Bandar Seri Begawan: Not Your Likely Destination

“What will you do in Brunei?”

I was always asked when we decided to spend a long weekend there. Well, to start, it is one of the two Southeast Asian countries I have never been to. Second, I have always been interested to visit one of its only national parks – Ulu Temburong – and the fact that not many people I know have been to the place makes me wonder what’s in store for us there. Third, it has been a while that we have not visited the Philippines’ global fastfood chain – so this one is a motivation for my fifteen year old daughter.

So I am chronicling here why I think the country is worth a visit (despite its flaws) and why we enjoyed our stay.

1. Ulu Temburong National Park

Ulu Temburong did not disappoint us. From the time we embarked on a boat ride in the river to the time we experienced the exhilarating canopy walk – it was a very nice feeling to be back to nature again, after more than five months of living in a city of skycrapers and poor air quality.

2. Art and Culture

The country’s art and culture is reflective of its long Malay tradition and the prominence of Islam as a religion. While craftmanship is not necessarily at par with other countries in the region with rich cultural and artistic tradition, its various interpretations of the ordinary and the everyday is impressive.

3. Food and Drinks

Yes, we did go to a Jollibee outlet on our first day, but we also explored other options. There is a chicken rice house in one of the villages that had Boholanos from Tubigon as part of its crew. Then there is a famous tea house that sells noodles that carries a lot of Chinese influence in its spices and presentation. Then there’s that long bread with grilled angus beef meat wrapped in manila paper at the night market. They are all worth the try.

4. Tasek Merimbun

Our last part of the trip was also one of the best things we visited in the country. Tasek Merimbun is the country’s largest lake – and the scenery, the fauna and flora, the serenity of the place, is just a wonderful experience to cap the trip.