Brunei is a thriving country that is slowly starting to make its mark as a tourist destination in Asia.  Tourists go out of their way to cross the border to enter Brunei Darussalam to explore this wonderful country and have a bit of rest and relaxation in comfortable hotels like the Orchid Garden Bandar Seri Begawan Hotel.  This hotel is located in a strategic section of the city close to both leisure and business destinations.

After visiting numerous tourist attractions in Brunei like majestic mosques and interesting floating villages like Kampong Ayer, visitors must not pass up the opportunity to go on a food trip of different local delicacies that this prosperous country can offer.

Dishes that are served in Brunei are quite similar to the kinds of food that are offered in neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia.  Because of this, local Brunei cuisine is said to be a melting pot of sorts or a fusion of the different dishes of the surrounding countries.  You can have a Malay breakfast then enjoy extremely tasty Indian food for lunch and end your day with delicious Chinese food for Dinner.  This is how you can make the most out of your food tripping in Brunei.  There are a lot of spicy flavors and there in a regular sit-down meal, it is normal to have both rice and noodles.

If you would like to try some local food in Brunei then you need not look far as delicacies can be found in food stalls and in traditional restaurants in shopping centers.  But there is this one particular local delicacy in Brunei that all visitors must be adventurous enough to try.  I am actually referring to Ambuyat.

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Posted in Brunei, Food |

Whenever I visit a new place, I make it a point to explore as much as I can…on foot. I firmly believe that nothing beats roaming around in a strange place and trying to discover new and exciting things while walking. I feel that I might leave some stones unturned if I just rely on riding taxi cabs to get from one place to another.

So when we were in Brunei, we did a walking tour of Bandar Seri Begawan. It is highly recommended that you do the same even if coming from hotels like the Centrepoint Hotel Bandar Seri Begawan.

Our walking tour first brought us to the village on stilts called Kampong Ayer where about ten percent of Brunei’s population lives. From Kampong Ayer, we also got a good view of the majestic mosque called the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque. We walked some more and passed through different street alleys and crossed several streets. We came across several cultural centers, tourist attractions, historical sites and a lot of wonderful architectural structures that will make you say “Wow!” After about thirty minutes of leisurely walking, we finally saw a glimpse of the tiled dome of our destination – the Royal Regalia Museum.

The Royal Regalia Museum is the most famous museum in all of Brunei and it is one of culturally significant places in the country. This museum is located right at the center of Bandar Seri Begawan and was constructed back in 1992. This was built to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sultan of Brunei.

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Posted in Attractions, Brunei |

There are so many places in Asia that are listed in “Top Places to Visit.” Unfortunately, one would seldom see Brunei Darussalam in this list. It seems that people hesitate to visit this rich country.  Because of this, only very few get to experience true blue Bruneian hospitality and culture.

When visiting Brunei, visitors can choose from a number of accommodations. There are luxurious ones like The Empire Hotel and Country Club where you can literally live like a sultan for a day. There are also the less expensive hotels like the Traders Inn Bandar Seri Begawan which would be suitable for those who are a bit budget conscious.

Aside from relaxing accommodation, one can also count on Brunei Darussalam when it comes to both breathtakingly beautiful attractions and interesting sights that one does not get to see every day.  My partner and I were on our way to visit the classy Yayasan Shopping Complex when we chanced upon a place that really made us pause and take a second look. The place that caught our attention was the Water Village (Malay: Kampong Ayer) which is also known to some as the “Venice of the East.”   This village, over a century old, is located in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan and can be found right in the middle of the Brunei River.

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Posted in Attractions, Brunei |

One of the worst things you can do in a foreign country is make a social mistake that deems you, in the eyes of residents, nothing more than an ignorant tourist. While some mistakes may only slightly offend your host or the person you area dealing with, some may result in incredibly embarrassing situations, severe anger, or public outrage.

The country of Brunei is located on the shores of the Island of Borneo and is the only sovereign country located on the island. The official name, Negara Brunei Darussalam, loosely translates to “The Country of Brunei, Abode of Peace.”

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Posted in Brunei |

Touring the Empire Hotel and Country Club was the perfect introduction to the beauty of Brunei. The luxurious hotel can be compared to the appetizer of a 10-course meal where the food that you savor just keeps on getting better with every bite.

There are so many places to explore in this regal country. Brunei’s climate of high temperature and extreme humidity did not even bother me most especially since I am already used to living in a country where the average temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius.

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Posted in Attractions, Brunei |

There are so many travel destinations in Asia and I feel extremely lucky to have been given the chance to visit most of them at one time or another. Some of these destinations are a favorite among tourists because of the great shopping experience that you can get out of your visit. There are countries that are frequented by tourists because of the landmarks and extraordinary architectures that are so photo-worthy. There are also Asian countries that are frequently visited because of their accessibility to various modes of transportation including budget airlines, ferries, etc. You will commonly hear Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, and Indonesia to be countries of choice and almost always included in travel itineraries. I guess you would agree with me that Brunei is usually left out.

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Posted in Attractions, Brunei |