World Borders: How to get from Malaysia to Brunei (Labuan to Serasa)

getting from Malaysia to Brunei Labuan to Serasa

World Borders: How to get from Malaysia to Brunei – entering Brunei at Serasa.

In my ongoing series of world borders, I prove how easy it is to travel the world, cross borders into new countries and get visas. This post is all about getting from Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam on the island of Borneo. Obviously there are many different ways to cross this border, but for the basis of this post I am writing about the crossing from the Malaysian island of Labuan to Serasa ferry terminal near Muara in Brunei. This also involved getting a ferry from Kota Kinabalu out to Labuan to begin with, so it was a two ferry border crossing in essence. As world borders go, this is an easy one to organise and get across, plus it’s an exciting one and you have the bonus of seeing Labuan!

Ferry from Labuan to Serasa in Brunei

The border crossing from Labuan to Serasa in Brunei is by ferry.

I crossed the border from Malaysia to Brunei last month by ferry. On a personal level this was a bit of a milestone as I clocked up my 70th country with Brunei. So first things first – Visas and costs…

Do you need a visa to visit Brunei Darussalam?

OK again this varies from country to country and I can’t possibly cover all passports but I travel with a British and an Irish passport and both are absolutely visa free to enter Brunei. There is no visa required and no cost for British or Irish citizens to enter Brunei. It’s free.

immigration form brunei

Immigration form for Brunei Darussalam – fairly straight forward.

There is just a simple immigration form and passport stamp on arrival. It couldn’t be simpler – you get the immigration form in the Malaysian port of Labuan, you can also get it on the ferry or on arrival into Serasa ferry terminal.

Filling in an immigration form for brunei

The other side of the immigration form for Brunei.

Malaysian exit stamp Labuan Borneo

You will get a Malaysian exit stamp at Labuan.

You will get an exit stamp in Labuan, West Malaysia and Sabah before boarding the ferry.

Visa stamp Brunei Serasa

My visa stamp at Serasa in Brunei which gave me 90 days in the country.

You will get an entry stamp and 90 days on arrival at Serasa, Brunei, but unless you’re working there or visiting a local, there will be no need to stay that long!

How do you get from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei?

OK I’ll cover the trip in detail here. The best way to get from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei is by taking two ferries. This has its bonuses and is much quicker and easier than going overland by bus. If you have time to play with, by all means go by bus, but trust me the Kota Kinabalu to Serasa double ferry option is great.

Getting from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei

Boarding my first boat of the day from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan, MALAYSIA.

First ferry – Leaves from Jesselton Point, Kota Kinabalu and takes around 3 hours to arrive in the port of Labuan on the island of Pulau Labuan, MALAYSIA.

Second ferry – Leaves from the port of Labuan on the island of Pulau Labuan in MALAYSIA and takes around 1 hour to arrive into the port of Serasa near Muara on mainland Borneo in BRUNEI DARUSSALAM.

getting from KK to Brunei by ferry

With my double ferry tickets at Jesselton Point, Kota Kinabalu, MALAYSIA.

In between the two ferries you have two main options – option one is just spend a few hours in Labuan, the other option is to stay overnight, or stay a few nights to break up your journey.

Labuan island to Brunei ferry Malaysia

On the way to Brunei you have the bonus of exploring the island of Labuan, MALAYSIA.

We were passing through Labuan twice and had a total time of around 6 hours in the town of Bandar Labuan on our two visits so we decided to do the two ferries on the same day. Basically if you’re in a hurry, then do both ferries on the same day. If you’re not then I’m envious, and you’ll get to explore the island of Labuan in a bit more detail – it’s the duty free Casino haven of Malaysia, often dubbed the Pearl of Borneo. There’s enough time on the day trip to see the Mosque, buy your duty free, have a beer, have lunch and get some money changed. I will write a separate post on Labuan itself though…

Labuan Mosque Malaysia Borneo a lifestyle of travel

A mosque in Labuan, Malaysia.

How do you get from Labuan to Brunei?

So as mentioned you will most likely have left Kota Kinabalu and arrived on the island of Pulau Labuan, more commonly known as Labuan. The only option to get from Labuan to Brunei is by ferry and all the ferries leave from the port of Bandar Labuan (often just called Labuan, the same as the island name of Pulau Labuan) and they arrive in the Serasa Ferry Terminal near Muara in Brunei. Serasa is a remote ferry terminal and is not in a town. There is no option to get a direct ferry to Bandar Seri Begawan the capital of Brunei. Once you get there you will see why – it’s not easily accessible by water as the waterfront has a shallow river, which runs through an estuary.

Labuan to Brunei ferry Ming Hai to Serasa

Boarding the ferry in Labuan – the Ming Hai Express to Serasa, Brunei.

How do you buy tickets for the ferry to Brunei?

Get them from the ticket desk and ticket office in either Kota Kinabalu or Labuan. There is no real need to book in advance as the ferries are regular during the day and are rarely full. Brunei is not a major “backpacking hub” so if you’re a long term traveller or experienced backpacker, you’ll love the experience of it!

Jesselton Point ferry terminal buying tickets for brunei

Queuing up to buy our tickets from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan and onwards to Serasa in Brunei.

We bought our tickets on the morning of departure but do check in advance just in case there is a special event on or a reason as to why the ferries might be busier. Payment must be in cash of course, but you’ll know that if you’ve travelled in Asia before 0 it’s fairly standard. The tickets cost a total of 68.60 Ringitts and the breakdown is as follows:

Ferry from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan, Malaysia – 36 Malaysian Ringitts

ticket from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by ferry

First ticket bought in Kota Kinabalu is for 60 Ringitts, the extra 8.60 is for tax.

Ferry from Labuan to Serasa, Brunei – 19 Malaysian Ringitts (I’m quoting this price as we booked it altogether – this costs more if you book it seperately)

Option to upgrade to first class on the Kota Kinabalu to Labuan ferry – 5 Malaysian Ringitts (we paid this as we wanted more leg room and I wanted to do my blogging on the ferry – but it’s not really worth the extra 5 Ringitts to be honest)

So the ferry tickets and the optional upgrade came to 60 Ringitts, then there’s tax:

Departure Tax from Kota Kinabalu – 3.60 Malaysian Ringitts

Departure Tax from Labuan to Brunei – 5 Malaysian Ringitts

Departure tax from Malaysia to Brunei at Labuan

My tax ticket which I bought in Labuan – it’s only 5 Malaysian Ringitts.

Total ticket price to get from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia to Serasa, Brunei – 68.60 Malaysian Ringitts ($23 US Dollars)

Can I bring alcohol into Brunei Darussalam?

Yes you can! Brunei is a completely alcohol free state and the state religion is Muslim. However non-Muslims are permitted to bring an allowance of alcohol in with them, which I’d recommend doing. I wrote in depth about this here: how to take alcohol into Brunei so check that post out!

taking alcohol into brunei

Yes you can take alcohol into Brunei with you! Buy it in Labuan and fill in a customs form.

Apart from Labuan what other routes are there from Malaysia to Brunei?

OK so you might be reading this and want to go another way from Malaysia to Brunei, so here’s a full list of the SEVEN options:

1. Labuan, MALAYSIA to Serasa Ferry Terminal, Muara, BRUNEI – Water border

2. Kampong Rentis, MALAYSIA to Sungai Tujuh, BRUNEI – Land border to the Western most point of Brunei

3. Limbang, MALAYSIA to Kuala Lurah, BRUNEI – Land border

4. Pandaruan, MALAYSIA to Kampung Puni, BRUNEI – Road border yet apparently has to be done by ferry

5. Mangkalap, MALAYSIA to Labu, BRUNEI – Land border

6. Flying – you can fly into the international airport in Bandar Seri Begawan from other airports in Malaysia and further afield.

7. Chance it and head across the border through the jungle!! Good luck with that one 😉

how to get from malaysia to brunei

Literally all you need to get into Brunei from Malaysia!

Where can I get my money changed?

There is a money changing facility at both the Malaysian ferry port on Labuan and the Serasa ferry terminal in Brunei. There are no ATMs in Serasa ferry terminal, so I’d actually recommend getting some Malaysian Ringitts changed into Brunei Dollars in Labuan, which is what we did.

Money changer in Labuan Malaysia

Getting some money changed in Labuan, Malaysia.

Once we got to Serasa in Brunei, the Money Chyanger was actually open anyway but don’t count on it. Please note that Labuan also has Mosques and a Muslim population and therefore the Money Changers are sometimes closed for prayers during the day. If this happens, there is a money changing facility in the main town, try the banks or oddly…a silk and linen shop.

changing money in Serasa Brunei

The Money Changer at Serasa in Brunei.

What currency do they use in Brunei Darussalam?

Officially it is the Brunei Dollar, but you can also use the Singapore Dollar which is fixed at the same rate as the Brunei Dollar. If you get stuck, I’d imagine some places accept US Dollars or maybe even Malaysian Ringitts. But if you want my advice – stick to the local currency – use Brunei Dollars throughout your stay.

They use Brunei Dollars in Brunei

Brunei’s Official Currency is the Brunei Dollar.

What do you do once you arrive at Serasa Ferry Terminal in Brunei Darussalam?

OK first of all you get your bags off the boat and head to the immigration checkpoint. It’s fast and efficient, get your passport stamped and you’re in the country. Then you hand over your Liquor Form for alcohol if you have one. Then it’s up to you.

ferry terminal at Serasa Brunei

Entrance to Serasa Ferry Terminal but there isn’t a lot you can do nearby!

The main thing to note however is that Serasa ferry terminal is remote and not really in a town or village so staying nearby is really not an option. If you really wanted to stay out in the sticks you could try staying at Muara which is served by a local bus.

So this basically means you should head to where it’s at, Bandar Seri Begawan the capital city which leaves you with a mere THREE options:

1. Get the hourly bus into Bandar Seri Begawan. It costs $1 and you’ll have to change at Muara. You could be waiting a while, but this is the CHEAP option and the one we were going to do, but an hour passed and still no bus so…

2. Bite the bullet and get a taxi to Bandar Seri Begawan but bargain like hell! The taxi drivers start off on $40 but we just sat down and read our books and had a drink and ignored them until they finally said $25 – I said no way mate but if it’s $20 you have a deal. This was after an hour of waiting around trying to save money.

3. Hire a car. Ultimately this could cost you more and you might get lost.

bus from muara to serasa

The local bus that stops at Muara and then you change and go to Bandar Seri Begawan.

BEWARE OF FAKE INFORMATION

My girlfriend and I are fairly seasoned travellers and we don’t really fall for scams or trust people very easily, so it was a big surprise when taxi drivers and their mates tried to  give us fake information straight away!! Not in so many words I told them we weren’t interested and to go away. They were basically lying to us and some fellow travellers from Norway, by telling us the buses had finished for the day and the only route into town was by taxi. We knew it was a lie as it had just gone 3pm, and our research had told us that buses run until 6.30 pm and that they only cost $1 Brunei Dollar.

brunei taxi for $20

In the $20 taxi in Brunei from Serasa to Bandar Seri Begawan.

After waiting for an hour indeed no bus turned up, but we believe when we finally got our $20 taxi that a bus was probably on its way. We didn’t have the time to waste. But just be mindful of the lying taxi drivers. There are buses, just not many of them and one an hour is lucky.

Anything Else I need to know?

Just a reminder of these points really:

– There is NO alcohol on sale in Brunei so if you want to drink there you need to bring it in from Malaysia.

– Labuan is a duty free island and is worth stocking up on beers, spirits and tobacco products.

– There is a 3.60 Malaysian Ringitts departure tax for leaving Kota Kinabalu by boat.

– There is a 5 Malaysian Ringitts departure tax for leaving Labuan.

– Drugs are illegal in Brunei and trafficking will result in death.

My videos from entering Labuan island to crossing into and arriving in Serasa, Brunei:

Buying our tickets in Kota Kinabalu:

Waiting in Kota Kinabalu for the ferry to Labuan:

On board the Labuan Express from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan:

Arrival in Labuan Island, Malaysia:

Buying Beer to take into Brunei:

Relaxing with a drink before heading to Brunei:

Exiting Malaysia and heading onto the Brunei for Brunei:

On the boat to Brunei:

Arrival in Serasa, Brunei:

Arrival at Serasa in Brunei:

Waiting for a bus at Serasa in Brunei:

Waiting for a bus in Serasa ferry terminal:

Getting at $20 Taxi from Serasa to Bandar Seri Begawan:

That’s how to get from Malaysia to Brunei!! Safe travels folks!

27 thoughts on “World Borders: How to get from Malaysia to Brunei (Labuan to Serasa)

  • Great info Jonny. Do you have any leads for a guide or company for a trek across Borneo from West to East?

  • Thanks for the comment George, hope your travels are going well 😉 I’d recommend a friend’s site – – his name is Greg Rodgers – you could drop him an e-mail through his site. Safe travels, Jonny

  • Hi Jonny,

    I am very glad to bump into your blog, very well informative as I am a Malaysian but this entry of yours is so good. Well keep it up! just want to know, (as I planning to go to Brunei airport from Labuan) from changing bus in Serasa-Muara-Bandar seri Begawan then to airport can direct from Muara or have to change in Bandar seri begawan?

    thanks

  • Hi Jazzeyra, thanks for your comment. I was there over 2 years ago, so the situation may have changed. Back then it would have been a bus from Serasa to Bandar Seri Begawan and then another bus to the airport. We never visited the airport though, but we know there is a bus from the bus station in Bandar Seri Begawan. Safe travels. Jonny

  • Mr. Blair, can I know if there is a bus station at Serasa Ferry Terminal to Bandar Seri Begawan? Thanks and Godbless!

  • Hi Francisco – it’s explained in the article please read it again. There is one bus an hour from Serasa to BSB but we waited for an hour and it didn’t arrive so we had to bite the ridiculous taxi bullet. Better luck if you get there early morning or early afternoon. After 3pm, it’s hard to find a bus to the capital. Safe travels. Jonny

  • Hi Jonny! Just wanted to quickly say thanks for the fab write-up and super detailed tips on your trip from KK to BSB 🙂 We’re headed there ourselves in about 2 weeks and, together with other travel resources, are pretty confident we’ll have a great time on the ferry — thanks heaps to you!

    On a side note, I’m curious… how many countries HAVE you been to now? And are you still travelling?

    Cheers!

    Beck (a fellow modern wanderer…)

  • Hi Beck, thanks for the comment. I’m glad the information came in useful, good luck on your trip to Brunei. I count the countries in my sidebar (to the right). Country wise it’s about 117, but with all the fake countries and disputed regions probably 130. Cities and towns I’m on my way to 900. It may well be time to call it a day on travelling soon. Safe travels. Jonny

  • Very impressive 🙂 I’m up to 125, but that includes a few disputed bits n pieces like Tibet and Taiwan 🙂 You’re an inspiration for sure! And apologies I missed your country sidebar — must keep my eye on that!! 😉 Cheers again … Beck

  • Hi Beck, it seems we live a very similar life then! Yes to me Tibet, Taiwan, England, Gibraltar, Transnistria etc. are all real countries so I count them too when talking to people, but for the count on there I used FIFA countries. Because I come from Northern Ireland, any country list that doesn’t include Northern Ireland in it is incorrect in my opinion! Safe travels. Jonny

  • Try the sovereign order of Malta, a few buildings in Rome the only place the public can enter is it’s post office where you’re no longer in Italy. I’m up to 87 countries and semi autonomous territories. The UN is another strange one.I’ve been to transdinestria it has all the hallmarks of a country so I’d count it!not quite sure if you can separate Guernsey,sark and Alderney?

  • Hi Kevan, thanks for the excellent comment and information. I really want to visit the Sovereign Order of Malta – where is that Post Office – is it the one in the Vatican City State? In which case I was there and didn’t know it. I don’t count UN of course – too capitalistic for me and controlled by places like USA and England. Again for me there is no such country as United Kingdom – there are 4 countries there at least and Denmark is also a Kingdom of three countries. I’ve been to Guernsey and Sark but not yet Alderney, someday I hope! Safe travels. Jonny

  • There is an other option to arrive from the ferry termunal to maura. Is just 2km far away. So you can walk because the 33 bus jas a strange schedule. In the way can try to stop a car, till Maura it will be free. Then take the 39 till the cemter of BSB
    Fuet, Mate i Arros

  • Great direction article for Malaysia to Brunei. For Refreshments, you can play online casino games in these places especially scr888,lucky palace,live casino Malaysia,lpe88,Malaysia online casino

  • hello.i m.planning to go brunei from malaysia by ferry.kindly guide me how far is kota kinabaly from kualalampur.and how u went there ? n how long it took from serasa to cntre of brunei capital on car?
    regards asma

  • Hi Bunny, thanks for the comment and sorry for the delay. I was suffering from depression and only now I am checking all comments, meesages and blog emails. Thanks for checking out my articles on Malaysia to Brunei whackpacking. Stay safe, Jonny

  • Hi Asma, Thanks for the comment and for checking my website. Apologies for the delay in response. Unfortunately I have been suffering from long-term depression caused by a liar and I wasn’t checking all comments and messages or replying. I hope you enjoyed my article on Brunei. Kota Kinabalu is nowehere near Kuala Lumpur, it’s on a totally different island. The fastest way is by flight. From Seras to Bandar Seri bagawan was somewhere between 25 – 45 minutes. I don’t remember exactly. Stay safe. Jonny

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