How To Travel By Ferry From Brunei to Labuan in Malaysia

Last Updated on October 11, 2023 by Tina

During my 12-day trip to Borneo last August, I experienced traveling by ferry from Brunei to Labuan in Malaysia. Labuan is not on my original itinerary, and it never crossed my mind that I would visit that island. However, because of some things that I overlooked during my initial planning, I ended up taking a side trip to the tax haven in Malaysia. In this blog post, I will share with you why I had to go to Labuan and my experience traveling by ferry from Brunei to Labuan.

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A Brief Information About Labuan

Labuan is a federal territory of Malaysia located off the northwest coast of Borneo. It is often referred to as “Labuan Island” because it is the main landmass within the territory.

Labuan has a rich history, with various cultures and colonial powers influencing the region over the centuries. It was once part of the Brunei Sultanate and later became a British colony in the 19th century. The British established Labuan as a free port and a hub for trade and commerce in the region.

Labuan is accessible by air and sea. Labuan Airport connects the island to major cities in Malaysia, and regular ferry services connect it to the nearby Sabah state.

It is known for its offshore financial services, natural beauty, and cultural diversity, making it a unique destination and economic hub within Malaysia.

Why I Had To Spend a Night in Labuan, Malaysia

Before I share my experience taking the ferry from Brunei to Labuan, let me tell you first why I had to do it. When I was preparing my itinerary, my plan was to travel by bus from Brunei to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia the day after we arrived in Brunei (Sunday). It was the reason I chose EZ Lodgings as our accommodation. It was within walking distance of the bus station of Sipitang Express, the bus that goes to Kota Kinabalu.

I was supposed to stay in Kota Kinabalu for 3 nights, then fly to Kuching, Malaysia. I had already booked my flight to Kuching when I realized a week later that there was no bus trip to Kota Kinabalu on a Sunday. Trips from Brunei to Kota Kinabalu are only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

At one instance I considered not taking the flight to Kuching anymore, but I didn’t want to waste my money so I tried looking for other ways so that I could still go on with my itinerary. Flight to Kota Kinabalu is one option, but it was super expensive. While looking for other ways, I discovered that you can travel to Kota Kinabalu from Brunei by ferry. But it is not a direct trip. You need to go to Labuan first, then from Labuan, you have to change to a different ferry that goes to Kota Kinabalu.

As of the moment though, there are no ferry trips from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu. However, there is a flight from Labuan that is not too expensive. Or if you want to save more, you can take a speedboat from Labuan to Menumbok, and from Menumbok take a bus to Kota Kinabalu. I did this cheaper option.

Getting to Serasa Ferry Terminal in Muara, Brunei

The ferry from Brunei to Labuan leaves from the Serasa Ferry Terminal on the easternmost tip of West Brunei, in the town of Muara. To get there, you can ride a bus to Muara from the bus terminal in Bandar Seri Begawan. In Muara, ride the bus to Serasa Ferry Terminal. This is the cheaper option but not very straightforward.

When I took the ferry to Labuan, I opted for the more convenient option of getting to Serasa Ferry Terminal which is booking a ride with Dart. Dart is a ride-hailing app in Brunei similar to Grab or GoJek. The process was straightforward – I used the Dart app, entered my pickup location and destination, and within minutes, a friendly driver was on his way to pick me up. The primary reason I took Dart was I thought I was pressed for time. It was already 8 in the morning and I thought the ferry leaves at 9:30 a.m. I spent about an hour the night before searching for the ferry schedule, but the information available on the internet was mostly written before the pandemic. I saw some say it’s 9:30 a.m., and others say it’s 12:30 p.m.

The Dart ride to Serasa Port was comfortable and stress-free. It cost me B$ 18.30 from Gadong to Serasa Port. The driver was courteous and spoke English really well. He told me that the ferry to Labuan was at 12:30 p.m., but I was already on my way to the port so I just went anyway. Along the way, I enjoyed glimpses of Brunei’s lush landscapes, making the journey feel like a part of the adventure. After around 20 minutes, we arrived at Serasa Port.

Brunei to Labuan Ferry Schedule and Ticket Price

I arrived at the ferry terminal before 9:00 a.m. The place was very quiet. The ticket counter was still closed. Even the shop selling snacks and souvenirs was still closed. After around 20 minutes of waiting, the ticket counter finally opened. I bought a ticket and was told that I had to be at the departure gate 30 minutes before departure time.

As of the time I traveled to Labuan which was on August 20, 2023, there is only one trip from Brunei to Labuan. It leaves Serasa Ferry Terminal at 1:00 p.m. and arrives in Labuan around 2:30 p.m. The ticket costs B$ 23. You also have to pay a B$ 2 passenger service charge.

There’s nothing to do at the ferry terminal so I decided to go for a walk. I saw that there’s a restaurant with good reviews 20 minutes walk so I decided to go check it out. It was really hot outside and my bag was a bit heavy because of the laptop. I was starting to regret my decision to go out but I was already halfway so I decided to continue. When I got there, the restaurant was closed. The staff said Sunday is their rest day. But I was able to buy Coke so I was fine with it. I still had the burger from the night before that I was not able to eat because I got full from the french fries.

After eating the burger, I walked back to the ferry terminal. I was no longer interested in checking out what was in that area because it was too hot.

Travel by Ferry from Brunei to Labuan

At around 12:10, they opened the departure gate and we queued at the immigration before boarding the ferry.

The ferry looked fine. It is airconditioned and the seats were okay. There is a toilet inside the ferry.

I fell asleep during the journey to Labuan, probably because I was too tired from the walk earlier. Also, I only had less than five hours of sleep the night before. Travel time from Serasa Ferry Terminal to Labuan is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

At the Labuan International Ferry Terminal, we had to pass by the immigration before getting out of the ferry terminal.

Traveling from Brunei to Labuan by ferry is not only convenient but also a memorable experience. If you’re planning a trip to Borneo, you might want to check out Labuan and consider this convenient option for a delightful adventure in this part of the world.

I hope this post helped you with your queries about traveling from Brunei to Labuan by ferry. Subscribe to my blog for more travel stories about my trip to Borneo. If you have any questions, feel free to write them down in the comments section. Follow my Facebook page @iwentanyways and Instagram accounts @iwentanyways and @tnadeperalta for updates.