Ambuyat

Brunei’s national dish is a transparent, sticky glue-like paste made from sago starch extracted from the interior trunk of the sago palm tree. It is typically eaten with a two-pronged bamboo stick or fork called chandas. Serving as a substitute for rice, it is usually eaten with a fermented sour and spicy sauce called cacah, a variety of vegetables and meat.

Bamboo chicken

A dish unique to Borneo and a secret recipe of the Iban longhouse communities. Marinated chicken, together with onions and spices are stuffed into a hollowed-out bamboo pole before being slowly cooked over an open fire.

Beef rendang

Similar to versions served in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, this is a dish where beef is slow cooked until tender in a spice paste that includes lemongrass and galangal, herbs and coconut milk, and thickened with toasted grated coconut called kerisik.

Cakoi

Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, this deep-fried, Asian-style breadstick is similar the Chinese cruller and fried churro, and can be eaten on its own or with coconut jam (kaya) mixed with butter. These days, cakoi can also be eaten with sweet and savoury toppings such as chocolate, peanut butter, Nutella, cheese, Oreo, yam, durian, strawberry, corned beef and sardine.

Kelupis

An all-time favourite snack, kelupis is made from glutinuous rice cooked in coconut milk that is flavoured with pandan (screwpine) leaves, then wrapped in nyirik leaves before being steamed. They can be eaten on their own or with peanuts, dried shrimp, anchovies, curry or rendang.

Kuih calak beef

A local-style mini frittata, this savoury snack is made with flour, curry powder, minced beef, eggs, coconut milk, onions, spring onions and chilli, and baked in small moulds.

Kuih cincin

This popular snack, which translates as ring cake, is made from wheat flour, brown sugar and red palm sugar. The dough is shaped into floral forms with ring-shaped holes and coated in rice flour before being fried.

Nasi katok

One of Brunei’s most popular and also most affordable dishes, it consists of rice, fried chicken and sambal (chilli sauce or paste).

Penyaram

Also known as “kuih UFO” because of its flying saucer shape, this fried local cake is made of rice, wheat or corn flour, palm sugar and water.

Pulut panggang

This popular snack, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled, are made with glutinous rice filled with dried shrimp or beef and grated coconut.

Selurut

This well-loved cone-shaped dessert is made by mixing rice flour, sago, coconut milk, sugar and salt, then pouring the mixture into young coconut leaves that have been rolled into slim cones before being steamed.

Tapai

This sweet and sour rice snack is made from a mixture comprising rice, sugar and a yeast starter called ragi to activate the fermentation process. The mixture is then wrapped in young nipah leaves and stored in a cool place for the fermentation process to take place.

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Here are some practical and useful travel information and tips to help make your trip to Brunei a memorable one.

TIME ZONE
GMT+8

POWER PLUG
• Voltage: 240 volts
• Frequency: 50 hertz
• Power socket: Three-pin square – plug type G

CURRENCY
Brunei dollar (BND)
The Brunei dollar is pegged to the Singapore dollar. Singapore dollars are accepted in Brunei and vice versa.

Denominations
• Notes: B$1, B$5, B$10, B$20, B$25, B$50, B$100, B$500, $1,000, $10,000
• Coins: 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents

VISA
Visa Exemption
All citizens of countries in Southeast Asia can enter Brunei without a visa.

Click here for more details on visa requirements.

FRIDAY PRAYER TIME
All banks, businesses, offices, places of interest, retail, food and beverage outlets are closed between noon and 2pm on Fridays to observe the Friday prayer time for Muslims.

CULTURAL DO’S & DON’TS
Do’s
• Remove your shoes before entering a mosque or place of worship. Some mosques provide robes and shawls for female visitors. Remain quiet while touring the mosque.
• Seek permission before taking photographs of locals, mosques, landmarks or government buildings.
• Bruneians may shake hands and then bring their right hand over their chest in a salam gesture which means “I greet you from my heart”.
• Greet the locals politely by smiling and nodding your head with eye contact.
• Use the thumb of your right hand with four fingers folded under instead of your right index finger to point at places, objects or persons.
• If food is served without cutlery, use only the right hand to eat.
• It is polite to accept even just a little food or drink when offered. But if you refuse anything offered, smile and say “no, thank you” and then touch the plate or glass lightly with your right hand.
• While non-Muslim women are not expected to wear a headscarf, it’s best to dress modestly, with clothing covering the arms and thighs.

Don’ts
• It is considered impolite to pass in front of Muslims when they are praying.
• Non-Muslims are discouraged from touching the holy Al-Quran.
• Do not eat and drink in public areas between sunrise and sunset during the month of Ramadhan.
• A man should not shake hands with a woman unless the woman extends her hand first.

TAXIS
There are no metered taxis in Brunei, so be sure to negotiate your fare beforehand.

ALCOHOL
Alcohol is not sold in Brunei and consumption of alcohol in public is prohibited by law. Non-Muslims above 17 years of age may bring in two bottles of liquor (about 2 litres) and 12 cans of beer for personal consumption, which must be declared to customs upon arrival.

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Berakas Forest Reserve Recreational Park

Bandar Seri Begawan

Bukit Ambok

Tutong

Bukit Batu Bujang Pahang

Bandar Seri Begawan

Bukit Ladan Forest Reserve

Tutong District

Bukit Markuching Recreation Park

Bandar Seri Begawan

Bukit Patoi Forest Recreation Park

Bangar

Bukit Saeh

Bandar Seri Begawan

Bukit Shahbandar Forest Recreation Park

Bandar Seri Begawan

Labi Rainforest

Bandar Seri Begawan

Luagan Lalak Recreation Park

Jalan Labi, Belait District

Rampayoh Waterfalls

Labi

Sungai Liang Forest Recreational Park

Liang

Teraja Waterfall Walk

End of Jalan Labi, Belait District

Ulu Temburong National Park – “Green Jewel of Brunei”

Temburong District

Wasai Kadir Waterfall

Labi

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Badas Road

Brunei Bay

Kuala Balai Road

Labi Road – Andalau Forest Area & Labi Forest Area

Lake Lama Recreation Park

Lake Merimbun National Park

Lamunin

Panaga Residential Area

Pelong Rocks

Selirong Island

Seria River Estuary

Ulu Temburong National Park (Temburong)

Wasan Ricefields

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Brassware

Bronzeware

Carved wood items

Ceremonial swords

Handwoven baskets

Hand-tooled silver jewellery

Jong sarat

Intricately handwoven fabric made from gold and silver threads that is considered by Bruneians to be the finest of all locally made textiles

Pandan leaf mats

Silverware

Textiles

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• Have fun at the amusement park, waterpark and playground at Jerudong Park Playground.

• Explore Kampung Ayer Water Village, the world’s largest water village, which is home to 30,000 people and houses schools, clinics, police station, shops, fire station and mosques

• Enjoy the great outdoors (and pack a picnic basket) at Berakas Forest Recreation Park, Bukit Shahbandar Forest Recreation Park, Damuan Recreation Park, Lake Lama Recreation Park, Lake Merimbun, Liang River Forest Recreation Park (in Andulau Forest Reserve)

• Check out the 60m-high Canopy Walkway, go on jungle walks, swim in rivers and waterfalls, as well as spot birds, animals including the proboscis monkey and plant life at Ulu Temburong National Park

• Bask in the sun, dip in the water, soak up the vitamin sea, fly a kite, have a picnic and catch magical sunsets at Berakas Beach, Jerudong Beach, Meragang Beach, Muara Beach, Seri Kenangan Beach, Tanjung Batu Beach and Tungku Beach

• Enjoy a scenic boat ride to the mangrove-covered Selirong Island and walk on wooden walkways to catch glimpses of colugos (flying lemur), proboscis monkeys and other wildlife

• Check out the fountain, take a stroll along the promenade, catch the sunset or just chill at Silver Jubilee Park

• Go on a guided River Safari tour through Brunei’s network of rivers, mangrove forests and water villages to spot rare bird species and animals (including the endangered proboscis monkey) and learn about the diverse plant life

• Explore Brunei’s iconic’s buildings, museums, historic sites and mosques on a Half-Day City Tour

• Visit an Iban longhouse in Temburong or Labi and learn about the Iban people’s culture, lifestyle and food

• Visit the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre at Seria oil field to see “nodding donkeys” and learn about Brunei’s oild and gas industry

• Learn about Brunei’s history by walking through excavation sites of archaeological explorations and the remaining structures of stones which once served as a fortress wall at the 120-acre Kota Batu Archaeological Park.

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Kianggeh Market

Bandar Seri Begawan, along Kianggeh River, opposite Brunei Hotel

Gadong Night Market

Simpang 37, Bandar Seri Begawan

Rimba Horticultural Centre

Bandar Seri Begawan

Tamu Kampung Serambangun

Tutong

Tamu Seria

Seria

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American Wreck

Australian Wreck

Blue Water Wreck

Bolkiah Wreck

Cement Wreck

Rig Reef

Best Time To Dive

March to November, dry season

Marine Creatures To Look Out For

• Anemone crab
• Barracuda
• Boxfish
• Cowrie (Brunei has one of the most concentrated cowrie population in the world)
• Dolphin
• Flatfish
• Giant puffer fish
• Grouper
• Hammerhead shark
• Harlequin shrimp
• Jackfish
• Lionfish
• Manta ray
• Moray eel
• Orangutan crab
• Porcupine fish
• Scorpion fish
• Snapper
• Sweetlips
• Whale shark
• Whitetip shark
• Yellowtail fish

Dive Companies

• Oceanic Quest
• Poni Divers

The post Best Wreck & Reef Dive Sites appeared first on Southeast Asia.

Mount Lesong

Mount Pagon

Brunei’s highest mountain

Mount Tundal

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Belalong River

Belalong River

Temburong River

Temburong River

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