Brunei’s delicacy, ambuyat
BRUNEI Darussalam—not widely known for its monikers as the “Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures” and “Abode of Peace”—is a country of 423,196 people (based on the 2016 population count of World Bank) with 75 percent of their total land area still covered in verdant greens and lush forests.
Its capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan, is only a two-hour flight from Manila.
The Brunei International Airport was silent when we landed a few minutes after 11 p.m. on a Tuesday, the night before Valentine’s Day.
We met our Airbnb host Shahid, and a driver, who brought us to Whistler Lodge, an artsy industrial abode located 10 to 15 minutes from the airport.
My companion for the six-day trip were friends Ador, JK and Marian, and then Shasha later caught up with us.
Pop art paintings adorned the walls of the Whistler Lodge, developedby its owner Chris Yong. There are two lofts; the first one has a queen-size bed while the top floor has four single beds.
Air-conditioned and fitted with a kitchen and private toilet, it became our home for a good four days.
More food options at Gadong Night Market
TRANSPORTATION
Brunei is not the place for those seeking a nightlife. Most of the shops are closed by 7 p.m. and public transportation (blue buses) takes a rest at 6 p.m. Oil is cheap in this part of Southeast Asia.
Diesel is sold at 32 cents (about P13) per liter and Ron 47, a type of premium fuel is sold at 53 cents (about P21) per liter.
Almost everyone owns a car and even Filipino shopkeeper Marian Montinola, who hails from Dumaguete City, says they’re shuttled to work from their apartments (and vice versa) by company cars.
If travelers choose to take the public bus, then it is wise to take note of the bus numbers. One-way is by BND 1. But do not put your hopes up on public transport.
To get around the city with ease, hire an “Uncle” who will take you around the city or drop you off and then pick you up on your desired time.
We found our Uncle Azmi (the same name as our friend) parked near the bus terminal. He became our trusted chauffeur in the four days we spent in the city center.
Brunei is a destination for group travelers. I often go on solo trips but this is not a country to enjoy sans friends.
Before you even leave for Brunei, remember that it is an Islamic country so observe proper decorum and wear appropriate attire.
No shorts, no sleeveless tops. Ladies, take note though that you do not need to totally cover yourself when you are walking around the city. A pair of jeans or long pants and a T-shirt is your most comfortable outfit.
I always bring a shawl with me wherever I go in case I need to cover my head. When we were there in mid-February, the exchange rate was one BND 1 is equivalent to P39.95.
With an Uncle and a private car at your service, Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan can be toured within one day. Entrance to museums and art galleries are free.
At designated days and hours, non-Muslims can go inside the mosques. Dress robes (jubah) and headscarves (tudung) are placed outside which women can wear on top of their clothes before entering the mosque.
Inside the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in downtown Bandar, there is a specific area designated for non-Muslims who want to go inside this place of worship.
I walked inside and marveled at this grandiose edifice.
The walls and floors of the mosque were made from Italian marble. Carpets were flown from Saudi Arabia and the chandeliers were crafted in England.
The main dome is covered by a 3.5-million-piece glass mosaic. It can accommodate 3,000 worshippers.
The mosque was named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, the current king’s father.
The lagoon replicated the 16th century mahligai or royal barge where religious ceremonies such as Holy Qur’an readings were staged in the 1960s and 1970s.
A 15-minute walk from the mosque is the Royal Regalia Building, which was built to commemorate the Silver Jubileeof the accession to the throne of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah in 1992. Located in the heart of Bandar SeriBegawan, the museum is home to a collection of royal regalia including the royal chariot, gold and silver ceremonial armory, the jewel-encrusted crowns used during the coronation and a replica of the throne, which is used by the Sultan on state occasions.
Gifts from other countries are likewise displayed in the museum. The “Sama-sama” artpiece designed by Cebu’s pride Kenneth Cobonpue, which was the souvenir during the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held on Manila, was placed in a glass casing on the second floor of the building.
SPECIAL PLACES
A walking tour around Bandar Seri Begawan is also possible within two hours if you are pressed with time.
I found a self-guided tour map at the art gallery, which during our visit from Feb 13 to 16, was running the “Abode of Peace and The Lion City: A Brunei-Singapore Exhibition,” which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement of the two countries.
This means that the Brunei Dollar and Singapore Dollar are regarded as customary tender when circulating in each other’s country.
The Empire Hotel and Country Club was a luxurious stop as it sits on a 180-hectare estate of manicured gardens and an 18-hole, floodlit Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and Country Club. The hotel has more than 500 rooms, suites and private villas.
It has indoor and outdoor pools and a spa.
We stopped by The Istana Nurul Iman (The Light of Faith Palace), the official residence of the Sultan and Brunei’s seat of Government.
It was designed by Filipino architect Leandro Tocsin and constructed by Ayala International with a cost of more than US $1 billion. It is not open to the public except during Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the festival after Ramadan.
THE FOOD
Ambuyat is Brunei’s national dish derived from the interior trunk of the sago palm.
The starchy, sticky paste is bland so you need to dip in a sauce called “cacah” which taste sour and salty at the same time.
The dish is eaten by twirling ambuyat on a bamboo fork or chandas and then dip it in the sauce. Best paired with fried prawns, fried fish, sauteed kangkong and mixed beef.
At the Kianggeh Market (yep, close to our “tiangge”), fruits and vegetables of different colors shapes and sizes abound.
Durian takes the red orange color. At the Gadong Night Market—or the Pasar Pelbagai Barangan Gadong —the gastronomic options are endless.
There are mouth-watering succulent grilled meat and seafood, satay paired with peanut sauce, homemade pastries, fritters (prawn, vegetables, banana, name it, they’re all there). Another Bruneian delicacy to enjoy here is called “pulut panggang,” which is glutinous rice with either prawn or beef filling wrapped in leaf and grilled over fire.
When all else fails, there is Jollibee. The fast food chain is already embedded in Brunei’s food culture. Or you can always go to the supermarket and with your fresh produce in reusable bags, go back to your AirBnb home and cook.
We had several dinners of chicken adobo and pinakbet. Breakfasts was the classic “silog” forms and my own version of Spanish omelet.
After four days in Bandar, it was time to rough it out and head on to the jungle. AZ Back to Nature Tour Services sent two Filipinos (Kim from Pagadian and Kuya Leonard from Butuan) to pick us up and drive us to the jetty terminal on a sunny Saturday morning to get to Temburong
National Park.
(Continued next Saturday)