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A one-day trip to several tourist spots
🕑 Added 2025-08-13 10:12:27 +0000 UTCAfter visiting the museum, I was taken to one of the most iconic mosques in Bandar Seri Begawan — the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.
You know what? This mosque was built by the 28th Sultan of Brunei in 1954 and completed in 1958 — so it’s been around for about 67 years! If it were a person, it would already be a wise elder by now, hehe.
The mosque’s most striking feature is its golden dome, and its minaret stands about 52 meters tall. Surrounding it are beautifully landscaped gardens, making the whole area feel so spacious and grand.
To enter this mosque, there’s a distinction between Muslim and non-Muslim visitors. Muslims can go right into the main prayer hall, even up to the front near the Imam’s spot, while non-Muslims can only stay along the sides, with a rope barrier marking the area.
Here, we were warmly welcomed by the guards — greeted with smiles and friendly hellos. It felt so cheerful and inviting! Plus, it was so cool and refreshing inside that I could’ve stayed for hours.
There are specific visiting hours.
The mosque’s interior is truly grand and luxurious, with materials sourced from around the world — marble from Italy, crystal chandeliers from England, and carpets from Saudi Arabia. The atmosphere feels so comfortable, elegant, and incredibly spacious… it just makes you want to linger here longer.
So, if you want to take photos inside, that’s totally allowed. For prayers, Muslims can come here anytime during the five daily prayer times without following the general visiting hours. Entrance is free! For Muslims, there’s also a donation box at the entrance.
I came here with my non-Muslim friend, so they could only go as far as the rope barrier.
I came here during visiting hours, right after the Asr prayer, around 5:00 PM — and the weather was just perfect!
After finishing our visit to this beautiful mosque, we headed straight to the beach to catch the sunset. We stopped by the best 5-star hotel here — The Empire Brunei. This is the place that often hosts state guests, and wow… it’s pure luxury! Just take a look!
If you’ve never been here before, you’d probably get confused about which way to go to the beach — it’s that huge and a little maze-like, haha.
We had to go down some stairs, take an elevator, and pass through the restaurant — honestly, finding our way felt like a mini adventure in itself 😂😂
Of course, photo time first! HAHAHA
Since we were passing by anyway, we thought, “Why not check out the restroom too?”
Even the restroom had royal vibes — fit for a Sultan!
This hotel has its own private beach. I got in for free (not as a hotel guest) because I came with my friend who’s been here many times. It seems that outsiders can also enjoy the sunset here, as long as they don’t use other facilities like the swimming pool.
It’s absolutely stunning here! The main thing is — it’s so peaceful… unbelievably quiet, with nothing but the sound of the waves. Honestly, it’s the best and most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen in my life!
If you’re someone who loves peace and quiet like I do, you’d absolutely enjoy this place — it’s that serene and that calm!
And this is the hotel’s swimming pool facility.
I just can’t thank my amazing friend enough for bringing me to this wonderfully peaceful place!
Here’s a short little conversation we had while enjoying the breathtaking sunset.
Around 7 PM, after the sunset, we went to grab some dinner before continuing our activities. Where do you think we headed next??
To be continued . . .
