This week I booked a trip to Brunei for a long weekend.  After I booked it, I posed the question in Facebook, is this a totally crazy or totally awesome thing to do?

Photo credit: Kurun

The vast majority of people said awesome, but I wonder if that’s what the majority of people really think. I live in Melbourne, Australia, so it is not like Brunei is just a short flight away.  Why do it?  Here are some of my reasons below!

1. I haven’t been to Brunei before

For some people that may not matter, but I LOVE going to places I haven’t been before.  I want to go everywhere.  This means that going to Brunei is something that interests me a lot!

2. I don’t know much about Brunei

The less I know about a place, the more it fascinates me.  Brunei is not exactly a place that comes up in everyday conversation.  I’m sure there may even be people reading this who don’t know where it is (map below!).

3. I only have four days available

I am a big advocate of taking advantage of any opportunity to travel.  This is the biggest reason why I have been able to go to over 80 countries.

I only have four days that I can go away, and I would rather go for a short time than not at all.  Brunei fits into this time requirement as it is only 7 hours from Melbourne.  If you are not Australian that may seem like a long flight, but from here it’s a relatively short one! I have young kids and a hectic job.  I am used to no sleep and rushing around.  I will probably get more rest away from home, so the travel part over a short time frame does not bother me.

4. It sounds interesting and different

Brunei may be a tiny country tucked away in Malaysian Borneo, but it is also one of the world’s richest countries thanks to oil.  It is also a strict religious state ruled by the Sultan of Brunei. Alcohol is banned.

Photo credit: Tuya70

Magnificent mosques, extensive over-the-water stilt villages, a once magnificent theme park built for the people and a fancy hotel all await me. In addition, Brunei is home to pristine rainforests.  It may not have all the attractions of nearby (and much bigger) Malaysia, but it has plenty of interest for at least a couple of days.

5. I have friends who will just be over the border in Miri.

This was the biggest factor when it came to my destination choice.  I have a good mate from England that I met in Guatemala who is flying into Miri in Malaysian Borneo the same day.  We haven’t seen each other since 2008, and I can’t wait to catch up.  We plan to catch up in Brunei, as well as over the border in Malaysia.  One of the best parts about travel is definitely the people I have met along the way, and it is even better when I get to see them again in yet another random part of the world!  After this, we will have met up in 4 different continents!

You can also read my posts from Brunei now that I have been and my guide to how to have the perfect Brunei stopover.

So what do you think?  Is going to Brunei for a weekend a totally awesome or a totally crazy idea?