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Little did I know my quick jaunt in the Sultanate would have me unveiling the many contradictions of Brunei Darussalam. The first encounter I had when I arrived in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan was with a very eccentric guy named Bobby. He was indigenous, born and raised in Brunei Darussalam, or Brunei for short.

My newfound friend revealed that he had been in a gang while living in Thailand. He casually mentioned that he was shot 12 times in the chest, lifting her shirt up to show me the rippled scars. I blinked in disbelief, and felt somewhat uncomfortable. How does one react to such a revelation from a complete stranger?

As far as first encounters went, this one was the most intriguing.

A SUMMARY OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM 

Brunei Darussalam is a tiny country on the island of Borneo wedged between Sarawak and Sabah, two regions belonging to Malaysian Borneo. What Brunei lacks in size, it makes up for in location. The tiny country faces the South China Sea.

Thanks to this enviable location, Brunei has developed into one of the richest countries in the world, consistently ranking in the top five. The Sultanate's wealth is mainly generated by its abundance of offshore petroleum and natural gas fields.

Brunei Darussalam is governed by one of the last monarchies on earth. His Majesty Hassanal Bolkiah is not only the reigning Sultan but the Prime Minister of Brunei, as well. His net worth is estimated at 25 billion dollars making him one of the richest men in the world. Apparently, he and his brother own no less than 7000 luxury cars! It's no surprise the Bolkiah royals are infamously known for living extremely lavish lifestyles.

Which brings me to contradiction number one.

WATER VILLAGES FLOATING IN RUBBISH

The cluster of kampongs (villages) is home to thousands of native residents. The only way to get to Kampong Ayer is to take a water taxi from the dock in Bandar Seri Begawan. The villages consist of thousands of wooden shacks houses precariously balancing on stilts. Wooden or concrete footbridges link the many villages creating a solidarity amongst the residents.

Surprisingly, many of the residents of the floating villages are wealthy, although their decrepit houses might seem otherwise. What's more, living in the kampongs is considered a privilege by many Bruneians given the royal family used to live there. What's not to be proud of, right?

Well, see for yourself.

As I wandered around the floating villages, I was shocked by the piles of rubbish floating in the water! I furrowed my brows in confusion. I was told His Majesty visits his native floating village regularly; surely he saw what I saw, albeit through very expensive designer sunglasses.

I mentioned this to Bobby who didn't seem concerned at all. He said the rubbish was picked up every day without elaborating further on the subject. Right on cue, a tiny sanitation boat came sputtering along. I found it hard to believe that tiny dinghy could clean up all the rubbish from the water. How could one of the richest countries in the world lack basic sanitary measures?

SHARIA LAW, STONING AND SEX

Brunei Darussalam made headlines when His Majesty Hassanal Bolkiah announced that Sharia Law would be implemented throughout the country. Sharia Law is a series of commandments regulating Muslim behaviour. The first stage of this implementation was the stoning to death of those engaging in gay sex, adultery, or other acts deemed sinful.

Enter contradiction number two.

While both brothers have never shied away from living an extravagant lifestyle, the younger brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah, is notorious for being an unabashed playboy. Despite having three wives (polygamy is accepted in Islam), a quick online search will reveal several articles about the Prince's decadent, sex-obsessed behaviour including modern-day harems. While his older brother is adamant on implementing Sharia laws back home, the Playboy Prince pays no attention to the laws while he’s abroad.

It seems that whatever happens outside of Brunei Darussalam doesn’t count.

SMOKING AND ALCOHOL IN BRUNEI

I’ll get straight to the point: smoking and alcohol are banned in Brunei Darussalam. I admit that as a non-smoker, I rejoiced at the thought of not having to inhale second-hand smoke. Alas, my joy was short-lived on the day Bobby’s friend, a highly-regarded Imam, brought me to visit the most beautiful mosque in the country.

As we rode in the Imam’s car to go to the mosque, he rolled down the window and…..lit a cigarette! Ugh, my smoke-free days had vanished in just one puff.

"Isn't smoking illegal?", I asked, slightly annoyed but mostly curious. Bobby replied that it’s fine as long as you don't get caught by the Morality Police, men in charge of catching violators. However, the Morality Police does accept bribes. Contradictions, contradictions.

BLING VS BLAND

As one of the richest countries in the world, I had a preconceived idea of what the capital city of Brunei Darussalum looked like. I imagined modern, glossy buildings and streamlined architecture. As I stepped off the bus in Bandar Seri Begawan, I realized it was anything but. I couldn't help but wonder: Where was all the wealth?

A short walk from the city center answered my question. The beautiful Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is an architectural gem. The main feature of the mosque is its large, central dome covered in pure gold. The mosque sits in an artificial lagoon and is surrounded by finely-manicured, evergreen gardens.

At the estimated cost of $9 million, no expense was spared when building the mosque. The most exquisite materials such as marble pillars, fancy granite floors and ornate crystal chandeliers were imported. Bling! The contrast between the opulence of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and the lacklustre city center was shocking!

SHARING THE WEALTH - OR NOT?

According to Bobby and his Imam friend, the Sultan distributes monthly allowances of ~$1000 to every citizen of Brunei, and anyone attending the Sultan’s birthday celebration in July receives $1200. Also, many people receive free housing based on eligibility. For example, the Imam and his teacher wife were gifted 4 houses by the Sultan. Education and medical assistance are also free.

I admit I was impressed by the royal family’s generosity towards the people of Brunei.

That is, until I met Spiderman.  The young man was dressed as his favourite super hero, not for fun, but because he needed the money.

"Isn't your monthly allowance enough?", I asked Spiderman, to which he let out a boisterous laugh. I took that as a no. I wondered if he simply wanted to make more money, or if his family needed more money to make ends meet?

My questions were left unanswered. Meeting Spiderman left me feeling more perplexed than ever. Unveiling the many contradictions of Brunei Darussalam was more complex than I thought. Sigh.

READ MORE ON BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

• Is Brunei Darussalam Worth Visiting?

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Lydia

I’m the founder and creator of Life Untraveled. I quit my corporate job, sold everything I owned and have been traveling full-time since 2018. I hope to inspire you to travel differently on a budget.

More about me here.