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The best spot to settle down for lunch or a drink in Bandar Seri Begawan is on the waterfront. The Brunei River is a hive of noisy activity all day long, in stark contrast to the laid back atmosphere of the city's streets.
Water taxis in the form of high powered speedboats ply the river day and night, offering rides for tourists and transporting the locals to and from the city and Kampung Ayer, the water village across the river.
We chose the Portview restaurant on the waterfront which has excellent views of all the action. From here you are hailed continuously by the water taxi boatsmen, urging you to take a trip with them.
The water taxis zip around by the dozen, at high speed, amazingly without hitting each other or the low bridges they pass under. You can, if you bargain well, explore the river and Kampung Ayer for around B$20 to $25 for an hour. A trip across to Kampung Ayer will set you back about B$5, although lower prices apply for Kampung Ayer residents.
You can see Kampung Ayer clearly from the opposite side of the river.....a city on stilts which houses 30,000 people and has its own mosque, schools, stores, police and fire stations. If you get the chance to visit a home in Kampung Ayer, take it ! If you are polite you can expect an invitation for tea and cakes from someone - the people of Kampung Ayer have a deserved reputation for hospitality.
We visited a family at Kampung Ayer and were astounded at just how spacious and well appointed the homes are. Our host's lounge room had very comfortable seating for dozens of people - forget images of rickety homes on stilts, Kampung Ayer homes are well built with all modern comforts and amenities including running water and power.
The waterfront is also home to a bustling market (opposite the Brunei Hotel and across the foot bridge) which sells fresh fruit and vegetables and dried produce. Around the corner from the market is an outdoor restaurant on the riverfront which is open in the evenings.
Further along the waterfront is Brunei's ferry terminal servicing international departures to Labuan Island and other destinations in nearby Sabah state in Malaysia.
From the river you can get an excellent view of the Sultan of Brunei's massive golden palace, nestled amongst the greenery on the far side of the bay. You also get a good view of the low hills surrounding the city. From the river itself you get an excellent view of Bandar Seri Begawan's city skyline which is small but scenic with the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque dominating the skyline.
As Brunei is a "dry" country, you can't get a beer to enjoy on the waterfront but several restaurants have a wide range of fruit juice cocktails and iced drinks. None of the waterfront restaurants are cheap but they are affordable and remember you are paying for the view!
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HOTEL RESERVATIONS 
