Missed Day 1? READ: Brunei Day 1: Exploring Bandar Seri Begawan by Foot

For my second day in Brunei, I wanted to get out of Bandar Seri Begawan and see a completely different side of the country.

I was choosing between two day trips: the Seria oil fields or Ulu Temburong National Park. In the end, Temburong won.

Known as Brunei’s “Green Jewel,” Ulu Temburong protects a huge area of pristine rainforest and is often described as part of one of the oldest rainforests in the world.

But there was one small problem.

I was travelling alone.

The Struggle of Booking as a Solo Traveller

One thing I discovered while planning this trip was that joining tours in Brunei as a solo traveller isn’t always easy.

Most of the tours I checked required a minimum of two participants before the trip could proceed. I even contacted an operator in Temburong directly, but they had the same requirement.

I considered doing it DIY, but I would still have to figure out transportation from Bandar Seri Begawan to Batang Duri and arrange everything from there. After looking into it, I figured it would still cost me quite a bit—and with the added hassle, I decided to book the BND180 day tour offered through Badi’ah Hotel instead.

The catch? The tour would still need other participants.

I gave the hotel my preferred dates and asked them to let me know if anyone else wanted to join.

Then, three days before my flight, I finally got the good news: two other travellers had signed up.

The Temburong trip was happening!

From Bandar Seri Begawan to Temburong

On the morning of the tour, I had an early breakfast at the hotel before our van picked me up at exactly 8 AM. Good thing Badi’ah Hotel’s buffet breakfast starts as early as 6 AM.

We picked up the other two participants and started the drive towards Temburong.

One of the highlights along the way was crossing the massive Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge, which connects Brunei-Muara with the Temburong District.

It was quite an experience watching the city slowly disappear behind us as we made our way towards the rainforest.

About an hour later, we arrived at Batang Duri, where our tour was handled by Freme Rainforest Lodge.

The staff welcomed us with snacks and drinks before giving us a briefing on what to expect. They also have lockers, changing areas and shower rooms.

Take note of those changing rooms.

You’ll probably need them later. Haha.

Riding the Temuai Into the Rainforest

After the briefing, we boarded a traditional longboat called a temuai to take us deeper into the rainforest.

Our boat carried only three passengers, and there was no roof or cover.

And this was where I learned my first lesson about visiting a rainforest:

Just because it’s sunny in the city doesn’t mean it’s going to be sunny here.

It was pouring during our trip.

The boat ride took around an hour, but despite the rain, I really enjoyed it. You’re cruising along the river with dense rainforest on both sides, and it really starts to feel like you’ve left the city far behind.

I had read that you might occasionally spot wildlife along the riverbanks, including monitor lizards and even crocodiles.

Unfortunately, with all that rain, we weren’t particularly lucky with wildlife sightings.

Eventually, we reached the area where our hike would begin.

110 Steps… Then 700+ More

The first challenge was climbing around 110 wooden steps before reaching the hanging bridge.

And because it had been raining, those wooden steps were slippery.

I almost slid a few times, so definitely watch your footing here.

After crossing the hanging bridge, the climbing continued with more than 700 additional steps towards the canopy walkway.

Yes, 700+ more steps.

Personally, I didn’t find the hike extremely difficult. I exercise regularly, hike and do HYROX, so for me it was manageable. I think beginners with reasonable fitness should be able to do it too—just take your time, especially when everything is wet.

It took us around 45 minutes to reach the canopy area.

But reaching the canopy doesn’t mean you’re done climbing.

There was still the tower.

Climbing the Canopy Walkway

The canopy walkway itself is quite an experience.

It consists of three steel towers connected by two narrow walkways, giving you different viewpoints above the rainforest.

To reach the upper viewing areas, you still have to climb roughly another 100 steps up the steel tower.

The stairs are narrow and exposed, so if you’re afraid of heights, this is something to keep in mind. But I took my time going up, and once I finally reached the top…

Wow.

This was easily my favourite moment of the entire tour.

The rainforest stretched as far as my eyes could see.

Everything was incredibly dense and green, with mist hanging over some parts of the forest. Each tower gave a slightly different perspective, so I spent some time at the top just taking everything in.

We have incredible rainforests back home in the Philippines too, but knowing that I was standing above one of the world’s oldest rainforests made the experience feel even more special.

After all those steps, this was the reward.

And yes, it was worth it.

The Waterfall Was… Just Okay

Eventually, we made our way all the way back down and continued to another stop—a small waterfall.

Getting there meant walking through slippery, muddy terrain.

At this point, my shoes were already wet.

After this walk, they were officially soaked. Haha.

And the waterfall?

Let’s just say it was a little underwhelming.

It was really small, and we didn’t spend much time there before getting back on the temuai.

Thankfully, the next activity was much more exciting.

Kayaking Back to Freme

After around five minutes on the temuai, we stopped along a riverbank to get our kayaks.

Instead of taking the boat all the way back, we were going to kayak downstream towards Freme.

I was actually a little anxious about this.

Years ago, I went river kayaking in Antique and my kayak flipped. It took some time before the guide could reach me, I swallowed a lot of water, and for a moment I genuinely thought I was a goner.

So yes, getting into another kayak on a river brought back some memories. Haha.

There were sections with rocks and bumpier currents, although many of them were relatively shallow. I did my best to avoid the rougher sections and concentrate on manoeuvring the kayak properly.

And this time…

I made it back without flipping!

It was actually a really fun experience. There was enough adrenaline to make it exciting, and I was pretty happy that this river-kayaking experience ended much better than the last one.

There was also one moment that caught my attention.

A large bird flew over us while we were kayaking. At first, I thought it looked like a toucan. But toucans aren’t native to Borneo, so it may have been one of the hornbills found on the island.

Whatever it was, seeing a large bird fly above us while kayaking through the rainforest was a pretty cool moment.

Lunch and Back to Bandar

Once we arrived back at Freme, lunch was waiting for us.

We ate, rested for a while and finally had time to change out of our wet clothes before heading back to Bandar Seri Begawan.

We finished the tour at around 2 PM, and I was back at Badi’ah Hotel at approximately 3:15 PM.

I definitely needed some rest after that.

But Day 2 wasn’t quite over.

Later that afternoon, I headed out again to finally try ambuyat, Brunei’s national dish. I also bought my Brunei Starbucks mug before making my way to Gadong Night Market for some food hunting to end the night.

Quite a contrast from where my morning started.

From being surrounded by an ancient rainforest in the morning to eating my way around Bandar Seri Begawan at night, Day 2 turned out to be one of my favourite days in Brunei.

What I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Ulu Temburong

If you’re planning a similar trip, here are a few things I learned from my experience:

• Bring a complete change of clothes. Shirt, shorts or pants, underwear and socks. You’re visiting a rainforest, so prepare to get wet.
• Wear quick-dry clothing. If I were doing it again, I’d probably wear a long-sleeved dri-fit top with hiking shorts, board shorts or quick-dry pants.
• Choose your footwear carefully. Between the rain, muddy trails and river activities, my shoes were completely soaked. Funny enough, our guide was wearing Crocs—she obviously knew what was coming. Looking back, I probably would have done the same. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s secure, comfortable enough for the hike and something you don’t mind getting wet.
• Bring sunscreen. The temuai is open, so when the sun is out, you’re exposed during the river ride.
• Bring insect repellent. You’re heading into a tropical rainforest, so it’s better to have one with you.
• Bring a reusable water bottle. You can refill it at Freme Rainforest Lodge.
• Light snacks are optional. An energy bar might come in handy, although personally, the refreshments and lunch included in my tour were enough.
• Be careful on the wooden steps. With more than 800 steps throughout parts of the hike before even counting the canopy-tower climb, take your time. The wooden sections can become especially slippery when wet.
• Prepare for rain even if Bandar is sunny. The weather can be completely different once you’re inside the rainforest.
• Solo travellers should plan ahead. Many tours require at least two participants. Ask your hotel or tour operator if they can match you with other travellers joining on your preferred date. That’s exactly how I was able to make this trip happen.

And probably my biggest lesson:

Prepare to get wet. Seriously.

My shoes were so soaked that I spent the next part of the trip figuring out how I was going to dry them.

Luckily, the AC condenser outside my hotel-room window was blowing warm air.

Instant shoe dryer. Haha.

Would I do Ulu Temburong again?

For the temuai ride, the kayaking experience and especially that incredible view above the rainforest, yes.