BV-65: ONE DAY TOUR BRUNEI

Price: on request.

For tours with more than 6 people, please send us an email. 

Tour price includes: transfer to the airport and back, guide, entry tickets, lunch. 

Flight tickets are NOT included.

06.30 Meeting with the driver at the hotel reception. Departure to Kota Kinabalu Airport. Flight to Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. Recommended flight Kota Kinabalu – Bandar Seri Begawan BI822.

10.00 Meet with the guide at Brunei airport. 

You will visit the following places during our city tour:

• Jame‘ Asr Hassanal Bolkiah mosque – the largest mosque in the world, named after the 29th Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Muizaddin Wadaulah. Construction started in 1988, opened 5 years later on July 14, 1994 – the night before the Sultan’s birthday. The mosque was built to commemorate the 25 years of his reign. The mosque is located 4 km from the capital in the village of Kiarong, it occupies 20 acres of land. At one time, the mosque can accommodate 4,000 believers. Built in the style of Turkish mosques with 29 golden domes and four long minarets (58 m). The mosque is surrounded by gardens with fountains and beautiful plants. The mosque has a separate entrance with an escalator for the Sultan;
   

   
• Istana Nurul Iman (translated as “palace of the light of faith”) – the official residence of the sultan. The castle is located right behind the capital. It is the largest inhabited castle in the world by area – 200,000 m2 (257 bathrooms, 1788 rooms, 17 floors, 5 pools, 18 elevators). Completed in 1984. The cost of the palace is 1.5 billion US dollars. Anyone can enter the palace after the holy month of Ramadan, when its end (Hari Raya) is celebrated for three days. Guests receive gifts and food, but children are given green envelopes with money. The rest of the time, you can only take pictures at the castle gates.
• Museum of Royal Regalia – located in the very center of the city. Opened on September 30, 1992. It is mostly related to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s Silver and Golden Jubilee celebrations. At first, this building was called the “Churchill Memorial Building”. It was opened by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III, who was a big fan of Winston Churchill. In 1992, it was named the Royal Regalia Exhibition, and on December 2, 2017, during the golden jubilee of the Sultan, it was named the Royal Regalia Museum. In the museum you can see the silver jubilee celebrations of 1992, a street with people and a carriage that was used in the parade has been created. There is also a second carriage which was used for the coronation in 1968 and also during the Queen’s visit. See coronation costumes, ceremonial weapons, jeweled crown.

12.30 Lunch at a local restaurant.

13.30 After lunch we will visit these following places:

• Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque – Considered to be one of the most beautiful mosques in Southeast Asia. Named after Omar Ali Saifuddin III, who was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and who also initiated its construction. The building was completed in 1958 and is a symbol of modern Islamic architecture. “Brunei Times” wrote that the mosque is a combination of Mughal and Malay style, its architect and sculptor was the Italian architect Rudolfo Nolli. The design was helped by Rudolfo Nolli together with the Sultan. After that, improvements were introduced – the mosque was raised on an elevation, a lagoon was created and others. The construction was carried out by Malayan engineers. Estimated cost was $7.7-$9.2 million. A bridge leads to the barge, which is a replica of the barge of Sultan Bokiah Mahligai in the 16th century. The barge was completed in 1967 to commemorate the 1400th anniversary of the Nuzul Al-Quaran (Revelation of the Qur’an). It was used as a stage for a Quran recitation competition. The mosque is located on a 52-meter high elevation. One of the most impressive things is the golden domes. The mosque combines Renaissance and Italian architectural styles, it is decorated with marble pillars, stained glass and chandeliers. Almost all materials for the construction of the mosque were imported from abroad: marble from Italy, granite from Shanghai, crystal chandeliers from Great Britain and carpets from Saudi Arabia.

   

14.30 Motorboat ride on the Brunei River to a floating village. This village currently has a population of 30,000. We will visit the local residents, where we will be treated to tea, coffee and local delicacies. This village was once described by Magellan during his visit in 1521.

16.30 Transfer to Bandar Seri Begawan Airport, flight to Kota Kinabalu. Recommended flight Bandar Beri Begawan – Kota Kinabalu BI 823.

19.00 Meet with the driver at the Kinabalu international airport, transfer to the hotel.

Things to bring: LIGHT CLOTHES * HAT * SUNSCREEN * SUNGLASSES * CAMERA * LOCAL CURRENCY FOR PURCHASES

Dress code:

Women are advised not to wear tight pants or transparent clothing, shoulders should be covered, skirt length should not be shorter than the knee.

Important notes:

• Departure time may vary, depending on the hotel’s location. Please do reconfirm with our reservation staff;
• The indicated time and planned events are subject to change. The company is NOT responsible or liable to any changes in timing, which is beyond our control ;
• All commercial establishments are closed between 12:00pm-14:00pm, as the residents need to pray;
• On Fridays, the mosque is only open to Muslims;
• Shoes must be removed upon entering mosques and the Museum of Royal Regalia;
• When in public establishments, ensure that the shoulders are covered, and the pants/skirts reach at least the knee;
• During the month of Ramadan (the holy month for Muslims), eating is prohibited from sunrise to sunset, and restaurants are closed. Consumption of food, alcohol and smoking in public is prohibited by law, as it is seen as disrespectful to the holy month.