About Brunei / Brunei Darussalam
Brunei Darussalam is an independent Sultanate located 450km
north of the Equator, less than 2 hours by air from Singapore,
on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo which it shares
with parts of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Brunei is a very small but, thanks to oil and gas reserves,
a very rich country. Largely jungle and beach, Brunei was a
British protectorate between 1888 and 1984, when it achieved
independence. A safe, stable and secure country governed by the
longest serving family monarchy in the world (over 600 years!),
there are no typhoons, earthquakes, or severe flooding to
contend with, and the biggest environmental issue is seasonal
haze resulting from forest fires in nearby Indonesia.
Brunei's equatorial climate brings consistently high
temperature, rainfall and humidity, with only minor seasonal
variations. The average temperature is 28°C, with uniform
daily temperatures in the high twenties with cooler evenings
and nights, high humidity and heavy annual rainfall with most
of this falling in the monsoon season between November and
March.
The country has 160km of coastline on the South China Sea, with
a hilly and inaccessible interior covered in untouched primary
rainforest. The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan which
is locally known as Bandar or BSB which has a population of
about 100,000. Tutong town is much smaller and is very close to
some excellent beaches. Kuala Belait, the main town of the
Belait district, is Brunei's second town and is near the Shell
complex of Seria, with its large expatriate population.
Temburong district and its main town, Bangar, are much less
developed and are reached by a 45 minute boat trip from BSB or
a two hour drive passing through Malaysian territory.
Bruneian People
Brunei has a mixture of southeast Asian ethnic groups. About
two-thirds of the population is Malay, nearly one-fifth is
Chinese, and the remainder are indigenous peoples. Almost
two-thirds of the people are Muslims, 12 percent are Buddhists,
and 9 percent are Christians, and in the remote interior there
are a few animists. Approximately two-thirds of the population
is urban. Most of the people live in Bandar Seri Begawan or
near the oil fields at Seria and Kuala Belait. The interior of
Brunei is sparsely populated by indigenous peoples who clear
areas of the forest for temporary, or shifting,
cultivation.
The pace of life is much slower and relaxed than in many
western countries. You will need to exercise patience and good
humour to adopt to this pattern of living. The people of Brunei
Darussalam are generally welcoming of expatriates and usually
very friendly, but you obviously need to have respect for their
local culture which is centuries old.
Religion
The official religion is Islam and the people in their
everyday life follow Islamic principles. Islam is extremely
important to Bruneians and must be treated with respect by all
visitors. The practice of other religions is, however, allowed
and there are churches in Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait and
Seria.
Language
The official language is Malay. However, English is widely
spoken and most business is transacted in English. Other
dialects are also widely spoken including the Hokkien dialect
of Chinese as well as various native languages (Iban, Murut,
Dusun etc.) and local dialects (Tutong, Belait etc.).
Malay is often said to be an easy language to learn. The
grammar is fairly simple and the script is Roman. Unlike
English, there is a straightforward script/sound
correspondence.
Social Customs
Brunei is a much more tolerant, laid back and welcoming
place than the current western media image of Islamic countries
might have some people believe. Though more conservative than
many western countries, this tends to translate into a lack of
social ills such as street violence and public drunkenness.
Teachers from the UK will also note a refreshing lack of CCTV
cameras and inane reality TV! Possibly the best testament to
living and working in Brunei is the fact that so many
expatriates decide that Brunei is a better place for their
children to grow up than their home country.
Bruneians love to eat out and there are many excellent
restaurants in Brunei serving a wide variety of cuisines. A
tasty meal can be had for as little as B$2.50. Alcohol is not
sold in Brunei, however, the Malaysian border is never more
than an hour's drive away and expatriates are permitted to
bring in 12 cans of beer and 2 bottles of wine or spirits every
48 hours. Most expatriate parties are therefore well-stocked,
whilst several restaurants allow guests to bring their own wine
and beer – even providing ice buckets.
Things to do in Brunei
There are
plenty of things to do in Brunei. As a modern, wealthy country,
it has all the amenities you might expect at home, such as
well-stocked supermarkets (selling home favourites including
Marmite, Vegemite and bacon); well-equipped gyms (CfBT enjoys
corporate membership which allows teachers to make significant
savings); large, landscaped swimming pools; and a vast
selection of high quality restaurants. Families generally find
that children love the outdoor life in Brunei, and that the
size of their houses and amount of free time add significantly
to family life. Single teachers often discover that with house
parties during the week; a high disposable income; and visits
to Malaysia or elsewhere during days off; they have a better
social life than they had back home.
Yacht/watersports Clubs
For a very affordable monthly fee, many teachers join one of
the yacht clubs in Brunei. This allows them to spend their days
off socialising by the pool, or using one of the sailing
dinghies, windsurfers, canoes, jet skis, or other amenities
that usually come as part of the membership.
Jerudong amusement park
If you have children (or wish to indulge your inner child),
Jerudong can be fun. It is the largest amusement park in South
East Asia, and a B$15 pass will get you unlimited rides all
day. The park also organises special kids' days where games and
activities are on offer in addition to the usual rides.
Beaches
There is no
shortage of beautiful beaches in Brunei, where you can enjoy a
range of watersports with few of the crowds you might find
elsewhere. Below is just a sample:
Muara Beach: Less than 27km from Bandar
Seri Begawan?s town centre, Muara Beach's long, quiet esplanade
invites leisurely strolling and is an ideal destination for a
family outing. Amenities here include a well-equipped picnic
area, a children's playground, changing and toilet facilities,
as well as weekend food and drink stalls.
Serasa Beach: A 10-minute drive from Muara,
lively Serasa Beach is a haven for watersports enthusiasts and
boasts an extensive watersports complex built recently to host
the SEA games. The complex provides comprehensive facilities at
international competition level standards, including jet
skiing, kayaking, windsurfing, regatta sailing, power boat
racing, aqua sports training and water skiing.
Berakas Beach: Berakas beach is situated
along the Muara highway and about 15 minutes' drive from the
town centre. It is usually a busy place during weekends as it
has facilities for BBQs, huts for resting and showers for those
who like to take a dip in the warm water.
Pantai Seri Kenangan Beach: Literally the
unforgettable beach, this scenic locale is a popular recreation
spot located at Kuala Tutong. Here, the beauty of the beach is
enhanced by a narrow strip of land, with the South China Sea on
one side and the Tutong River on the other. The beach is a five
minute drive from Tutong town and is a lovely spot for picnics,
fishing and swimming.
Lumut Beach: For those who prefer a day of
sun and sand while in Belait, Lumut Beach beckons. Lumut offers
complete facilities for picnicking, jogging and family outings.
Added features here are the huts and shelters especially
designed for visitor relaxation.
Restaurants
Brunei has a vast selection of excellent places to eat, and
most teachers find they eat out a lot more than they would at
home. There are many types of delicious food to choose from,
including Malay, Indonesian, Thai, Indian, Japanese and
western-style restaurants. Eating out is also very affordable.
Even the restaurants at five-star hotels are relatively
inexpensive, whilst cheaper restaurants and delicious street
stalls will hardly make a dent in your budget at all.
Eco Tourism
Ulu Temburong National Park occupies almost 40% of the
Temburong district of Brunei. It is regarded by many as the
best preserved tropical rainforest on Borneo, and one of the
best in the world. The park includes a range of wilderness
habitats, from lowland forest and jungle rainforest, to
mountain forest at an elevation of almost 2,000 metres. The
area has often been looked upon as a refuge for threatened
species from throughout Borneo.
The topography is mountainous, with steep slopes, narrow
ridges and numerous peaks. Visitors entering the area are
always amazed by the transition from cultivation and secondary
vegetation to deep jungle, as they travel upriver towards the
National Park entrance.
The Belalong River basin within the park is reserved solely
for scientific study. The Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre,
operated by the University of Brunei Darussalam, hosts
scientists from around the world to survey and study the
ecosystems and animal inhabitants. Isolation, mountainous
terrain, and a dedicated preservation policy have protected the
park from destructive logging, clearing and plantation
development that has scarred some areas of Borneo. The Ulu
Temburong National Park is a haven for scientists and all
people who appreciate nature. Many teachers also take advantage
of the opportunity to enjoy hiking, canoeing and whitewater
rafting in a beautiful setting.
Pop in to Malaysia
It is cheap and easy to get across the border into Malaysia
(between 30 minutes and one hour depending on where a teacher
is located). Once in Malaysia, teachers find that their Brunei
dollar allows them to enjoy the bars, restaurants and
nightclubs to a far greater extent than they might be able to
when going out back home.
Limbang
Teachers living in Timburong can most easily take the short
river ferry ride to Limbang. This lively town is famous for the
night markets, where native tribes from the region's jungles
come to sell their produce. It also has an array of bars and
riverside restaurants that make it a popular destination for
Brunei residents on a night out.
Miri
Teachers living in the Kuala Belait area are between 30
minutes and one hour from Miri. Miri has a justified reputation
as a party town and, though one or two of its bars and
nightclubs can verge on the seedy, there are plenty of other
options. These range from fun student disco bars to lavish
five-star hotels with huge landscaped pools and sumptuous
restaurants. The good news is that even top-of-the-range hotels
become surprisingly affordable when one is earning Brunei
dollars.
Teachers living in the BSB region are two hours by car from
Miri and 45 minutes by riverboat from Limbang. There are also
cheap speedboats that take less than an hour to get to Labuan.
Labuan is a duty free island that is part of Malaysia and very
popular amongst people living in Brunei. Here one can spend the
weekend socialising in bars and restaurants, and perhaps stock
up on some duty free items to take back to Brunei.
Summary
If you are a qualified teacher with the requisite
experience, looking for a chance to make a difference - perhaps
in a tax-free environment - Brunei is an excellent choice. The
cost of living is also significantly lower than in other
tax-free destinations, and the standard of accommodation for
teachers is higher. The Bruneians, with their largely Malay
heritage, are also more laid back than people you might find in
other Islamic, tax-free destinations. Perhaps best of all,
Brunei is in southeast Asia. Entering Malaysia is comparable to
going to a neighbouring town back home, whilst the capitals of
other southeast Asian countries are within a couple of hours by
plane.
Naturally, there are challenges involved in relocating to a
new country and living and working in a foreign environment.
Teachers must be flexible and be prepared to work hard for
their schools, just as they would back home. However, Brunei is
arguably one of the easier overseas destinations in which to
live. The large number of expatriates who have been in Brunei
for years – or who have left and then come back –
is a good indication of this.