Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in a day by car · Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in a day by car
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Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in a day by car
Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in a day by car
As of jan 2010 the journey from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan has 2 options. 1 - by road all the way or 2 - by car ferry from Munumbuk,([ferry ]).
The car ferry is pricey but faster - advance booking essential for public holidays.
By road all the way even in your own car is taxing, taking anything between eight and ten hours. A lot of time is spent waiting at border checkpoints -- there are no less than eight checkpoints to go through -- and some of them, especially those with Brunei, can get very busy with long lines during weekends and holidays. There are also two ferry crossings which can take time too. The road condition is generally good and is sealed all the way.
The journey is described in stages from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan. If you are traveling the other direction, just take the stages in reverse:
Kota Kinabalu to Beaufort (92km): The drive out of Kota Kinabalu is quite straight forward and well signposted. Road conditions are good and the road heading south from the city is a dual carriageway until just before Papar 38km away. From Papar, the road reverts to being a two-lane road, passing quiet coastal towns like Kimanis and Bongawan, where it leaves the coast to head to Beaufort. You can leave or join this itinerary at Beaufort (see the Get in section above for details), where you can head to (or come from) Menumbok (for/from Labuanor Brunei Car ferry), Kuala Penyu (for/from the Pulau Tiga National Park), or catch the train to/from Tenom.
Beaufort to Lawas (110km): The longest leg in the journey, it also used to be the most difficult as there were long stretches of the road which were not paved. This has since changed and although not the best, a continuous ribbon of bitumen now links Beaufort to Lawas. From Beaufort, go onto the metal bridge (turn right if coming directly from KK) across the Padas River and proceed to Sipitang 58km away. This stretch used to be unpaved but the road surface now is OK. You will pass the turn-off to Weston, a small seaside village which used to be the terminus of the North Borneo Railway. Sipitang, which clings along the beach, has quite a number of shops where you can break for a meal. The road swings inland heading to the Sabah-Sarawak border at Sindumin 18km away. The Immigration posts for are contained in one building on the border. As you leave Sabah, your passport will be stamped and your immigration card retained. A few meters on, at the other end of the booth, submit your passport to Sarawak Immigration with a new immigration card to be stamped into Sarawak. (Going in the other direction you hand your passport and card into the Sarawak authorities who will retun both to you and then you hand them into the Sabah authorities who will also stamp them and then return them.) This procedure may not apply to Sabah and Sarawak residents but check just in case. The one-street town of Merapok lies just ahead. A good road flanked by oil palm plantations goes the 35km. to Lawas. Just before reaching town, you will go onto a cable-stayed bridge across the Batang Lawas (Lawas River). You will also pass the junction to the Lunbawang village of Long Tuma and Lawas airport. See Lawas page for more info on the town. Lawas is also a point where you can leave this itinerary (see Get in above) by heading to Bakelalan in the Kelabit Highlands.
Lawas to Bangar (48km): This stretch involves a ferry ride and border crossing, which could cause some delays. From Lawas, take the road out towards Trusan, about 20 km. away. Once you enter Trusan, before heading to the ferry across the Trusan River (RM10 on way), you will have to sort out your Malaysian immigration procedures at a row of new shops at Trusan Bazaar. The Mengkalap Immigration Checkpoint (open 6am to 10pm), as it is officially known, operates from a corner shop (the only of its kind in the whole of Malaysia) and you will have to get your exit stamp here as there is no immigration checkpoint further west towards the border. (Malaysia is currently building a customs an immigration post on the Brunei border. However, there is no indication yet when it will be operational.) After the ferry, proceed to the border at Labu about 8 km. away. Brunei's Labu immigration checkpoint (same opening hours as Malaysia) is just inside Brunei territory and you can get stamped in here. From Labu, its about 20 km. easy driving to Bangar, Temburong's administrative center.
Bangar to Limbang (20 km.): This leg of the journey is short and should be relatively easy as traffic is light. It involves crossing two immigration checkpoints and one ferry ride at the border. From Bangar, head west and after about 5 km., you will come to Kampung Puni where you go through Brunei immigration (opening hours 6am to 10pm). This is not a drive-through facility and the immigration post is a one-story wooden building on the south-side of the road. Park and get your passport and car permits done. Then proceed another 600 m. to the ferry landing point at the Pandaruan River, the border between Brunei and Malaysia. The ferry (RM8 or B$4) runs regularly and the crossing is almost ridiculously short. After landing on the Malaysian side, proceed to Malaysia's Pandaruan immigration checkpoint (opening hours 6am to 10pm) a short distance away. This is a drive-through facility although sorting out permits for cars may require you to park and get out of your car. With the opening of this checkpoint in June 2007, you no longer have the strange situation of having to get your Malaysian entry stamp (or exit stamp if traveling the other direction) in Limbang town. From Pandaruan, it is a simple drive to Limbang just under 15 km. away. You will pass Limbang airport just before entering town from the northeast direction.
Limbang to Bandar Seri Begawan: To head towards the Brunei border at Tedungan, 43 km. away from Limbang, you should head southwards out of town past the museum. The road, which is also the road to Nanga Medamit (the start of the Headhunter's Trail) runs parallel to the Limbang River. Take a right turn at the KM10 point (follow Nanga Medamit and Batu Danau direction) and travel for another 13 km. before taking another right turn. Going straight will bring you to Nanga Medamit. The road crosses the Limbang River at Batu Danau village and continues right up to the border checkpoint at Tedungan. Just before the checkpoint, there is a collection of shops and food outlets. They basically serve to quench the thirst of beer-starved people coming across from Brunei. Lines at the checkpoint can be phenomenally long, especially during weekends. Once you sort out Malaysian immigration and cross the border, you will immediately come to Brunei's Kuala Lurah checkpoint. Both Malaysian and Bruneian checkpoints have drive through lanes for you stamp your passport but you may have to get out of your car to sort out the necessary car permits. From Kuala Lurah, its about 15 km. to Bandar Seri Begawan and very good roads. There are several junctions and roundabouts but there are very good signposts.
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Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in a day Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.