Cities Visited: Bandar Seri Begawan
Dates Visited: May 4 – 7, 2019
Introduction
To be honest, I never heard of Brunei just a month before my visit. It was a spontaneous decision to launch Google Maps and almost-randomly pick a Southeast Asian country for my last weekend trip during exchange. And that is how I landed in Brunei. With just a mere three days though, it was one of my shorter trips during the semester yet one of the most tranquil. Here’s how I did it.
Arriving
Brunei International Airport (BWN)
Most likely, you’ll be flying into Brunei via its only international airport located in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. Right off the bat, you’re greeted with an elegant and clean airport with bilingual signs in Arabic and English. In my case arriving on a late-night flight, the airport was mostly deserted with little sign of life.
Immigration/Customs
With relatively few foreign tourists (278 thousand in 2018), Brunei avoids the hours-long, disorganized, and often chaotic immigration lines that unfortunately plagues over-touristed nations (looking at you Suvarnabhumi with 36 million). Less than 5 minutes in line, one or two cursory generic questions, and I was stamped on my way out of the checkpoint.
Currency
Brunei uses the Brunei Dollar (common denominations in circulation are 1,5,10,50, and 100 dollars). The Singaporean Dollar is accepted in Brunei 1:1 to the local Brunei Dollar though. I only saw one currency exchange in Brunei – at the airport although ATMs are widely available in malls, hotels, and other tourist hubs. Major credit cards are usually accepted at most stores.
Taxis/Rideshare
Once you exit immigration, there is a taxi stand by the airport as well as the “Dart” ride-share application to call a ride. During my trip, my Airbnb host/tour guide assisted in ground transportation and thus, I have no experiences with taxis in Brunei to share. My host did mention that there are only a handful of taxis though so be prepared to wait.
SIM Cards/Wi-Fi
SIM Cards are quite expensive in Brunei with the cheapest being around ~$20US at the airport kiosk. I didn’t find them necessary during my trip since the AirBNB had Wi-Fi and I was always accompanied by my tour guide who had cellular service.
Sightseeing
Royal Regalia Museum:
Free to visit and good for history lovers. The exhibits mainly focus on the Sultan, his life story, and various gifts given to him by world leaders.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque:
The most famous mosque in Brunei with a dome made out of pure gold built by the 28th Sultan. Outside of prayer times, you can walk in and have a visit. Dress code applies though.
Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque:
The second most famous and largest mosque in Brunei built by the current Sultan. Similar to the OAS Mosque, you can visit the mosque outside prayer times with proper dress code.
Istana Nurul Iman:
Brunei’s version of the “White House” or “Buckingham Palace” etc. The current Sultan is in residence here and while visitors are not allowed, it’s often a quick photo stop for tourists. 3 days a year, the royal palace is open to visitors after Ramadan though where the Sultan and his wife greet each visitor personally with gifts.
Kampong Ayer:
The largest residential water village in the world – only accessible by boat. Kampong Ayer is an entire full-fledged community whose houses rest on stilts in the water as it did centuries ago. My trip included a boat ride around the floating village where many of the residents call home. I’m told that an AirBNB listing exists in Kampong Ayer.
Food/Drink
Ambuyat:
Brunei’s national dish made of water and a sticky starch-like from the sago palm tree (think tapioca starch consistency ) – served with a sour and spicy cacah dip. If you’re up for an adventurous eating experience, I recommend giving ambuyat a try. Visit Aminah Arif Restaurant for this.
Chicken Rice:
Whether it’s Singapore, Malaysia, or Brunei: chicken rice is a ubiquitous yet so deliciously simple dish of poached chicken, seasoned rice, and chili sauce. I still maintain that the best chicken rice is at Tian Tian in Singapore but Brunei’s Thien Thien comes in at a close second.
Gadong Night Market:
Being a dry country, there’s not much to do in Brunei at night except the delicious Gadong Night Market. Around 4PM each day, vendors setup their stalls selling delicious bites of local cuisine (fruit juices, nasi lemak, chicken rice, satay, rice cakes, and more) just in time for dinner. Cash only and items usually cost $1-$5BND each. Give the “Tongkeng satay” a try but don’t ask me what it is first.
Local Transportation
In majority of cases, I often recommend that travelers create their own paths and stay away from packaged tours as much as possible. However, in Brunei being a solo traveler can be and is quite daunting. Why?
Brunei, despite its wealth and resources, has very little in public transportation infrastructure. The bus system, limited in routes, frequency, and hours can be a challenge to decipher – not to mention there is no metro/subway system. My host told me of a few horror stories that previous tourists had while attempting to use the bus system. I strongly advise to rent a car/hire a driver/go on a tour coach during your Brunei trip. It will make your experience much much better.
To get to the Kampong Ayer village, you must rent a boat. Best to ask a local tour guide or company for help with this.
Accommodation
Amy and Devin’s AirBNB:
For about $30US/night, you can stay in the same AirBNB I did. Amy and Devin were amazing hosts/tour guides for my short visit. The location is quiet and away from the main city center, so do keep that in mind.
The Empire Brunei:
For about $250US+/night, you can live the life of royalty with a splurge at The Empire. Unfortunately, I could not afford a stay but I visited for high tea one day. Simply put, this was one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve seen in the world. Often one of two “7-star hotel” in existence, The Empire was originally constructed for guests of the royal family before being converted to a high-end resort. Worth a visit to try the shockingly affordable (and delicious) afternoon high tea buffet though.
