Bandar Seri Begawan: the water village and the golden mosque

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, with its dome gilded in twenty-three carat gold, dominates the city center overlooking an artificial lagoon with a replica of a 17th-century royal boat.

A water taxi crosses the river to Kampong Ayer, a stilt village inhabited continuously for centuries, often called the 'Venice of the Orient'.

Continuing on, you visit the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, the sultan's residence and one of the world's largest palaces, open to the public only a few days a year during Islamic religious holidays.

Towards evening, the Gadong Night Market sells local street food amid the aromas of spices and tropical fruits, in a constant flow of families and street vendors.

Kampong Ayer is home to tens of thousands of residents even today, with schools, mosques, and police stations built on stilts just like the surrounding homes.

Petroleum revenues allow Brunei to provide free healthcare and education to its citizens, along with complete exemption from income tax.