Kampong Ayer Lake

Address: Kampong Ayer, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Website: https://www.bruneitourism.com/

Kampong Ayer is a large traditional water village of stilt houses built along the Brunei River in Bandar Seri Begawan. The settlement has existed for centuries and remains an active residential and commercial community.

The village comprises interconnected wooden houses, mosques, schools and shops linked by narrow footbridges and waterways. Its dense stilt architecture and river lanes are frequently visited for short boat trips, cultural tours and to see everyday life on the water.

Kampong Ayer has been home to generations of Bruneians and served historically as the political and cultural heart of the sultanate. It continues to evolve with modern amenities while preserving its wooden stilt construction.

The water village sits along the Brunei River within Bandar Seri Begawan and is a few kilometres from the city’s main administrative and commercial districts; it is usually reached by short boat ride from the riverfront.

• Getting around: Traditional water taxis and pedestrian walkways are the primary ways to move around the village; larger boats connect the community to Bandar Seri Begawan’s riverfront.
• Community nature: The settlement remains a living community with mosques, schools and businesses, not just a tourist attraction, so respect local privacy and customs.

Kampong Ayer (the water village) lies on the Brunei River adjacent to Bandar Seri Begawan city centre. The usual approach is to reach Bandar Seri Begawan by taxi from Brunei International Airport (about a 10-20 minute drive) and then take a short water taxi (sampan) from jetties on the city waterfront to Kampong Ayer - the boat rides are only a few minutes and landings are close to walkable wooden walkways through the village.

• Catch a public water taxi (penambang) or an organized boat tour from Bandar Seri Begawan's riverfront to arrive directly in Kampong Ayer - these services leave regularly and avoid long land transfers.
• Start at the Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery to get local context before wandering the wooden walkways; hiring a local guide or joining a community-run tour lets you enter areas where homes welcome visitors and explains daily life.
• Respect resident privacy by following marked visitor routes and asking before photographing people or interiors; deeper parts of the water village are living neighborhoods rather than staged exhibits, and a guide helps you access authentic spots most tourists miss.