Brunei / Bandar Seri Begawan / Attractions / Kampong Ayer

Explore Kampong Ayer, the world's largest water village, which shelters over 30,000 people. Stroll along the wooden walkways linking the stilt houses or try a water taxi ride.

Additional, editorially modified, material from Wikipedia:

The Water Village (Malay: Kampong Ayer) is an area of Brunei's capital city Bandar Seri Begawan that is situated in the middle of the Brunei River. 30,000 people live in the Water Village. This represents roughly ten percent of the nation's total population. All of the Water Village buildings are constructed on stilts above the Brunei River.

The Water Village is really made up of small villages linked together by more than 29,140 metres of foot-bridges, consisting of over 4200 structures including homes, mosques, restaurants, shops, a school, and a hospital. 36 kilometers of boardwalks connect the buildings. Private water taxis provide rapid transit. Most of these taxis resemble long wooden speed boats. From a distance the water village looks like a slum. It actually enjoys modern amenities including air conditioning, satellite television, Internet access, plumbing, and electricity. Some of the residents keep potted plants and chickens. The district has a unique architectural heritage of wooden homes with ornate interiors.

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