Brunei - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 49

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Introduction
Surrounded by Sarawak on Borneo's northern coast, the tiny but thriving
sultanate of Brunei combines rampant consumerism and notable wealth
with Islamic conservatism. Most famous as the home of one of the world's
richest men, for those with a bit of time and some cash to spend, the state
offers a few hidden surprises. With its decorative architecture and streets
flooded with brand-new cars, the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, can often
feel a world away from its Malaysian neighbours. Further afield, the remote
Ulu Temburong National Park offers untouched virgin rainforest teeming
with flora and fauna.

Budget travel is di cult here;
accommodation is more expensive than
in Sarawak and Sabah, and if you wish to
travel outside of the capital, your only
options are renting a car (though petrol is
cheap) or joining a tour. Many of
Brunei's pulling points can be found on a
much grander scale, for a fraction of the
cost, in the neighbouring Malaysian
states. But for those looking for a sense of
serenity off the beaten track, Brunei is a
good stopover.
Resident Bruneians experience a quality
of life that is unlike anywhere else in
Southeast Asia: education and healthcare
are free; houses, cars and even pilgrimages
to Mecca are subsidized; and taxation on
personal income is unheard of. You won't
see any scooters here, and all the cars look
as if they've just rolled out of a
showroom. he explanation for this is
simple: oil, first discovered in 1929 at the

site of the town of Seria. Brunei's wealth
is all down to the natural resources
pumping through its veins, so it will be
interesting to see how the county fares
when the “black gold” runs out in twenty
years' time.

CHRONOLOGY
c. Seventh century Chinese records suggest that a
forerunner to the Brunei state - referred to as “Po ni” - has
trading relations with China, exporting birds' nests, hornbill
ivory and timber.
1370 Sultan Mohammed becomes the first sultan.
Mid-1400 Sultan Awang Alak der Tabar marries a princess
from Melaka and converts to Islam. By the end of the century
Brunei is independent and trade with Malacca flourishes.
Fifteenth century After the fall of Malacca in 1511,
many wealthy Muslim merchants decamp to Brunei,
accelerating its conversion to Islam, and bolstering its
position as a trading centre.
1526 The Portuguese establish a trading post in Brunei.
1578 Spain's forces take the capital of Brunei, only to be
chased out days later by a cholera epidemic.
1588 & 1645 Brunei raided by the Spanish again.
1660s Feuding between the princes results in civil war.
Brunei languishes in obscurity for more than 150 years.
1839 Fortune-seeker James Brooke arrives near Kuching,
helps the sultan to quell a rebellion, and demands the
governorship of Sarawak in return. Brooke and his successors
take Brunei's former territories to create the present-day
territory of Sarawak.
January 1846 British gunboats quell a court coup; in
return Pulau Labuan is ceded to the British Crown.
1888 The British declare Brunei a protected state, with
responsibility for its foreign affairs.
1890 The cession of the Limbang region, literally splitting
Brunei in two.

WHEN TO GO
The climate is hot and humid, with
average temperatures in the high
twenties to early thirties all year round.
Lying 440km north of the equator, Brunei
has a tropical weather system so, even if
you visit outside the wet season (usually
Nov-March), there's every chance you'll
get caught in some rain. If you wish to
meet the sultan himself, the best time to
come is at the end of Ramadan (see p.56)
when the palace throws open its doors for
three days.