Berakas forest deal: from city fringe to rainforest lodge luxury
Brunei’s Forestry Department has signed a 20-year cooperation agreement with Borneo Eco Resort to transform part of Berakas Forest Recreational Park into an urban eco resort that complements the country’s flagship rainforest lodge retreats in the Temburong district. Announced alongside Brunei Tourism’s 2024–2035 roadmap and reported by local outlet The Scoop, the memorandum of understanding sets out a phased eco tourism project that keeps the forest’s natural character while introducing low-impact facilities. Officials say the aim is to position Berakas as one of the best urban rainforest lodge style addresses in the sultanate, giving guests easy access to a nature-focused abode resort much closer to the capital than remote corners of Borneo.
The plan, as outlined by tourism officials in early briefings, is phased over two decades so that each new lodge, resort spa or eco village component is tested against strict conservation benchmarks before expansion. While detailed budgets have not been released, the first phase is expected to focus on basic visitor infrastructure and a small cluster of eco friendly units rather than a full-scale complex. Early concepts include a compact eco resort with luxury glamping tents, a small resort spa pavilion, and a network of soft trails that showcase coastal flora fauna without disturbing wildlife corridors. For guests, that means you will be able to book a rainforest lodge style experience with easy access from Bandar Seri Begawan, turning a half-day excursion into an unforgettable experience that still respects eco tourism principles and Brunei’s wider sustainability commitments.
Berakas matters because it sits minutes from the city yet still feels like a slice of Borneo rainforest, and this proximity could finally give guests easy options beyond the long transfer to Ulu Temburong. While Ulu Ulu Resort, Sumbiling Eco Village and Trandie Marina Resorts at Binturong Lodge remain the reference points for Temburong district eco tourism, the Berakas project offers a complementary urban eco resort that can introduce first-time visitors to Brunei’s rainforest story. For solo explorers, it creates a flexible base to book one or two nights in an eco friendly abode before committing to deeper journeys upriver into the untouched rainforest of eastern Brunei and the Labu estate corridor. A Forestry Department representative has stressed that “Berakas will remain a living classroom for Bruneians and visitors, not just another resort,” underscoring the educational role the site is expected to play.
Planned facilities and what luxury guests can expect
Officials have signalled that the Berakas Brunei eco resort blueprint will prioritise low-rise timber structures, raised walkways and a compact resort spa rather than a sprawling complex. Expect a modest number of lodge-style suites and luxury glamping tents positioned to frame natural sea views and forest canopies, with activities including guided walks, night safaris and wellness sessions that interpret the coastal rainforest. The resort offers will likely mirror what works in Temburong district properties, but with shorter transfer times and easier pre-arrival planning for guests who want to book premium stays with breakfast and pool access through curated platforms such as the dedicated guide to Brunei hotel booking with breakfast and exclusive amenities.
Infrastructure upgrades around Berakas Forest Recreational Park are expected to focus on easy access roads, discreet parking and improved public facilities that support both day visitors and overnight guests. For the eco resort component, planners are studying how to integrate a canopy walkway style viewing platform without replicating Ulu Temburong’s iconic structure, ensuring each rainforest lodge or abode resort has its own identity. The aim is to give guests easy movement between beach, forest and spa zones while keeping the core of the park as untouched rainforest reserved for guided eco tourism only and small-group interpretation. Local residents from nearby Kampong villages have already voiced support for improvements that protect the forest while creating new jobs, provided that visitor numbers are carefully managed.
Behind the scenes, the Forestry Department and Borneo Eco Resort are working with local communities and tourism authorities to ensure that any lodge, eco village or resort spa concept channels revenue into nearby village economies. This mirrors the model already used by Sumbiling Eco Village, where “activities include rainforest treks, river rafting, and wildlife observation” along the Labu River. For travelers, that means every time you book a stay at a Brunei eco resort in Berakas or Temburong district, you are supporting local guides, boat operators and artisans who keep Brunei’s rainforest culture alive and help monitor the impact of tourism on sensitive flora fauna.
Urban forest versus Ulu Temburong: two very different eco resort experiences
For now, Ulu Temburong National Park remains Brunei’s flagship eco tourism anchor, with Ulu Ulu Resort, Sumbiling Eco Village and Trandie Marina Resorts at Binturong Lodge forming a trio of rainforest lodge options deep in the Temburong district. These properties sit within or beside untouched rainforest, reached by longboat along the Temburong and Labu River systems, and they offer a level of immersion that no urban eco resort can replicate. Guests wake to gibbon calls, trek beneath towering dipterocarps and sleep in simple yet comfortable lodge rooms or luxury glamping tents that keep you close to the sounds of Borneo’s forest and the rhythms of local village life.
By contrast, the planned Berakas Brunei eco resort will be an urban forest retreat where you can move from city café to natural coastal trail in under half an hour. It will appeal to travelers who want an eco friendly abode with spa access, Wi-Fi and structured activities including short guided walks, yoga and interpretive talks rather than full-day river expeditions. Think of it as a soft landing into Brunei’s eco tourism scene, where you can book one or two nights in an abode resort before heading east to a more remote rainforest lodge in Temburong district or the quieter Labu estate area. A local guide from the district has described this combination as “city comfort plus river adventure,” a pairing that could help first-time visitors ease into Borneo’s climate and culture.
For solo explorers, the choice between Berakas and Ulu Temburong will come down to time, comfort thresholds and how close you want to be to untouched rainforest. If you have only a weekend in Brunei, an urban eco resort with easy access may offer the best balance between nature and convenience, especially if you are also sampling the capital’s mosques and Kampong Ayer water village. With more days, pairing Berakas with a stay at Sumbiling Eco Village or another Sumbiling eco style lodge along the Labu River gives you two distinct eco experiences within the same compact country and lets you compare different resort offers and activity styles.
Facilities, service style and what to book when
Existing Temburong district properties already show how varied a Brunei eco resort can be, from the rustic riverside lodge feel at Trandie Marina Resorts to the structured rainforest lodge programmes at Ulu Ulu Resort. Sumbiling Eco Village leans into community-based eco tourism, with local hosts guiding you through village life, forest walks and river activities including tubing and rafting. Across these lodges, resort offers tend to bundle accommodation, meals and guided excursions so that guests can book a single package and focus on the experience rather than logistics, while still enjoying eco friendly operations and simple resort spa comforts.
The Berakas project is expected to follow a more resort spa oriented model, with à la carte wellness treatments, flexible dining and shorter, more modular activities including coastal walks, birdwatching and cultural workshops. That will place it closer in feel to premium city hotels, yet its rainforest lodge inspired architecture and eco friendly operations should still appeal to travelers who value sustainability. If you prefer refined comforts such as strong connectivity and polished service, you may want to start your trip at an urban eco resort and then transition to a more remote abode resort once you are acclimatised to Brunei’s climate and ready for longer days on the river.
When planning a trip, use a district-by-district overview of Brunei’s hotels to decide how many nights to allocate to each area, especially if you want to combine city luxury with eco tourism. Our detailed guide to where to stay in Brunei by district breaks down which properties work best as a base for Berakas, Ulu Temburong and the coastal Labu estate area. With that map in hand, you can book a sequence of stays that moves from capital city comfort to rainforest lodge immersion and back again without wasting time on unnecessary transfers or duplicating the same style of eco resort experience.
Roadmap to a world class eco tourism hub: timelines and traveler takeaways
Brunei’s Tourism Roadmap 2024–2035 sets a clear target for the country to be recognised as an eco friendly destination, and the Berakas Brunei eco resort partnership is one of the most concrete steps toward that goal. Hosting a UN Tourism sustainability workshop with more than one hundred participants from eleven countries signalled that the sultanate wants to be part of the regional conversation on eco tourism standards. Turning an urban forest into a world class eco resort will test how well Brunei can balance easy access for guests with the need to keep its coastal rainforest and flora fauna intact while still delivering a commercially viable resort spa product.
Timelines for the full 20-year project are long, so travelers should manage expectations about what will be open in the short term. In the early phases, expect modest lodge-style structures, a small resort spa and curated activities including guided walks and interpretation rather than a fully built-out abode resort complex. As phases progress, more luxury glamping units, an expanded eco village zone and possibly a canopy walkway style viewing platform may appear, though planners are keen to avoid overbuilding and to keep the core of the park as untouched rainforest that continues to function as a living classroom for Brunei’s eco tourism sector.
For now, Ulu Temburong, Sumbiling Eco Village and Trandie Marina Resorts at Binturong Lodge remain the primary choices if you want a fully fledged Brunei eco resort stay in deep rainforest. These lodges already operate with eco friendly practices, work closely with local communities and offer guests easy ways to engage with Borneo’s rivers, trails and wildlife. If you value strong connectivity and refined comforts while you travel, you can pair these stays with nights in city properties highlighted in our guide to Brunei luxury hotels with free Wi-Fi, creating an itinerary that moves smoothly between urban ease and rainforest immersion.
How solo travelers can plan ahead for Berakas and beyond
Solo explorers planning a future trip should think of Berakas as an evolving eco resort canvas that will gradually add layers of comfort and interpretation rather than a finished resort overnight. In the coming years, you will likely be able to book short stays in a compact lodge or luxury glamping unit that serves as an abode for city-based nature breaks, with resort offers that bundle spa time, guided walks and cultural encounters. As the eco village and resort spa elements mature, Berakas could become the natural starting point for travelers who then continue to Temburong district lodges along the Labu River and deeper into Borneo’s interior for a more intense rainforest lodge experience.
When comparing Brunei’s emerging urban eco resort with regional peers in Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand, the differentiator will be the proximity of genuine rainforest to the capital and the relatively low visitor numbers. Where other cities offer manicured parks, Berakas has the potential to feel like a true rainforest lodge environment within a short drive, especially if planners keep development light and eco friendly. That intimacy with nature, combined with Brunei’s tradition of understated hospitality, positions the country to offer an unforgettable experience that feels more like staying in a forest abode than a conventional resort and keeps local communities at the heart of tourism.
Until the Berakas Brunei eco resort is fully realised, the smartest strategy is to combine what already works with what is emerging, using existing Temburong district lodges and Sumbiling eco style properties as your primary rainforest base. Pre-arrange transportation, pack light and eco friendly gear, and respect local customs in every village and lodge you visit so that your presence supports, rather than strains, Brunei’s eco tourism ambitions. Done well, your journey through Berakas, Ulu Temburong and the Labu estate corridor will not only give you a personal connection to Borneo’s forests but also help ensure that future guests easy access the same wild landscapes for decades to come.