Brunei : Bandar Seri Begawan
Bandar Seri Begawan, also known as BSB or just Bandar, is the capital of Brunei.
By plane
Brunei International Airport is the main airport in Brunei.
Getting there/away: A taxi from the airport to the city centre takes 20 minutes and costs around B$25. Some hotels (like Grand City Hotel) may provide complimentary transport between airport and hotel. A covered walk down to the end of the car park away from the Terminal (turn right when exiting from Arrivals) leads to a bus stop for Purple buses to the city centre (B$1).
By road
All main roads in Brunei (save for those in isolated Temburong Districts) lead to Bandar Seri Begawan. The main road into/out of Bandar connects to the coastal road to/from the Sarawak border via Tutong, Seria and Kuala Belait. Other main roads lead to Muara and Kuala Lurah where there is a border crossing into the Limbang division of Sarawak. Take this road if you are driving to Temburong but you will have to go through two sets of immigration checkpoints – at Kuala Lurah (Tedungan on the Sarawak side) and Puni (Pandaruan on the Sarawak side) – before you reach the district administrative center, Bangar.
By bus
The main bus terminal where all long-distance and local buses leave from and arrive is at Jalan Cator in the city center. It occupies the ground level of a multistory carpark.
- To/from Seria: Regular buses leave for Seria (where you can change buses to Kuala Belait and onward to Miri) that leave from the main bus terminal. They usually display the departure time on the windscreen. Journey time is about one hour and the fare is B$6 one way. If you want to go all the way to Miri, make sure you start early. The Miri Belait Transportation Company runs buses between Kuala Belait in Brunei and Miri in Sarawak, Malaysia. The journey requires a bus change at the Sungei Tujoh border checkpoint. Through tickets are however available at RM12.20 from Miri. Note that there have been reports that buses from Miri occasionally refuse to go all the way to the border and stop just before the Asean Bridge at Kuala Baram because of the high toll charge of the bridge. You may have to use taxis to complete the final 5km between the border and the bridge. From Kuala Belait, there are buses to Seria (B$1) where you can change to another bus for Bandar Seri Begawan (B$6). The entire journey takes about 5 hours and there are only a few buses each day operating on each part of the journey, so start early if you are travelling from Miri to Bandar Seri Begawan or vice-versa.
- To/from Kuala Lurah: Local purple buses run from the bus terminal right up to the Kuala Lurah checkpoint throughout the day. Journey is about half hour and fare is B$1 one way. At Kuala Lurah, walk across the border and either catch a bus or taxi into Limbang.
- To/from Muara: Regular buses depart from the bus terminal, including some direct non-stop buses, to Muara. Not all Muara buses go to the Serasa Ferry Terminal so check before boarding.
See Places
- Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is open to visitors when it is not being used for prayers. (Opening times are posted by the gate). The Mosque is very welcoming and you will be given a robe upon entry. Remove your shoes before entering and be respectfully quiet inside as there may be some people there meditating and praying. Consider visiting other mosques too.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Brunei by http://dummidumbwit.wordpress.com
From: http://my-brunei-darussalam.blogspot.com
Visitors may enter the mosque but are asked to remove their shoes before entering and to exercise due consideration for people praying. Women are should cover their heads and dress conservatively.
Visiting Hours:
Sunday to Wednesday: 8am to 12noon, 2pm to 3pm & 5pm to 6pm
The mosque is closed to non-Muslims on Thursdays. It is opened on Saturday provided that there is no official function the following day.
- Kampong Ayer (the water village). Best visited by taxi boat. It’s a beautiful sight to see hundreds of houses seemingly floating on water. The water village people are very friendly and many open up their homes to visitors year-round. Water taxis can be found by walking along the Brunei river or the main market in Bandar Seri Begawan and waving one down. Try to negotiate the price down. You shouldn’t pay more than B$30 for an hour-long tour (B$15 for half an hour) of Kampong Ayer. If you’d rather not shell out the dough for a water-taxi tour, consider wandering around the villages yourself. You can start from behind the Sultan’s Mosque or from the other side in towns like Batu Satu.
Kampong Ayer, Brunei by http://my-brunei-darussalam.blogspot.com
From: http://my-brunei-darussalam.blogspot.com
Kampong Ayer is equally famous for the armada of water taxis which speed around the village transporting people and goods.
Hiring a boat and driver is very easy and costs around B$10 – 15 for half an hour or so. Just appear at the top of the steps across from the Yayasan complex and there will soon be someone there touting for your business.
- Royal Regalia museum near the city center displays gifts received by the Sultan. Definitely worth checking out.
The Royal Regalia Museum (Bangunan Alat Kebesaran Diraja)
From: http://my-brunei-darussalam.blogspot.com
The museum is open to the general public and entrance is free.
Visiting hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 8:30am – 5pm
Friday: 9am – 11:30am & 2:30pm – 5pm
- Brunei Museum on the Kota Batu road has an excellent display in the Islamic Art Gallery. It is highly recommended.
Brunie Museum
From: http://my-brunei-darussalam.blogspot.com
Getting there: Take Jalan Residency out of Bandar Seri Begawan keeping the Brunei river on your right. The name changes to Jalan Kota Batu and after four Kilometres the road rises past the acient tomb of Sultan Bolkiah and Sultan Sharif Ali The Museum is on the right on top of the hill. Public busses (Central and Eastern line 11 and 39), leaving from the central bus station, stop at the museum.
Opens daily from :900h till 1700hr except Tuesday, Friday 900h to 1130h and 1430hr to 1700hr
After visiting the Brunei Museum, walk along the road toward BSB to visit two tombs: the first is the Tomb of Sharif Ali, the third sultan of Brunei. The green sign by the road is written entirely in Arabic lettering. Further down the road is the Tomb of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth sultan of Brunei. Both tombs are in easy walking distance from the Museum.
Sultan Bolkiah's Tomb
Budget
- Pusat Belia (on Jalan Sungai Kianggeh) is Brunei’s only youth hostel, designed more for school groups than for backpackers. Dorm beds are B$10/night, making it the cheapest sleep in town. There’s also a swimming pool. Male and female sleeping quarters are separated, so this can be an inconvenience for couples. The location, however, is quite convenient as it is close to downtown BSB. It is best to arrange a bed in advance. Tel: 222-2900; 876-5515.
Pusat Belia - Officious Youth Hostel in Bandar Seri Begawan, Capital of Brunei
- APEK Utama Hotel is another budget option at B$30/night. On the Kota Batu road towards the Brunei Museum. Cozy and a great deal. The only disadvantage is that it’s 2km from downtown BSB, but Bus 39 or water taxis can solve this problem. Tel: 222-0808.
- Le Gallery Hotel tel. 673 222 1228. In the Seri Complex – B$48/night. A boutique hotel located in the heart of the Seri Complex. Offers friendly and artistic ambience with reasonable rates.
- KH Soon Resthouse, 140 Jalan Pemancha (near bus station), tel. 222-2052. Email: khsoon_resthouse_brunei@hotmail.com. Its major advantage is its excellent location, right downtown near the bus terminal, with an ATM on the corner and an Internet cafe in the adjacent alley. The staff are friendly and helpful, though the rooms are somewhat Spartan. An air-conditioned double room with attached bathroom is B$39/night; other options are available for less. 24 hour reception and good security.
I collected them on-line and copied them on my blog for my SE Asia trip next year 
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