Today I say goodbye to the Philippines and head to Brunei! Today is mostly a travel day, so I take it easy at the Airbnb, head out for lunch and generally relax before my evening flight. I primarily need to be in Singapore in a few days, but since Brunei is on the way, I figure I have a chance to visit a new country, hence the slight detour to Brunei.
Royal Brunei Airlines
Tonight I’m flying Royal Brunei Airlines from Manila to Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. Unfortunately, the flight is delayed a few hours. But, it’s nice that even onboard a short two hour flight, they serve a meal. It’s well past midnight by the time I land and with limited options, I take a taxi straight to the hotel.
The Brunei Hotel
My home in Brunei is The Brunei Hotel because it’s close to both the water and the mosque. Opened in 1957, it was the first hotel in Brunei, and is completely refurbished in 2025. After a late night and a small sleep in, I start the morning with breakfast at YELO, the bright yellow café on the ground floor of the hotel.
Dermaga Diraja
About a block from the hotel is Dermaga Diraja, the royal wharf along the Brunei River. The morning is cloudy and muggy, and across the water I can see Kampong Ayer, the famous water village built on stilts. I originally plan to visit the village, but today I’m content just to take in the view from this side of the river. I leisurely stroll along the water until I arrive at the Yayasan Complex.
Yayasan Complex
From the waterfront, I walk through the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex, a shopping complex in the heart of the city. I don’t stop to shop or eat, but its courtyards and walkways line up perfectly with the golden dome of the mosque just beyond. It’s eerily quiet and I realize that this is going to be the theme for most of my exploration in this area.
Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas
I cross the street to Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas, a riverside park that’s home to The Frame Brunei Darussalam, a giant picture frame that frames the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Like everywhere else so far, the park is very empty. So I have the Frame and the walkways almost all to myself. While the quiet can be a bit off-putting, I find that I actually enjoy it quite a bit. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to have tourist attractions to myself. There’s a sense of peacefulness and calm in this part of Brunei. I later find that many visitors come to Brunei for the calm and relaxation and I can’t say I blame them. In this muggy weather, one sign along the path feels especially fitting.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
The highlight is the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Completed in 1958 and named after Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, it sits beside a lagoon with a replica of a 16th-century royal barge. In person it’s pretty big and grand, with its golden dome reflected in the water. You are able to walk around the exterior of the mosque. Visiting inside is limited to a few hours later in the day.
By midday it gets very hot, so I head back to rest indoors in air conditioning for a few hours. By the late afternoon the clouds clear, and I return to the mosque under sunny skies to step inside the visitor area. It’s a practising mosque, so there are limits to where visitors can go. Once inside, visitors are only allowed in the back corner to view the interior of the mosque.
Gadong Night Market
After visiting the mosque, I take a Dart, Brunei’s own ride-hailing app, much like Uber or Grab, to Gadong Night Market. It’s one of Brunei’s busiest and most popular night markets, with rows of stalls selling local dishes, snacks and drinks. It’s a big departure from my morning walk through downtown. This is probably where all the locals go to hang out and get food. I later learn from one of my Dart drivers, that if I want to return to Brunei, this area is probably a better area than downtown where my hotel is. I wander the stalls and try to decide on dinner.
After walking around, I decide on Nasi Katok, Soto, and Watermelon juice. Everything is extremely tasty and very affordable. Just for the food alone, I wouldn’t be averse to making a return visit!
Bandar Seri Begawan at Night
After dinner, I head back downtown and return to the Frame and the mosque to see them lit up after dark. The Frame glows gold, and the mosque and royal barge reflect beautifully in the lagoon. The Yayasan complex is all lit up too.
Lakastah Night Market
Walking along the waterfront heading back to my hotel, I stumble on a second night market. I’m not sure what the event is, and it doesn’t seem as permanent as the Gadong Night market. But there are food stalls, smoky grills and plenty of people out enjoying the evening. I pick up fried fish cakes from one of the grills before heading back to the hotel and turning in for the night.
I really like Brunei! It feels like a quiet retreat from the much larger and busier South East Asian cities. It seems like a nice place for relaxation and calm for a few days. I unfortunately only have one full day here as my flight to Singapore leaves first thing in the morning. But given the chance, I wouldn’t hesitate to make a return visit to this very small but nice country.