Travel Scams
in Brunei

Brunei has no Grab, Gojek, or other ride-hailing apps — the country is too small and too wealthy per capita to have attracted them at scale. Taxis operate on negotiated fares. Airport taxis quote BND 40–60 for the journey to central BSB; the fair range is BND 25–35. Within the city, without a meter standard, drivers frequently quote tourist prices 50–100% above local norms. Brunei is an expensive country for Southeast Asia generally; the taxi overcharging sits on top of already higher base prices.

• Ask your hotel to arrange airport collection — most BSB hotels do this for a known fixed rate.
• Agree the fare explicitly before entering any taxi — ask "berapa?" (how much?) and counter if the quote exceeds BND 35 for the airport run.
• The airport has a fixed-rate taxi counter inside the terminal — use this and confirm the rate before accepting.
• Brunei is compact and walkable in the central BSB area — the waterfront, Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, and Kampong Ayer water taxi are all within walking distance of each other.
• Water taxis (tambang) across the Brunei River to Kampong Ayer cost BND 1 — entirely fixed and honest.

The alcohol rules catch visitors in two ways: bringing more than the permitted allowance across the border, and drinking in public or bringing alcohol to a Muslim. The permitted non-Muslim adult allowance is 2 litres of spirits (or 2 bottles of wine) and 12 cans of beer — declared at customs on arrival. This alcohol may only be consumed privately (in your hotel room, for example). The Customs Department conducts checks, particularly at the Seria and Kuala Belait land border crossings from Malaysia where alcohol from Miri is sometimes carried in excess.

• Declare all alcohol at customs on arrival — non-declaration of permitted quantities is treated as smuggling.
• Stay within the 2-litre/12-can limit — exceeding it results in confiscation and possible prosecution.
• Never consume alcohol in public spaces — restaurants, parks, streets, or any venue outside a private room.
• Never offer or provide alcohol to a Bruneian Muslim — this is a serious offence for both parties.
• If you want access to a full bar, plan a day trip or overnight to Miri (Malaysian Sarawak, 1 hour by road) — the Senadin border crossing is straightforward for most nationalities.

The Istana Nurul Iman — the Sultan's official residence and one of the world's largest buildings (1,788 rooms, 257,000 m²) — dominates the BSB skyline from across the Brunei River. The temptation to photograph it is obvious; the prohibition is explicit and enforced. Photography from any angle — including from across the river, from boats, or from the road — is not permitted. Military bases, the Royal Brunei Police headquarters, border crossing infrastructure, and government ministry buildings are similarly off-limits. Signs are not always present; the safest rule is: if it belongs to the government or the royal family, ask before photographing.

• Do not photograph the Istana Nurul Iman from any location — this includes zoomed shots across the river.
• The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is extensively photographable from outside; interior photography requires specific permission from mosque management.
• Tourist sites — Kampong Ayer, the waterfront, Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, the Royal Regalia Museum — can be photographed freely.
• Ask before photographing any uniformed personnel — Royal Brunei Armed Forces and police are generally happy to pose for photos when asked directly and respectfully.

Drone regulations in Brunei are stricter than in neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia — all drone flights require advance permits from the Civil Aviation Department of Brunei (CADB), regardless of the drone's size or weight. The permit process takes time and must be completed before arrival. Content creators and travel photographers who arrive assuming they can fly freely — as they might in rural Sabah or Sarawak — find their equipment grounded or confiscated. Flights near the Istana, mosques, military areas, and BSB city centre are prohibited entirely regardless of permit status.

• Apply for drone permits through the Civil Aviation Department of Brunei at www.cadb.gov.bn well before your visit — at minimum 2–3 weeks in advance.
• Even with a permit, no drone flights over the Istana, mosques, military bases, or populated urban areas.
• If you're a content creator visiting Temburong for jungle footage, the permit is obtainable — apply early and specify your intended locations.
• Carrying an unregistered drone through customs may result in it being held until departure.

Brunei's dress codes are genuine and apply more broadly than just mosque entry — they cover government buildings, traditional markets, and general public spaces. Shorts above the knee and sleeveless tops are inappropriate in these contexts. The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and Jame'Asr Mosque both provide sarongs and abayas at the entrance for under-dressed visitors, but arriving inappropriately dressed may result in being asked to leave or wait outside. During Ramadan, dress standards tighten and eating in public during daylight hours is disrespectful even for non-Muslims.

• Pack at least one outfit with long trousers/skirt and covered shoulders — this is the standard for mosque and government building visits.
• Lightweight cotton loose-fitting clothing that covers knees and shoulders is both culturally appropriate and practical in Brunei's humid heat.
• During Ramadan, eat and drink only in private spaces during daylight hours as a courtesy to fasting residents.
• Swimwear is appropriate only at the hotel pool or dedicated beach areas — not on the waterfront or in town.

Beyond alcohol, Brunei's customs restrictions include a complete ban on tobacco products above the duty-free allowance (200 cigarettes or 250g tobacco), restrictions on pork products, and — as in Singapore — severe penalties for drug importation (capital punishment applies for trafficking quantities). The country also restricts importing sexually explicit materials, materials deemed contrary to Islamic values, and certain publications. These are not unusual for the region but catch visitors who don't read the customs declaration form carefully.

• Read and complete the customs declaration form honestly — customs officers conduct checks, particularly at land borders.
• Tobacco allowance: 200 cigarettes or 250g of other tobacco products — exceeding this results in confiscation and fine.
• No pork products — including packaged goods from Malaysia that are not halal-certified.
• Drug laws are among the most severe in Southeast Asia — zero tolerance applies to all controlled substances.