Kampung Ayer is a water village in Bandar Seri Bagwan and is one of the largest stilt house settlements in the world. Kampung Ayer can also be dubbed as “Venice of East”, when Antonio Pigafetta (Venetian scholar) visited Kampong Ayer in 1521. Take a taxi from Bandar Seri to reach the waterfront of the village. Through a ride on boat you can explore the local’s life in this water village. Slit houses built on the banks of Brunei River served as home for about 30,000 Bruneians.
Kampong Ayer comprises of 42 adjacent stilt villages these are interconnected with bridges and walkways made of wood and concrete. Wooden Motorboats are used as a transport to travel through the village at moderate fares. The adjacent villages are frequently accessible by foot. This water village contains public facilities like schools, mosques, police stations and fire departments. Even today, electricity is not a major problem in Kampong Ayer. Common facilities like water, telephone lines and internet connections are available in Kampong Ayer. Brunei Malays are major inhabitants in this area. In visitors centre you can read about the history and heritage of this village, which is so attractive.
By walking through the wooden footbridges, you can see the inhabitants of this are, who are friendly and welcoming. At a cost of 2 dollar in Brunei, Boats will take you around the village. This water village is a finest place to click photos on early evening before sunset. This water village holds some small restaurants serving local foods to satisfy the tourists. Single- and double-storey houses built on Saba and Peramu areas are the most recent development in Kampong Ayer. This village life is completely different from the modern life in Bandar Seri Begawan so don’t miss this place while you are in Brunei.
Address: Brunei River Jalan Mc Arthur, Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darussalam