Bandar Seri Begawan Weather in January

January weather

January is warm, very damp and often cloudy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Days reach 28°C, and nights stay close to that. Rain falls on 27 days, with 315 mm across the month, so showers can interrupt a day out. December is wetter, while February brings a clear drop in rainfall.

You can still visit the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the Royal Regalia Museum and the covered stalls at Kianggeh Market. Keep outdoor plans flexible: heavy rain can make a riverside stroll or a trip through Kampong Ayer less pleasant. With little sunshine and high humidity, long afternoons outside can feel sticky.

What to do

A water taxi is a practical way to see Kampong Ayer, the historic stilt village across the river. Ask the driver to wait if you want time to explore, and take care on wet wooden walkways. For a rainy spell, the Royal Regalia Museum offers an easy indoor stop near the city centre.

If you hate crowds, January is generally a quieter choice than peak holiday periods. New Year's Day is a public holiday, though, and Chinese New Year can fall in January in some years. Check the calendar for your visit; celebrations may bring busier streets and altered opening hours.

Crowds and costs

January sits in the rainy season, so it's usually less busy than the drier months of February and March. Prices can be gentler than during major holiday travel, but deals aren't guaranteed, especially around New Year. Brunei's National Day is in February, not January.

Travelling with kids? Keep Kianggeh Market or the Royal Regalia Museum as a backup when showers roll through. At Kampong Ayer, use the water-taxi jetties by the waterfront rather than trying to cross on foot; the village is reached by boat.