Brunei: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Brunei feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 31 written places.
Quiet, gracious and unhurried; modesty and soft voices are the social currency.
✓ Considered polite
- Greet across genders with the right hand over your heart and a small nod rather than a handshake
- Point with a closed fist and thumb, never the index finger
- Dress modestly everywhere - shoulders and knees covered, and robes are lent at the big mosques
- Use your right hand for giving, receiving and eating
✗ Better avoided
- Eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan daylight hours
- Touch anyone's head or walk in front of someone praying
- Expect anything open between 12:00 and 14:00 on Friday - closing for prayers is the law
- Show more than minimal public affection - couples stay reserved here
Worth knowing
- No alcohol is sold anywhere; non-Muslim visitors over 17 may bring a small declared allowance - about two bottles plus a dozen cans of beer - for private use only
- The Brunei dollar and Singapore dollar are interchangeable at par and both are accepted
- Night markets like Gadong are the best cheap eating, busiest after sunset
- Evenings revolve around food, coffee shops and family rather than nightlife
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.