Introduction
Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam is a tiny country lying along the shores of South China Sea in the northwest corner of the island of Borneo. With money flowing from its oil fields, Brunei has become one of the wealthiest country on earth. Its capital is a pleasant surprise for a traveller coming from nearby bigger destinations like Bangkok or Hong Kong. It is small, neat and clean, and very peaceful in comparison to its counterparts nearby. Though the city is full of modern architectural wonders, not many tourists visit the place. Prime reason may be the Islamic laws that prohibit the tourists from indulging in many recreational activities.

What to do
Being a country which follow its Islamic laws a bit too religiously, tourists lost out on many things in Brunei. There is virtually no night life and no alcohol can be served or drink in open places. You will spent most of your time visiting the attractions in and around the city. Brunei has some fine beaches and if you are interested in scuba diving than Bandar Seri Begawan is a good place to hire gears.

City at a Glance

Latitude 4.56N Longitude 114.55E Population 60,000 Area 12.87 Sq Km Language Malay Religion Islam, Buddhism, Christianity Telephone Code 02

History
The site of the present capital territory was first found to be inhabited in 7th century AD. It was a water village (Kampong Ayer) at that time and most of the residents were involved in trading, fishing, and various other marine activities. The site started growing from that time and by the 16th century, it was a substantial settlement with large population. It was also the most powerful and wealthy settlement during that period and on its peak, Brunei controlled entire Borneo and a large part of Philipines. The city that we see today started taking shape after 1906 when the first British Resident, McArthur, encouraged the movement of people onto the reclaimed land on the left bank of Sungai Brunei. Most of the important buildings that dot the town today were built by late 1920's. Bandar Seri Begawan became the capital of Brunei Darussalam in 1920 and in the same year it was declared a municipal area. The size of the city was changed five times after this and finally in 1956 the present area of 12.87Sq Km was notified.

Weather and Best Season to Visit
Bandar Seri Begawan enjoys fairly even climatic conditions throughout the year. Normal temperature range between 24ºC in the night to 32ºC during day. Most of the rain takes place from October through March. Rains can be heavy and sudden. The country experiences humidity throughout the year. You can visit this part of the world anytime of the year except rainy season and the month of Ramadan when most of the Muslims go on fast.

Attractions
Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
Named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, this mosque is considered as the most magnificent in entire South East Asia. Located in the city centre near Brunei River in its own artificial lagoon, the mosque has been constructed using some of the finest quality materials available in the world.

Kampong Ayer
A group of 28 villages located on the silts of Brunei Villages, Kampong Ayer is considered as one of the earliest settlements in Brunei. The site was often described as the Venice of East by the European travellers to this country and even now it is a highlight of any visit to Brunei Darussalam.

Royal Regalia Museum
This museum was built in the year 1992 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the present Sultan's accession to throne. The museum houses a collection of royal paraphernalia and an exhibition of the Brunei Constitution

Brunei History Centre
This centre was opened in the year 1982 to undertake research into the history and genealogy of the royal family and Sultans. There are some more museums in the city that displays the heritage and culture of Brunei like Brunei Museum and Malay Technology Museum.

Important Festivals and Exhibitions
Being a Muslim country, Brunei celebrates all the festivals of Islam like Eid and Ramadan. The month of Ramadan is most important and most of the Muslim populace of Brunei goes on daily fast. Chinese community celebrates the Lunar New Year for 15 days in January/February with sumptuous feast. This is also the time to offer gifts to the youngsters, given mostly in a red packet, the ang pow, containing money that symbolises health and prosperity. National Day of Brunei is celebrated on February 23 every year in Bandar Seri Begawan with cultural performances by the school children and parades by uniformed personnel.

PLACES NEARBY
Royal Tombs
These are 13 Ming tombs located at a distance of around 50 km northwest of Beijing. Tomb of Emperor Yongle and his queen, Chang Ling, is the largest of all the structures here and also a magnificent piece of architecture.

Other important places in the vicinity of Beijing that can be visited are Dongzhimen, Haihutun, Beijiao, and Majuan.

SHOPPING
Some of the items that you can take back home from Bandar Seri Begawan are brass canons, ornamental kris (knives), and kain songket (hand - woven cloth patterned with gold or silver thread). There are some good handicraft shops in the city centre and airport who sell good quality product on reasonable cost.

WHERE TO STAY
Brunei is expensive and its capital is no exception to this rule. There are few inexpensive accommodation options and most of the time they are not available. Top and middle class hotels can be found mostly in the city centre. Some of the top class hotels provide world class services but the same can not be said about most of the others.

WHERE TO EAT

There are few restaurants that serves the need of tourists. Alcohol is not allowed to be served in any restaurant and you can enjoy (if you are not a Muslim) it in the confines of your room only. Good restaurants are commonly part of the larger hotels. For inexpensive food look for "foodstall gardens" at night who serve mostly local food. Some restaurants do specialise in European, Thai, and Indian cuisine.

Travel Information
Air Travel Resources
The city of Bandar Seri Begawan is well served by its national carrier Royal Brunei Airlines and some other airlines of the region like Thai Airways International, Malaysia Airlines, Philippines Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. Some of the important destinations covered are Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Calcutta, Dubai, Frankfurt, Honk Kong, Jakarta, London, Osaka, Perth, Singapore, and Taipei. The Brunei International Airport is located at a distance of around 8 km from the city centre.

Land and Water
Few public service buses connect the city with other urban centres and rural areas in the country . The service is cheap but inefficient and crowded. By road, you can enter Brunei from Miri, Sarawak, or Kota Kinabalu ibn Sabah. Express boats from Sarawak or ferry from Labuan Island also makes entry to Bandar Seri Begawan easy..

Local Transport
Buses, cars, taxis, and water taxis are available to ferry you from one part of the city to other part and to the neighbouring destinations. Metered taxis are available at quite a few places in the city. Water taxis are a convenient and efficient way of Kampong Ayer and Limbang in Sarwak.