I never expected my short layover in Brunei to become a full-blown adventure — but that’s exactly what happened the moment I stepped out of Brunei International Airport. With only 10 minutes separating the airport from Bandar Seri Begawan, I suddenly found myself with a whole new country to explore… and not nearly enough time. But that never stopped me before. I touched down in Brunei expecting nothing more than a simple transit, maybe a nap, maybe a quiet cup of coffee at the airport. But the moment I stepped outside, something shifted — the air felt different, warm and calm, almost as if the entire country whispered: “You’re not just passing through… you’re meant to explore.” And suddenly, my quick layover turned into a spontaneous adventure. With the airport only 10 minutes from Bandar Seri Begawan, I used DART apps which is same as GRAB or UBER in Brunei. But, Brunei only have DART. This is the story of how a random transit to go to Beijing, China became one of the most unexpected highlights of my travels. What started as a quick transit became a whirlwind adventure of flavors, culture, golden domes, markets, and waterfront views. Brunei surprised me in the best possible way — calm, charming, and unforgettable. Sometimes, the best trips aren’t the ones you plan. They’re the ones that happen between flights. I suddenly found myself with a whole new country to explore… and not nearly enough time. But that never stopped me before. This is the story of how a random transit became one of the most unexpected highlights of my travels.
Our DART had arrived. The day began quietly, the city still waking up as I arrived at Jing Chiew Kopitiam, a simple corner shop bursting with the smell of local noodles, kaya toast and fresh coffee. It is the famous kopitiam in Brunei and they have several branchs. It was the kind of breakfast that felt like a warm welcome — comforting, familiar, yet distinctly Bruneian. It felt humble, authentic, and beautifully ordinary — the kind of place where you instantly blend in with the morning crowd. As I sipped my coffee and watched the locals start their morning, I realized: this layover was already worth it. Simple breakfast but pretty decent & tasty. As I bit into my breakfast, the adventure officially kicked in. No plan, no rush. Just me, the city and whatever surprises Brunei had waiting. We spend our morning at kopitiam and chit chat. It was drizzle a little bit in the morning. After done with the breakfast, we took DART to go to explore Bandar Seri Begawan city.
Then, we stop for awhile at McDonald to grab some ice creams before we went to find Brunei's souvenirs. Of course, no adventure is complete without souvenirs. I wandered into Happy Star Brunei Souvenir Shop at Kompleks Yayasan, right in the heart of the city. From magnets to keychains to traditional crafts, I found little pieces of Brunei to take home — proof that even an unplanned adventure deserves mementos. Of course, no adventure is complete without memorabilia. I grabbed the cutest things I could find. My layover deserved souvenirs, okay? Plus, the shopkeepers were incredibly friendly… which only tempted me to buy even more. The shop are worth to go if you want to find many kind of unique souvenirs with reasonable prices.
Finally, as the day mellowed into the afternoon, I strolled along the Brunei Waterfront. The water shimmered softly as boats glided past Kampong Ayer, the historical water village. The city radiated such calmness, it almost felt unreal — like time slowed down just for me to savor the moment. watching the water gently ripple as kampong boats passed by. You can take a boat ride to cross to Kampong Ayer because there are so many boat to rent at the waterfront jetty. But, we not attempt to ride a boat to go there. Just want to enjoy the view and peaceful moment. Besides that, there are many government offices nearby the waterfront. Furthermore it is also walking distance to Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque which is one of the famous & golden mosque in Brunei. So, we took chance to walk to go to that mosque.
Next stop: the breathtaking Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, glowing like a jewel under the late afternoon sun. Its golden dome towered above the calm lagoon, creating a perfect mirror reflection with the white shimmered walls. Standing there, shoes off, silence all around — it felt like stepping into a postcard. Quiet. Serene. Pure. For a moment, I wasn’t a tourist on a layover… I was a traveler witnessing Brunei’s heart. Somehow, even in a rush, I found a moment of peace. The sight hit me like a movie scene. Really admired with the mosque design and i manage to read the history of the mosque and the time it was build. We chill a few minutes there and headed to next famous and massive mosque in Brunei. I went there by DART. Along the way to the massive mosque, i could saw other type of mosques in Brunei city. Basically, i think Brunei's trademark is their unique, beautiful and rare mosque designs!
If the first mosque was a jewel… this one was an entire kingdom. Brunei’s mosques don’t play. The Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque left me speechless — massive, majestic, and shimmering under the midday sun. Walking through its manicured gardens and intricate architecture, I felt tiny in the best way. The Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque towered above everything, with its majestic minarets, 29 golden domes with 24 karat gold, water fountains, detailed architecture with blue & gold colors and garden pathways that made me feel like wandering through a palace. This is the largest mosque in Brunei. For your information, the big huge massive dome is made by pure gold with 24 karat gold. Every corner was a postcard waiting to be captured. Standing there, I felt small — but in the best, most awe-inspiring way. Who knew a layover could bring me here?
We are done with all the tourist spot in Bandar Seri Begawan. Therefore, we planned to go back to Brunei Airport and wandered around the airport. We also had our lunch in the airport restaurant. Before the day slipped away, we made it to Anjung Saujana Restaurant — and thank goodness I did. Their mee kolok is fragrant, and exactly what I needed to recharge. There’s something magical about eating & trying the local cuisine such as hot bowl of noodle or rice &other dishes in a foreign country, knowing you’re creating memories you didn’t even plan for.
After done with our quite delicious and fulfilling lunch, we checked in to our gate and hang out few hours, sleeps and grab some teatime in the cafe nearby to our gate while waiting our flight to go back to our hometown. What started as a quick transit became a whirlwind adventure of flavors, culture, golden domes, markets and waterfront views. Brunei surprised me in the best possible way — calm, charming and unforgettable although Brunei is a small country. For a moment, I forgot I was just passing through. It felt like Brunei was reminding me: even the quickest journeys can be life-changing. It was the perfect ending to an unplanned escapade.
And all of it happened in a single day I never meant to spend here. Sometimes, the best trips aren’t the ones you plan…They’re the ones that happen between flights.
Do visit to my travel photos in my Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LIMIPHOTOGRAPHY) to see my journey to Transit Brunei
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