How to spend 2 days in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Brunei’s capital is known for Islamic architecture, the world’s largest floating village and the Gadong Night Market. Discover how to make the most of 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan if you’re a curious tourist.

Day one: Morning

Start the day early and get down to the compact city centre. Most attractions are within walking distance; it’s easy to see the best of the capital in the first morning of your 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan. First, head to Omar Ali Saifuddien, the capital’s most famous mosque. Snap a few photographs of its artificial lagoon and ceremonial royal barge. Next, stroll around the centre in loop ending at the Waterfront. Enjoy the views of the Brunei River and floating village. Piccolo Café sits near the Waterfront, which makes an ideal spot to cool down with a cold drink.

Day one: Afternoon

The sprawling conglomeration of stilted structures in the Brunei River is called Kampong Ayer. Known as the ‘Venice of the East’, it houses more than 13,000 residents. The world’s largest floating village has several villages along with their own mosques, shops and schools. Wooden boardwalks connect the villages above the water as speedboats ferry passengers from one place to the next. Water taxis cost around B$1 ($0.66 USD) from the Waterfront to Kampong Ayer.

Day one: Evening

In the early evening, head to The Mall Gadong. Apart from offering several floors of goods, it also provides an air-conditioned haven to escape from the stifling heat outside. Brunei has lower taxes compared to its neighbours, which makes designer clothes and electronics more affordable. You don’t have to visit the shopping centres on your 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan, but it does offer a window into the pastimes of locals. And you might be able to get that new phone or camera for a fraction of the price elsewhere.

Day two: Morning

Wake up bright and early and either hire a taxi or arrange a private driver from your hotel. First, head to Brunei’s largest mosque, Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah. Plan to spend 20 or 30 minutes strolling around the outside and snapping photographs. Next, visit Istana Nurul Iman, the Sultan’s official residence. With a total of 1,800 rooms, this is the world’s largest house. Get photographs from the river or at the nearby park.

Day two: Afternoon

At the time of writing in 2018, most of the museums in Brunei are free. This is the perfect excuse to soak up some of the local culture on your 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan. First, visit the Royal Regalia Museum in the city centre. This houses all the extravagant gifts given to the Sultan of Brunei in a two-storey, air-conditioned building. Visitors need to remove their shoes at the door and sadly you can’t take pictures. Other worthwhile museums in Bandar Seri Begawan include the colonial Twelve Roofs House and Brunei Museum.

Day two: Evening and night

Save the best for last: witnessing one of Borneo’s famous sunsets. Brunei doesn’t have an international reputation for white-sand beaches, but it does offer a few quiet spots along its South China Sea coastline. Muara Bach lies approximately 30 minutes from the capital by car. You might need to either hire a car or get a driver (there aren’t many buses and they stop running at 6:00 pm). After the sunset, return to the capital and enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants along the Waterfront overlooking Kampong Ayer.

See more: Discover the magnificent Brunei

Source: Internet 

7 reasons to visit Brunei

Brunei Darussalam on Borneo Island offers rainforests, some of Asia’s most beautiful mosques and almost a complete lack of tourists. But sadly, the tiny Sultanate does not register on most travellers’ radars. Here are the reasons to visit Brunei and why you should put it on your Southeast Asian itinerary.

1, Brunei is far from touristy

Brunei may not have the allure of other more popular travel destinations in Asia but one thing you can be sure that it is absolutely not touristy. You can explore the city of Bandar Seri Begawan on foot or visit attractions without literally rubbing elbows with other tourists. A lot of people may find this a disadvantage but come to think of it, this also means no opportunistic individuals like taxi drivers or tour operators who prey on unsuspecting tourists. Plus, the attractions will not be crowded and there will be no one to ruin your best shots of a mosque or the Sultan’s palace with perfectly timed photobombs.

2, Brunei is supremely safe and clean

Brunei is an amazing destination hardwired for solo travelers and for those traveling abroad for the first time. Not only does it exude a peaceful charm, but it is supremely safe as well, making it the perfect destination for folks traveling solo. As a matter of fact, the crime rate in Brunei is so low that you can explore its capital freely, even solo at night. What’s more, the consumption of alcohol is illegal for Muslims and strictly restricted for non-Muslims, meaning you are less likely to bump into drunken people behaving disorderly in Brunei.

3, Food is awesome in Brunei

The food in Brunei is a mix of Indian, Malaysia, Singaporean, Chinese, and Indonesian cuisines. Must-try food during your visit are nasi goreng, ayam penyet, roti, kolo mee, chicken laksa meehoon, nasi katok, rending, and assam pedas.

Brunei has an emerging food scene so you will not have a problem finding good halal or non-halal restaurants and eateries.

4, An affordable cultural experience

It has no secret that the Sultan of Brunei bathes in wealth and lives a well-documented opulent lifestyle. But he also makes substantial investments into the country. As a result, many of the attractions and museums (at the time of writing in 2018) are free. Water taxis to and from Kampong Ayer typically cost B$1 ($0.66) too.

5, There are plenty of attractions in Brunei

They say there is not much to do in Brunei for foreign travelers. But, guess what? There are dozens of places to visit, fabulous sights and incredibly fun things to do in Brunei for Pinoy travelers. From photography connoisseurs to casual sightseers, Pinoy travelers will love the country’s collection of attractions and diversions, including Kampung Ayer, Sultan’s Palace (Istana Nurul Iman), Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkia Mosque and Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.

Additionally, the country has a handful of treasure troves that will give you a deeper insight of its history and culture, including Malay Technology Museum, the Brunei Museum and Regalia Royal Museum.

6, Shopping is the favourite pastime in Brunei

Because nightlife is close to nonexistent in Brunei, shopping is arguably Brunei’s favourite pastime. There are markets, malls, and shopping centres to satisfy your retail therapy needs. Not to be missed during your trip to Brunei is the shopping scene at Gadong, the commercial centre in Brunei that is about 5 kilometres away from Bandar Seri Begawan. Check out the ‘The Mall,” an eight-storey shopping and entertainment complex.

7, Good location

Another one of our top reasons to visit Brunei relates to its location next to Malaysian Borneo. The tiny slither of land lies sandwiched between Sarawak. Buses connect Miri to Bandar Seri Begawan within two hours. Daily flights pass between cities in both Sabah and Sarawak. Visitors can take the ferry from Bandar Seri Begawan to duty-free Labuan too.

See more: Visit the most stunning mosques in Brunei

Source Internet

Visit the most stunning mosques in Brunei

Brunei hosts some of Asia’s most beautiful examples of Islamic architecture, blending traditional and futuristic elements with elegance. Take a look at our article to admire these absolutely stunning mosques.

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is the pride of Bandar Seri Begawan. With marble minarets and a gold dome, it presents a modern Islamic style. Look closely at this grand structure and see a mixture of Malay and Mughal elements. Floral gardens surround the exterior, while an artificial lagoon acts as a reflecting pool. Inside, Saudi Arabian carpets cover the floors as British chandeliers hang from ceilings. We recommend visiting from the Waterfront and snapping a photo of the mosque next to its 16th-century Royal Barge.

Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah

The 29 golden domes on Brunei’s largest mosque honour the nation’s 29th and current sultan. Located a short drive from central Bandar Seri Begawan in Kampong Kiarong, the mosque is an architectural masterpiece. Landscaped gardens and fountains surround the exterior as minarets soar 52 metres (190 feet) into the air. A total of 5,000 worshipers can pray inside the artistic interior at any one time.

Ash-Shaliheen Mosque

Ash-Shaliheen Mosque looks like something straight from Marrakesh. The Moroccan-styled structure opened in 2012 and sits next to the Prime Minister’s Office. Turquoise domes complement its sandstone-coloured walls. Renowned Egyptian architect Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil blends traditional North African elements with a contemporary flair. An attractive courtyard filled with fountains surround the mosque. Step inside and find a mosaic of hand-chiselled tiles decorating the walls with Moroccan chandeliers.

University Mosque

The University Mosque in Brunei caters to local students and nearby villagers. With a stilted appearance and pointy golden-brown roofs, it manifests a simple yet modern design. A beautifully-tiled archway forms the entrance to the complex. Step inside to the brightly-lit prayer hall holding up to 1,800 worshippers.

Masjid Kampung Mosque

Masjid Kampung Kulapis in the village of the same name presents a typical example of a rural mosque in Brunei. The small white-washed structure caters mostly to the residents in the nearby communities. Arches don the exterior as an almost futuristic-looking minaret soars behind. Admire the blue patterned main entrance.

See more: How to spend 2 days in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Source: Internet

The interesting facts you might not know about Brunei

The Sultanate of Brunei is a very small Southeast Asian country located in the island of Borneo. It shares a border with Malaysia, and is a few hours’ drive from Miri and Limbang in the Malaysian State of Sarawak. The capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, is about 228 kilometres away from Kota Kinabalu, roughly 6 hours by land.

Brunei is not popular to tourists.

The first reason is that it is well and truly off the beaten track. Brunei does not get many tourists. Brunei has the oldest ruling Islamic monarchy in Southeast Asia. This is reflected in the number of mosques around the country. A trip to this small Sultanate should be on the list of any enthusiastic traveller.

Brunei gives you an immersive cultural experience.

Because you are able to explore Brunei at a leisurely pace, your cultural experience is more authentic. The economy is not dependent on the tourism industry, so the attractions exist to preserve culture and tradition. There are no massive integrated tourist traps that attempt to attract and milk money from foreign visitors. You get to experience the country’s traditional culture by observing the locals, dining at a local eatery, or visiting mosques and museums at your own pace. Unlike other cities in Asia, you do not have to travel to a remote village to experience Brunei’s culture as well.

Brunei is supremely safe and clean.

Brunei is an amazing destination hardwired for solo travelers and for those traveling abroad for the first time. Not only does it exude a peaceful charm, but it is supremely safe as well, making it the perfect destination for folks traveling solo. As a matter of fact, the crime rate in Brunei is so low that you can explore its capital freely, even solo at night. What’s more, the consumption of alcohol is illegal for Muslims and strictly restricted for non-Muslims, meaning you’re less likely to bump into drunken people behaving disorderly in Brunei.

You do not need to keep paying.

Oil made the Sultan and Brunei rich. Tourists do not need to keep paying entrance fees. Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, and the Royal Regalia Museum are all free.

People treat you well.

The people in Brunei were nice and showed us great hospitality. This includes not only the local Bruneians but also the migrant workers from Indonesia. You will be treated with the utmost level of respect.

Read more: Visit the most stunning mosques in Brunei

Food is awesome in Brunei .

The food in Brunei is a mix of Indian, Malaysia, Singaporean, Chinese, and Indonesian cuisines. Must-try foods during your visit are nasi goreng, ayam penyet, roti, kolo mee, chicken laksa meehoon, nasi katok, rending, and assam pedas.

Brunei has an emerging food scene so you will not have a problem finding good halal or non-halal restaurants and eateries.

Source Internet