Belait District travel guide

Belait wears two faces. On the one hand it is oil country, the driving force behind Brunei’s economy and home to a large population of British and Dutch expats. On the other, it is the best example of ‘old’ Brunei – Brunei before oil.

When oil was first discovered at Seria in 1929, the whole region was largely uninhabited, the lowlands dominated by peat swamps, mangroves and rainforest, with indigenous Iban and Dusun tribespeople sticking largely to the valley of Sungai Belait. Though the coastal strip has developed beyond recognition, the interior remains largely unscathed.

Aside from Temburong, Belait District is the best place to explore Brunei’s rainforest and visit indigenous longhouses. However, the tourism infrastructure remains underdeveloped so few people visit (apart from British Army recruits undergoing a round of brutal jungle training). The interior of Belait is earmarked as an important ecotourism destination for the future, and tour operators are beginning to put together itineraries into the region.