Brunei: December 2024: Day 4: Brunei

Brunei

Dec 2024: Day 4: Brunei

Singapore Airlines is clearly in the Christmas spirit.

English breakfast, economy class version.

Cloud-capped Borneo.

The Empire Brunei's massive entrance foyer.

Driveway to The Empire Brunei.

Standard room in the Seaview Tower.

Bathroom is massive.

The view.

Different angle of the main building's interior.

Inside Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque.

Up to 5,000 worshippers at a time (not sure exactly how many in this room).

Second floor.

Ground floor at the center.

Outside. 29 minarets and many tons of gold.

Might be the best angle.

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.

Water taxi tour of the Brunei River.

Into the mangroves to look for monkeys.

The first of many monkeys spotted.

Heading back to the city proper.

The old water village.

Being hosted by the water taxi driver and his family.

They have a massive house.

Water taxi stop.

The one and only night market.

Nasi campur ayam.

Pais daging (beef) and other traditional eats.

BBQ and burgers.

Aming kebab.

Calak jagung (corn fritter).

Mmmmm noodle soup...

Lots of BBQ.

Fatty BBQ chicken tails.

A few stalls were very crowded.

Whole grilled fish is a thing here.

Desserts?

Fruit.

Dragonfruit.

Aming's BBQ stall grilling up chicken hearts and lamb shoulder.

Not the best I've had, but pretty decent.

Seating was generally busy but not so much that you couldn't get a table.

Bakso sedap (I think it literally means "tasty noodles" or something).

Not bad at all.

Master Char Kway Teow.

A bit too much sauce, but tasty enough.

Nighttime view of Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque.

Lobby of The Empire Brunei at night.

Dining area right off the lobby of The Empire Brunei at night.

Singapore Airlines is fully in the Christmas spirit, with the whole airplane tastefully decorated for the short flight to Brunei. Even the economy-class take on breakfast wasn't too bad, although next time I will stick to the Asian breakfast instead of the Western one.

The ride from Brunei International Airport to grandeur of The Empire Brunei was even shorter. And the grandeur is immediately obvious as soon as you approach the lobby, with a covered awning large and fancy enough to make the Ritz-Carlton jealous. Nevermind the lobby and the restaurants/dining/lounge areas below it; the lobbies in the individual residential towers are not quite as lavish, but are still sized and equipped to impress.

Due to my schedule changes, ended up paying a ridiculous premium for a last-minute half-day tour of Bandar Seri Begawan, including Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the Royal Regala Museum, a water taxi ride among the mangroves and water village (including the taxi drivers' home (!)), and night market. Probably could have done a bunch of this myself, but having a guide definitely added a lot of value in the history and culture that I otherwise would not have seen, nor appreciated as fully or completely.

Dinner at night market was pretty decent although quite understandably less of a selection than Singapore's hawker stalls. And the guide was nice enough to take me back to Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque for some night photography as well; the gold domes are impressive in both daytime and nighttime.