Right so you've heard the term "Venice of Asia" a load of times, in fact you might even have read about it twice on my blog as I visited Tai O (Hong Kong's answer to Venice) and Pingjianglu in Suzhou, China. But there are so many places dubbed the Venice of Asia it gets a bit ridiculous, today I'm talking about Kampong Ayer. Where? Exactly! I hadn't heard of it either but while staying in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei's capital city, I had to make the short boat trip across to Brunei's answer to Venice - known as Kampong Ayer and WELL worth the trip.
How can you find Kampong Ayer, Bandar Seri Begawan
In the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan there is a place called the waterfront so go there and hang around at the water and you will see guys on boats. They will probably shout up at you if you want a boat - which you do so head on down and jump in, explaining that you are going across to Kampong Ayer.
What price does it cost to get to Kampong Ayer?
Each single journey costs $1 Brunei Dollar one way per person so that's all you need to pay to get to Kampong Ayer. You'll have to do the same on the way back. Never pay any more than $1 Dollar for it. It's a standard rate. No tickets - just pay the guy on the boat.
What is there to 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. The Mosques - Being a staunch Muslim State, Mosques are what you will see a lot. Kampong Ayer has at least two Mosques, both floating on water making them an excellent attraction.
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. Buying Sweets - Although Kampong Ayer doesn't have many shops, it has the unusual option of an old fashioned sweet shop! A great place to buy cheap sweets and candy and reminisce your childhood.
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 also helps with the local economy if you buy something as the entrance to Kampong Ayer is free.
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.
All in all, Kampong Ayer is a great place and really worth a visit. As you can tell there is a lot to see and do there for such a small village on water and it merits the "Venice of the East" tag that it has been given. There is a lot more to see in Bandar Seri Begawan as well, so once you are finished with Kampong Ayer head back across on the boat to see the capital city and the other parts of Brunei.
How can you find Kampong Ayer, Bandar Seri Begawan
In the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan there is a place called the waterfront so go there and hang around at the water and you will see guys on boats. They will probably shout up at you if you want a boat - which you do so head on down and jump in, explaining that you are going across to Kampong Ayer.
What price does it cost to get to Kampong Ayer?
Each single journey costs $1 Brunei Dollar one way per person so that's all you need to pay to get to Kampong Ayer. You'll have to do the same on the way back. Never pay any more than $1 Dollar for it. It's a standard rate. No tickets - just pay the guy on the boat.
What is there to 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. The Mosques - Being a staunch Muslim State, Mosques are what you will see a lot. Kampong Ayer has at least two Mosques, both floating on water making them an excellent attraction.
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. Buying Sweets - Although Kampong Ayer doesn't have many shops, it has the unusual option of an old fashioned sweet shop! A great place to buy cheap sweets and candy and reminisce your childhood.
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 also helps with the local economy if you buy something as the entrance to Kampong Ayer is free.
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.
All in all, Kampong Ayer is a great place and really worth a visit. As you can tell there is a lot to see and do there for such a small village on water and it merits the "Venice of the East" tag that it has been given. There is a lot more to see in Bandar Seri Begawan as well, so once you are finished with Kampong Ayer head back across on the boat to see the capital city and the other parts of Brunei.
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