With its own mosques, schools and police station it’s the largest stilt settlement in the world.

Built entirely of stilt houses and wooden walkways, Kampong Ayer in Brunei is a collection of 42 villages housing more than 39,000 people. It is the world’s largest water village. I was lucky enough to visit Kamopong Ayer a few weeks back, and it was probably the highlight of my most recent trip to Borneo.

From a distance, the water village looks like a slum, but many of the houses actually have modern amenities like air conditioning, satellite TV, internet access, plumbing, and electricity. There are homes, mosques, restaurants, shops, schools, and a hospital – all connected by 36km of boardwalk. Private water taxis are how people get about, and while there are dedicated jetties where you can be sure to get a ride, you can basically just flag down a boat no matter where you are. A trip down the river costs just one Brunei dollar (£0.50)

Walking about Kampong Ayer reinforced what I love about travel – that is walking about local communities, not seeing any other tourists and basically just experiencing what other people experience in their own part of the world on a daily basis. I was invited to chat with locals, and at one point even came across the village school closing for the day. Check out the video below, it will give you a feel for the place. And make sure you visit if you are in Brunei.

SOME OTHER STUFF YOU MAY LIKE ON IKIMASHO!

Climbing Kawah Ijen Volcano, East Java

Drinking with Gangsters in the Jungle, Sumatra

Exploring an Abandoned Theme Park in Bali

Witnessing a Yakuza Show of Strength in Tokyo

Living a Simple Life in Isaan, Rural Thailand

Surviving the Earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal

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