Staying in Kingdom of Unexpected treasures for three to five days is not enough to visit all the popular tourist spots in the country because some of the places are more than two hours from the capital city of Brunei.
Therefore, it is better to spend first your time in Bandar Seri Begawan before going to other districts of Negara Brunei Darussalam if you enough remaining time to do so. This is a good idea if you have DIY short-time visit in Negara Brunei Darussalam.
1. BSB City Walk
I personally consider the place where the Royal Regalia Museum and the Haji Omar Saifudin Mosque are located to be the heart of Bandar Seri Begawan because these are the two must-visit spots when you travel to Brunei.You can start your city walk by exploring the Haji Omar Saifudin Mosque then proceed to Yayaysan SHHB Complex, where Hua Ho Department Store is also located. The complex and mosque are just adjacent to each other.
 |
| Mercu Dirgahayu 60 (Monument) |
From Lapau, you may proceed to the Tamu Kiangeh where you can find fruits and vegetables, local traditional handicrafts such as hand-made parang (machete) or tudung dulang (decorative food cover), "siraung" or extra-large circular hats, hand-woven baskets and trays, pots and vases for sale.
Near the Tamu Kiangeh is the bus station where you can find different colors of public utility busses. Every color signifies the route that the bus takes.
If you will be tired of walking around the city, the Burger King and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf are just a stone's throw away from the bus station.
2. Water Taxi Ride
Water taxi is the leading means of transportation in the water village or kampong ayer. You can take a ride from Yayasan (BSB) to Kiulap for only B$1.00 (per person) or you can pay for B$5.00 and take a tour around water village. |
| Employees of Hua Ho Department Store riding a water taxi. |
The ride will allow you to see the back portion of Sultan's palace, mosque in kampong ayer, and other building built in the water, and have a closer look of the houses above the water.
3. Shopping for Souvenir
One of my favourite stores to visit when looking for cheap stuff like souvenirs is the Happy Star. You can identify the store by the smiling star logo.There are also souvenir shops in Yayasan complex, Hua Ho Department Store and other shopping canters but they are little bit expensive.
You can also buy souvenirs inside the Royal Regalia Museum. So make sure to check the small souvenir counter in the lobby when you visit the museum.
4. Tastes Local Delicacy
There are many restaurants in the BSB that serve local delicacy but if you want to taste the authentic Bruneian dish, it is better if you have a friend in the country who can invite you to his or her home to try the homemade local food but if you are not lucky enough, you can find some local stuff to eat at Tamu Selera.Some of the popular local foods are Ambuyat, Nasi Katok and Rendang, which for my opinion has an exotic taste. The ambuyat has quite bland taste but for the sake of experience and record, you should try it.
5. Visit Other Beautiful Spots
Some of the spots in Bandar Seri Begawan alone may take 15 to 30 minutes travel from any hotel in the country; so it is up to you which place you will visit depending on your priority. Here are some of the popular spots in BSB:• Agro Technology Park
• Empire Hotel and Country Club
• Jerudong Park
• Jerudong Polo Club
• Walk at Persiaran Damuan
• Visit Istan Nurul Iman (Gate Only)
• Tasek Lama
• Malay Technology Museum
• Brunei Museum
• Jame'asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
• Bukit Subok Recreation Park (close at the moment)
• Pasar Gadong
• Brunei River (Mangrove Tour)
• Chinese Temple
If you have long vacation in the country, you can also visit other tourist destinations in the other district of Brunei.
No comments:
Post a Comment