DeManilafying in Brunei

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March 10th 2013

Published: March 14th 2013

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Stoffel and Pantoffel on Manoeuvres

morning market

Bandar Seri Bagawan, Brunei

DeManilafying

11-12 March 2013

Andrew got food poisoning at Manila airport on our way out of the Philippines. Fortunately by the time it manifested itself we were safely ensconced at the freshly renovated, marvellously airconditioned, super quiet Radisson Hotel Brunei in Bandar Seri Bagawan.

Anyone who says Brunei is sterile and boring should spend three days in Manila before arriving in the tiny sultanate. It is the best place on earth for deManilafying. Bandar Seri Bagawan is the antithesis of Manila. The traffic is benign; it is spotless; there is no pee on the pavements; everything works; it is a small and wealthy city; and the food is great. No more pot noodles purchased from the 7eleven, YAY!! The hotel is quiet, and there is no construction site around the corner using angle grinders at midnight. Even the water is clean.

The only bad smell we come across during our stay is when walking through a cemetery past something which has been partly dug up and is in a horrible state of decay, but this is by no means the norm around here.

Unfortunately we only have time to stay for one full day so don't

Brunei

get any further than exploring the capital. Brunei has some incredible virgin rain forest which we would have loved to have inspected, but we were already booked on a flight to KK and so we will have to go back some time on a more in-depth expedition.

Bagawan is a compact little city, which is actually just a town. Two beautiful mosques and the Sultan's palace are worth a visit to oooh at the architecture; but the most interesting parts of town are the over water kampongs. They can be reached by bridge or boat and are wonderful to wander around. The faded colourful houses, often made out of up cycled bits and bobs, stand on stilts over the river and are joined to each other by wooden walkways. The communities are really friendly and everyone shouts a welcoming hello from their kitchens as we pass by. There is no shortage of opportunities to smile at people who are smiling at you and to wave enthusiastically at children. Even the boatmen are easy going, friendly and accommodating.

A little taxi-boat trip up the river past the Sultan's place and some awesome natural forest and your tour of the

Mosque

Brunei

capital is complete. On our boat trip we spotted an eagle catch a fish almost right in town, which for us is good advertising for a place. The small open market is great to walk through. The only restaurant in town that was open had excellent Laksa - my favourite meal in the world. And to finish off the day some Teh Tarik on the waterfront. All in, a good way to unwind or recover from Manila belly before heading off to Malaysian Borneo.

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