Brunei

Awash in oil and natural-gas wealth, the Sultanate of Brunei is a rather tantalizing little country tacked onto the northern coast of Borneo. Fronting the South China Sea and almost enveloped by Malaysia’s Sarawak state, Brunei is best known for spectacles of opulence, but what’ll grab the imagination of most visitors are the more vivid and intrinsic attractions—from precious natural heritage to outstanding gastronomy.

Buffered at least somewhat from clearcutting and slash-and-burn by the sultanate's prosperity, the country’s lowland rainforests include some of Borneo’s greatest remaining old-growth. A visit to Ulu Temburong National Park, the centerpiece of the country’s protected network, introduces you to the mighty stature of this steamy evergreen kingdom via canopy walkways—offering a unique opportunity to go eyeball-to-eyeball with gibbons, pit vipers, flying lizards, and other treetop denizens. Those willing to get wet, meanwhile, have the marvels of Brunei’s seacoast to appreciate firsthand: from vibrant coral reefs to a multitude of shipwrecks.

Culturally, Brunei is dominated by Islam, and there are some monumental places of worship on display here: the lagoon-encircled Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and the many-domed Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, for instance, in the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan. Bandar (as the brevity-minded call the city) has plenty of other attractions besides its palatial grandeur and religious monuments. The markets and restaurants offer venues for experiencing the local twists on rice- and spice-heavy Malay cookery, embraced with relish by food-oriented locals and culinary tourists alike.

Upon first consideration, you might dismiss Brunei as nothing more than a tiny money-drenched enclave. But if you come with an open mind, and you’ll find your days filled with tropical wilderness, fabulous food, and a remarkably easygoing ambience.