CONVERGENCE MAY - JUNE 2016

Nurul Iman PALACE
The biggest residential palace in the
world is the official residence of His
Majesty the Sultan of Brunei. The
palace was completed under a
whopping USD1.4 billion in 1984.
Reasons for the figure includes the
sheer size of the palace which is over
two million square feet, has over
1,700 rooms and a mosque that
accommodates over 1,500 people. However,
tourists are not allowed into palace grounds and the best way to view the palace
is via a water taxi cruise. The palace is only open to tourists during the three-day
Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Eid festivities during the Muslim month of Ramadan.
Day 2
Kampung Ayer
How about taking a
water cruise and visiting
schools, police stations
and a fire station all
built on stilts for a
population amounting
to slightly over 30,000
people? Dubbed the
'Venice of the East',
this water village is a
sure sight to behold
with a huge majority of
the population being fishermen while the rest are mainly comprised of government
employees. To top it off, cruise the mangroves in search of the rare and endangered
proboscis monkey which usually comes near to the water’s edge in the morning.
Day 3
Travel
Ulu Temburong
National Park
Finally, what better way to end your trip
than by immersing yourself in nature's
finest? The park covers around 50,000
hectares of rainforest and can be
accessed via a longboat. However, the
highlight of the trip is the park's canopy
walkway. Visitors are required to trek an
hour long from the park's headquarters
but the walk is worth the time and effort
as visitors are given ample opportunities
to observe the rainforest's diverse
treetop ecosystem. So, trek the jungle
trails, climb the canopy walkway and
experience an unspoilt rainforest before
going home to more often than not, the
urban and concrete jungle.
Jame’Asr HASSANIL Bolkiah Mosque
Visiting an Islamic nation will have you chancing upon more than one mosque
and this is another such religious place of worship that should be on your itinerary.
A key feature with this mosque is that it has a total of 29 golden domes which
symbolises the 29th Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda
Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah. Also, look out for the sultan's
own personal escalator at his private entrance to the mosque.
Gadong Night Market
If you're looking for cheap yet tasty
local delicacies, the night market will
be a suitable option. Located just
a stone's throw away from the
mosque, one will find satay, chicken
wings, barbecued or grilled fish,
fried kuey teow, lamb chops, beef
steaks, sweet pancakes with
peanuts, raisins or sugar fillings,
drinks, fresh vegetables, fruits and
even clothes and accessories.
49