May 2016: A Short Stop in Brunei

A Two-Week Adventure

In May 2016, I set off on a two-week journey through Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The trip included tracking cobras in Bali, staying with the Korowai Tribe deep in the forests of Papua, and crossing a remote border into Papua New Guinea. Along the way, I realized it would be a missed opportunity not to include Brunei—even if only briefly—since I was already in the region. So I deliberately planned a stopover on my route from Los Angeles to Bali.

A Brief Stay

My time in Brunei lasted just one night and almost a full day. It wasn’t long, but it was enough to experience the one thing that intrigued me most: the proboscis monkey.

The Quest for the Proboscis Monkey

The proboscis monkey is one of the most unusual primates in the world, instantly recognizable by its long, bulbous nose. Endemic to Borneo, these monkeys thrive in the mangrove jungles just outside the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan. I hired a local boatman to take me along the waterways in search of them.

I had missed the chance to see proboscis monkeys during a previous visit to Sabah, so this felt like redemption. Watching them leap through the branches, their strange features highlighted against the dense green jungle, was both surreal and fascinating.

A Rewarding Encounter

Although my stay in Brunei was short, seeing proboscis monkeys in their natural habitat was the highlight I had hoped for. It offered a glimpse into the country’s rich biodiversity and left me satisfied that even a brief stopover could deliver a memorable adventure.

Location of Brunei

Brunei in Context

A Tiny but Wealthy Nation

Brunei is a small, oil-rich country about the size of Delaware. It is ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world’s wealthiest leaders and the longest-serving current monarch. The nation’s vast oil and gas reserves fuel its economy and provide a high standard of living for its citizens.

Strict Islamic Law

Despite its wealth, Brunei is governed under strict Islamic law. The country enforces a Sharia Penal Code that includes severe punishments—such as death by stoning for homosexuality—which has drawn sharp criticism from the international community.

Wealth and Modernity

Brunei presents a fascinating contrast. While its governance is highly conservative, the nation is also known for its modern infrastructure and the Sultan’s extravagant lifestyle, symbols of the immense wealth concentrated within the monarchy.

Planning the trip was straightforward. After researching likely habitats for proboscis monkeys near the capital, I set out early, leaving my hotel before sunrise and heading to Kianggeh Jetty along the Brunei River. The jetty was bustling with fishing boats for hire, and I negotiated a price with a boatman to take me into the mangroves where the monkeys live. To confirm our destination, I even showed him a photo of a proboscis monkey, and he assured me they were easy to spot.

The boat ride itself was fascinating. We visited a section of the city where people live in stilted homes, creating a striking contrast to the modern cityscape. Along the way, we also glimpsed the Sultan’s palace, with its massive golden dome rising above the forest canopy. At 2.15 million square feet, it is the largest residential palace in the world—a testament to the Sultan’s wealth and status.

Boat man who took me into the mangroves in the customary headwrap for men in the region

My boat heading into the mangroves

Stilted city

A small part of the Sultan’s palace

Into the Mangroves

The mangroves outside Bandar Seri Begawan were shadowy, dense, and teeming with life. From the boat, I caught glimpses of massive crocodiles slipping into the water and monitor lizards sprawled on the muddy banks—both too elusive to photograph. Troops of rhesus macaques appeared in the branches, their calls echoing through the thick jungle.

Encounter with the Proboscis Monkey

The highlight, of course, was finally seeing the proboscis monkeys. The males were especially fascinating, with their oversized, beer-belly physiques and their distinctive noses—long, floppy, and unmistakably phallic, like exaggerated cartoon versions of the human penis. Watching them leap through the branches and squabble in groups was both surreal and hilarious, a reminder of just how wonderfully strange nature can be.

Conservation in Brunei

These unique primates are becoming increasingly endangered as mangrove habitats across Borneo are destroyed for development. Thankfully, Brunei’s oil wealth has allowed the country to preserve large tracts of rainforest and mangrove, making it one of the best places to see proboscis monkeys in the wild, and I was fortunate to encounter dozens during my short visit. 

Mangrove forest

Young proboscis monkey 

Large male proboscis monkey 

Back to the City

After a successful morning in the mangroves, spotting proboscis monkeys and other wildlife, I returned to the city to explore the local market. The stalls buzzed with life—vendors selling tropical fruits, spices, and freshly prepared dishes, all adding to the colorful atmosphere.

A Pause from the Heat

By midday, the tropical humidity had taken its toll. I was drenched in sweat and grateful to retreat to my hotel room for a short break, enjoying the much-needed relief of air conditioning before continuing my journey. A cold beer would have been great, but in Brunei, this small luxury is not possible since alcohol is outlawed.

Departure for Bali

That evening, I boarded a Royal Brunei Airlines flight bound for Bali. My visit to Brunei had been brief—just one night and a full day—but it left a lasting impression. From the eerie quiet of the mangroves to the comical faces of the proboscis monkeys, this tiny nation had given me exactly what I came for, and more.