Go, but pay attention.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Brunei
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go, but pay attention.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Drug trafficking
Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death sentence. Offenders should expect life imprisonment or a long prison term due to an informal moratorium on capital punishment.
Capital crimes
Murder, kidnapping, and unauthorized possession of firearms are punishable by death. These laws apply to foreigners.
Corporal punishment
Males face caning for crimes including robbery, corruption, vandalism, and illegal entry. Overstaying a visa for over 90 days also results in caning.
Homosexuality and adultery
Homosexuality and adultery are illegal and can result in being stoned to death. Homosexuality specifically carries a penalty of 40 strokes of the cane and up to 10 years in jail.
Theft
The punishment for theft that exceeds a certain amount is amputation.
Religious proselytization
Persuading or encouraging Muslim children under 18 to accept religions other than Islam results in a fine or jail time.
Public eating during Ramadhan
Consuming food or beverages in public during the Islamic month of Ramadhan results in a fine in the thousands.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Brunei must obtain a visa from one of the Bruneian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or citizens who are eligible to obtain a visa on arrival. All visitors must have a passport valid for at least 6 months.
Passport validity required: 6 months beyond entry.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Brunei, attacks cannot be ruled out. Attacks could be indiscriminate including in places visited by foreign nationals. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Brunei criminalises same-sex sexual activity. Sentences include a maximum penalty of death by stoning, whipping, imprisonment and fines. However there is currently a moratorium on the death penalty and there is limited evidence of same-sex activity laws being implemented in recent years. The gender expression of trans people is also criminalised and this law is occasionally enforced with fines. Read advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Brunei is a very safe country, with low crime rates and no major security concerns.
- •Brunei, like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, has very strict laws when it comes to drugs.
- •In theory, offences such as rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insult or defamation of the Prophet Muhammad carry the maximum penalty of death, though this is not enforced.
- •During the Islamic month of Ramadhan, avoid consumption of food and beverages in public as a hefty fine in the thousands will be levied if caught doing so.
- •Driving in Brunei is easy. Most drivers obey the traffic rules, and the roads are well maintained.…
Staying healthy
- •Eating out is generally safe because of good food safety standards.
- •Brunei's hospitals are generally adequate for most routine procedures.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
G · 240V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 993 / ambulance: 991 / fire: 995
SIM / Data
The international code for Brunei is 673. The telephone numbers in Brunei consist of 7 digits with no local codes, although the first digit of the number indicates the area such as 3 for the Belait District and 2 for Bandar Seri Begawan.
Cash vs. Card
The local currency is the Brunei dollar, denoted by the symbol "$" or "B$" (ISO code: BND). You might hear ringgit used to refer to the dollar but be sure that the speaker is not talking about the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) which is valued at less than a third of a Brunei dollar. All prices in this guide are in Brunei dollars unless otherwise noted.
Show the receipts (8 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09