Experience the best of Bandar Seri Begawan

The capital of Brunei stands on the Brunei River on the north coast of Borneo, with rainforest close behind. The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, completed in 1958, rises from an artificial lagoon with a gold dome and a tall marble minaret, and the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, finished in 1994, has twenty-nine golden domes.

Kampong Ayer, a cluster of villages on stilts over the river, has been home to Bruneians for centuries and is joined by kilometres of wooden walkways. Water taxis cross to it from the city quays. The Royal Regalia Museum displays the royal chariot and gifts presented to the sultan, and the green hills of Tasek Lama park lie just behind the centre. In the east of the country, Ulu Temburong National Park is reached by boat and has a walkway through the forest canopy.

Ambuyat, a sticky starch made from the sago palm and twirled onto a bamboo fork with a sour dipping sauce, is Brunei's national dish. Night markets sell grilled chicken, rice cakes and sweet drinks. The weather is hot and humid all year, with heavy showers, and the early months bring the least rain.