Bandar Seri Begawan (بندر سري بڬاوان)

Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) was founded in 1906. In the 17th century a fishing settlement emerged around present-day Kota Batu. Another settlement called Kampong Ayer existed even earlier.

Kampong Ayer first appeared in historical documents in 1578, when the Spanish attacked it during the Castilian War that same year. This event was discribed in Spanish chronicles as the Moro Wars. Both these areas are now suburbs of Bandar Seri Begawan.

Kampong Ayer was expanded onto the mudflats along the Brunei River and the houses stood on stilts, as the flats flooded at high tide. The sultan built a palace there and Kampong Ayer became the capital of the Bruneian Sultanate.

During British colonial times, starting in 1906, the town was expanded on land and it became known as Brunei Town. In 1920, government buildings and a mosque were built. Around the same time, the British tried to convince the residents of Kampong Ayer to move from the unsanitary town on the mudflats to Brunei Town, were the sanitary situation was better.

In 1941, during WWII, Brunei was invaded by the Japanese. The Allies started bombing it in 1944 and by 1945 the Japanese surrendered. Before the war Brunei Town had 16,000 residents, but after the war, only a fraction remained. runei Town was rebuilt during the 1950s and 1960s and by 1960, the population had surged to some 85,000.

In 1970, the city was renamed Bandar Seri Begawan in honour of the retired sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. In 1984, sultan Hassanal Bolkiah declared Brunei's independence and Bandar Seri Begawan became the country's capital.

Nowadays, Bandar Seri Begawan, or Bandar as most locals call it, is a clean modern city with wide roads and huge public buildings<. It only has about 75,000 inhabitants, but it looks a lot bigger because of the grand building style. You will notice that the city is sometimes referred to as BSB, or just Bandar.

Points of interest

The Bangunan Sekretariat (Secretariat Building) was constructed in 1952-1953. It used to house the Brunei Government Offices. The building is located on Jalan Elizabeth II.
Community Hall.
The Istana Darul Hana (Darul Hana Palace) was built in 1950-1951. It was the residence of Omar Ali Saifuddien III from its completion, until the sultan's death in 1986. The building is located at Kilometre 3 of Jalan Tutong, on a hill along the Brunei River.
The Istana Darussalam (Darussalam Palace) was built in the 1940s and completed in 1947. It was the residence of Omar Ali Saifuddien III and the birthplace of sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. The building is located on Jalan Istana Darussalam, on the banks of the Kedayan River.
The Istana Nurul Iman (ايستان نور الإيمان, Light of Faith Palace) is the official residence of the sultan of Brunei. The building is located in a leafy area of hills on the banks of the Brunei River, several kilometres southwest of downtown. It is said to be the world's largest single-family residence. It can only be visited at the end of Ramadan.
Kampong Ayer existed as a separate village, long before Bandar was founded. It is thought that Kampong Ayer was founded in the 10th century. Nowadays it is a district of Bandar. Kampong Ayer incorporates the world's largest stilt settlement, with some 2,000 houses that stretches for about 8 km (5 mi) along the mudflats of the Brunei River. It actually consists of 28 of these so-called water villages. The houses were built on stilts, as the flats are flooded during high tide. It is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the East. Kompong Ayer is located about 3 km west of the city center.
The Kubah Makam Diraja (Royal Mausoleum) is the final resting place for a number of Bruneian sultans and members of the royal family. The first person to have been buried there was sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin I, who died in 1795.
The Lapau was the Royal Ceremonial Hall and the place where the royal ceremonies, state investiture and some state events are traditionally held. The building was constructed between 1965 and 1968. In 2018, it was repurposed into a historical gallery pertaining to the Constitution of Brunei.
The Lapau Lama (Old Lapau) was the former Lapau (royal ceremonial hall) prior to the completion of the new Lapau building in 1968. The Lapau Lama was built in 1950-1951. In 1959, the Brunei Constitution was signed there. It is currently home to a museum pertaining to the Constitution of Brunei.
The Makam Raja Ayang (Raja Ayang Mausoleum) is believed to be the last resting place of Raja Ayang, a royal who had been executed in the 15th century, because she had an affair with her biological brother. The tomb is located on Jalan Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien.
The Pusat Belia is Brunei's youth center. It opened in 1969. It includes a gymnastics hall, an Olympic-sized pool, a hall that can accommodate 1,000 people and a gender-separated hostel.
The Tombs of Bolkiah and Sharif Ali are located in the district of Kota Batu. Sharif Ali was also known as Sultan Berkat. He was the 4th sultan of Brunei.

Museums

The Bubungan Dua Belas (House of Twelve Roofs) was built in 1906 to house the new city's first resident Malcolm Stewart Hannibal McArthur, who played a key role in the founding of Bandar Seri Begawan. In 2007 and between 2015 and 2022 the building was renovated. The House of Twelve Roofs is located in Jalan Residency, at the foot of Bukit Subok Forest Reserve Recreational Park and about 1.6 km (1 mi) south of the city center.
The Galeri Kebudayaan dan Pelancongan Kampong Ayer (Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery) (KACTG) is home to exhibits of handcraft such as ceramics, woodworking and weaving items. The building was constructed between 2007 and 2009.
The Hab Tenaga Brunei Dermaga Diraja (Brunei Energy Hub Dermaga Diraja) was built between 1952 and 1956. In 2007, the building was converted into an art gallery. It was subsequently renovated between 2019 and 2022 and it reopened as an interactive oil and gas museum. The museum is dedicated to the history of Brunei's energy sector. It is located on Dermaga Diraja.
The Muzium Alat Kebesaran Diraja (Royal Regalia Museum) was originally built as a memorial to Churchill between 1969 and 1971. In 1992, it was converted into a museum that details Brunei's constitutional history.
The Muzium Brunei (موزيوم بروني, Brunei Museum) houses a collection of Islamic art. It is dedicated to Southeast Asian history from the 16th century to the present day and the museum includes extensive displays in archaeology and ethnography. The museum was renovated between 2014 and 2026. It is located at Simpang 482.
The Muzium Maritim Brunei Darussalam (Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum) was built between 2006 and 2008, but the museum didn't open until 2015. The museum had 3 galleries.
- The first gallery is dedicated to a wreck of a 16th century Chinese ship that was discovered in 1997 some 32 nautic miles offshore. Some 13,500 artefacts from the shipwreck are on display there.
- The second gallery has exhibitions that show the development of the Kota Batu district between the 14th and 17th centuries. The gallery also include models of ships from that period.
- The third gallery features temporary exhibitions.
The Muzium Teknologi Melayu (Malay Technology Museum) opened in 1988. The museum shows early Brunei's technical practices, thus providing an insight into the way of life of the country's inhabitants. The museum features exhibits on the water villages' architecture and the technologies used by the people who live there. The museum is located at Simpang 482.

Religious buildings

Masjid Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah (His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Mosque).
The Masjid Ash-Shaliheen (Ash Shaliheen Mosque) opened in 2012. The mosque can accommodate 700 worshippers. The mosque features a retractable roof.
The Masjid Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah (Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque) was built between 1988 and 1994. It is the largest mosque in Brunei and it has a capacity of 5,000 worshippers. The building has 29 golden domes and four minarets, each of which is 58 m (190 ft) tall. The Tanah Perkuburan Islam Kampung Kiarong (Kampong Kiarong Islamic Cemetery) is located adjacent to the mosque.
The Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien (Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, SOAS Mosque) is one of the most impressive modern mosques in Asia. It was built in 1958. The mosque stands close to the Brunei River in an artificial lagoon. It boasts a golden dome and its interior features Italian marble walls, luxurious carpeting and an elevator. The building has 5 minarets, the tallest of which is 51 m (166 ft) tall. The mosque has a capacity of 3,000 worshippers. The building was renovated in 1994. It is located across from the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien park.
The Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption was built between 1957 and 1969. It is the largest church in Brunei and located at 11, Jalan Kumbang.

Parks and recreation

The Pulau Ranggu houses large numbers of proboscis monkeys. You can rent a water taxi for the best look at the monkeys. It is located not far from the Royal Palace.
The Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien was originally laid out in the 1960s as Padang Besar. The park was renovated in 1983 and renamed in honour of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The park was the location, where Brunei's declaration of independence was read in 1984. The park is located across from the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Other buildings at the park include the Community Hall and the Secretariat Building.
The Taman Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Silver Jubilee Park) opened in 2004 to commemorate the silver jubilee of sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's accession to the throne. The park covers 5 ha (12 acres) and it is located along the banks of the Kedayan River.
The Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas (Golden Jubilee Crown Park) was laid out in 2017, along the Kedayan River. The public park measures 12 ha (30 acres) and it features a riverfront promenade.
The Taman Peranginan Tasek Lama (Tasek Lama Recreational Park) was laid out in the early 1990s. It is home to some 80 different bird species. There is also a scenic waterfall. The park is located along Jalan Tasek Lama.

Around bandar Seri Begawan

The Taman Arkeologi Kota Batu (Kota Batu Archaeological Park) is an archaeological site some 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Bandar Seri Begawan. Excavations started in 1952-1953 and items were discovered that included Chinese coins from the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties, dating from 723 to 1425, as well as Islamic coins from the 15th century, beads, iron and bronze objects, timber implements and old buildings. In 2015, the site was opened to the public. It is located in Jalan Sultan Bolkiah.

There are numerous hotels, restaurants and cafés in Bandar. The people in the city are generally very friendly. In the evenings there is little going on in town and most streets are completely deserted after 9.00 PM or so. There are no nightclubs, bars or discos in Bandar.

Bandar Seri Begawan is located at the confluence of the Kedayan and Brunei rivers in the north of Brunei.

Miscellaneous Information

Latitude: 4°55' N
Longitude: 114°55' E
Elevation: 3 m (10 ft)

Population: 75,000
Cost-of-living compared to Washington D.C.: 121%

Hours from UTC: 8
Daylight savings time: n/a

City phone code: 2
Country phone code: 673

Average Weather Patterns

	Temperature	Precipitation
January	26.9°C (80.4°F)	37.1 cm (14.61 in)
April	27.8°C (82°F)	24.9 cm (9.8 in)
July	27.5°C (81.5°F)	22.9 cm (9.02 in)
October	27.5°C (81.5°F)	36.8 cm (14.49 in)

Hotels in Bandar Seri Begawan

Images

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