Bandar Seri Begawan Travel Guide, Brunei Darussalam

Bandar Seri Begawan Travel-Guide – Structure and Development Plans

This Bandar Seri Begawan travel-guide will give you all the essential information you need when visiting the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. The city is the largest of the Sultanate and it had a population of 28.000 in 2002. Current plans for developing the city are very ambitious, as the municipality wants to attract lots of business investors through tax deductions in order to obtain mutual benefits. Services will soon be fully privatized and there are also plans to invest in the green area of the city, in new and existing parks. Therefore, the Ginger Garden, the Open Markets or the Central Fish Market are all in full process of modernization that will change the appearance of the city. Moreover, the sultan gave his approval for the expansion of the city that is going to triple its size, reaching 100 sq kilometers, incorporating all the nearby villages.

Bandar Seri Begawan Travel-Guide – Location and Transportation Alternatives

Bandar Seri Begawan lies on the left bank of the Brunei River, the shortest important river in the country that is characterized by the traditional residential areas built on its shores. Its inhabitants are Malays but there is also a quite significant Chinese minority. There are lots of people who also come to work in Brunei Darussalam, with transitory jobs, most of which are Indonesians and Indians. In order to get to the western part of the country the easiest way to go is by road, but if you want to reach the east you have to go through Malaysia, where you can also stop and visit nearby Tawau and Kuching. The only international airport serving the country, Brunei International Airport, is located in Bandar Seri Begawan and it can be reached in 10 minutes if you leave from the city centre. Given that the city is located on the banks of the Brunei River, water transportation is also possible, and there is a special water taxi service which carries people within the town limits.

Bandar Seri Begawan Travel-Guide – The Most Spectacular Mosque

One of the city’s main touristic attractions, that is mentioned in every Bandar Seri Begawan travel-guide is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, a royal Islamic mosque that is one of the most spectacular in the entire Asia Pacific region. Its construction was finished in 1958 and since then it has been considered the most important landmark of the city and even the whole country, with an impressive dome made entirely of gold that dominates the city’s skyline. Other places of interest are the Royal Ceremonial Hall, the Malay Technology Museum and Kampung Ayer, a nearby traditional water village that stretches out into the sea for 500 meters.