The Mosques.
The incredible Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque should be on the top of your list for Brunei. There, you’ll find a golden-topped mosque with marble minarets and 28 domes as a symbol of the 28th Sultan of Brunei from which the mosque takes its name. It’s surrounded by a lagoon that acts almost like a moat with a marble bridge and a replica of a 16th century Sultan Bolkiah Mahligai Barge. If you have time then visit the James ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, which is Brunei’s largest mosque.
Get back to nature.
The Ulu Temburong National Park is the first national park of Brunei and has a wonderful collection of attractions available, which includes a Canopy Walkway that takes brave adventurers some 60 metres above the mountains. For something unique – take a river safari to see if you can spot the intriguing Proboscis Monkey which is striking thanks to its long and bulbous brown nose, and endemic to the island of Borneo – and often see in the mangroves of Brunei Bay.
Explore the Venice of the East
Take a trip to Kampong Ayer water village, which sits on long stilts above the Brunei River. It’s well known as one of the world’s largest water villages with many referring to it as the Venice of the East – a name given to it by Ferdinand Magellan in the 1500’s. It has a population of some 30,000 inhabitants living across 42 villages and has been inhabited for more than 1,000 years. Take a water taxi from the centre of town to arrive in the proper manner.
Luxuriate on Brunei’s beautiful beaches.
The beaches here might not be as renowned as those in neighbouring Malaysia and nearby Indonesia – but Brunei’s beaches are simply stunning. True – they are not often littered with the mod cons that one might expect from many of Asia’s top destinations – but they come with a rural charm that lends them a certain otherworldly ambience. Try Pantai Seri Kenangan Beach for blissful white sands and enticing topaz blue waters.
Call Skanda Holidays on 01212855247 to know more and get inspired
– Jyoti, Destination Specialist, Borneo
