Bandar Seri Begawan -- BSB to everyone who lives here -- is the capital of Brunei and one of the quietest capital cities in Southeast Asia. There are no noisy bars, no backpacker strips, no touts hassling you on the street. Instead you get golden mosques reflected in still lagoons, a sprawling water village of 30,000 people, and streets so clean you could eat off them.
The city sits on the banks of the Brunei River, and much of its character comes from the water. Kampong Ayer, the world's largest water village, stretches along the riverfront in a maze of wooden houses on stilts connected by boardwalks. Water taxis zip back and forth constantly. From the waterfront you can see the golden dome of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque rising above the low skyline -- it is one of the most photogenic buildings in all of Borneo.
BSB is compact and walkable in its center, though the heat and humidity mean you will want to take taxis or buses to reach the Gadong commercial district and outer sights. The Gadong Night Market is the best place to eat in the city -- a huge open-air food court where you can fill up on satay, nasi katok, and grilled fish for a few dollars.
The city is a good base for day trips to the Ulu Temburong National Park rainforest, reachable by speedboat, and for mangrove river cruises where you can spot proboscis monkeys. Most visitors spend two to three days here, which is enough to see the main sights and get a feel for this unusual, peaceful corner of Borneo.