No visit to Brunei Darussalam’s capital—Bandar Seri Begawan—is complete without a visit to the Kampung Ayer—reputably the world’s largest water village with over 30,000 inhabitants. 

Looks & first descriptions can be deceiving.  Don’t look here for clapboard shanties over the water as seen in smaller water gypsy settlements in this part of the world.  At first these houses standing on stilts over the water may appear like a water gypsy settlement.  But you need to look closer.

Find a friendly Bruneian water taxi driver to take you across the Brunei River from the city center in the cool late afternoon. 

As you approach the water village you’ll notice that these wood-frame houses are larger than what you’ve seen in normal water villages.  You probably won’t have much problem getting invited in a house as water village kids welcome you to their dock-taxi stand. 

They’ll introduce you to their family reclining on their (very real) deck . . . 

Inside you might almost forget that you’re in a house over water—spacious, air conditioned, with intricate finishing & furnishings, the ubiquitous photo of their beloved sultan,

window views of “gardens” of potted plants growing on their decks,

and a place to store kitchen implements in the back of the house.

You’ll be surprised to see their bikes—that parents allow their little kids to ride up & down the pier-sidewalks between houses,

kids acting like kids anywhere—pretending to be Angry Birds,

the young guy making his own GI Joe out of Styrofoam & camouflage,

the young chump listening to world music on his iPod

and the boy returning from his Koranic recitation lessons.

Many of these Bruneian Malay Muslims have an expensive car parked up on the land at the end of their neighborhood pier, and a brick & mortar home in a modern suburb.  But despite their affluence, this water village is their home—where they were born, have grown up & hope to spend the rest of their lives. 

It’s a place where you’re close to your friends & family, & if you have a need you merely need to walk a few steps to get help from someone in the water community. 

Just the way the Muslim Malays of Brunei like it.