In Brunei festivals are always celebrated with colour, enthusiasm and happiness. Young and old from different races come together in a spirit of unity that we are justifiably proud of. We invite you to join us, and enjoy the unique traditions that have been passed down to us by preceeding generations.


Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Hari Raya is a time for celebration after the fasting month of Ramadhan. Prayers are held in the early morning of the first day at every mosque in the country. This day is usually an occasion for. The second day normally means open house; an invitation for all to visit. Special festive dishes are made, including ketupat (rice cakes), satay (beef and chicken kebabs), rendang (spicy marinated beef) and many others.

His Majesty the Sultan also throws his doors open to the people at the Istana Nurul Iman. This gives the people and visitors a chance to meet His Majesty and other members of the Royal Family, in order to wish them Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. This is defintely an offer which should not be missed. When visiting you should dress conservatively.

Hari Raya Aidiladha
This is also known as Hari Raya Koran. It marks the time when Muslims embark on the Haj, or holy pilgrimage to Mecca. The usual practice - for those who can afford it - is to sacrifice goats and cows. The meat is then distributed to relatives, friends and those who are less fortunate.

His Majesty the Sultan's Birthday 15th of July
This joyous occasion is one of the most important events in the national calendar, with events and festivities taking place across the whole country. It usually starts when the people gather at the Taman Haj i Sir Muda OmarAli Saifuddien, in the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan. His Majesty meets his subjects there and delivers a titah, or speech, to mark the occasion. Afterwards there is an investiture at the Istana Nurul Iman and, for the next two weeks or so, a series of processions, parades and celebrations. Fireworks displays take place and night markets - pasar malam - open up to sell food and drinks to the crowds.

Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad
This occasion is better known in Brunei as Mauludun Nabi SAW. Muslims gather at the Taman Haji Sir Oman Ali Saifuddien to honour the occasion. There are readings from the Holy Koran and an address on Islam from the Ministry of reliroys Affairs to open the function. His Majesty the Sultan also gives a speech and then, along with other members of the Royal Family, leads a procession on foot through the main streets of Bandar Seri Begawan. The Prophet's birthday is also celebrated at the same time in other parts of the country, with lectures, religous functions and other activities.

Chinese New Year
This festival is celebrated by the Chinese community and lasts two full weeks. It begins with a reunion dinner on the eve of the celebration which, traditionally, all members of the family attend. Open house is declared and everyone is invited to feast on sumptuous spreads of food and drink. Unmarried youngsters are given 'ang pow' - gifts of money in little red packets.

Christmas Day
Although not celebrated on a wide scale, Christmas Day is nevertheless a joyous and colourful occasion, well received by the nation. It is centred on Bandar Seri Begawan and the Belait District, where the greatest concentrations of Christmas expatriates live. They also hold "open house" to entertain their friends and colleagues.

Brunei has good facilities wide range of sports and recreational activities These include golf, bowling, squash, tennis, swimming, badminton, snooker, windsurfing, soccer, aerobics and traditional sports such as gasing, sepak takraw and kite-flying

Golf
Golf is very popular here, and the Brunei Muara District has an international-standard, 18-hole par 72, course in beautiful surroundings at the Mentiri Golf Club. This is situated atJalan Pengkalan Sibabua. . Other courses include the Royal Brunei Golf and Country Club at Jerudong Park, and the Panaga Golf Club in Seria. There is also a driving range at the Royal Brunei Sports Complex near the Airport.

Bowling The Utama Bowling Alley is on Jalan Tutong in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Tennis
For tennis fans, there are courts at the Youth and Welfare Sports Complex on Jalan Berakas - with 3 types of surface: clay, synthetic grass and cement.

Swimming
Public swimming pools are at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Bandar Seri Begawan, and at the Mumong Sports in Kuala Belait. A nominal entry fee is charged.

Squash
There are public courts at National Stadium. They are open daily except Friday and Sunday, and bookings can be made at the stadium. Fees are very moderate.

Windsurfing and Kayaking
Boards can be hired for a small hourly fee from the Royal Brunei National Wind surfing Association at Serasa Beach, along with kayaks for those who prefer a gentler form of watersport.

Snooker
There are a number of snooker clubs in various locations around the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan.

Scuba Diving
Bandar Seri Begawan has a thriving dive club which meets at the Anggerek Desa swimming pool on Monday nights around 8.00 pm. There are also private operators who run boat trips for diving in Brunei Bay at the weekend. They offer kit hire, guided dives, and courses of instruction. To contact the club by telephone, ring the Diving Officer on 02-332077.

Car Hire
Self drive or chauffeur-driven cars are available for hire from major hotels and the airport.

Buses
There are three bus lines in Bandar Seri Begawan, the Central Line, Circle Line and Northern Line. This public transport operates from 6:30 am to 6pm, with Central Line buses running every 15 minutes and the Circle Line once every 20 minutes. The Central Line stops at the following bus stations: international airport, post of office, government of offices, government schools, the Terrace Hotel, the Sheraton Utama Hotel, the Youth Centre, main bus terminal in Bandar, the Arts and Handicraft Centre, the Brunei Museum and the Malay Technology Museum. The Circle Line stops at the main bus terminal in Bandar, the Ripas hospital, the Jame Asr' Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, the Kiarong fish and vegetable market, the Centrepoint in Gadong, government offices, Immigration/Labour Department, the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, the Pusat Dakwah Islamiah, the SMART Department Store, Terrace Hotel, Sheraton Utama Hotel and the Youth Centre. The Northern Line caters to three routes, Northern Line 1, Northern Line 2 and Northern Line 3. Northern Line 1 and 2 runs between Berakas Camp, International Airport and the Bus terminal in Bandar, whilst Northern Line 3 runs between Berakas Camp, the Bus Terminal and The Malay Technology Museum in Kota Batu.

To get to major towns outside of Bandar, you can catch buses going to Seria and Kuala Belait at the Bandar bus terminal located at the multi storey carpark. Bus fares start from as low at $1.

Airlines
Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA), flies to over 30 cities. Major airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Thai International, Garuda Indonesia, Philippines Airlines and Malaysia Airlines also service Brunei Darussalam.

Water Taxis
Water taxis are the most common form of transport in Kampong Ayer. Fares are negotiable. Regular water taxi and boat services to Temburong and to the Malaysian towns of Limbang, Lawas, Sundar and Labuan are also available. Boat services to Temburong start at 7:45 am and end at 4:00 pm.

Hawker-Style Food
Hawker centres offer fine local delicacies at very reasonable prices. Favourite dishes include satay, noodles, rice, whole roasted chickens, grilled fish and steamboats. Hawker food can be found along the Brunei River in downtown Bandar Seri Begawan, and in a purpose-built complex next to Jerudong Park. The Persiaran Damuan park on Jalan Tutong is well known for its popular steamboat dinnersand satay. In Gadong, there is an indoor hawker centre on the ground floor of Yaohan Megamart - which offers a variety of food ranging from quiche to sushi!
Restaurant Dining - Asian
Gadong has a good mix of restaurants offering Asian cuisine. This includes Chinese, Lebanese, Indonesian, Indian, Thai and Japanese food, as well as speciality outlets for seafood and Nonya. Many are family-run enterprises with a comfortable, friendly atmosphere.

Downtown Bandar also has many kedai makan (local eateries), and good seafood restaurants can be found along Jalan Muara and in Muara town. Tutong, Seria and Kuala Belait have a good and varied selection of restaurants.

Chinese cuisineis especially popular in Brunei, and there are many fine authentic restaurants. In Gadong the Emperor's Court and the Szechuan Dynasty are renown, as are the Jade Garden in the Riverview Hotel and the Phong Mun in downtown Bandar.

Restaurant Dining - Western
The major hotels all have cafes which serve a mixture of Asian and western meals, and sumptuous value-formoney buffets. Deals Restaurant in the Sheraton Utama specialises in very high quality nouvelle cuisine. The Buccaneers in Kuala Belait serves excellent British fare in a tudor-style setting.

Fast Food
Fast food has really caught on in Brunei. Pizza Hut, KFC and MacDonalds all have outlets in the city and atJerudong Park. Jollibee, Sugar Bun and Express Burger are local equivalents.

Please note that the public sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited by law in Brunei, therefore restaurants do not sell alcoholic drinks. Most restaurants open until about 9.00 or 10.00 pm, and reservations may be required at weekends, especially in hotels and the larger Chinese restaurants.

The largest shopping mall in Brunei is the recently completed onJalan Mc Arthur. This is a breathtaking piece of architecture with ample parking for visitors. Departmental stores in Brunei include Yaohan, with two locations; Yaohan in Abdul Razak Plaza and in Gadong Centrepoint. Located just out of town on Jalan Muara is another large departmental Store, Tiong Hin. A very popular shopping mall for locals with a good selection of grocery supplies, while upstairs you will find most items from toys to fishing supplies. Downtown Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait and Seria sport a variety of modern air conditioned outlets and older shop houses. There are also a number of shop at theshorts International Airport,where you can purchase Duty Free items CDs, sports equipment, chocolate and also a good selection of books on the region.

Postal Services
Most hotels provide postal services at the front desk. Post offices are open from 7:45 am to 4:30 pm daily, except on Friday and Sunday. On Friday, the opening is from 8:00 am -11:00 am and from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Airmail Postcard Rates:
Malaysia & Singapore 20 cents
Other countries 35-60 cents

Newspaper
The only local daily paper in Brunei is the Borneo Bulletin, which covers both local and international events. Media Pertama is the weekly Malay language newspaper. The government also publishes a weekly paper, Pelita Brunei, which spotlights government policies and personalities. Foreign newspapers and magazines are also available in many shops, bookstores and hotels.

Magazines and Periodicals
Regal magazine is the lifestyle magazine for Brunei. It is mostly distributed to Visa and Mastercard holders but also available on subscription and in most hotels. For a copy call 2-332384. Other periodicals include Seni Bina (an architecture magazine) Intan (a Malay ladies' magazine) The Brunei Year book (a business reference phonebook) Muhibah (the inflight magazine for RBA).

Television
The national television network, Radio & Television Brunei (RTB), transmitsprogrammes produced locally and overseas for about 8 hours on weekdays, 12 hours on Fridays and 15 hours on Sundays. News bulletins are broadcast in Malay and English and carry several international news services. Malaysian television can also be received.

You can access CNN, BBC, Star T.V. with a decoder. This service is widely subscribed to by the hotels and is free of charge.

Radio
Radio Brunei began broadcasting in 1957, consisting of two networks, one in Malay and the other in English, Chinese and Gurkhali, which are now called National Network and Pilihan Network respectively. Both networks operate on medium wave and FM stereo bands. The National Network starts at 4.30 a.m. until 12 midnight, while the Pilihan Network starts at 6.00 a.m. until 12 midnight. The latest network supplied by Radio Brunei is called Pelangi Network and it began its operation on 1st January 1996. This bilingual network (Malay and English) starts at 6.00 a.m. until 12 midnight, and operates on FM stereo band only. The UK (London) radio station Capital FM and Capital Gold can also be received.