different than the other South East Asian capitals
"Bandar Seri Begawan" - that sounds like the hero from an exotic fairy tale, but in reality this is the capital of the small state of Brunei in South East Asia. It has an estimated population of around 100,000 people. The life of the locals life pretty much concentrates on two pastimes: shopping and eating as there's absolutely no nightlife in the strict muslim country.
The center of the city is quiet, pleasant, greenery-dotted with a low-skyline that is decorated with minarets and neat arrangements of buildings. In short, the total contrast to the chaos of all the other Southeast Asian capitals.
Having a sweet Bruneian chauffeuse
The owner of the hostel offered me a ride to the city centre, but I declined because I had made contact with a young Bruneian woman on the internet who works as a private driver who had agreed to drive me to the sights of the city. Because of the poor public transport, it is of course very convenient to know someone who has a car.
With some insistence she finally arrived! This way I had a private Bruneian chauffeuse, very friendly and attractive in addition. She acted according to the principle "that the good things you do for others come back to you at some point".
One of the prettiest mosques in South East Asia
First she was taking me to Mahkota Jubli Emas Park. The park as well as the streets of Brunei are extremely clean, because whoever throws garbage into the environment risks high penalties.
We climbed up a small white bridge arch and from here we had the best view to the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. It is considered to be a landmark and one of the most beautiful and impressive mosques in the Asian-Pacific region. It is located on an artificial lagoon on the edge of the Brunei River. The mosque is named after the previous Sultan of Brunei and is considered the highest symbol of the Islamic faith in Brunei. The mosque consists of marble minarets and golden domes with numerous courtyards and fountains. It is surrounded by numerous trees and gardens, which represent the sky according to the Islamic faith.
To enter the mosque I had to put on a big long cape. Inside I could only enter a small closed-off area anyway, all the rest was reserved for the few praying Muslims.
Exploring the water village of Kampong Ayer
A long bridge connects the mosque with the water village Kampong Ayer, which we visited next. The houses are built of wood and mounted on stilts. The village is quite run down, so some of the wooden buildings and paths are a bit dilapidated, but you can guess that it was of great importance in former times.
In the past, Kampong Ayer was the main settlement of Brunei; it was the social and economic centre of the Bruneian Empire. The village even boasts schools, mosques, fire stations and police stations. This even gave the place the name "Venice of the East".
In the village we suddenly saw a little monkey, who was busy chewing his lunch right in front of our eyes.
Getting around by water taxi
A large part of the buildings is accessible on foot. Between the settlements, which have no connection to the shore or which are not connected, there are water taxis, wooden motorboats which transport passengers and goods for a ferry fee.
We took one of these water taxis to get back to the centre of the town. When we were waiting for the taxi, a lovely Bruneian grandmother was chatting to us. Some of her 70(!) grandchildren were fishing next to us. She kindly offered us delicious lemonade and insisted on taking a picture with me. It seems she hasn't seen tourists from other countries that often.
Deserted city center
To rest a little from the scorching heat of Brunei, we went to a restaurant. The choice in the centre is quite limited, so we went to a Pakistani (Indian) restaurant. Afterwards we walked further through the almost deserted centre. The Bruneians do not like to walk, especially not during the day. They prefer to travel by car or to stay in cool shopping malls.
We went to the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien Park, where sometimes huge processions are held. And later we visited a Chinese temple where preparations for a ceremony were being made as well as a shopping mile with a big shopping centre next door.
Sunset and night view of Brunei
For the sunset we drove to the luxury hotel "Empire Hotel", where the locals gather to get the best view of the setting sun. In the darkness we caught later a second view of the famous mosque in the city center, which was now nicely illuminated.
After dinner she drove me back to my hostel and she told me that she would actually charge about 100$ for this tour as a driver but she made an exception for me. I made new experiences that I never expected to make in Brunei.
Boring country? Certainly not for me!
The next day I rested a little from the previous exciting day. One day later I left Brunei and returned to Malaysia. My Bruneian friend dropped me off at the bus and I could see her smiling in her traditional Bruneian outfit that she was wearing at work.
Contrary to what others told me before, I did not find Brunei boring at all, but counted it my best and most unique travel impressions ever. Even when I look back now, I feel like I experienced an exotic fairy tale that took place in Bandar Seri Begawan.
The country feels authentic and unique, as only few tourists visit it. Most prefer the much cheaper neighbouring country Malaysia. For a day trip to the peaceful capital Bandar Seri Begawan or for eco-tourism in the Brunian rainforest, the country is definitely recommended! Maybe some people will think this country is boring but for me the joy of traveling defines itself over the people you meet in the particular place - and in that way I was certainly lucky here in Brunei.
Coming back to Brunei 1 year later
When I returned from Australia to Europe almost 1 year later with Royal Brunei Airlines, I made a short 2-day stopover in Brunei to enjoy the peace and quiet of this country once again.
