scorecardInside the surreal capital city of Brunei, a tiny nation of unimaginable wealth where oil money pays for everything and half the population lives in a floating 'water village'
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Inside the surreal capital city of Brunei, a tiny nation of unimaginable wealth where oil money pays for everything and half the population lives in a floating 'water village'

Bandar Seri Begawan is the small but flashy capital of Brunei, a tiny country on the island of Borneo. Bandar means "city" in the Malay language, while Seri Begawan is a royal title held by the sultan of Brunei's father.

Inside the surreal capital city of Brunei, a tiny nation of unimaginable wealth where oil money pays for everything and half the population lives in a floating 'water village'

Brunei's economy is almost entirely dependent on crude oil, which has paid for some of the most glamorous buildings in Southeast Asia.

Brunei

The Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is a particularly stunning example.

The Jame

Source: Royal Brunei

Thanks to his country's oil and gas exports, the sultan of Brunei is the wealthiest monarch in the world, and one of the richest people overall, with an estimated net worth of $20 billion. His residence is considered one of the largest palaces in the world.

Thanks to his country

Much of the city feels like a shrine to the sultan, with giant pictures of him looming around every street corner.

Much of the city feels like a shrine to the sultan, with giant pictures of him looming around every street corner.

There's even a giant museum called the Royal Regalia Museum dedicated entirely to the sultan.

There

Inside the museum are artifacts from the sultan's coronation, as well as room after room of extravagant gifts he's received over the years from other world leaders.

Inside the museum are artifacts from the sultan

Meanwhile, the residents of Bandar Seri Begawan don't come close to sniffing the sultan's wealth. This "floating village" on the Brunei River is home to an estimated 13,000 of the city's 27,000 people.

Meanwhile, the residents of Bandar Seri Begawan don

Source: CNN

It's called Kampung Ayer, meaning "water village."

It

Source: CNN

Kampung Ayer doesn't just contain thousands of residential homes, but also schools, restaurants, police and fire stations, and mosques — all on stilts.

Kampung Ayer doesn

People get around — very carefully — on a series of interconnected walkways.

People get around — very carefully — on a series of interconnected walkways.

And they also get around by ubiquitous water taxis, which take people back and forth from the mainland for a fare of $1.

And they also get around by ubiquitous water taxis, which take people back and forth from the mainland for a fare of $1.

The use of water taxis earned Bandar Seri Begawan the nickname "Venice of the East."

The use of water taxis earned Bandar Seri Begawan the nickname "Venice of the East."

Source: ASEAN Korea

Back on the mainland, the streets are eerily silent, creating something of a surreal feeling.

Back on the mainland, the streets are eerily silent, creating something of a surreal feeling.

Source: Mei Meichu

That only intensifies after dark, when the city practically turns into a ghost town. There is no nightlife to speak of, as alcohol is banned nationwide.

That only intensifies after dark, when the city practically turns into a ghost town. There is no nightlife to speak of, as alcohol is banned nationwide.

Source: Mei Meichu

One of the only places you'll find a crowd after sunset is the local night market.

One of the only places you

There, you'll find merchants selling foods most Americans have never even heard of.

There, you

There's also a gaudy shopping mall that is open after sunset, but it isn't exactly brimming with shoppers.

There

Source: Trip Advisor

Despite the lack of activity, nighttime is when Bandar Seri Begawan's architecture really pops.

Despite the lack of activity, nighttime is when Bandar Seri Begawan

The city's calm and quiet energy makes it one of the most interesting capitals in the world.

The city
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