| Learn the local customs of Bandar Seri Begawan. Tips and photos posted by real travelers and Bandar Seri Begawan locals. Bandar Seri Begawan Map |
 | Bandar Seri Begawan Local Customs | Tips 1 - 10 of 17 |  |
 Covered up by kyoub
I always wore something with sleeves and a jumper or long skirt when I was there.
If you go swimming it is best to wear a t-shirt and short, so you will not offend anyone with an improper swimsuit. Leave a Comment
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 by SLLiew
Eating pork, drinking alcohol and contact with the saliva of dogs are "haram" or disallowed under teachings of Islam. Over 70% of Bruneians are Muslims.
Also do NOT offer your gift using your left hand.
Pointing using your index finger is considered rude.
Remember to remove your shoes when visiting a mosque. Dress conservatively too to respect that this is a holy place of worship. If not sure, alwyas ask you local Bruneian guide.
But I am sure the locals will understand that a visiting tourist may not be aware of local culture and any intrasigences will be tolerated with a smile.
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 Local school by SLLiew
Although in most places, you can get away with English, learning and using the following simple Malay phrases is fun and great way to get to know the local Bruneians better.
The Malay spoken in Brunei is similar to that spoken in Malaysia and fairly close to Jakarta and Indonesia.
"Selamat Pagi" = Good morning
"Selamat Petang" = Good afternoon
"Selamat Malam" = Good night
"Selamat Tinggal" = Good bye (if you are leaving the place)
"Selamat Jalan" = Good bye (to others who are leaving the place)
"Terima kasih"=Thank you
"Sama sama"= You are welcome (response to Terima kasih)
"Di mana tandas" = Where is the toilet
"Di mana teksi" = Where is the taxi
"Di mana hotel" = Where is the hotel
"Berapa"= How much
"Mahal"= Expensive
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Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is the current Sultan (king) of Brunei. Essentially, Brunei is still a kingdom where the Sultan (king) still holds the power. In fact, Sultan Bolkiah has been the Sultan since the 1960s and one of the longest rulers in the world. He used to be the richest man in the world, and still is one of the richest men in the world. You will know more about Sultan Bolkiah if you visit the Royal Regalia Museum at Bandar Seri Begawan, where there are lots of photos and information about him and his family.
The birthday of the Sultan is on 15th July. If you are at Bandar Seri Begawan during this period, you will see lots of banners and beautiful lights along the streets celebrating his birthday (see photos). During the day itself, there will be grand celebrations at Bandar Seri Begawan and the week following that is lined with various activities, including carnivals and roadside shops along many roads in Bandar Seri Begawan (these roads will be closed to traffic).
Another country which I have visited where the Sultan still holds power is Oman (Sultan Qaboos in this case). Please visit my VT Oman pages if you are interested. Leave a Comment
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It's quite a well-known fact that amongst the South East Asian nations, there are those Bruneians of the opinion that only the Singaporeans are worthy to be associated with, being the richest and most developed state in the region, and not their other poorer neighbours who aren't seen as fit to shine their shoes (okay.. my opinion here may be harsh and biased but it really does seem that way sometimes!). Indeed, the Bruneian and Singaporean currencies are of equal value and valid forms of payment in either country.
It's strange because if you think about it, it's true that Bruneians have nothing really to wish for at the moment as they don't pay taxes, everything is free - education, medical, etc - paid for by their sultan (oh, and a young person up till the age of 18 can travel at a child's rate in Brunei!) but other than oil, they don't really have much else in the country and even then the oil is running out fast so what will they do in the future? So you have these sides of Brunei that's opulent and lavish and extravagant, the palaces, the 7-star hotel, the theme park built by the Sultan of Brunei as a present to his people for his birthday, the exclusive and posh Polo Club and Golf Club.. and then you have the shabbier downtrodden sides to it visible in some parts in and on the outskirts of the town. Leave a Comment
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 Architecture at Bandar Seri
Begawan, Brunei by victorwkf, 4 more photosLeave a Comment
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 by SLLiew
It is accepted at par value in Singapore with the Singapore dollar per an exchange agreement.
Currency bill showing potrait of HM Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Coins in circulation: 1 sen, 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen, 50 sen
One dollar coin is no longer in circulation.
Bill denominations:
1 dollar - blue (polymer)
5 dollar - green (polymer)
10 dollar - red (polymer)
25 dollar - purple and beige
50 dollar - purple, light blue, light blue and bronze (polymer)
100 dollar - gold (polymer)
500 dollar - orange
1,000 dollar
10,000 dollar
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Like many other cities around the world, Bandar Seri Begawan is situated next to a river called the Brunei River (Sungai Brunei in Malay) which is the life line of the city. Even till today, there are about 30 water villages on this river (which make up the famous Kampong Ayer) and speedboats and other boats still move along the river almost every minute. This river is also a vital link to the Temburong area of Brunei (east of the city), which is cut off from the rest of the country by land so travelling there is only possible by boats leaving from Bandar Seri Begawan. A trip to Bandar Seri Begawan will not be complete without taking a boat ride on the Brunei River and exploring Kampong Ayer (see my Kampong Ayer tips and photos). Leave a Comment
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In both Brunei and Singapore, both currencies can be used interchangably because their values are the same since many years ago. Therefore you can use Singapore dollars in Bandar Seri Begawan (and other parts of Brunei) if you happened to visit Singapore prior to Brunei. However, I was told some stalls do not accept Singapore coins but I did not encounter this problem when I was at Bandar Seri Begawan Leave a Comment
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 coronation commemorative arch
in foreground by SangAji
a nod would do to acknowledge a woman's presence ... touching of hands will nullify 'wudhu' for women and vice-versa
wudhu = 'cleansing' of prescribed parts of body for prayers ... a must for muslims before touching quran and daily prayers Leave a Comment
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