Brunei, you probably know the country from it’s ultra rich Sultan who is worth over $20 billion. Hassanal Bolkiah owns a boeiing 747-400 complete with a master bedroom and most importantly, solid gold sinks in the bathroom. If flying is not an option he can go for a ride in one of his 7,000 exclusive cars.
With a population of just over 428,000 Brunei isn’t exactly a huge country but it’s intriguing nevertheless. Think about it for a minute, the sultan owns a car for every 61 inhabitants. But besides the mind blowing luxury this country has some other cool stuff to offer.
1. Impressive mosques
During my time in the middle east I visited quite some mosques so I was not sure the ones in Brunei would leave a lasting impression. Once you have seen the mosques in places like Abu Dhabi and Oman, the bar is raised quite a bit.
But look at the ceiling above. Can you blame me for appreciating the beauty of the places of worship in Brunei? Traveling in a Muslim country again, hearing the call for prayer, it all brought back a lot of good memories from my 4 years living in Dubai.
Enough nostalgia, the most popular mosque on your list will probably be the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.
The other mosque worth checking out is the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. I only walked by after sunset but still manged to get some good views as it’s nicely lit up at night.
2. Tasting Ambuyat, the national dish of Brunei
Eating your way through a new country is one of the best ways to getting to know it. So the first night I walk in Terindak D’Seni which is a bit overpriced but the wide range of local Brunei dishes in an all you can eat formula is worth it.
As you can see I enjoy taking pictures of the towers of desserts before tasting all the main dishes. A bunch of tasty curries with tender meat is waiting for me. The most famous, and a must try, is the national dish of Brunei: Ambuyat. It’s a jelly substance made out of the interior of the sago palm.
Eating Ambuyat requires some newly acquired skills. Dip your bamboo sticks (chandas) in the substance and keep flipping it around until some of it sticks and then dip it in one of the sauces.
And although I am not a sweet tooth I make myself a promise to try all the desserts. from fluo looking jelly cakes to a mountain of shaved ice sprinkled with grenadine lava.
3. Trying to understand how rich the sultan is
Seeing the sultan’s 7,000 cars or his private Boeing is not possible so there is only one way to understand how rich he actually is: visiting The Royal Regalia Museum.
Sadly I was only allowed to take pictures of the “lobby” with one of the massive thrones in which the Sultan is carried around. There is also a miniature version of his Boeing 747.
The rest of the museum features a selection of expensive gifts from other other counties, a second golden throne and a miniature version of the main hall of what I think is the sultan’s palace. It’s a truly unique collection that leaves you flabbergasted. All this silver, gold and artwork must be worth an insane amount of money.
Enough bling bling for the day. I make my way to Brunei river and I spot a square with a massive picture of the Sultan.
4. Munching BBQ skewers at Gadong Night Market
I take a water taxi on the Brunei river to Gadong Night Market. The captain thinks he needs to win a speed boat race or something so it doesn’t take long before I arrive.
As I leave the taxi boat the sun sets while the call for prayer echoes in the streets of Brunei.
The smell and fumes of the many BBQs quickly reveal the location of the Gadong night market.
I roam around for a bit trying to figure out what the locals favorites are and then decide to try a few popular BBQ skewers. One of those foodie heaven moments!
Look at all this goodness, it would be a shame to not have a bite.
5. Exploring the water village Kampung Ayer
The water village (Kampung Ayer in Malay) in Brunei is said to be one of the largest stilt house settlements on this planet. Once you reach the river there will be many touristy boats waiting to show you around. Negotiate the price because they try to overcharge you.
As I float in between the houses, pass the insanely big royal palace (from a distance) I also spot some monkeys running on the the electricity cables of the water village.
6. Hipster food in Brunei at Alter Ego Fusion
It’s creative, it’s different and most likely Alter Ego Fusion is the place in Brunei to feed hungry hipsters.
It’s not that the food is exceptional but the atmosphere and unique dishes make it an interesting experience.
7. Getting around in Brunei with Dart
Forget about walking a lot in Brunei. I tried my luck and it was freaking dangerous. There are not always pavements but that’s compensated by an overload of manholes waiting for you to trip over and disappear.
Getting around by car is the only option but note that flagging a taxi is nearly impossible and apps like grab or uber do not work in Brunei. The solution is the local Brunei ride hailing app called Dart
8. Creative Coffee spots in Brunei
Sipping coffee is always a good idea and in Brunei there are a few interesting spots to do that. Next to Alter Ego Fusion there are few a little coffee bars with freshly baked desserts.
Closer to the city center there is Piccolo Cafe. They have gotten quite creative with options like lavender latte, dirty Chai and onde-onde latte.
Onde-onde is a traditional Malaysian cake infused with pandan juice and filled with palm sugar, rolled in fresh grated coconut. Go for it, try something new.
9. Local Brunei food at Aminah Arif Restaurant
Another good spot to try some local Brunei food is Aminah Arif Restaurant. As I already tried Ambuyat I went for the Chicken rice this time.
10. Flying Royal Brunei
If you are a loyal reader which I hope you are, then you figured out that I enjoy trying different airlines. So guess which airline i tried this time?
Spot on, Royal Brunei!
I was lucky to be on the Royal Brunei Airbus 320 which has a very luxurious feel to it. Service was super friendly. I got a full meal on the 2 hour flight and there was a good selection of in flight entertainment. Would definitely fly them again if the flights were a bit cheaper. The return ticket between Singapore and Brunei cost me $315 USD.
And that concludes my experience in Brunei, a small country that is nevertheless worth a visit. Let me know if you plan to explore this Sultanate after reading all this!
Where to stay in Brunei
I stayed at Badi’ah Hotel Brunei. For about 60 USD per night I got a massive room with 2 double beds and breakfast.
And when I turned on the TV I saw this music video which was quite interesting.
Summary of the Brunei bucket list
Below are all the places mentioned in this blog.
Places to see in Brunei
- Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque – map
- Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque – map
- Royal Regalia Museum – map
- Gadong Night Market – map
- Kampung Ayer (water village) – map
Places to eat and drink in Brunei
- Terindak D’Seni (local Buffet style) – map
- Aminah Arif Restaurant (local) – map
- Piccolo Cafe (coffee & food) – map
- Alter Ego Fusion (Brunei fusion food) – map