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There is nothing express about the Sipitang Express.
But by now, the legendary bus ride from Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) to Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) has become a must-do if you are transiting through this part of Borneo.
Why fly for 30 minutes when you can go on a 7-10 hour grueling bus adventure with four border crossings and eight, yes EIGHT, stamps in your passport?
But it’s actually kind of fun. You know, if you are easily entertained and not in a hurry. And willing to sacrifice 1-2 blank pages in your passport…and a full day of your life.
Read on for all the details about planning your own adventure on this classic bus ride from Malaysia to Brunei.
Why so many border crossings?
There are two reasons for all the border crossings: geography and politics. The first border crossing is actually between two states in Malaysia: Sabah and Sarawak. The rest of the border crossings are a back and forth between Malaysia and Brunei. One look at the map and you’ll see that Brunei has a tongue that dips down into Malaysia, across the Brunei Bay.
The bus drives right across this Temburong section and back into Malaysia before finally arriving in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Here’s the rundown on border crossings:
- Sindumin (Sabah), Malaysia à Merapok (Sarawak), Malaysia
- Mengkalap, Malaysia à Mengkalap, Brunei
- Ujung Jalan, Brunei à Pandaruan, Malaysia
- Tedungan, Malaysia à Kuala Lura, Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei)
In reality, the bus company could eliminate half of these excessive border crossings—and a few hours — if they would just shoot up into Bandar Seri Begawan across the fancy new Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien bridge over Brunei Bay. But I heard they can’t because foreign-registered vehicles exceeding 3,500kg are not allowed to use the bridge. That bridge, by the way is the longest bridge in Southeast Asia, clocking in at 30km / 19 miles.
Perhaps the bus will shorten its route at some point, so jump on this crazy adventure while you can!
If you want to experience the drive across the SHOAS bridge, book yourself a day trip to Ulu Temburong National Park during your visit to Brunei!
Prepare for entry into Brunei
Brunei allows visa-free entry for a lot of nationalities. BUT even if you are visa-free, you have to fill out an E-Arrival Card online prior to arrival.
Non-Muslim foreigners are also allowed to bring in a limited amount of alcohol, but you have to fill out another form. These forms are apparently available at the border crossings. I do wonder about the technicalities on this one, as you have to wait 48 hours between trips importing alcohol…and in this case you will technically be importing two times within a few hours. Hmm. Play it safe and go dry for your visit to Brunei!
No drugs are allowed on penalty of death.
It’s best if you can find Brunei dollars before you go because there isn’t an ATM where the bus drops you off. Singapore dollars are also accepted.
Brunei has its own app for rideshare services: Dart Brunei. This is the only app (Apple and Android) that you can use in Brunei to hail a ride. Download it before you arrive! Even though you have the Dart app, drivers usually expect a cash payment, so it’s still good to have cash on hand if you can.
How to book the bus
There is only one bus per day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, leaving early, around 7:30am. So your best bet is to book a few days in advance if you can, especially if you are on a schedule.
The bus costs around US$35 each way.
I booked on easybook.com and it worked out fine (the official site is basically non-functional for booking).
Getting on the bus in Kota Kinabalu
The Kota Kinabalu KK Sentral “bus station” has absolutely nothing to offer.
So don’t expect to arrive there and buy snacks and drinks. Plan ahead and bring anything you might want to eat or drink on board (although there are signs saying food and drink are not allowed, and some food is especially not allowed).
IMPORTANT: Before you get on the bus, you have to check in at the counter and pay a nominal fee (1 Malaysian Ringgit, cash, in 2023).
If you are leaving Malaysia for good, make sure you have enough cash to cover this fee! You might also want to keep some cash for the lunch break later in the day.
Then you have to find the bus, which isn’t that complicated. KK Sentral is not as grand as it sounds. Just look for Sipitang Express the bus with the Bandar Seri Begawan sign, or ask around.
There were literally two buses when we were there, so if you get it wrong, it’s on you.
The border experience
On this bus ride, you’ll be up and down more than a Catholic mass.
As the hours drag on, you’ll actually be yearning for a border crossing. It took us about six hours to get to the first Brunei border (out of a total 9.5 hours).
Fear not! Once you hit Brunei, it feels like the border crossings get closer and closer together. At that point you’ll be giddy at the silliness, every time the bus driver yells “passports!”
Truly, the best part about having all those border stops is that you get out and stretch your legs a lot, which breaks up an otherwise tedious bus ride.
Food and drink
You need to come prepared with snacks and drinks for this slog of bus ride. As mentioned earlier, there is nothing to buy at KK Sentral.
There are a few stops along the way with some bathroom and snack options.
Most notable is a lunch stop in Lawas—just follow the bus drivers to a good spot to eat! You will have about an hour here to get a bite and really stretch your legs.
The savvy people found ice cream! Let me remind you how hot it can get in this part of the world.
Now that you have had all that food and drink…I am actually embarrassed that I did not note whether there was a bathroom on the bus! I don’t think there was a bathroom, so plan accordingly, and use those rest stops.
Where the bus drops you off in Brunei
File this under “things I knew before taking the trip”!
The final destination of the Sipitang Express in Bandar Seri Begawan is at the north end of Gadong Night Market. Sipitang Express Bus Station is actually marked there on Google maps.
If you are traveling light and you have some Brunei (or Singapore) dollars on you, why not stop by the night market when you arrive? The market opens at 4pm, though will not really get going until later in the evening.
Other than the bustling night market, there aren’t a lot of resources here. Like an ATM. Or a place where you can buy a SIM card. So plan ahead by downloading the DART app to catch a ride (though you still usually pay in cash), and try to get Brunei or Singapore dollars before you get there.
If you are planning to stay at Capital Residence Suites (which I recommend), their shuttle will probably pick you up at the little mosque on the other end of the block. This will save you if you don’t have any cash on hand. We coordinated with them via Whatsapp, which is easy if you have wifi capability.
If you do need an ATM, you will have to cross the river (on the small bridge right near where they drop you off) and try to find one in that complex.
Congratulations! You made it to Brunei. Check out my other articles if you are looking for things to do in Brunei or places to stay in Brunei!
Final Thoughts
It’s a bit of an oddball adventure, but I really enjoyed the looooong bus ride between these two cities. We got a bit silly towards the end, cracking up with every “PASSPORTS!” cry from the driver, trundling out of the bus for yet another border stop.
We bonded with our seat neighbors over the silliness. We enjoyed cruising through the local towns and stopping in places we would otherwise never see.
Would I do it again? Maybe…probably not. I have to save those passport pages, you know?!
But I think next time I’ll try the ferry!
![A woman in a pink shirt points her left arm at a tall metal sculpture sign that says I [HEART] KK](https://i0.wp.com/bmorenomadic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BN-Borneo-KK-KingParkHotel-11.jpg?fit=768%2C987&ssl=1)