Istana Nurul Iman

Istana Nurul Iman, Brunei — the Sultan of Brunei's residence and the largest residential palace on Earth, its golden domes visible across the capital from the Brunei River.

The palace itself is closed to the public year-round except during Hari Raya, when tens of thousands queue to shake the Sultan's hand and receive a small gift inside its 1,700-plus rooms. The rest of the year, view it from a river cruise or from Kampong Ayer across the water, and pair the visit with the gold-domed Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque nearby.