Standing here is the famous Billionth Barrel Monument. Drive along the coastline and you'll see a line of "nodding donkey" pump jacks stretching to the horizon, endlessly bobbing their heads as they draw crude oil to the surface. Against a backdrop of vivid tropical sky and a foreground of heavy industrial machinery, the visual contrast is utterly surreal.

A Roadside Surprise on the Way Back: Macaque Park

Next to the oil fields is a "Macaque Park," where wild macaques brazenly swing between children's playground equipment — slides, swings, the works. The scene is magnificently surreal, and it makes a perfect rest stop on the long drive back.

Back in the City: Shopping at The Mall Gadong — Is It Worth It? The Editor's Honest Take

Back in the city by evening, the Editor decided to check out The Mall Gadong, the largest and most famous shopping mall in Brunei's city centre.

Is it worth a visit? The Editor's honest answer: it's somewhere to stroll and soak in the atmosphere. The vibe inside is very local and everyday. That said, it's a great place to experience ordinary Brunei life firsthand — and after a wander through, you can take a walk around the nearby Gadong streets to take in the local street scene.

A Find in Every Driver's Car: The Surprisingly Charming Local Reed Diffuser

Many visitors to Brunei struggle to figure out what souvenirs to buy. On this trip, the Editor discovered a mysteriously local gem. While riding in cars around Brunei, the Editor noticed that almost every single driver had the same style of reed diffuser hanging in their car.

The Editor eventually tracked them down at a stall inside The Mall Gadong — similar in concept to a small vendor booth. Each bottle works out to just over NT$100, with a wide variety of scents, all with fragrance profiles distinctly different from what's commonly found in Taiwan. They smell genuinely lovely and refined. If you want to bring back a souvenir that's a little different, practical, and deeply rooted in local culture, the Editor wholeheartedly recommends this driver-beloved reed diffuser.

Brunei Souvenirs: How to Actually Buy Them — The Editor's Last-Resort Strategy

Honestly, buying souvenirs in Brunei is genuinely tricky. Brunei is primarily a petro-state, and a full ninety percent of everyday goods, snacks, and biscuits are imported from Malaysia or surrounding countries — making it hard to find anything truly branded as a "Brunei specialty."

If you share the Editor's compulsive gift-giving streak and absolutely must return to Taiwan with something stamped "Brunei," the Editor's insider move is this: buy at the airport. Don't waste time rummaging through city-centre malls — wait until the next morning, clear check-in, and then browse the dedicated local souvenir shops in the departure hall. You'll find premium boxed chocolates, creative goods and specialty pastries printed with Proboscis Monkeys or mosque landmark motifs.

The Editor's Itinerary Breakdown: Two Versions, Pick the One That Fits Your Leave Budget

Compact 4-Day Itinerary (Take Thursday and Friday Off — Two Days of Leave)

• Thursday: Depart in the afternoon, arrive in Brunei by early evening, Gadong Night Market dinner, sleep at the dive shop.
• Friday: Three dives plus afternoon land tour, sleep at the dive shop.
• Saturday: Three dives plus afternoon land tour, sleep at the dive shop.
• Sunday: Arrive back in Taiwan around noon.

Extended 6-Day Itinerary (Take Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday Off — Four Days of Leave)

• Thursday: Depart in the afternoon, arrive in Brunei by early evening, Gadong Night Market dinner, sleep at the dive shop.
• Friday: Three dives plus afternoon land tour, sleep at the dive shop.
• Saturday: Three dives plus afternoon land tour, sleep at the dive shop.
• Sunday: Morning land tour, check in to The Empire Brunei.
• Monday: Full-day land tour, accommodation of your own choosing.
• Tuesday: Arrive back in Taiwan around noon.

Total estimated cost is around NT$30,000+ (excluding The Empire Brunei), including flights, accommodation, diving, and meals — a solid value for an elevated dive travel experience in Southeast Asia.

Has anyone asked the Editor whether they'd go back? The answer is yes. Next time, the Editor wants to add Ulu Temburong National Park's tropical rainforest canopy walkway, and tackle the deeper WWII wrecks over at Blue Water Wreck. Is your leave application ready? Is your scuba tank filled?

If you haven't read the diving section yet, head back to 《The Most Underrated Wreck Diving Destination! Complete Brunei Dive Travel Guide: Preparation ✕ 6 Dive Sites Scouted》 to finish the underwater coverage. If you want to jump straight to the dive site map to find your next destination, head over to the Brunei Dive Sites page for the full rundown on all 6 sites.