In Brunei’s Belait District, roughly an hour’s drive from the capital Bandar Seri Begawan, Labi Forest Reserve offers one of Southeast Asia’s quieter ecotourism propositions: primary rainforest, a freshwater swamp, working Iban longhouses and over 300 recorded bird species, all with little of the foot traffic found at Ulu Temburong.
The Labi subdistrict sits within Brunei’s Belait District and is home to both the Labi and Andulau Forest Reserves, where wildlife and rare bird species inhabit dense rainforest. Visitors can explore traditional Iban longhouses that offer a view into Brunei’s indigenous heritage.
The reserve’s most popular trail leads to a canopy walkway, where proboscis monkeys and a range of bird species can be spotted above the forest floor. Flora includes orchids and plant species endemic to Borneo. Evedo Early-morning visitors can expect kingfishers along the waterways, larger canopy birds, monitor lizards, civets and carnivorous pitcher plants in shaded, damp pockets of the forest.
Within the reserve, Luagan Lalak Forest Recreation Park covers 270 hectares around an alluvial freshwater swamp that fills like a lake during the rainy season and recedes to reveal sedge-covered valleys in drier months. The still waters are home to the striped snakehead fish and, occasionally, saltwater crocodiles. Brunei Tourism
Two Iban longhouses, at Teraja and Mendaram Besar, sit along the Labi road and are open to visitors. The Teraja Longhouse runs a homestay from BND15 (USD11) per person on the communal ruai, or BND20 (USD15) per person in the living room, and hosts ngajat dance performances, Iban wedding demonstrations and weaving displays.
Tour operators run full-day itineraries from Bandar Seri Begawan that combine a stop at the Sungai Liang Forestry Museum, the Luagan Lalak swamp walk, a longhouse visit and a trek to Wasai Wong Kadir waterfall, where visitors can swim in a stream running through primary rainforest.
The dry season, roughly March to October, offers the most accessible trail conditions, with daytime temperatures between 24°C and 32°C. The wet season brings heavy rain and muddy paths, though the swamp is at its most dramatic when full.