Patua Patau Water Village
five smiling children heads
over the water
Patau Patau Water Village
a splashing goodbye from children
in the sea
Patau Patau water village
piped in water and flush toilet
at the houses
Patau Patau Water Village
flowers brighten up
the wooden houses
At the South of Labuan Island is the Patau Patau water village where the Brunei Malays stay. There are a few hundred houses built on stilt over the coastal water. Wooden plank walkway winds here and there to different sections of the village where there is even a mosque. To brighten up the houses, the villagers have bright flowers at the fore of their houses, usually bourgainvillea. One striking find is that though it is a water village, they are still dependent on piped in water for survival. And what is even more surprising is that many of them have modern flush toilets. There is a pavilion where people can sit to enjoy the breeze. We imagine young couples dating there at night. The children waved us goodbye from the sea as we took our leave.
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