Bandar Seri Begawan

Bandar Seri Begawan (Jawi: بندر سري بڬاوان) is the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei, and the district of Brunei and Muara, with a population of 140,000 (2010). Its urban area has a population of 296,500 people.

It is home to numerous producers of furniture, textiles, handicrafts and wood. It houses the Royal Ceremonial Hall, the Royal Regalia Building, the Brunei History Center and the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque . Bandar Seri Begawan is situated at the geographic coordinates 4°55' North, 114°55' East (4.91667, 114.91667).

Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, built in 1958, stands out for its huge golden dome, luxurious Italian marble interior, and elevator. Also, it has some underground passages that are used by the Sultan to make private trips around the city.

The city incorporates a water village, called Kampung Ayer. This villa is made up of houses built on the water. The Malay Technological Museum contains exhibits of the village's architecture.

Origin of name

Bandar is the Malay word, derived from Persian, for a port city and Seri Begawan comes from Sanskrit: śrī bhagavan (ศฺรี ภควนฺ) literally "The Blessed Lord". The meaning of the name is "Puerto del Bendito". The name pays tribute to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, ruler of Brunei. father of the reigning sultan, Muda Hassanal Bolkiah, who was given the title Seri Begawan after abdicating the throne in 1967.

Climate

Bandar Seri Begawan has an equatorial climate with no dry seasons. In fact, the city sees heavy rainfall throughout the year, with March being the driest month, on average the city receives about 3000mm of rain per year. October and December are the rainiest months, when rainfall is seen on two out of every three days on average. As is common in cities with a tropical climate, the average temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year, the maximum temperatures in the city are around 32 °C and the average minimum temperatures are 23 °C.

Average Bandar Seri Begawan climate parameters
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	30.4	30.7	31.9	32.5	32.6	32.5	32.3	32.4	32.0	31.6	31.4	31.0	31.8
Temp. medium (°C)	23.3	23.3	23.5	23.7	23.7	23.4	23.0	23.1	23.1	23.2	23.2	23.2	23.3
Total precipitation (mm)	292.6	158.9	118.7	189.4	234.9	210.1	225.9	226.6	264.4	312.3	339.9	339.6	2913.3
Days of rain (≥ 1 mm)	16	12	11	16	18	16	16	16	19	21	23	21	205
Hours of sun	195.3	192.1	226.3	240.0	235.6	210.0	223.2	217.0	198.0	204.6	204.0	210.8	2556.9
Source No. 1: World Meteorological Organization
Source No. 2: Hong Kong Observatory

Demographics

The population of Bandar Seri Begawan was around 140,000 as of August 2010, rising to 278,000 within the metropolitan area. Most of the citizens are ethnic Malays, with the Chinese being the largest minority group. A large number of transient workers live in the city, mostly from Indonesia, the Philippines and the Indian subcontinent.

Economy

Bandar Seri Begawan's economy is based primarily on revenue from oil exploration. Virtually all local economic activity revolves around the availability of this natural resource. Other activities such as the production of furniture, textiles, handicrafts, also have some importance in the city, and as the capital of Brunei, it is home to most of the country's government agencies.

The Brunei Stock Exchange, headquartered in Bandar Seri Begawan, trades mainly petroleum products. Brunei's main company – headquartered in the city – is Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP), a joint venture between the Government of Brunei and the Dutch group Royal Dutch Shell, which also operates the country's only refinery.

In recent years the government has made efforts to reduce Bandar Seri Begawan's dependence on economic activities related to oil extraction and government services. The government encouraged several industries to set up their activities in the vicinity of the city, among them it is worth mentioning: the fishing and logging industries. The tourism sector is also being highly developed, due to the great local attractions.

The real estate sector has also grown a lot since the 1990s. Several buildings and developments were built in the city. Due to this, Bandar Seri Begawan managed to register the highest population growth in Brunei.

Royal Brunei Airlines, the national airline, is based in the city.

Places of interest

Mosques

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.

• La Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque built in 1958, it has a golden dome and inside the walls are of Italian marble, it has carpets and an elevator. It also has tunnels, which are used by the sultan on trips across the city. This mosque is considered by some of the most beautiful in the world.

• La Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah. This mosque is the largest mosque in Brunéi. It was built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reign of the Sultan. It is locally known as the Kiarong mosque.

Historic Sites

• Located in Jalan Kianggeh, the Lapau or Royal Ceremony Room is used for traditional real ceremonies. It was here that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was crowned on August 1, 1968. The interior of the Lapau and the throne of the Sultan are decorated with gold. Within the Lapau enclosure you can see where Majlis Dewan sat in the Legislative Assembly. For visitors to enter this building, an official permit is required. With the completion of the new Legislative Council building in Jalan Mabohai, Lapau will soon become a symbol of the constitutional history of the Sultanate of Brunéi.

• The real mausoleum (Makam Di-Raja) is located away from the banks of the Sungei Brunéi behind the shop by Soon Lee Megamart departments in Mile One, Jalan Tutong. The Royal Mausoleum and the cemetery have been used for successive generations of sultans. Within the mausoleum itself are the remains of the last four sultans, Sir Muda Haji Omar Ali saifuddin (1950-1967), who died in 1986, Ahmad Tajuddin Ibnu Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam (1924-1950), Muhammad Jamalul Alam Ibnu Sultan Hashim (1906-1924), and Hashim Jalilul Alam Putera Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1885). Other members of the real families of those times are also buried in the place.

• Tomb of Sultan Sharif AliKota Batu.

• Tomb of Sultan Sharif AliKota Batu.

Museums

• The Brunéi Museum (Muzium Brunei) is located in an archaeological site of Kota Batu about 5 km from Bandar Seri Begawan, this museum is the largest in the country. It was established for the first time in 1965 and its current location dates back to 1970. Opened in 1972, the museum focuses on the Islamic history and natural history, artifacts and customs of Brunéi, and the ceramics and the oil industry of Brunéi. It can be reached by public transport (bus of line 39). Its exhibition rooms consist of the following:

• The Malay Museum of TechnologyKota Batu. The museum was officially opened in 1988.

• The Royal Regalia Building is located in Jalan Sultan, this museum is dedicated to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. The main gallery shows the crowning and jubilee of silver, chariots, gold and silver from the ceremonial arsenal and crown jewels with the traditional crowns embedded. A collection of documents that narrates the life of the Sultan along with the gallery of constitutional history is also in the same building.

• The Brunéi History Centre is located in Jalan Sultan next to the Royal Regalia building. It is the center of Brunéi's history. The centre was opened in 1982 with a brief investigation into the history of Brunéi. Much of that work has been to establish the genealogy and history of the sultans and the royal family. The public exhibition has a lot of information on these topics, including replicas and brass limestones. A flow chart of the entire lineage of the Brunéi sultans can be seen at the entrance.

• The Brunéi Arts and Crafts Centre. Located in Jalan's residence, it opened its doors in 1980. Brunéi's fine arts and crafts go back to several centuries and are part of the nation's proud heritage. The center carries out silver and bronze courses, wood carving, songkok, and fabric and basketwork.

Istana Nurul Iman

• The Istana Nurul Iman Palace is the residence of the Sultan of Brunéi. The palace is located in a lush stretch of hills and banks of the Brunéi River directly south of Bandar Seri Begawan, a few kilometres from the city centre. Istana Nurul Iman is believed to be the largest residential palace in the world. His name is taken from Arabic, which means the Palace of the Light of faith. The palace was designed by Leandro Locsin, and built by the Philippine company, Ayala International.

Kampong Yesterday

• Kampong Yesterday is a well preserved national heritage site, the largest of its kind in the world, with approximately 30,000 inhabitants. It has houses on pilots and extends around 8 km along the river Brunéi (Sungei Brunei). The Kampong is over 1000 years old. The name of Venice of the East was coined by Antonio Pigafetta in 1521, is located east of the central business district of the city.

The water village is equipped with schools, police stations, clinics, a water-based fire brigade and mosques. Kampong Ayer has been around since the Xd century. C., and is actually a set of villages, each with its own village leader (the head of the village or Ketua Kampong). The towns are connected by a complex network of roads and bridges. The historical importance of Kampong Ayer lies in the fact that the civilization of the sultanate originated here, with fishing as one of the main livelihoods of the people. There was a concentration of artisans producing bronze, silver and wooden crafts, therefore, the concession of the water village had a status of commercial and social importance. The skills of these craftsmen can be seen at Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery, the construction of this gallery started in August 2007 and finished in June 2009 with an enclosed area of 565 m². Some unique treasures from Kampong Ayer during its illustrious history are on display in 5 mini-galleries within the building.

Parks and Trails

• The Waterfront. This latest addition is with a view to the historical strategic. The site is approximately 1.8 hectares and took almost three years to be completed and officially opened to the public on 28 May 2011. The coastline is accessible to all, as it opens 24 hours, where the public can enjoy tourist visits and have a break in the outdoor cafes that offer dishes and drinks.

• Persiaran Damuan. This narrow strip of landscaped parks between Jalan Tutong and Sungei Brunéi was created in 1986. It has a permanent exhibition of the work of a sculptor from each of the original ASEAN countries. The 1 km long of the park has pleasant trails surrounded by bushes and Pulau Ranggu where two species of monkeys live, including the remarkable narigudo monkey, which are only found in Borneo. The park also offers some of the best views of the Istana Nurul Iman.

• Jalan Tasek Lama. Located just a few minutes’ walk from the city centre, this is a road for local residents to hiking through Bandar Seri Begawan. On the walkway through the small park there are banks and picnic areas, as well as a waterfall and ponds with water fountains.

• Bukit Subok Recreative Park. The park offers a great view of the Kampong Yesterday and the center of Bandar Seri Begawan. There is a well-kept wooden walkaway, with huts overlooking the road. These cottages offer good views of Kampong Yesterday and its surroundings.

Administrative division

The districts or their equivalents are known as Kampong Ayer or Water Village, and are:

• Burong Pinggai Yesterday
• Sungai Kebun
• Sungai Kedayan
• Peramu
• Saba
• Tamoi

Mukims

In addition Bandar Seri Begawan comprises the following sub-districts or also known as mukims:

• Kianggeh
• Burong Pinggai Yesterday
• Sungai Kebun
• Sungai Kedayan
• Peramu
• Saba
• Tamoi
• Berakas A
• Berakas B
• Gadong A
• Gadong B
• Kilanas
• Kota Batu
• Lumapas
• Sengkurong

Transportation

Air

Brunei International Airport serves the entire country. It is located 11 kilometers from the city center and can be reached in 10 minutes via the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah highway. Some airlines that operate flights to the airport are Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Cebu Pacific and Thai Airways International.

Water

A water taxi service known as "penambang" it is used as transportation between the center of Bandar Seri Begawan and Kampong Ayer. These water taxis are the most common means of getting around Kampung Ayer's waterways. They can be taken from the many "berths" along the banks of the Brunei River. Prices are negotiable.