Brunei River Mangrove Tour: Discover Proboscis Monkeys And Crocodiles [Travel Guide]

---

Brunei River Mangrove Tour

Visitors to Borneo are typically drawn to nature.

While Ulu Temburong National Park might be the best place to observe undisturbed nature in Brunei, it requires at least a half-day trip from Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. By taking a Brunei River tour, you’ll experience a natural escape without straying far. You’ll get to see a mangrove forest, proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, monitor lizards, unique bird species and a breath-taking view of Istana Nurul Iman (the world’s largest residential palace).

In this travel guide, we’ll explore the Brunei River Mangrove Tour.

We’ll cover the history of the Brunei River, what to expect on your tour, some information about the local endangered proboscis monkeys, other wildlife that you may encounter, local landmarks you can see from the river, how to book a Brunei River tour, plus some five-star customer rated tour recommendations.

The Brunei River

*Agoda.com provides a wide selection of steeply-discounted hotel rooms. To see today’s deals on hotels in Brunei (or any other destination), click here.

---

Table of Contents

• The Brunei River

• What To Expect On The Tour

  • Proboscis Monkeys

  • Crocodiles And Monitor Lizards

  • Birds

  • What Else You’ll See

• How To Book A Tour

  • Book Through A Travel Agency

  • Hire Your Driver Independently

• Bandar Seri Begawan’s Main Jetty

• Visitor Tips!

• Conclusion

• Best Way To Find A Hotel In Brunei

• About The Author (Taz Zaidi)

---

The Brunei River

The Brunei River has been a lifeline to Bruneians for centuries. As mentioned in our Brunei Food Guide, Bruneians have a very long history as fishermen and tradesmen. In fact, they’re so well-adapted to Brunei River that they even built a village on it. Kampong Ayer, the world’s largest water village, is a functioning town entirely built on stilts. It's thrived for centuries and is the most important piece of living history in all of Borneo. Before Kampong Ayer was Kota Batu, the original capital of the 500 year Empire of Brunei.

Kota Batu and Kampong Ayer both sit on the Brunei River, just a few kilometers from Brunei Bay, which opens up to the South China Sea. This easy sea access, combined with a secure harbor, allowed Brunei’s old capital to become a trading hub within Southeast Asia, long before the Europeans arrived. Records show trade relations between Brunei and China dating back to at least the 14th century, a partnership that enriched Brunei during the Empire’s formative years.

These days, Kota Batu is Brunei’s museum and archaeological district, while Kampong Ayer is home to only a portion of the number of residents that lived there in its heyday. Most Bruneians live on the other side of the Brunei River, in the modern city center. First-time visitors to Brunei will immediately notice the contrast between the two sides of the Brunei River.

Bandar Seri Begawan features tradition and modernity

Thanks to oil wealth created during the last century, Brunei has been able to avoid the need to deforest its country in favor of clearing space for agriculture. As a result, most of Brunei is still lush, dense rainforest. This has allowed the Brunei River to remain a thriving natural ecosystem where animal life prospers.

*For today’s deals on hotels in Brunei (or any other destination), click here.

---

What To Expect On The Brunei River Tour

The Brunei River mangrove tour is one of Brunei’s top attractions. Your trip begins as you get into a boat in Bandar Seri Begawan. As you leave shore, the sounds of the city will quickly fade behind you. You’ll branch off into narrowing distributary streams, where a guide will allow you to enjoy the tranquil environment of the mangrove forest as the boat slows down to a creep.

The echoing sounds of birds, insects, water ripples and your guide’s expertise is all you’ll hear from this point. For most travelers, the highlight of a Brunei River tour is the wildlife. Animals commonly spotted during the tour include: proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, monitor lizards and birds.

---

Proboscis Monkeys

Proboscis monkey are a must-see during your trip!

Proboscis monkeys are endemic to Borneo, meaning this is the only place they live in the wild. This unique Old World monkey is distinguishable by a protruding, bulbous nose and reddish-brown hair. The pot-bellies and curious expressions make them quite endearing.

Brunei is one of three countries that comprise the massive island of Borneo, but finding a good place to see proboscis monkeys is not easy. Because the Brunei River is so easily accessible to humans, and because of the fact that Brunei has protected its rainforest better than Malaysia and Indonesia, the Brunei River is one of the best places on all of Borneo island to see these endangered monkeys in their natural habitat.

Adult male proboscis monkey

Proboscis monkeys’ distinct features make them easy to spot, even to the untrained eye. They typically congregate in groups along the mid-tree to canopy level. Keep your gaze up! If you’re lucky, you’ll see a few jump between branches or walk along fallen trees!

Four monkeys walking on a tree

Proboscis monkeys congregate in 2 types of groups.

The first is comprised of an alpha male, his harem of females, and the females’ juvenile offspring. Juvenile monkeys clutch onto their mothers until a certain age, at which point they’ll remain closely within reach. The second group is comprised of “beta male”. They also keep together, though not as closely as the females in the alpha male’s harem do.

Father, mother and juvenile

The best way to distinguish a male proboscis from a female is by the size of its nose. A male’s nose is more pronounced and droopier (extending well past its mouth, in many cases) than a female’s. Nose size plays a part in proboscis monkeys’ social hierarchy and is a criteria that the females use during the mate selection. The nose can display health and virility, and the alpha male often has the largest nose of all the males.

---

Tips For Spotting Proboscis Monkeys

Proboscis monkeys prefer to avoid the sun during its peak hours. During these hours, there’s greater chance the monkeys will take cover in tree shade. This means, as a traveler, the optimal time to take a Brunei River tour is during the morning or late afternoon hours. You’ll still see proboscis monkeys mid-day, but should expect to see more of them during the optimal hours. If lucky, you could see dozens during a single trip!

*For today’s deals on hotels in Brunei (or any other destination), click here.

---

Crocodiles And Monitor Lizards

You may have heard about the incredible size of crocodiles in Borneo. Crocodiles are often spotted sitting along the banks of the Brunei River, sometimes completely exposed as they bask under sunlight. Other times, they’re partially or fully submerged. Unlike the proboscis monkeys, crocodiles are more difficult to spot by the untrained eye, but your local guide should know their tendencies. Another large reptile you may see is the Asian water monitor lizard. Like crocodiles, they can be spotted lounging along the river banks.

Asian water monitors are common along the Brunei River

---

Birds

More than 400 bird species live in Brunei. You might notice some flying alongside or overhead while you’re gliding through the river. Typically, birds keep their distance from humans in the “busier” exposed parts of the Brunei River, but things change once you enter the mangrove forest. In the secluded mangrove, they’re less skittish because boats are much slower and quieter. This is where you can observe them closely. If lucky, you may see or hear a majestic rhinoceros hornbill!

Rhinoceros hornbill perched on a branch

---

What Else You’ll See

Apart from the interesting animals, a ride through the Brunei River offers views of some of Brunei’s most stunning architectural landmarks. One such landmark includes the Istana Nurul Iman (the world’s largest residential palace. It’s the royal family’s home and the official seat of Brunei’s government. Apart from Hari Raya (Aidil Fitri), a holiday during which anyone may enter the palace to feast and meet the royal family, Istana Nurul Iman remains closed to the public year-round. This means, if you’re in Brunei during any other time, you can not pass the gate. In this case, the best view of the palace comes from the Brunei River. Just a strip of forest separates Istana Nurul Iman from Brunei River, creating the appearance of an exquisitely sculpted roof resting on treetops.

View of Istana Nurul Iman from the Brunei River

Another architectural landmark along the river is Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Mosque. DPMM Mosque was named after Sultan Bolkiah’s eldest son, Al-Muhtadee Billah. Its bright yellow and green minarets are hard to miss.

Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah Mosque

Apart from Istana Nurul Iman and DPMM Mosque, you’ll notice commanding views of Kampong Ayer, RIPAS Bridge, Saifuddien Mosque and the rest of Bandar Seri Begawan’s city center during your trip. Many breath-taking views and photo opportunities!

*For today’s deals on hotels in Brunei (or any other destination), click here.

---

How To Book A Brunei River Mangrove Tour

There are 2 main ways to book your tour. You can choose to:

1) Book through a travel agency

2) Hire your driver independently

---

Book Through A Travel Agency

As one of the most popular travel experiences in Brunei, hotels and travel agencies book Brunei River mangrove tours all the time. You’ll typically have the option to book your tour separately or as part of a combined day-trip visit to Kampong Ayer. Booking through an agency eliminates the risk of getting an inexperienced guide, but may cost more than hiring independently. Agencies ensure that all guides are experts at providing context and spotting wildlife.

Consider one of these 5-star customer rated Brunei River tours, organized by Viator and run by locals!

---

Hire Your Driver Independently

To hire your driver independently, go to Bandar Seri Begawan’s main jetty and explain what you wish to experience to one of the boat drivers. 15-30 BND is a typical price (per person) for an hour ride up the river, including a visit to the mangrove forest. Price depends on your request and negotiating skills. To learn about the costs of traveling in Brunei, click here.

By booking independently, you could personalize the experience (more/less time in specific areas) but don’t expect your driver to be particularly enthusiastic or verbose as a guide. They may know the area but their job title is “driver”, not “guide”. To ensure professional and experienced guides/drivers, book prior to arriving in Brunei, using the information provided just above.

---

Bandar Seri Begawan's Main Jetty

Bandar Seri Begawan’s main jetty is in front of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah shopping mall. You won’t miss it while walking along the city center’s riverfront. You’ll notice water taxis approaching, waiting at, and departing from the jetty all day. Crossing from here to Kampong Ayer costs 1 Brunei Dollar one way.

The main jetty in Bandar Seri Begawan city center

---

Visitor Tips!

• If hiring independently, agree on a price with your driver before you depart the jetty.

• As mentioned earlier, you could take the Brunei River tour as an add-on to your visit to Kampong Ayer. To learn about Kampong Ayer, click here.

• If satisfied, tip your driver/guide upon returning to the jetty! This supports local families and incentivizes fair business practice.

• Whether booking via agency or independently, communicate with the driver if you want any personalization! This can include spending more time viewing architectural sites like Istana Nurul Iman, RIPAS Bridge, DPMM Mosque, or just wandering in Kampong Ayer's bridges and stilts.

• At the moment, Brunei’s tourism industry hasn’t fully matured or become overly regulated. This means more personalized experiences can be had between guides/drivers and visitors quite easily.

*For today’s deals on hotels in Brunei (or any other destination), click here.

---

Conclusion

Hopefully you found this guide helpful.

The Brunei River Mangrove Tour is easily one of the top experiences to be had in Brunei. We covered the river’s history, what to expect on a tour, animals you’ll see (including proboscis monkeys), plus how to book a tour or visit independently. Hopefully this inspired you to venture into Brunei’s wild side! To learn more about Brunei, explore our other guides below.

Enjoy your travels!

---

Popular Attractions In Brunei:

• For another immersive natural experience, consider a trip to Ulu Temburong National Park, affectionately called the “Jewel of Brunei”.

• Western Brunei offers various natural attractions as well. You’ll learn more about this in our guides of the Belait District and Tutong District.

---

Explore the Brunei River through one of these 5-star customer rated tours, organized by Viator and run by locals!

---

Best Way To Find A Hotel In Brunei

Agoda.com is well-known in Brunei (and Southeast Asia) for providing amazing deals on a wide range of accommodation options. You’ll find luxury or budget hotels, resorts, villas, hostels, apartments, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, and unique/alternative types). Use the widget below or click here to search in Brunei.

---

More Brunei Guides

---