• Around the World in 180 Days
    En route to the village
    The villageFire stationTea and snacksLocal nibblesThe groupThe boardwalk is pretty primitiveHanging outLaundry day

    Water Village, Brunei

    May 21, 2023, South China Sea ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    In stark contrast to the Sultan’s opulence, the water village we visited was far from luxurious. Kampong Ayer, in the heart of Brunei's capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan, is the world's largest settlement on stilts. Literally translated as “Water Village” in Malay, Kampong Ayer is a cluster of around 40 small villages connected by a 38-kilometer (23-mile) boardwalk. It dates back more than 600 years. There used to be about 16,000 people living there. Today there are 10,000. We were welcomed into one of the homes for tea and snacks and walked the boardwalks. Fascinating.Read more