When you think of large water villages, you might think of sunken fictional cities or
even cities built on islands in lagoons, like Venice.
But do you think of a network of wooden houses built on stilts connected by boardwalks, in
the Sultanate of Brunei on the island of Borneo?
Welcome to Kampong Ayer, the largest water village in the world.
Or as its name translates to in English – water village.
Let’s find out how this village works.
Brunei is a small nation in South East Asia, on the Island of Borneo.
Kampong Ayer lies on the Brunei river – just adjacent to the centre of the capital city,
Bandar Seri Begawan.
This stretch of the Brunei river has been inhabited for over one thousand years – and
is currently home to around 13000 residents,
making it the largest water village in the world.
The people here live in houses standing on stilts above the river.
Kampong Ayer is actually a collection of many communities, which form the different sub-districts
of the larger village.
Kampong Ayer is a fully functioning municipality built on stilts, complete with public buildings
such as mosques, schools, including primary and secondary, these awesome fishing platforms,
police station with police boats, fire department with fire boats, and a nearby hospital with
ambulance boats.
There’s even a museum built on stilts, replete with a lookout tower.
The buildings in Kampong Ayer are made largely from wood.
Many are brightly coloured, some are brand new, and some are seemingly clinging to their
stilts in a desperate attempt not to fall in to the river.
Kampong Ayer is a dynamic neighbourhood, new buildings can be found right next to old structures,
giving the village an eclectic atmosphere.
Life in the village has unique challenges, which require unique solutions.
Transport is covered by 38km of boardwalks, which wind their way through the wooden buildings
like a web.
Some of the boardwalks have seen better days, but most are functional.
For more direct access, water taxis operate in the form of speed-boats, offering to take
locals and visitors across the river to the centre of the city, or directly to their desired
destination.
These water taxis zip between small jetties that are placed at short intervals throughout
the village.
Boats are incredibly important for those that live on water, and walking through the village
there’s an impressive array of boats for different purposes.
Living in a water village doesn’t preclude you from having pets, either.
Cats, budgies, and other birds can all be found in various nooks and crannies.
Houses are equipped with electricity and with fresh water, thanks to some impressive piping.
However, in the older houses of the village, which is many of them, sewage and grey water
disposal remains an issue and is a significant pollutant of the river.
Houses that stand on water are at risk of slipping in from time to time.
There are some amazing feats of carpentry and building around the village, but tragically,
sometimes houses do slip into the water, and is one of the dangers of living in a place
like Kampong Ayer.
Despite literally hovering above the water – wooden houses are also susceptible to
fire.
Fires do damage houses in the water village, and occasionally they totally destroy them
despite the presence of the local fire department.
The general disrepair of some of the dwellings, lack of sewage, and increasing pace of life
has caused about half of the village’s population to move out in the last 40 years.
To combat this, there’s ongoing work to hook up houses to sewage systems and to ensure
that buildings are safe.
There’s also a push to reduce rubbish that may end up in the river.
This will help people in the village maintain the ability to fish, which is important to
help sustain a viable way of life and let the residents preserve their culture.
Kampong Ayer remains a central cultural hub for Bandar Seri Begawan – and for Brunei.
Its residents’ approach to life, and its unique approach to residential architecture
and building makes the largest water village in the world a special place.
A place that offers a counterpoint to modern urban planning.
However ramshackle that point may be.
Plus, boardwalks definitely beat sidewalks.
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