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Brunei GREEN AND GOLD


Oil rich and with Islamic infl uences, unassuming, relaxed and incredibly


friendly, Brunei is Borneo undiscovered,


says Laura Gelder


BRUNEI  Top Selling Tips...


• Mention jungle fever… "Brunei’s pristine rainforest is second to none; we don’t practice logging on a commercial scale" SALINAH SALLEH


Tourism Officer, Brunei Tourism • Dive deep…


"Brunei’s diving is undiscovered and uncrowded. A rich history means an array of incredible wrecks with a truly deserted atmosphere" LAURA GELDER


Travel Writer • Stop and think…


"Competitively priced, Royal Brunei Airlines flies via Dubai and Brunei on its way to Melbourne, Australia. Sell both as


stopovers – they break up the journey and you’re quids in on the price!" LAURA GELDER


Travel Writer


through the capital and Royal Brunei Airlines’ hub, Bandar Seri Begawan, will not get to see any of that – but suggest that they do.


B


Bandar Seri Begawan (or BSB), is small, neat and clean. However, as Brunei is a ‘dry country,’ BSB isn’t likely to


win


runei is often described as the ‘green heart of Borneo’ but those travellers who rush


any awards for its nightlife, but there’s plenty to entertain over a couple of days if your clients twin it with some rest and relaxation.


The country’s most famous hotel, the Empire Hotel and Country Club, is located just over 30 minutes from the capital but offers more than enough facilities to keep you entertained for days – several pools, a cinema, bowling alley, sports facilities including a golf course and shops.


Top sights back in the city are Masjid Jame, the largest mosque in Brunei. Built by the current Sultan, its


towering minarets and domes glitter with gold.


Visitors can marvel at an


Italian marble staircase and the vast carpeted prayer hall, where Bruneians pray in


traditional dress. Even more beautiful is the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, a simpler design in dazzling white and, of course, glittering with gold. A stop at the Royal Regalia Museum adds context to these ostentatious displays: it’s worth the visit just to see the huge gold coronation chariot.


From top: Brunei's interior is blessed with waterfalls; an opulent gold-domed Mosque; Guards at the Royal Regalia Museum


Foodies should visit Gadong night market, for its many colours and flavours. Here the locals come to shop for fruit and vegetables; you can pick your way through the plumes of smoke to find some freshly grilled fish along with peanut pancakes, grilled


meats and deep-fried snacks. There’s plenty of restaurants to


choose from in the capital, with traditional cuisine as well as international dishes – and the shopping malls stay open late here. A highlight of a stay in BSB is Kampung Ayer water village where everything is built above the river – homes, mosques, schools and shops. Visitors can wander along the slatted wooden walkways, peek into the lives of local residents and wave at the speedboats which whip along the Venetian-style waterways. A short water taxi ride from Kampung Ayer takes you to the heart of Brunei’s wilderness. A good guide will point out the strange proboscis monkeys, with their Pinocchio-like noses, as well as saltwater crocodiles. Head deeper into the rainforest and


the Ulu Temburong National Park can be done in a day, but really deserves two nights. Part of the magic of the Bruneian rainforest experience is the transfer, which involves two boats and a bus or taxi (don’t expect to take your full suitcase). The long boat arrives at the resort of


www.sellinglonghaul.com • April 2012 57


TINA-LEE MCDOUGALL


TLM


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