Attractions

Brunei-Muara District

Sultan Omar Ali Saiffuddien Mosque

 With its soaring minarets and golden dome, the Sultan Omar Ali Saiffuddien Mosque is an oasis of tranquility within the bustle of downtown Bandar. Completed in 1958, it is built of Italian marble, gold, mosaic and English stained glass, but with craftsmanship that reflects classical Islamic architecture. 

Sultan Omar Ali Saiffuddien is regarded as the architect of modern Brunei. The name of the mosque was given after the name of the 28th sultan of Brunei which is the father of His Majesty who ruled Brunei at this moment.

Beside the mosque and anchored in a lagoon is a replica of a 16th century Mahligai, or royal barge, where religious ceremonies such as Holy Qur'an readings were staged during the 1960s and early 1970s.

visitors may go inside the mosque but are asked to leave their shoes before entering and to exercise due consideration for people praying. Women are advised to cover their heads and dress conservatively. 

Visiting Hours 
Sunday to Wednesday:  8 am - 5.30 pm
The mosque is closed to non-Muslims during prayer times and functions and  on Thursday and Fridays 


 Kampong Ayer

For at least 600 years, Bruneians harvested the bounty of the sea, forging a way of life that is still strongly evident in the lives of the 30 000 inhabitants of Kampong Ayer, the capital's sprawling water village.

Here, the village's centuries-old web of homes, markets, mosque, schools, medical clinics and police station and fire station hovers on stilts over the shallows of the Brunei River. Even today, water taxis are the most efficient and popular means of negotiating the Kampong's labyrinthine waterways. From their prows, one could see the mosque's glistening minarets rising above multi hued, garden draped homes.

Brunei has not been spared the encroachment of high technology and high-flying aspirations, but beyond the cold blinking faces of computer screens and beneath the hum of modems, Kampong Ayer's heart still dances to an ancient rythm.

A must visit place in Kampong Ayer is the Mini Museum in Kampong Saba. It proudly displays traditional handcrafted  brassware and you can view them at the residence of Haji Mahmud bin Haji Mohamad at No. 159D, Kampong Saba Laut, Mukim Saba. The visitors may wander along the Kampong's pathways at appropriate hours.

The Royal Regalia Building

 Situated at the heart of Bandar, The Royal Regalia Building and its unique collection of royal Bruneian artefacts was established to commemorate the 1922 Silver Jubilee of His Majesty's accession to the throne.

The ceremonial regalia on display includes the coronation and Silver Jubilee chariots, gold and silver ceremonial armoury and traditional jewel-encrusted coronation crowns. As an exhibition documenting the history of Brunei's constitution may also be inspected. 

Visiting Hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9 am - 4.30pm
Friday: 9 am - 11.30 am & 2.30pm -4.30pm
Shoes are to be removed before entering.

Tamu Kianggeh?Kianggeh Market

  Tamu means market and Bandar;s tamu is on the banks of teh Kianggeh River. Here is where you'll find variety of local produce. Among the items you may find are medicinal herbs and local delicacies. Handicraft shoppers may find good bargains here. Good buys include Tudung Dulang (Decorative food cover), Pemarang (machete-like-knife) and local foods like Kueh Cincin and Jala. 

Tamu kianggeh is open from early morning until late evening. Other tamu and night food stalls of interest are located in Gadong and opposite Terrace Hotel.

Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation Complex

   An amalgamation of traditional and modern architectural styles, the Yayasan Complex, as it is locally known, is one of the capital's most popular shopping venues.

Paved with cooling, polished granite around the central fountain, the Yayasan Complex's colonnaded walkway offers picturesque views of the Sultan Omar Ali Saiffudien to the west and Kampong Ayer to the east.

The shopping complex was opened in July 1996, and features designer-goods boutiques, department store shopping and fine-dining venues. 

The Yayasan Shopping Complex is a project of His Majesty to generate revenue for a foundation dedicated to the welfare of the Bruneian people.  


Tutong District  
Merimbun Heritage Park

  Birdwatchers, botanists and nature lovers will
appreciate the jungle tracks and the peaceful
ambience surrounding brunei's largest lake
Tasek merimbun.

Sponsored by HSBC , and administered by the Brunei Museum, the park aims to provide a safe haven for protected wildlife to breed., preserve flora and fauna and to provide a base for scientific research and study.

The small island in the center of this unusual s-shaped body of water can be reached via a wooden walkway. Here, picnic pavilion facilities fashioned from logs enhance the enjoyment of this restful spot. Chalet facilities for researches are available nearby. Merimbun Heritage park is about an hour's drive from Bandar.

Tamu Tutong Kampong Serambagun

  Just one km from Tutong;s town center, this large, colourful open tamu offers produce from the inland forest, and vendors travel to the market as much to purchase supplies as to sell their own wares. The tamu is open only on the Thursday and there will traffic and busy with the crowded of people and car.






Temburong District
Separated from the rest of the nation by Brunei bay and a silver of Sarawak territory, Temburong hovers to the north-west of Bandar Seri Begawan, beckoning visitors to take the short step into another world.

Kuala Belalong Mini Park
Opened on 22 July 1993, when His Majesty visited on his 47th birthday, Kuala Belalong Mini Park's  gardens incorporate a number of attractions echoing the renowned Kuala Belalong Field Studies Center.

     The park is located about a kilometer from the heart of the district's main town, Bangar, near the Temburong Civic Center Padang. Its features include a pond used for remote-controlled boat racing and six Pondok (huts) of similar design to those at the Kuala Belalong Field Studies Center. Three huts house pictorial records of His Majesty's Temburong visit and the activities of the local people, while the other three house findings made at the Kuala Belalong Field Studies Center.

The Park is an excellent alternative for those unable to visit the more remotely located Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre.

Bukit Patoi Recreational Park

  Located within the Peradayan Forest Reserve, the Bukit Patoi Recreational Park is about 15km from Bangar town in the direction of Labu. With its unusual cave and rock formations, Peradayan Forest Recreational Park 's 1,070ha territory is also home to a variety of readily seen wildlife such as Borneo 's native Kijang (deer).

The reserve encompasses the twin hills of Bukit Peradayan, which rises to 410 m (1225ft) and Bukit Patoi at 310m (950ft) above sea level. The patch of level stone on Bukit Patoi's summit is used as helipad, and cooled by a pleasant breeze, it's also a view deck from which to enjoy panoramic views of the jungle, sea and villages and fields of neighbouring Sarawak. It takes about two hours to negotiate the 1.6km winding trek to the park.  

Belait District
Continuing south-west from Tutong, the coastal highway leads to Belait, the largest and most southerly of Brunei's four district. Belait district is the production base of the nation's main export commodities - oil and gas.
The Labi Longhouses

    Further down the Labi Road, past kampong Labi itself, the forest gives way to several examples of a form of dwelling unique to the island of Borneo, the Iban longhouse. Literally a village under one roof, a longhouse consists of a single shed-like structure divided along its length into separate family lodgings, each of which is accessed via a communal area running the length of the building. This communal area is the venue for the village population's social and daily indoor work activities.

The nearest Longhouse to the town of Labi is Rampayah Longhouse which is divided into 16 lodgings. Others include the Mendaram Besar Longhouse, Mendaram Kecil  Longhouse and at the end of the road, Teraja Longhouse.

The Iban were the once feared head hunters of Borneo. These days, visitors are always warmly welcomed. Etiquette requires that visitors present their village hosts with a small gift and seek formal permission before entering. Upon being granted permission, footwear should be removed. 

Several trails head off into the jungle along this stretch of the road. They are clearly marked  and signposted  and direct hikers through tracts of primary rainforest to various waterfalls and elevated viewing areas. The walks are relatively undemanding and guides are not necessary, but for safety reasons, local advice should be sought.

Oil and Gas Discovery Center

  Located just five minutes from Seria town center, the OGDC, as the locals call it, is an interactive science center set up by Brunei Shell Petroleum. It aims to stimulate interest in the petroleum industry and also to spur new explorations into science and technology. 

There is a landscaped garden with paved walkways, a koi fish pond and children's playground in the grounds.
Visiting Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 9 am - 5 pm
Friday: 10 am - 12pm & 2 pm - 6 pm
Weekend & Public Holidays: 10am - 6pm