Bandar Seri Begawan

The glimmering, golden domes of the iconic Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the sprawling royal complexes of Lapau, the mausoleums and tombs of Kota Batu and Makam Di-Raja, and the opulent elusive residences of Istana Nurul Iman, just about sum up the highlights of Brunei’s capital city. From here, it’s the web of high-tech shopping malls and chic gastronomic centres of modernist Bandar (as it’s colloquially known by locals), that typically portray the make up of this affluent city. Bandar also has a smattering of museums that pepper the city; be sure to check the Brunei Museum and the exhibitions of royal regalia at Bangunan Alat Kebesaran Diraja. Your Bandar Seri Begawan tourist guide will also recommend an excursion to the famous Kampong Ayer water village, a web of stilt houses that rises from the Brunei River, the largest of its kind in the whole world. Country mice looking to taste the wild and fabled character of jungle-covered Borneo should know that Bandar is the best gateway to the Temburong District, where great swathes of primordial forest still stand accessible only by boat from the city.