Kampong Yesterday: A Unique Floating Village

We are going to travel to one of the most amazing destinations in Southeast Asia. We are talking about Brunei, a small country where the sultanate is still maintained as a political regime. This country hides unique and truly fascinating enclaves. However, we want to highlight the floating village of Kampong Ayer.

Also known as ‘the Asian Venice’, it offers the possibility of touring it by boat and getting to know the particular way of life of its inhabitants. In addition, this floating town is completely surrounded by a lush natural environment and rich biodiversity.

Kampong Ayer, the largest stilt town in the world

Kampong Ayer Village is the largest floating village in the world. Its buildings, built on a wooden base, form a village where there are not only houses, but also schools, mosques, police stations and shops, among other services. More than 30,000 inhabitants live here.

Even in a place like this there are social and economic differences. We can observe them by seeing the strong contrast between the different types of houses. In Kampong Ayer there are more than 25,000 houses that are spread out in a slightly orderly fashion over the water of the Brunei River.

The extension of this population, made up of more than 42 small towns interconnected by footbridges, is 36 kilometers. Although it is possible to move between them using wooden walkways and concrete piles, most of its inhabitants, as well as tourists, prefer to visit the village using a boat.

Another point in favor of this floating town is its love for tradition and its customs. The inhabitants have managed, despite the passing of the years, to keep the way of life of their ancestors intact. They have renounced luxuries such as large shopping centers and other services typical of a wealthy country in exchange for living in a more peaceful and natural way.

Visiting the floating town of Kampong Yesterday

To visit the village of Kampong Yesterday , all you need to do is negotiate the rate with one of the boatmen in the port. There you take a boat, also known as a taxi boat , which will tour the entire area for about an hour.

During the visit you can see the different floating buildings that make up the town. Not only some large houses with all kinds of luxuries stand out, but curious buildings such as mosques or police stations. There is also a museum about the town and its history, which is highly recommended to visit.

The route is not only done within the town. Normally , all the boatmen take tourists to the outskirts for a walk through the mangroves. In fact, taking the exit towards this we can see from afar a floating palace built as a summer residence for the current sultan.

Already in the mangroves, it is possible not only to enjoy the amazing landscape of the area, but it is possible to come across some specimens of proboscis monkeys. These are usually found feeding near the river. Perhaps due to the increase in tourism, they are not scared when they see the boats go by, so they can be observed closely and without problems.

Finally, some routes include within the route the possibility of seeing the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque from afar. This is a unique setting for photography lovers.

Tips to enjoy the visit

The easiest way to get to Brunei is by taking a flight from one of the airports in Southeast Asia. Generally, airports in Singapore, China or Malaysia are used as shuttles. The price of the trip is quite affordable and offers the opportunity, before going to the town of Kampong Ayer, to enjoy its capital.

Although visiting the floating village does not take more than a few hours, many decide to stay there to spend a few days with the rest of the inhabitants of the village. In fact, it is a good experience to settle in some of the accommodations located near the port.

Finally, there is no better date than another to visit the village. This is practically the same at any time of the year. A good tip, of course, is to haggle as much as possible on the price of taxi boats , since they will be the most used means of transport during the visit.