Bandar Seri Begawan Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

Brunei’s main highway links BSB with the town of Kuala Baram in Sarawak via Seria and Kuala Belait. Overland from BSB to Miri (Sarawak) or vice versa involves changing buses several times.

The BSB bus station is on Jln Cator, beneath the multistorey car park. For Miri, take a bus to Seria (B$6, two hours), where you buy a combined ticket for the three buses you’ll need to get to Miri. This comes to B$11.20 and includes your ticket to Kuala Belait (B$1, 30 minutes), from Kuala Belait to the border (B$5.50) and from the border to Miri (RM5.50). You change buses in Sungai Belait to cross the river, and switch again at the Kuala Baram border point. Immigration and customs formalities are taken care of on both sides of the Brunei–Sarawak border.

The journey to Miri takes about four hours. Buses leave BSB for Seria between 6.30am and 5pm, with the last return around 8pm. It’s best to get an early start to reach Miri by the early afternoon. From Seria, buses to Kuala Belait leave roughly every half-hour until 8pm. Buses from Kuala Belait to the border leave five times daily, though this can vary. Before you board, ask at the bus station in Seria if the bus will make the Miri connections.

Public bus 44 goes to the Sarawak border at Kuala Lurah, where you can continue on to Limbang.

Car

Hiring a car is the only feasible way to explore the hinterland of Brunei, though you could comfortably see most sights in two days. Prices range from B$80 to B$120 for a sedan; rates for luxury cars such as Mercedes, Volvos and 4WDs are much higher. Mileage and insurance are included, though surcharges may apply if the car is taken into Sarawak. Most rental agencies will bring the car to your hotel and pick it up when you’ve finished, and drivers can also be arranged, though this could cost B$100 on top of the rental cost. Petrol is cheap and the main roads are in good condition, but some back roads require a 4WD. An international driver’s permit is required for driving in Brunei.

Ask at the tourist office or at your hotel about renting a car and staff can probably help you out. Rental operators in BSB:

Avis (222 7100; Sheraton Utama Hotel, Jln Tasek Lama)

Azizah Car Rentals (222 9388; Jln Pusar Ulak)

Hertz (239 0300; Brunei International Airport)

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Boat

Apart from flying, the most convenient way to travel between Brunei and Sabah or Sarawak is by boat. Boats to Lawas (Sarawak) and Pulau Labuan (for connections to Sabah) leave from the ferry terminal (277 3071) at Muara, 25km northeast of BSB. Numerous express boats go between Muara port and Pulau Labuan (economy/1st class B$15/18, one hour) between 7.30am and 4.40pm. Departures from Labuan (RM24/30) are between 8.30am and 4.30pm. Extra services may be added at weekends and on public holidays. A boat leaves daily for Lawas in Sarawak (B$10, two hours) at 11.30am. Boats leave from Lawas (RM25) for Muara at 7am daily. An express bus between town and the terminal costs B$2.

Speedboats to Limbang (B$10, 30 minutes) leave between 6am and 6pm from the customs wharf at the end of Jln Roberts in BSB and depart when full, which means you could be waiting a while.

For the Temburong district, speedboats go between BSB and Bangar throughout the day (B$6, 45 minutes). The first departure is around 7am and the last at 5pm; boats leave (when full) from the jetty near the Gerai Makan. Road transport from Bangar can take you to Sarawak.

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Air

Royal Brunei Airlines often has promotional fares out of BSB, though, in general, international routes may be cheaper if bought through travel agents.

Airline offices

Airlines flying into Brunei and with offices in BSB:

British Airways & Qantas (222 5871; www.britishairways.com) For ticket sales, contact Jasra Harrisons Travel (224 2911) on the corner of Jln MacArthur and Jln Sungai Kianggeh.

Malaysia Airlines (222 4141; www.malaysiaairlines.com; Maya Puri Bldg, 38-39 Jln Sultan)

Singapore Airlines (224 4901; www.singaporeair.com; Maya Puri Bldg, 38-39 Jln Sultan)

Thai Airways (224 2991; www.thaiair.com; 4th fl, Kompleks Jln Sultan, 51-55 Jln Sultan)

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