KOREA FOUNDATION

Located in Brunei Darussalam, a splendid country with a rich economy, is the beautiful floating village of Kampong Ayer. This village has an even longer history and more prominent tradition than any of the country’s dynasties. If you’ve enjoyed the magnificent mosques, palaces, and well-designed downtown areas of Brunei Darussalam, why not visit the world’s largest floating village next?

Kampong Ayer is a place where instead of taxis running on the roads, boats cleave through the water. It’s a place where you can catch fresh seafood right in front of your house and enjoy peaceful mangrove forests just outside of the village. About 10% of the nation lives in this so-called “Venice of the East.” Signposts are placed on big wooden bridges while houses are built directly on top of the river and connected by other bridges and platforms. Bruneian children run across these old wooden boards with an ease and speed that may be dizzying to tourists.

Another attraction of the village is that each house has a private dock instead of a parking spot or driveway. You’ll be amazed by what you see if you walk along with the children: everything from schools to grocery stores, fire stations, and clinics have been built atop the water. Electricity is consistently and smoothly available and water supply and sanitation facilities are well-equipped, so life is comfortable. Wild flowers decorate the doors to represent the characteristics of the families within. 

Most of these families are large and have lived on the water for generations. Kampong Ayer was first built to avoid harmful insects and the wild animals of the land. But it still stands today even though these threats are no longer potent because its residents love the friendliness on which its history has been built. If you visit Brunei Darussalam, make sure to travel to the beautiful floating village of Kampong Ayer, where happiness and peace abound.