Nature and geography
Approximately 16 million people live on the island of Borneo, which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam. The island's population is comparatively low for the region, owing largely to the fact that up until a few decades ago, Borneo was completely covered by dense rainforest with poor soil for agriculture. This, combined with rugged terrain, unnavigable rivers and the fierce head-hunter reputation of its inhabitants, ensured that the island remained underdeveloped for many years, giving Borneo a legendary mystique as one of the most mysterious and exotic places on Earth. For thousands of years, this image was fairly close to the truth. Borneo has been inhabited for at least 35,000 years, and life for many Borneans has changed little over the centuries. Most people lived in harmony with nature, leading nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles, travelling over vast areas in search of wild boar and other products of the forest.
Brunei’s total land area is 5,770 sq km. More than 70% of Brunei’s land area is covered by primary rainforests. Brunei has pristine rainforests, unspoiled coral reefs, mangrove-covered islands, white sand beaches and accessible nature reserves.
Brunei is also home to some of Asia’s best nature reserves and field study centres, such as the world famous Ulu Temburong National Park and the Kuala Belalong Field Study Centre, both of which offer an exciting array of ecotourism and adventure activities. Indeed, the longboat ride down a winding jungle river, surrounded on all sides by pristine rainforest makes the journey as much of an adventure as the destination itself. With few tourists around, nature lovers will appreciate having this untouched paradise all to themselves and may explore at their own pace, returning to lodgings in the capital when they have completed their visit, or staying in more primitive forest lodgings nearby. Furthermore, with Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan next door, they can spend weeks uncovering Borneo’s magnificent natural beauty, using Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan as a gateway.