The main city in Brunei Darussalam is the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. It’s a city that is obviously rich, with impressive mosques and public buildings, wide roads and the magnificent Sultan’s Palace. It’s a smart city, but surprisingly quiet, for a South Asian capital - the entire city seems to go to sleep by about 9pm.
Other towns in Brunei include Temburong, an excellent base camp for treks into the lowland tropical forests of the country; Tutong, a popular beach generally considered the best in Brunei; Seria and Kuala Belait. Other than Bandar Seri Begawan, there are no actual `cities’- most of the other urban settlements are just large enough to qualify as towns.
The Omar Ali Saiffudien Mosque is easily the most magnificent symbol of Brunei’s Islam. The mosque rises to an impressive height, its golden dome (52 m) can be seen from all parts of Bandar Seri Begawan. The mosque was constructed in 1958 within an artificial lagoon on the bank of the Brunei River. Its interiors are the epitome of luxury, beautiful carpets, Italian marble and an elevator that goes up to the top of the 54m high minaret.
The world’s largest water village, Kampung Ayer, extends on both sides of the Brunei River. It’s a village consisting of houses on stilts, and it has close to 30,000 inhabitants. The village isn’t actually one settlement, but a collection of 28 separate villages, most of which have literally been around for centuries. It’s worth a visit, and if you want a closer look, water taxis can be hired which take you into the heart of the village.
Jerudong Park is accessible only to the elite- it’s entry only by invitation, for Jerudong is the Sultan’s favourite polo ground. There are other facilities round about too, including a golf course, trapshooting and croquet, but the public is barred from all. However, next to the `invitees only’ zone is one of Brunei’s most popular amusement facilities, the Jerudong Park.
Basically a playground gone wild, it’s got boats, rides, a shooting gallery, swings, a mini train, carousels and lots more. It’s visited by hundreds everyday, and is generally a big hit with children. Jerudong Beach lies behind the park and is a nice place to see some spectacular views- the cliffs here are lovely.
One of the country’s best museums, the Brunei Museum overlooks its namesake, the Brunei River. Located atop a hill at Jalan Kota Batu, the museum has a unusual architecture- the exterior has been decorated with tombstones from the surrounding areas. The museum has a good collection of exhibits related to Brunei- its arts, crafts and national history. Amongst the best exhibits on display are the carpets, the jewellery, the ceramics and glass, and the collection of Islamic art. There’s actually a large exhibition of gilded Korans, all richly decorated.
Brunei’s most easy-to-reach rainforest, the Peradayan Forest Reserve is best known for its nocturnal species- among them, squirrels, moon rats, mouse deer and tree shrews. Unless you’re an avid wildlife fan, you’re unlikely to catch a glimpse of any of these, but there are lots of birds around (especially hornbills) and the walk through the forest is worth it. The Reserve contains two of Brunei’s peaks, Bukit Peradayan and Bukit Patoi.
Other places worth visiting include museums like the Arts & Handicrafts Centre; the Royal Regalia Building housing the regalia- chariot, armoury, jewels and all of the Sultan and the Brunei Historical Centre. The Temburong (Kuala Belalong) Field Studies Centre, the main base for treks into Brunei’s rainforests; the Sungei Liang Forest Reserve in Belait District is excellent for nature lovers and Pantai Tuton (close to the town of Tutong) is a must for beach buffs. If you want a glimpse of traditional Malay `long houses' (community dwellings) you could go to Batang Duri on the Temburong River. Close by are the Taman Batang Duri Zoo and Temburong’s Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre.