On the north-western coast of Borneo, the Islamic Sultanate of Brunei lies on a slim coastal plain, threaded through by several substantial rivers. Most of the country is lowland dipterocarp rainforest, tropical moist swamps and heath forest along with sandy beaches and mangrove swamps. An oil- and natural gas-rich nation, Brunei’s the envy of its Southeast Asian neighbours due to its prosperity. Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital, is sprinkled with ramshackle stilt villages as well as glamorous monuments erected by Bruneian royalty. The emirate’s tourism industry has never been fully developed but it should definitely be on your tourism itinerary – the area's a beautiful and subtle must-see blend of modernity and tradition.