Brunei

Tiny, wealthy, and unlike anywhere else in Southeast Asia — worth the detour just for the novelty.

Solo trip in 2024 and Brunei is genuinely one of a kind. Oil money and Islamic tradition have created this quiet, immaculate little sultanate that most people fly over without stopping. The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is stunning, the rainforest is pristine, and you'll probably have most of it to yourself.