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The capital city of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan (Bandar), may be small but there is plenty to occupy the visitor for a day or two. The modern central business district is compact, nestled alongside the Brunei River and starkly contrasting with Kampung Ayer, a city of 30,000 people built on stilts over the water.
You can explore central Bandar on foot quite easily in a few hours. The town is dominated by the massive Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, a huge white and gold mosque set beside an artificial lake complete with artificial concrete boat. The calls to prayers for the city are made from here and broadcast by loudspeaker across Bandar. A short walk away is the Yayasan shopping complex, two large air conditioned malls separated by a pleasant boulevard and fountain.
There are several streets of commercial shops, restaurants leading down to the river foreshore which buzzes 24 hours a day with water taxis ferrying people back and forth across Kampung Ayer.
Bandar Seri Begawan and Kampung Ayer
Close to the River is a bustling little fresh food market selling all manner of fresh fruit, vegetables and dried foods.
To see all of Bandar's attractions a day tour is recommended even for those who don't usually like tours - getting about by cab to visit the sprawling city's attractions can be a pain. We took a half day tour at a cost of B$65 a head which turned out well as there where no other passengers in the minibus.
The tour covered Kampung Ayer (the water village) including a boat trip there and back and cakes and refreshments in a home in the village. 30,000 people live in this village on stilts which has schools, mosques, even a police and fire station - all on the water. These are no decrepit old shacks as in other water villages in Asia - the homes in Kampung Ayer are large, well furnished and appointed and very comfortable.
The tour also included a visit to the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkian Mosque - an enormous and beautiful mosque with seating for thousands, all in air conditioned comfort.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
The Sultan of Brunei's residential palace close to Bandar is massive but closed to visitors apart from a few days each year during the Hari Raya festival. We drove past the entrance which hints at the opulence within, although the best view of this place is from afar !
The tour took us to the interesting Royal Regalia Museum, which recreates the sultan's coronation ceremony and is a very impressive display. We also visited the Brunei Museum which has a few displays of village life but is mostly deserted and not really worth the trouble to visit.
Also worth visiting is Gadong, a suburb about 10 minutes from central Bandar. Here you will find a massive shopping mall with restaurants, cinemas and lots of bargains.
After 6 pm Bandar empties of people who either head home for dinner or head to the Yayasan centre to eat and shop. There are a few curry shops and noodle houses which stay open late, and several outdoor restaurants near the river. There are no pubs or bars in Brunei, so your only option for a drink is in your hotel room with your own duty free stocks.
Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkian Mosque
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