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The Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque welcomes visitors. Visitors are allowed into certain public areas within the Mosque but certain areas are only open and accessible to those of the Muslim faith.Please note that you should remove your shoes before entering the mosque. All women, regardless of religion, are required to cover their hair, arms and legs and therefore it is best to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts plus carry a shawl to cover your hair before entering.
The sultan, the sultan and more sultan.... and his family of course :-)) While visiting Brunei you can't escape from the world of the Sultan. Everything in this little Sultanate seems to evolve around him. In almost every sentence of my guide the word 'Sultan' appeared.I've learnt lots about his life during my short visit, seen many of the palaces of him and his family and I've seen that he is a very generous man, taking good care of his people. My guide through Brunei was quite proud of his country and most of all the fact that they didn't have to pay tax :-)) But the Sultan is the absolute ruler of this country, which means no freedom of speech. A fact I was well aware of while being here.
Brunei is a Muslim country and for me that meant adjusting a bit to the local customs. I already mentioned the dress code, but there are a few more things. You can't buy any alcohol in Brunei or pork meat. If you wish you can bring a little bit of alcohol into the country, but be aware of where you drink it.Another thing is not to give or accept anything with your left hand. At home I am a 100% 'left-hander', so for me that meant quite a bit of adjusting. But I think I managed rather well :-))
The currency used in Brunei is the Brunei Dollar. Although this is the official currency, Singapore dollars are equally exchanged and can be used. As I was never expected of visiting Brunei I didn't have any Brunei dollars with me. But the ATM machine at the shopping centre was of great use and I was the proud owner of some Brunei dollars in no time :-))The current exchange rate (June 2004):1 Brunei dollar = 0.59 U.S. dollar or 0.48 Euro.Credit cards are widely accepted in larger stores, hotels and restaurants. Smaller shops and restaurants often only accept cash.
I was in luck that I didn't need a special visa to enter into Brunei. Dutch (and Swedish) citizens together with several other countries (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Indonesia, Japan, Luxembourg, Republic of Maldives, Norway, The Philippines, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and The Principality of Liechtenstein) can stay 14 days in Brunei without a visa. British, Malaysian, German, The Sultanate of Oman, South Korea, New Zealand and Singaporean citizens can stay 30 days without a visa. US citizens can stay up to 90 days without a visa. Australians are issued a visa upon their arrivals at the Brunei International Airport, but only for visits not exceeding 14 days.It is best to check your local Embassy of Brunei to know the most current visa rules so you know whether you need to apply for a visa or not. You can find more info about visas to Brunei on this website :...
Brunei is a Muslim country and woman are advised to dress modestly. As I didn't know I was going to visit Brunei (I thought I would only make a very short stop-over in Brunei on my flight to Sabah) I was wearing the totally wrong type of clothing! Eeks! I had no chance to change into some descent clothing because everything was locked up in my suitcase and on its way to Sabah :-( I was wearing shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt; not the most appropriate clothing for Brunei. I didn't get any comments on my clothing though and I didn't run into any problems. But be prepared to be stared at so now and then. And of course be prepared to feel a bit 'different' than anyone else you meet in Brunei. When I visited the mosque I could borrow a robe to cover myself. See the picture: me in action getting some appropriate clothing :-)
Being a strict muslim country, the women need to cover-up everwhere except the lower arms, head and neck..... You can wear shorts and go bare-shuldered.... but you will get alot of stares and verbal harrasment.Oh, one thing I find really annoying in the official bruneian guides is that they tell visitors to be polite and considerate as that is the Bruneian way of life. Sounds like they are insinuating that other cultures are barbaric. Don't be offended, as there is stereotype in this part of the world that westerners are uncouth and ill-manered. It has been labelled "budaya kuning".
The area around the bus station and Brunei Hotel has a lot of very good Indian restaurants. The owners cater to the Indian migrant workers in Brunei. Authentic and very good value for the money.Taman Bandaraya - A night market just beyond the Royal Regalia Museum off Jalan Tutong. Malay food sold at night. Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex, many fast-food restaurants: McDonalds, KFC, Jollibee. Haunt of young Bruneians. On the top floor of the Yayasan Complex and visible from Jalan McArthur, internet access: Rates are B$3 per hour, and one hour free. If you do not need these full two hours you can come back the following day and use the remaining time.In Jerudong Park there are quite a lot of food stalls. It is well frequented by Bruneians, if for no other reason than there is not too much to do at night. It is open until quite late. The drawback is that you need your own...
These little houses on stilts can fool you. When you go inside you see refrigerators, air conditioners and all matter of modern appliances. As I said before, the sultan is VERY RICH due to OIL. He gives his subjects eveything. It was the people who turned down his offer of modern housing.
Brunei is a rather conservative islamic country. It is more conservative than Malaysia for example. It is not possible to buy alcohol in Brunei. The social conventions which apply to islamic countries in general apply to Brunei too. During the Ramadan period you should not eat or drink in public places during the day time. Restaurants are typically closed for lunch during the Ramadan period.
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Reviews and photos of Brunei attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Brunei sightseeing.
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Q: I am thinking of going to Brunei from 6th April till the 9th, is it enough time to stay in Brunei? What kind of activities are...
A: I'm not sure where you are from, but Brunei is most definitely a "dry" country. Non-muslims are allowed to bring in very limited quantities of alcohol (or they were...
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