Bandar Seri Begawan
Bandar Seri Begawan is one of the most distinctive cities in Asia, featuring a colourful blend of architecture – modernist buildings, gilded temple domes, and village water-houses standing on stilts above the water.
The Clock Tower of Brunei also serves as the Zero Mile Marker
It’s warm! Occasional rainfall rarely upsets travel or sightseeing plans
The Mercu Dirgahayu 60 Monument is a commemorative monument donated to the Bruneian people on Sultan Bolkiah's 60th Birthday.
The Jabatan Hal Ehwal Syariah is Department of Islamic Affairs.
Here we find the impressive Sultan's palace, along with the equally impressive governmental buildings and ministries, many of which resemble palaces. The country's cultural life is centred here, including festivals and public holidays. Most tourism itineraries begin here too – around the museums, temples, the jungle and rain-forest.
The Chinese Temple is one of the capital's oldest-surviving buildings.
There's an especially beautiful view of the waterside in summer, as the lights of the water-villages illuminate the golden temple domes of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.
The majority of the population are ethnic Malays, or closely-related ethnicities. Around 17% are ethnic Chinese. The official language in Brunei is Malay, although English and Chinese are also common.
Car ownership figures are some of the highest in the world – prompted by low import tariffs on cars, and low fuel prices.
The lettering on this mosaic, BERNAHASA SATU, translates as “Speak with one voice!”.
There are six national television channels. There are some English-language newspapers, including the Borneo Bulletin.
There's also the popular Brunei Times, published since 2006.
There's mobile phone coverage across the whole country – except for the jungle and forest areas of the Ulu-Temburong National Park. DST is the local mobile phone provider.
Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Shopping Complex (YSHHB)
There's a huge variety of shops and markets in the capital. The biggest shopping centre is the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Shopping Complex (YSHHB). The building's design is a synthesis of traditional Malay style and modern architecture, and has a pedestrian link with the area of the Omar Ali Saifuddin mosque, and the Bandara River. The centre was built on the initiative of the Sultan in 1996. There's a wide range of local items and international brands available.
