Whether you call it Brunei Darussalam or the State of Brunei, Abode of Peace, there is one certainty about the country on the north coast of the island of Borneo. One fact held in virtual unanimity about the obscure Sultanate in the shadow of Malaysia. That of course, is that most of us are pretty darn ignorant about Brunei.

If there is one characteristic about the former protectorate of the United Kingdom familiar to most international observers, it is this: Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the current Sultan of Brunei, has at one time or another been the richest person on the planet. With a net worth in excess of $55 billion, the Sultan’s family fortune is inextricably linked with Brunei’s considerable and inordinate petroleum and natural gas wealth.

As the head of state, Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Finance, Bolkiah has complete authoritative power over the tiny country. While the Sultan makes it rather easy for opponents of unchecked political supremacy to criticize him, the irony is that his love of a profuse, lavish lifestyle is one of the inherent attractions of Brunei. In effect, the country has become his personal playground, with enough ostentatious evidence to suggest that Bolkiah’s a bit of a dilettante.

The Sultan has a record collection of Rolls-Royces and in total, owns somewhere in the vicinity of $4 billion worth of luxury cars. His personal Boeing 747-400, which he pilots himself, was customized with over $200 million worth of extravagant frills. But none of that comapres to the Sultan’s palace, the Istana Nurul Iman. At over 2 million square feet – let that insane figure marinate in your cranium for a moment – the palace has more floorspace that any other state residence or personal home in the world. Clearly, the Sultan of Brunei has a lot of money to throw around. Did we mention he built Jerudong Park, the most expensive amusement park in South East Asia?

So what about Brunei as a tourist destination? The country already employs a vast population of expats, who either work and consult for the government or the natural resource industry, which in point of fact, is the same entity. This does not include of course, the massive number of beauty queens and escorts the Sultan and his group of powerful officials fly in from North America and Europe for long stints in the royal palace (allegedly).

The point is this: Brunei is a spectacular destination for sheer curiosity-sake alone. With about 400,000 permanent residents, the vast majority live in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. The city sits on the banks of the Brunei River, within close proximity to dense Borneo rainforest and some of the most biodiverse land in the world. Ethnic Malays make up the bulk of the populace, with moderate numbers from China, the Philippines and India.

The most impressive landmark in Bandar Seri Begawan by far is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque. Opulent, grandiose and magnificent, the spiritual heart of Brunei boasts elevators, lush carpets from Saudi Arabia, marble from India and crystal chandeliers made in England.

The mosque’s massive dome is incredibly, coated in actual gold. Other attractions include Royal Ceremonial Hall and the Brunei History Center. Nearby Kampung Ayer is a village built on stilts on the Brunei River that contains upward of 30,000 people.

With the natural wonders of Borneo so close, a visit to Brunei would be incomplete without a rainforest trek. Belalong National Park offers peerless canopy walks where visitors can mingle with a wide array of exotic plant and animal life.

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