Brunei’s culture is Malay, Muslim and royal at the same time, held together by the national philosophy of Melayu Islam Beraja (Malay Islamic Monarchy, or MIB). The people, called Bruneians, are a Malay majority alongside Chinese and indigenous Dusun, Murut, Iban and other communities, and public life is quiet, polite and conservative. The signature crafts are gold-threaded kain tenunan cloth, brassware and silverwork, best seen at the Arts and Handicraft Training Centre and the museums of Bandar Seri Begawan.
- People: about 460,000 Bruneians; roughly three quarters Malay, one tenth Chinese, the rest indigenous groups and long-term foreign residents.
- Religion: Islam (Sunni, Shafi’i school) is the state religion and about 80 percent of people are Muslim, with Christian and Buddhist minorities.
- Language: Standard Malay is official, Brunei Malay is what you hear on the street, and English is widely understood in towns.
- Biggest celebration: Hari Raya Aidilfitri, when the Sultan opens Istana Nurul Iman to the public.
- Visitor basics: dress modestly, use your right hand, expect closures during Friday prayers, and know that alcohol is not sold anywhere.
Malay Islamic Monarchy: the Core of Brunei Culture#
What MIB means. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah proclaimed Melayu Islam Beraja the national philosophy on January 1, 1984, the day Brunei became fully independent from Britain. Its three parts are Melayu (Malay language, customs and identity), Islam (the state religion and the guide for law and public life) and Beraja (loyalty to the Sultan, who is head of state, prime minister and head of religion).
How it shows. MIB is taught in schools and runs through everyday life: Friday prayers close businesses at midday, halal food is the norm, the Sultan appears in the evening news almost daily, and royal birthdays, Islamic holidays and National Day are the big public events. The legal system combines British common law with Sharia law, and the Sharia Penal Code has been fully in force since 2019. Royal criticism is a crime under lese-majeste laws, so keep political opinions about the monarchy to yourself.
What it feels like. Visitors usually describe Brunei as calm, safe, clean and very courteous. Nightlife is almost nonexistent and the evening social scene revolves around food: night markets, open-air stalls and family dinners. Malay culture here is close to that of neighboring Malaysia, but more conservative and more centered on the palace.
People of Brunei and Ethnic Groups#
People from Brunei are called Bruneians (the adjective is also Bruneian). The population is about 460,000 (2025 estimate), and around three quarters live in or near towns, mostly in the Brunei-Muara district around Bandar Seri Begawan. Official 2025 figures put the population at about 74 percent Malay, 10 percent Chinese and 17 percent other groups, a category that includes indigenous peoples and the large community of foreign workers in the oil, construction and service industries.
“Malay” is a legal category. Brunei’s constitution groups seven indigenous peoples together as Malay (puak jati): Brunei Malay, Kedayan, Tutong, Belait, Dusun, Bisaya and Murut. Each has its own language or dialect and customs, though all share Malay as a common language and most are Muslim. Other indigenous peoples, such as the Iban and Penan, are recognized as natives but sit outside the seven.
Titles you will hear. Brunei keeps a formal system of honorifics. Pengiran marks hereditary nobility, Pehin and Dato are titles conferred by the Sultan, and Haji and Hajah are used by men and women who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca. In everyday speech, Awang and Dayang are polite forms of Mr. and Ms.
Brunei Malays
The largest group, historically centered on Kampong Ayer, the water village on the Brunei River that was the capital for centuries. Brunei Malay is the everyday language of the country.
Kedayan
Traditionally farmers living inland in Brunei-Muara and Tutong. Known for the aduk-aduk dance, performed in black warrior dress with red sashes at the end of the harvest season.
Tutong and Belait
Dusun and Bisaya
Rural peoples of the Tutong and Belait interiors, related to Dusun and Bisaya communities across the border in Sabah and Sarawak. Some still follow traditional beliefs alongside Islam or Christianity.
Murut (Lun Bawang)
A small community in Temburong, the forested eastern district that is home to Ulu Temburong National Park.
Iban
Known for longhouse communities upriver in the forested interior, where the Iban and Dusun are the main jungle peoples. Not one of the seven Malay groups, but recognized as indigenous.
Chinese Bruneians
About one in ten people, mostly Hokkien, Hakka and Cantonese speakers who also use Mandarin. Chinese temples, shops and restaurants (including some that serve pork) are part of town life, and Chinese New Year is a public holiday.
Foreign residents
Workers from Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Asia and the West make up a large share of the population, most of them men working in oil and gas, construction, services and homes.
Religion and Daily Customs#
Islam in daily life. Brunei follows Sunni Islam of the Shafi’i school. The call to prayer sounds five times a day, the biggest mosques are the country’s main landmarks, and religious study is part of school life. Other religions are allowed in private, but public celebration of non-Muslim festivals such as Christmas is restricted and proselytizing to Muslims is illegal.
Friday prayers. Friday is the holy day. Expect shops, offices, museums and even buses to stop from about 12:00 to 14:00; water taxis to Kampong Ayer usually keep running. The Royal Regalia Museum is closed all day Friday.
Alcohol and food. The sale of alcohol is banned and drinking in public is prohibited. Non-Muslim visitors may bring a limited amount for private use and must declare it on arrival. Meat is halal, although Chinese restaurants and food stalls may serve pork.
Ramadan. During the fasting month working hours are shortened. Do not eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight; many non-Muslim restaurants stay open and Chinese places often serve takeaway. Evening food markets selling dishes to break the fast are one of the best things to see in Brunei at this time.
Dress. Non-Muslim visitors are not required to wear the tudung (headscarf), but cover shoulders and knees in public, and very skimpy swimwear is frowned upon. Many Bruneian women wear the baju kurung (long tunic over a skirt) and men wear the baju Melayu with a songkok cap, especially on Fridays and at ceremonies.
Brunei stops for Friday prayers from about 12:00 to 14:00: plan museum visits, shopping and bus trips around it. Non-Muslims can visit Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque only outside prayer times (on Fridays only in the late afternoon), and Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is closed to non-Muslim visitors on Thursdays and Fridays.
Etiquette for Visitors#
- Greetings. The traditional Malay greeting (salam) is a light touch of hands, after which the right hand is brought to the chest. Between men and women, wait for the other person to offer a hand; a nod with your hand on your heart is a polite alternative.
- Use your right hand to eat, pass food, give money and hand over gifts. Supporting your right wrist with your left hand is a sign of respect.
- Point with your thumb. Pointing with the index finger is considered rude; use your right thumb with the fingers folded under it, or an open hand.
- Shoes off at mosques, homes, many guesthouses and museums. Floors in the Royal Regalia Museum are marble, so bring socks.
- Mosques. Robes are provided at the entrance if your clothing is not suitable. Women cover their hair, everyone covers arms and legs, and you should never walk in front of someone who is praying.
- Feet and heads. Avoid pointing the soles of your feet at people when seated, and do not touch anyone’s head.
- Public behavior. Keep displays of affection private, do not raise your voice, and speak about the Sultan and royal family respectfully. Bruneians are generally happy to explain their religion and monarchy when asked politely.
- Photos. Ask before photographing people, especially women. Photography of the royal treasures inside the Royal Regalia Museum is not allowed.
- Visiting a home. Bring a small gift such as cakes or fruit (never alcohol), accept a drink, and eat at least a little of what is offered.
Festivals and Celebrations#
Brunei’s calendar mixes Islamic holidays, which move about 11 days earlier each year with the lunar calendar, and fixed royal and national days. The most memorable for visitors are below.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
The end of Ramadan is the biggest event of the year. For a few days at the start of the festival the Sultan opens Istana Nurul Iman, the world’s largest residential palace, to the public: men greet the Sultan, women greet the Queen, and everyone is fed from the palace kitchens and leaves with a gift. Nearly 62,000 people came over two days in 2025. Expect hours of queuing, and dress modestly. Families also hold open houses (rumah terbuka) through the following month of Syawal.
The Sultan's Birthday
July 15, a public holiday. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, on the throne since 1967, turned 80 in 2026. Expect a royal address, honors ceremonies, prayers in the mosques and celebrations across all four districts.
National Day
February 23, marking independence in 1984. The main parade is in Bandar Seri Begawan in front of the Sultan, with school, community and military contingents, and flags on every street.
Ramadan
The fasting month. Days are quiet with shortened hours, while evenings bring busy tamu markets selling dishes to break the fast.
Chinese New Year
A public holiday. Chinese families hold open houses, and lion dances visit shops and homes.
Other public holidays
Hari Raya Aidiladha (the festival of sacrifice), Maulidur Rasul (the Prophet’s birthday), Israk Mikraj, Nuzul Al-Quran and Royal Brunei Armed Forces Day (May 31).
Traditional Arts and Crafts#
Brunei’s craft traditions grew up in the workshops of Kampong Ayer, where whole villages specialized in trades: Kampong Pandai Besi, for example, takes its name from its ironsmiths. Islamic taste shaped the designs, which favor flowers, vines and geometric patterns over figures. Many of these crafts are now kept alive by training programs and are made mainly for weddings, royal ceremonies and gifts, so the finest pieces are seen at ceremonies and in museums more often than in shops.
Kain tenunan and jong sarat
Brunei’s handwoven cloth, recorded as far back as a Chinese account of 1225. Kain tenunan biasa has a matt base with metallic thread only in the motifs; kain bepakan weaves gold or silver thread through the weft so the whole cloth shimmers. Jong sarat, gold or silver thread on colored silk, is the most prestigious and is worn at weddings and state functions. Weaving is traditionally women’s work, a hand-woven piece can take months, and most cloth sold today is machine-made.
Brassware and bronze cannons
Brunei was famous across Borneo for cast brass: kettles, trays, gongs and bedil cannons, some with dragon-headed barrels. Magellan’s chronicler Pigafetta saw brass and iron cannons at the Sultan’s palace in 1521. Production peaked in the 16th and 17th centuries and declined when cheaper European imports arrived, but brass kettles still hold water at Malay weddings.
Silverwork
Silversmiths make jewelry, boxes, trays and keris fittings decorated with fine floral and geometric patterns. Silverwork is taught at the Arts and Handicraft Training Centre and sold in its showroom.
Keris
The wavy-bladed Malay dagger, worn with formal dress and part of the royal regalia. Ceremonial keris with carved hilts and silver sheaths are among the most prized pieces of Bruneian craft.
Basketry and mats
Mats, baskets, food covers and hats woven from pandan, rattan and bamboo, the craft most closely tied to village life in the water village and the interior.
Songkok and woodcarving
The black velvet songkok cap is still made by hand, and carvers produce decorated panels and keris hilts. Both are taught at the Arts and Handicraft Training Centre.
Music, Dance and Literature#
Traditional music. Gong ensembles are at the heart of Malay folk music, especially the kulintangan, a row of small tuned gongs, played with drums at weddings and feasts. The adai-adai is a work song once sung by fishermen at sea, and the wedding song Alus Jua Dindang has the groom praising his new bride. Strong Islamic influence means music and dance are performed mainly at ceremonies rather than as everyday entertainment.
Dance. The Malay jipin (zapin) is performed by six men and women to the gambus lute, violin and hand drums. Benari, or Joget Baju Putih, is a festive dance for three men and three women. The Kedayan aduk-aduk follows the moves of silat, the Malay martial art, to drums and coconut shells.
Literature. The best-known classic is the Syair Awang Semaun, an epic poem about the legendary hero linked to the founding of the sultanate. Modern writing, especially sajak (free verse poetry), is published in Malay by the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the national language and literature bureau.
Architecture and decorative art. The most striking Islamic art in Brunei is in its mosques. Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque (1958), with its gold dome and lagoon, and the larger Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque (1994) are both covered in marble, mosaics, stained glass and carved detail.
Where to See and Buy Brunei Crafts#
Arts and Handicraft Training Centre
Founded in 1975 to keep traditional crafts alive, the centre (Pusat Kesenian dan Pertukangan Tangan Brunei) trains young Bruneians in weaving, silversmithing, brass casting, woodcarving, basketry and songkok making. You can watch artisans at work and buy kain tenunan, silverware, brassware and keris in its showroom, which is the best place in the country for genuine local handicrafts.
- Where: Jalan Residency, on the riverfront about 600 m east of the Kianggeh market area in central Bandar Seri Begawan.
- Hours: Brunei Tourism lists 8:00 to 17:00 daily, with a Friday prayer break from 12:00 to 14:00. Other sources say it closes on weekends, so call ahead (+673 222 2418).
Royal Regalia Museum
The Royal Regalia Museum on Jalan Sultan shows the crowns, swords, keris, ceremonial weapons and traditional dress of the monarchy, the golden chariot used in the 1992 Silver Jubilee procession, and a hall of diplomatic gifts. It is the single best introduction to MIB and royal ceremony. Open Saturday to Thursday (closed Friday); non-residents pay BND 5. Shoes off, and no photography of the regalia.
Malay Technology Museum
In Kota Batu, east of downtown along the river road, this museum has three halls: full-size Kampong Ayer stilt houses, the water village’s trades (weaving, gold and silversmithing, boat building, roofing), and the tools and houses of the Kedayan, Dusun and Murut peoples. Non-residents pay BND 3 (children BND 1); Friday hours vary, so check first. The neighboring Brunei Museum, which holds a collection of bedil cannons, has been closed for renovation for over a decade, so check before you go.
Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery
On the water across from the city center (a BND 1 water taxi ride), this gallery explains the history and crafts of Kampong Ayer and sometimes has weavers and other artisans demonstrating. Climb its observation tower for the view over the stilt village. Open 9:00 to 17:00, with a Friday closure from 11:00 to 14:30.
Souvenir shops and markets
Most souvenir shops sell imported Brunei-branded items and local snacks rather than handmade crafts. For gifts, try the Brunei Products and Souvenir Centre on the second floor opposite the tourist information center by the downtown bus terminal, the souvenir shop in The Mall in Gadong, and the shops in the Yayasan complex downtown. Tamu Kianggeh, the covered riverside market, and the Gadong night market are better for local food than for crafts but show Bruneian daily life at its liveliest. Cash is the norm at both. See the Brunei shopping guide for malls and markets.
Cultural Sights in and around Bandar Seri Begawan#
More Brunei Guides#
Brunei Culture FAQs#
What are people from Brunei called?
People from Brunei are called Bruneians, and Bruneian is also the adjective. About 460,000 people live in Brunei, roughly three quarters of them Malay, about a tenth Chinese, and the rest indigenous groups and foreign residents. People of Brunei
What are the main ethnic groups in Brunei?
Malays are the majority. The constitution counts seven indigenous peoples as Malay: Brunei Malay, Kedayan, Tutong, Belait, Dusun, Bisaya and Murut. Chinese Bruneians are about 10 percent, and other indigenous peoples include the Iban and Penan. People of Brunei
What are Brunei's culture and traditions like?
Brunei’s culture is Malay, Islamic and royal, summed up in the national philosophy Melayu Islam Beraja (Malay Islamic Monarchy). Daily life is conservative and courteous: Friday prayers close businesses, alcohol is not sold, and the biggest events are Hari Raya, the Sultan’s birthday and National Day. Malay Islamic Monarchy
What is the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB)?
Melayu Islam Beraja is Brunei’s national philosophy, proclaimed by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on January 1, 1984. It combines Malay language and customs, Islam as the state religion, and loyalty to the Sultan, and it is taught in schools and shapes law and public life. Malay Islamic Monarchy
What should tourists know about etiquette in Brunei?
Dress modestly, use your right hand to give and receive, point with your thumb, and remove shoes at mosques and homes. Wait for a woman to offer her hand before shaking it, avoid public affection, and speak respectfully about the royal family. Etiquette for visitors
Can tourists visit the Sultan's palace in Brunei?
Only during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house, when Istana Nurul Iman opens to the public for a few days at the end of Ramadan. Men greet the Sultan, women greet the Queen, and visitors receive a meal and a gift. Expect long queues. Festivals
What is Brunei famous for in arts and crafts?
Brunei is known for kain tenunan, handwoven cloth with gold and silver thread (the finest is jong sarat), cast brassware including kettles, gongs and bedil cannons, silverwork, the keris dagger, and pandan and rattan basketry. Traditional arts and crafts
Where can I buy traditional handicrafts in Brunei?
The Arts and Handicraft Training Centre on Jalan Residency in Bandar Seri Begawan sells kain tenunan, silverware, brassware and keris made by its artisans. Most souvenir shops sell imported items, so the centre is the best place for genuine Bruneian crafts. Where to see and buy crafts
Is alcohol allowed in Brunei?
Alcohol is not sold anywhere in Brunei and drinking in public is prohibited. Non-Muslim visitors aged 17 and over may bring a limited amount for private use and must declare it at customs on arrival. Religion and customs