Bandar Seri Begawan, estimated population 46,229 (1991), is the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. The city is the home of producers of furniture, textiles, handicrafts, and timber. It is the site of the Royal Ceremonial Hall, Royal Regalia Building, the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, the Malay Technology Museum, and the Brunei History Center. Bandar Seri Begawan is located at 4°55′ North, 114°55′ East (4.91667, 114.91667).

The Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, built in 1958, features a giant golden dome and a luxurious interior of Italian marble walls, carpeting and an elevator.

This city is also unique as it also incorporates a nearby water village, Kampung Ayer, which has houses on stilts and stretches out into the sea for about 500 metres. The Malay Technology Museum contains exhibits about water village architecture.

The first part of its name namely Bandar comes from Persian ???? and means “port” or “haven”. The second part of its name Seri Begawan has its origin in the words Sri Bhagwan of Sanskrit, and means Blessed One.

Prominent schools in Bandar Seri Begawan include St. Andrew’s School, International School Brunei (ISB), and Jerudong International School (JIS).

Brunei’s culture mainly derived from the Old Malay World, which encompassed the Malay Archipelago and from this stemmed what is known as the Malay Civilisation. Based on historical facts, various cultural elements and foreign civilisations had a hand in influencing the culture of this country. Thus, the influence of culture can be traced to four dominating periods of animism, Hinduism, Islam and the West. However, it was Islam that managed to wound its roots deeply into the culture of Brunei hence it became a way of life and adopted as the state’s ideology and philosophy.

Brunei Darussalam is richly endowed with cultural heritage steadfastly maintained until today. The setting up of the Arts and Handicraft Centre in 1975 is a living testimony as to the preservation and the proliferation of the arts and crafts of the bygone days which Brunei was renown for such as boat making, silver-smithing, bronze tooling, cloth weaving as well as mat and basket weaving. Relics and other various artistic heritage of Brunei Darussalam besides the ones mentioned above include Malay weaponry, wood carvings, traditional games, traditional musical instruments, ’silat’ (the traditional art of self defence) and decorative items for women. Some of these are kept in the Brunei Museum and the Malay Technology Museum; not only for the world to see but most importantly for today’s generation to admire and be proud of, for future generation to emulate, perhaps and something to remind us of our forefather’s natural skill, creativity and innovativeness which over generations has been ingrained as one of the richest traditional culture in the Malay world.

The life of the average Bruneian revolves around his religion, Islam, with certain things being forbidden (haram), certain things tolerated but not encouraged (makruh) and certain things which fall under the embrace of Islam (halal). Pork, the consumption of alcohol, eating meat not slaughtered under Islamic guidance, casual touching, adultery, and coming into contact with the wet nose or hair of a dog are baram. Smoking and eating shellfish are considered makruh. Bruneians shake hands by only lightly touching hands and then bringing the hand back to the chest; it is not customary to shake hands with members of the opposite sex. You should not point your finger, instead use the thumb of your right hand with the four fingers folded beneath it. To call a taxi or attract someone’s attention, wave the whole hand with the palm facing down wards. Do not smack the fist of your right hand into your left palm, because it has a different meaning in Brunei to that of Western countries. When visiting a mosque, you should always remove your shoes first and you should not pass in front of a person at prayer or touch the Koran. Women should cover their heads and not have their knees or arms exposed. Gifts and particularly food should only be passed with the right hand, although it is acceptable to use the left hand under the right wrist for support.

The Sultan of Brunei, whose title has passed within the same dynasty since the 15th century, is the head of state and head of government in Brunei. The Sultan is advised by several councils and a cabinet of ministers although he is effectively the ultimate ruler. The media is extremely pro-government and the Royal family retains an almost godlike status within the country. There is no elected legislative body. In September 2004 the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah convened an appointed Parliament which had not met since independence in 1984.

The country has been under hypothetical martial law since a rebellion occurred in the early 1960s and was put down by British troops from Singapore. A battalion from the British Army’s Royal Gurkha Rifles is still stationed in Brunei under agreement with the Sultan to protect the oil fields in the West of the country. Other units from the British Army are present to support and train the Brunei Army.

Brunei also claims territory in Sarawak and is one of many nations to lay claim to the disputed Spratly Islands.

This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly half of GDP. Substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production.

The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei’s leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Stated plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base.

The tiny but thriving Islamic Sultanate of Brunei perches on the northwestern coast of Borneo, completely encircled by the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It has a population of 323,000, nearly seventy percent of which is made up of Malays and indigenes from the larger ethnic groups like the Murut and Dusun; the rest are Chinese, Indians, smaller indigenous tribes and expats. They enjoy a quality of life that is quite unparalleled in Southeast Asia, with the literacy rate a staggering 93.7 percent of the population. Education and healthcare are free; houses, cars, and even pilgrimages to Mecca are subsidized; taxation on personal income is unheard of; and the average per capita salary is around USUSD 19,000. The explanation is simple: oil , first discovered in 1903 at the site of what is now the town of Seria.

The sultanate’s full name is Negara Brunei Darussalam, the “Country of Brunei, the Abode of Peace”, and peaceful is a fair, if rather polite, description of the state. Nightlife is almost nonexistent, and liquor extremely hard to get hold of since a ban in 1991. Until recently, the Sultan viewed the development of a tourist industry as unnecessary, and there’s been little for visitors to do in Brunei. However, things are gradually changing. Brunei is becoming less introspective and looking more to the West. You can see the results in the building of smart plazas with their requisite coffee bars in the capital Bandar. The authorities are starting to promote Brunei’s natural resources, and sections of pristine rainforest like Ulu Temburong National Park in eastern Brunei are opening up to visitors. The lack of accommodation outside the capital is being tackled by the recently formed homestay programme - where travellers overnight in Malay and Murut kampungs (villages) and Iban longhouses. This opportunity to share in rural life is gaining popularity. Add to this the fact that the capital Bandar Seri Begawan is an attractive city, with two exquisite mosques and the fascinating Kampung Ayer stilt village , and a stop-off in Brunei is a more appealing proposition than ever before.

That said, the problem remains that Brunei is more expensive than neigbouring Malaysia or even Singapore - hotel prices in the capital are at least double those in nearby Kota Kinabalu or Miri. Most travellers still end up in Brunei either because of an enforced stopover on a Royal Brunei Airlines flight, or as a stepping stone to either Sabah or Sarawak. In the latter case, however, it can work out cheaper to take an internal MAS flight between Miri and Labuan rather than bussing it through Brunei.

Brunei’s climate , like that of neighbouring Sabah and Sarawak, is hot and humid, with average temperatures in the high twenties throughout the year. Lying 440km north of the equator, Brunei has a tropical weather system, so even if you visit outside the official wet season (usually November to February) there’s every chance that you’ll see some rain.