A place unlike a conventional neighbourhood
Kampong Ayer is the historic settlement spread across the Brunei River. It is one of the capital’s defining places, but it should not be assessed as though it were simply a riverside apartment district. Water access, jetties and boats are part of the texture of daily life; the relationship to the mainland is practical as well as picturesque.
It is an absorbing place to spend time, and its cultural importance is obvious. For a prospective resident, though, the question is not whether the view is memorable but whether the particular house, landing point and daily journey make sense. Conditions and convenience vary sharply between individual villages.
My verdict
This is a choice for someone specifically drawn to the water-village setting, not a substitute for the services of central Bandar or Gadong. Visit at the times you expect to travel, and treat boat access as a real part of the tenancy rather than a visitor experience.