Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Tour with Han from ToursByLocals
Han picked me up from the airport promptly after my arrival and we left immediately. Prior to my visit, I knew almost nothing about Brunei. I knew it was a small country on the island of Borneo, majority Muslim and fairly wealthy. I didn't realize they practiced Sharia law. Despite my personal feelings on that subject, I try not to judge. They appear to have a very orderly and peaceful society. I felt perfectly welcome as a non-Muslim visitor and did not feel the least bit uncomfortable at any time. I tried to be mindful of my behavior and followed the rules.
I did learn that the Government of Brunei provides free education to all citizens, up to and including postgraduate studies (even abroad if necessary). They also provide free healthcare and will send people to Singapore for specialized care that cannot be had locally. The government provides interest free loans and subsidizes the cost of buying/building a home as well. They will also provide citizens with the land on which to build a home for free. We often hear about the extravagances of the Sultan (and his brother), but we don't often hear about the ways in which the government provides for the people. I'd love it if the US government provided for us in such a manner.
The first stop was to see some water villages across the river from a new shopping mall complex built by the Sultan. I believe this was the downtown area of Bandar Seri Begawan. Traffic was minimal, but very orderly. The public spaces were immaculately clean. I saw virtually zero other tourists around and very few people as well. That wasn't overly surprising given how hot it is during the day. I believe locals try to stay inside during the day as much as possible.
Shopping Mall
Water Village
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
This was the next stop. The mosque is striking and quite beautiful. As with the rest of the area, it was immaculately clean and well maintained. Unfortunately, I was unable to go inside on my visit, as the mosque is off limits to non-Muslims on Thursdays and Fridays. This is due to important prayer services held on those days. It was completely understandable, as I wouldn't want to disturb their prayers.
Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
This is the national mosque. It's enormous and breathtaking. The pictures speak for themselves, but the two domes indicate the separate mens and womens prayer rooms. Despite the separate rooms, women are allowed to pray with the men if they so desire. In order to afford women privacy if they desire it, men are not allowed to pray with the women. Women in Brunei, unlike Saudi Arabia, have full equality with men. They do not have to wear the hijab if they don't want to, they drive, work, and do all the things that men do. I was pleasantly surprised by this, given the fact that the country practices Sharia law.
Istana Nurul Iman
This is the royal palace and seat of government of Brunei. It is the largest palace residence in the world. We were unable to stop for a photo by the front gates and it's hidden at the top of a hill behind jungle. So, this is the best I could do for a photo. I've cropped it a bit to give a better view of the roof line, which is difficult to discern against the clouds.
Return to the Airport
We also stopped by the Jerudong Park, a theme park built by the Sultan's brother in the 1990s. It's quite large, but it was nearly empty when we were driving through. Evidently, people are more apt to go in the evening when it's cooler outside. We also drove by the 5-star Empire Hotel, which was originally built as a palace for Prince Jefri. It's a huge property and quite lovely. The main hotel lobby is over the top. Evidently, the hotel has a roughly 10% occupancy rate, so if you're looking for somewhere great to stay in Brunei, that's probably your best bet. Their rates are around $200 USD per night, which isn't bad for such a luxurious property.
Unfortunately, we didn't stop for photos at either place because I didn't want to be late for my flight. I ended up being quite safe for time and could have cut it closer by nearly an hour. Oh well. Han dropped me off at the airport at the end of the tour and I went to catch my onward flight to Manila.