Sing U Me Restaurant: Hide n’ Dine

(We only spent 3,000 Php on our Brunei trip! Find out how HERE!)

One of the best thrills of travelling is eating! You get to know a country’s characteristic better through their food, and I can attest to that. However, during our visit in Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei we were not able to indulge to the fullest. It was Ramadan and though we were not Muslims, we had to comply out of respect.

Good thing our host referred us to Sing U. Me restaurant. It is located in Warisan Complex in Jalan Gadong, right beside our homestay. They serve breakfast and we were very lucky to have found it since we had a long day scheduled ahead.

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Warisan Complex

Upon arriving, we noticed that all the windows were covered with newspaper that day. According to our host, this is to hide the people inside, not because they’re breaking the rules but to not tempt those who are fasting. Sing U Me Restaurant’s patrons were all Chinese or those not fasting that day.

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The morning after Raya!

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Before Raya, all the windows were covered with paper!

It was also nice to meet fellow Filipinos in the restaurant. Most of Sing U Me’s staff were Pinoys and we were given a bigger serving because of it (I really love how we get to enjoy this treat from our Kababayans anywhere!). We ordered Bah Ku Teh (which has become my favorite food of that trip). Generally, Bah Ku Teh is a pork rib dish in herbal soup usually made of star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and garlic. They add other meat variants to make different types of Bah Ku Teh and at Sing U Me Restaurant, I ordered one with pork intestines!

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Bak Kut Teh!!!!

We also ordered a shrimp dish that was to die for! It was coated in garlic and rosemary and was deep fried to perfection! It was served with white rice which is perfect in complimenting the strong taste of the shrimp.

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We also ordered 2 sets of dimsums because our appetite was triggered big time! I know this isn’t really something adventurous but we needed to taste something familiar! To top it all off, my partner and I each ordered Kopi C or coffee with evaporated milk.

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Overall, we spent 19 BND at Sing U Me. That’s around 900 Php. We went overboard, I know, and it’s because we were very pleased with the experience and the taste of their food. No regrets! Besides, we had to eat to last us the whole day!

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Dining at Sing U Me Restaurant was a pleasant and palatable experience. It was different because we had to go in hiding just to eat. It was sort of a thrill. We got to understand Brunei’s culture through this experience. I also had a new found appreciation at how people adapt to each other’s differences in order to leave harmoniously.

Here is how you find Sing U Me Restaurant in Brunei 🙂

 

Tiang Yun Dian: The Chinese Temple in Bandar Seri Begawan

Religion is subjective and proposes a very sensitive subject during discussions. I, honestly, veer away from those topics on my blog. However, seeing Bandar Seri Begawan and discovering a new-found diversity in a, rather, conservative Muslim country, gave me hope for humankind. Seeing the Tiang Yun Dian Chinese temple, sitting in all its intricate beauty, in the heart of Brunei’s solemn Ramadan, brought about so much emotions that I thought was courtesy of PMS (LOL).

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I couldn’t help but fall dead silent on its foot. I was staring at its crimson walls and golden ornaments in reverence. When we arrived, we of course asked for permission from the temple custodians if we can take photos. We didn’t want to break the place’s solemnity with our touristy cheer. We proceeded with the photos when they gave the go signal.

Every corner of the place is beautiful. It was almost hard to believe that it barely survived history. The original Tiang Yun Dian temple was built by the wharf in front of  Kampong Ayer. The Chinese community contributed funds for the building of their place of worship until such time that it was fully established. Sadly, World War II happened and threatened the aesthetics of the temple. The Temple of the Flying Clouds, as it is more commonly known, is as steadfast as the faith of the people worshiping here. They slowly restored the temple’s splendor.  The time came though when the land where it was situated was acquired by the government and they had to transfer to where it is located now — at the corner of Jalan Elizabeth Dua and Jalan Kianggeh.

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How I marveled at every corner of the temple. Even the tiled walls tell so much of the religion’s story! With the Four Heavenly Kings nestled securely at the north, and the sky wells that welcome the sunlight, taking a photo is the best way to preserve the memory of the place.

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The smoke from the incense takes you to their tradition as the prayers made through it ascended to heaven. A woman was making her supplications while we were there and in her silent reverie, even the trees seemed to surrender. We knew that we had to go to avoid being a nuisance. We thanked the man in charge and made our way out.

A lot of great legends surround Tiang Yun Dian and the faith of its worshipers, including the bomb which did not detonate during the war. I am proud to have experienced its history, solemnity, and beauty. I am honored to see Brunei’s consideration to all sects. I hope to have honored the place with my blog entry, as this is the least that I can do to return the pleasure it gave to my senses.

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**To read more about our trip in how we enjoyed Brunei with just Php 3,000 and how we earned 8 Passport Stamps with just 2 countries, please click the respective links 🙂

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Mamih Cafe: Brunei’s Chill-Out Spot

Night life in Brunei is all about relaxation, lounging, and eating good food. Drinking in bars, loud music, and the like is almost non-existent here. I would have to say that the beauty of Brunei  revolves around its culture and heritage sites, nothing much on the party scene. This is why we fell in love!

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Brunei is such a relaxed place!

We, my partner and I, are owls. We love the night time. We love having coffee late at night and finish in the wee hours of the morning. When we arrived in Brunei, it was a shift from our practice. A pleasant shift. 7 in the evening the first night we were there, we headed to a local restaurant called Mamih Cafe or Kafe Mamih. It is located in Warisan Mata-Mata Complex in Jln. Mata Mata, just right next to where we stayed!

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The place is comfortable. It uses dim lights to emphasize the comfort that you deserve to get while dining. The spacing between chairs and tables are perfect. You get to move around and it does not have a crowded feel. The color scheme flirts too well with the lights, with its dash of yellow and blue, and sometimes pink and brown. Each table also has a yellow light over it which all the more draws you to your food.

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The first thing we noticed when we were handed the menu is that the restaurant serves a lot of Filipino food! They have Kare-Kare and Halo-Halo! They also have Filipino staff who are fluent in speaking Malay but can easily shift to speaking Tagalog and English!

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We ordered Bah Kuh Teh and Nasi Ayam for our dinner. According to our host, these are house specialties, and of course, we couldn’t miss it! Bah Kuh Teh is like our very own Gotong Batangas. It is boiled pork rib soup seasoned in exquisite spices such as star anise, garlic, and cinnamon, to name some. They include different ingredients on the soup such as pork innards, enoki mushroom, etc. and it absolutely works! The first time I tasted it here at Mamih Cafe, I knew it’s going to be an addiction.

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Bah Kuh Teh is love, I swear!

Nasi Ayam is most commonly known as Hainanese Chicken Rice. This dish is served with 3 different sauces, ranging from the savory, to the sweet, and chili. Although this dish is nothing new to our taste, Mamih Cafe’s Nasi Ayam has this certain tinge of authenticity which really adds to the food’s appeal.

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Their Nasi Ayam comes with authentic sauces. Oh my heart!

We ordered drinks as well. We would not miss trying Kopi C Iced and Kopi O Iced. As huge coffee fans, we knew that this local coffee is worth tasting. Kopi C is coffee with evaporated milk, while Kopi O is black coffee. These versions of coffee is similarly available in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

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Teh Tarik, Kopi C, and Kopi O!

We wanted to order sate or grilled chicken but there were a lot of sate on queue to be cooked and we just couldn’t wait any longer. We understand, though. Since a lot of people are having dinner right after fasting, definitely the demand would be high. Plus, grilled food is no good when served cold. They serve it by batch, sadly.

After having our dinner, we were assisted by our homestay host to the counter. According to her, that is how people pay for food in Brunei. People do not hail for servers to give them the check. They walk to the counter and let the cashier know what they have ordered. Pretty honest, if you would ask me. So we paid for the dinner and it was a pleasant surprise knowing that our bill did not go over Php 500!

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Our experience in Mamih Cafe is our initiation to Brunei food. It is the start of my love affair with Bah Kuh Teh! Overall, the restaurant serves delicious dishes. It has a calm atmosphere which goes hand-in-hand with the peaceful evenings of Brunei. After a very long day travelling, being in Mamih Cafe is a luxury.

 

 

 

 

 

How to Enjoy Brunei with Just 3,000 Php

Budget is an essential factor when travelling. As much as I would like to live the luxurious life and disregard my economical constraints, I simply can’t! When I booked for Bandar Seri Begawan, my thought was “I need a lot of money to enjoy the trip.” Thankfully though, I was proven wrong. So here is my story of how I enjoyed Brunei with Php 3,000.

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My forever travel, kuripot buddy!

We arrived in Brunei from Kota Kinabalu Saturday afternoon. From Muara Port, we rode the bus all the way to Bandar Seri Begawan which took around a good 30 minutes to an hour. What’s great about the bus rides in Brunei is that however near or far you are headed, the bus fare would always be 1 BND or around Php 37. It may look pricey but considering the distance that you will often travel, this is reasonable. Plus, if you need to transfer buses, they will give you a stub and you just hand it over to the next bus and not pay anymore.

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Please note that buses only operate until 6 PM. There will be some buses operating until 8PM but since it was Ramadan when we were there, we had to really make it to the 6 PM trip.

Our homestay is located in Jalan Mata-Mata, right next to Warisan Mata Mata Complex. This was booked through Air BnB (click this link to book your stay with AIRBNB!). For a very fair price, we were able to enjoy an impressive living space plus gain two friends in the form of our hosts Mizzy and Zee! THEY GAVE US A FREE ROOM UPGRADE from a shared toilet room to a King Size bedroom with toilet, by the way!!! You can read all about M3 HERE.

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Mizzy is awesome!!!

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Warisan Mata Mata Complex

After checking in and a good chat with our host, we headed to Mamih Cafe to have our dinner. Dinner in Brunei happens after sundown in compliance with Ramadan. I ordered Bah Kuh Teh and it was love at first taste! We also had Kopi C  and Kopi O which in the Philippines is the equivalent of coffee with milk and black coffee, respectively. The night was good and we were filled to our heart’s content! That night, our dinner cost us 13 BND or around 476 Php. For our full meal description and experience, click HERE.

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The night was rainy and there was nowhere left to go in Gadong but home. Besides, the trip to Brunei from Kota Kinabalu can be a bit tiring. A night in Brunei is calm and it is ideal to those who would prefer to rest up and get up early the next day for a packed adventure.

We woke up at 6 in the morning and headed to Sing U. Me Restaurant. This restaurant is one of the few ones open during holy week. Restaurants like this would have a sign on their doors in Malay that says non-Islams can dine inside and all windows and doors are covered with paper. Although majority of Brunei’s population is Islam, there are still some belonging to other sects. Out of common respect, everyone (even the tourists) are not to be seen eating or drinking in public. I honestly find this practice beautiful.

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Just as the night before, I ordered Bah Kuh Teh and other dishes. Their dimsum selection is a must try! They also serve seafood like huge, fresh shrimp and fish As do most restaurants in Brunei, a number of kababayans are working here. They were very patient with us in explaining unfamiliar dishes and made sure we enjoyed our experience. We overspent here, sadly. I am known to be highly impulsive when it comes to food. LOL. Make sure to check my review of this restaurant by clicking this sentence and find out why the 19 BND or Php 700 is so worth it!

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When you are caught in Bah Kuh Teh love

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Shrimps here are huge!

There are designated buses for every place in Brunei. Although you can view this at the Central Station, you can print a copy using this link.

Once you reach the Central station, you can walk around to some of the famous landmarks of Bandar Seri Begawan

  1. Tiang Yun Dian Chinese Temple/Teng Yun/Twa Pa Kung Temple

This temple is located at the corner of JLN Elizabeth Dua and JLN Kianggeh-just walking distance from the Central Station. Its name means “Temple of Flying Clouds”. This is so hard to miss as it’s structure is distinct and grand.

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When we went inside, it was pure solemnity. Candles offered to the gods were burning reverently as prayers were believed to ascend through the smoke. We asked permission, of course, if we can take photos, and the caretakers were more than welcoming.

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A detailed write up HERE by The Daily Brunei Resources.

BND Spent: 0

2. Makam Raja Ayang

This is one of the monuments that really sparked a particular interest in me. It may look like a typical shrine on the outside, but it actually has a story that tells so much of the Brunean culture,

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The story tells about a woman named Dang Ayang. She is of royal descent but was sadly caught in an immoral relationship with her sibling. This deed is punishable by death through stoning but no one at that time had the heart to execute the punishment. Some say that the people were swayed by the obedience of Dang Ayang. Instead, she was built a cavern prison in the middle of the forest and was provided food.There was also a vent where smoke comes out and once smoke ceases to appear, it would mean that they had already passed away.

The only proof that this was indeed the actual mound was the tombstone where words in Arabic were inscribed.

Check the detailed story by CLICKING HERE.

BND Spent: 0

3. The Lapau and Dewan Majlis Building

Situated next to each other, is the Lapau or the Royal Ceremonial Hall and the Dewan Majlis (House of the Parliament). This was where the current Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah was crowned.

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Aside from it was still Ramadan, we were not able to see the interior because permission was needed to be granted to us by the government to do so. The place is a beauty, though, from the outside. You can see the intricate designs on the roof and walls which would really make you admire the Brunean architecture style.

BND Spent: 0

4. The Royal Regalia Building

I have never seen so much gold in my life! The Royal Regalia Building is a museum that celebrates the 50 years of the country under the Sultanate of Hassanal Bolkiah. Photos and artifacts that were used during special ceremonies were stored here. The gifts of different world leaders to the Sultan were also displayed. For the security of the place, taking pictures on the second floor is not allowed. Bummer.

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On the first floor you will see the Royal Chariot that was used during the Royal Jubilee celebration. You will also see a grand entourage of mannequins wearing different traditional attires which commemorates the parade of the sultan during his coronation.

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You will not regret visiting the Royal Regalia as it is rich in history and, OMG GOLD! Also remember to remove your shoes and change to bedroom slippers before going in. In my case, I just removed my shoes and walked around in my socks. Sorry. I can be slow sometimes.

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That’s my boots over there. Left it and walked in my socks like a bad ass.

BND Spent: 10 BND for 2 keychains, 2 ref magnets, and a postcard

5. Brunei History Centre

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We were not able to make it inside the building. The announcement of Raya has emerged and they had to close for the celebration. If you will be visiting the place, please remember that the museum is closed on Fridays. Here, you can see the history and the family tree of the Sultans in Brunei. It was also initially established to conduct further research on the history of the country.

BND Spent: 0

6. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Library

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This is a public library with over 385,000 books –heaven for the likes of me and my friends! You will not miss this building along Jalan Elizabeth II because of its huge mural showing the culture of Brunei through the eyes of someone who reads. Beautiful concept!

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BND Spent: 0

7. Jabatan Hal Ehwal Syariah or the Department of Syariah Affairs

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Taken from the gardens of Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddin

Located just beside the Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddin, this building is a proof of how serious the people of Brunei in following the laws of their religion. Aside from the discussion and organization of laws, events such as workshops to improve the foundations of Islam is held here.

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BND Spent: 0

8. Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddin

Named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is undoubtedly the highlight of our Brunei trip. It sits in all its glory on the banks of Kampong Ayer and if you are to fly over Bandar Seri Begawan, you are not to miss the grand dome of the structure which is made of pure gold.

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We were only allowed outside as prayers were being held in light of Raya. Who are we to complain? The beauty of the garden is breathtaking! I read over the Internet that the carpets inside the mosque were of fine materials from Saudi Arabia and the magnificent chandeliers inside were from Europe. Here, we resolved to visit again and see more of the masjids and marvel at their beauty.

BND Spent: 0

9. Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex

At this point, I had become so thirsty that I really needed to take a gulp. Given the circumstances, however, we simply cannot. We saw this beautiful mall just across the lagoon where Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddin is situated. There were fast food joints inside like KFC and, guess what…Jollibee!!!

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We noticed that these restaurants were open but only for to-go orders. We went straight to KFC and ordered 3 large sodas and headed out to the convenience store and bought a large bottle of mineral water. The dilemma came when we didn’t know where and how to drink it since it was not allowed. People were even throwing us looks because we sat at KFC with drinks on our table (sorry :((( ).

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Haggard moments. No food. No drinks. Just the heat.

Luckily we found Chewy Junior!!! Yes! The cream puff store we know and love in the Philippines. They were on sale – half the price off everything – since it’s the holy week. Here we met another Filipina. She is in charge of the stall and by how we probably looked she could tell that we were really thirsty! She allowed us to hide behind the oven and drink. SALAMAT PO ATE!!!

BND Spent:  3 large sodas for 1.50 BND each, 1 bottled water for 1 BND, 2 large pieces of Chewy Junior Cheesecake Cream Puffs for 5 BND

10. Mercu Dirgahayu 60

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This monument is located near the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex, right across Kampong Ayer. It takes a very interesting shape that symbolizes a lot about the philosophy of the country. The Mercu Dirgahayu is a gift of the Brunei people to Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkian for his 60th birthday. It takes the form of the Arabic numeral equivalent to 60 at the center of 5 pillars representing the 5 obligations of Islam. It also represents the close relationship of his majesty to his people and how he is full of wisdom and looked up to by his people.

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BND Spent: 0

11. Kampong Ayer

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Home of 10% of Brunei’s population, Kampong Ayer or Water Village, has been named as the Venice of the East. This village is located above the river waters and its main transportation are the water taxis. The community is complete! It has a market, schools, restaurants, shops, etc! Majority of the houses we saw has air conditioning and our boat driver mentioned that cable television and Internet connection is good in that area. It was also said that the government provides those who wishes to live there a good means of living to promote the growth of the largest water village in Asia.

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BND Spent: 10 BND for the boat ride. We haggled! It was just supposed to be 2 BND but with the rise of the number of tourists that day, the prices went up to 20 BND. We were glad the boat driver agreed to our price and still gave us a good tour. 

12. Sungai Kebun Bridge

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When we first arrived in Bandar Seri Begawan, this bridge immediately caught my attention. It’s structure, in all its massive glory, can literally render you speechless. They say that this bridge was made to connect Muara to Bandar Seri Begawan to improve business relations and that there is another bridge that is in the process of construction that is twice its size and length, connecting Muara to Temburong District (boarder of Sarawak, Malaysia). WOW.

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BND Spent: 0

13. Gadong Night Market

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Food park is also a hit in Brunei. We were in the right place and in the right time because during our stay, we get to celebrate the first day of Raya! Food and fireworks were everywhere! What really got me is the Gadong Night Market. Unlike in the Philippines, Brunei night markets are more of an “afternoon market”. They open at around 3 PM and close at 5:30 PM to 6 PM. Also, no one eats at the night market. Everything is to-go.

If you are slow in deciding which dish to buy, you might end up going home without anything. Seriously! The food is so good that it does not last the entire operating hours! As expected, we went over our budget here. The spicy cockle I begged my partner to buy was worth 5 BND…but believe me it was worth it! We also bought sate, rice cake, Kuih Malaya (which is like coconut pancakes with peanut butter and A MUST TRY!), stir-fried noodles, and Nasi Katok (this dish has a pretty interesting backstory which I will be sharing to you soon!).

I also bought a glass of iced chocolate drink which is actually a life-saver!

BND spent: 13 BND

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We went home from Gadong Night Market at around 5:30 PM. Sadly, there were no more buses left and everyone is celebrating the holiday. We walked for 30 minutes  just to get home and got lost a little bit since it was so hard to recognize freeways at night! Thank goodness we arrived just in time for us to have our very own Raya dinner 🙂

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It was so hard to wake up the next day because of our full stomachs and tired legs that we missed the first bus trip from the Central Station to Muara Port. We were told that we can ride Bus 38 and just transfer buses to get to the port. That we did. Here we met the bus driver of Bus 38, Allan Jasmin. He is also a fellow Filipino. We noticed how he would greet every one who rode the bus and even asked any Filipino who would ride this trip how they are and how their lives are doing. I find his personality very refreshing since it is so seldom that you see someone so happy and optimistic while doing his job.

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While riding bus 38, we get to pass by the Office of the Prime Minister and the different homes of the ambassadors from foreign countries. We even passed by the Philippine Ambassador to Brunei, Meynardo LB. Montealegre’s home. I also found out just recently that the Ambassador is my elementary school teacher’s in-law!!! Lucky! We promise to drop by and say “hi” the next time we visit. 🙂

We arrived at the drop-off point of Bus 38 and were instructed by Kuya Allan to wait for the next bus heading to Muara Port. When he found out that we were going to ride the ferry, he mentioned that we were running late and might miss it. At that moment, he did the uncanny. He requested for the other passengers to alight the bus! Imagine, they were nationals! He said in a very nice tone that he will just drop us off and he will go back to them to resume the trip. We were so filled with gratitude towards Kuya Allan. He dropped us off at the gates of Muara Port and were able to make it just in time to ride Shuttle Hope. We missed the Express Kinabalu to Labuan and had we missed Shuttle Hope, we would have stayed there another night with no homestay reservations!

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This is Kuya Allan! Our life-saver!

Kuya Allan mentioned that he has a daughter working here in the Philippines in the call center and if by chance you happen to read this, which is a long shot, I hope you know that your father is a very good man. He is working really hard and still manages to put a smile in other people’s faces. It really is something to be proud of!

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As we rode Shuttle Hope and leave for Labuan and Kota Kinabalu, I realized how much I enjoyed Brunei. The country made me realize how beautiful Islam is. Their government is strong and sturdy, and most importantly, cares so much for its people. They are strict in implementing their laws and that actually puts order in place.

If you were to ask me if I would visit Brunei again, my answer will definitely be YES. The culture is rich, the people are friendly, and the streets are clean! Also, I only spent roughly Php 3,000 here!

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Here’s a breakdown of everything:

Expenses

If you are going to visit Brunei, I highly recommend for you to visit Jerudong Park (amusement park) and Tungku Beach! This is near M3 or the place we stayed in. We regret not seeing those places but we would not trade the culture-filled experience we had in Brunei. Travelling really does mean learning and I had so much of that in this country.

Terima Kasih, Brunei!

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Essential Travel Guide: How I Earned 8 Passport Stamps – Manila to Kota Kinabalu to Brunei

The ultimate travel goal is to fill your passport with stamps within the year. Honestly, I never thought of it as possible with the limited funds that I have. Thank goodness to fellow travel bloggers, I discovered the hack to earning 8 passport stamps just by travelling 2 wonderful countries, Malaysia and Brunei.

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stamps, stamps, stamps

I left Manila bound for KK Friday night with clothes to last me for a week. My plan (aside from the 8 passport stamps) is to enjoy the place to the fullest with just 20k Php in my pocket (homestay and airfare excluded). If you have been following my blog, you would know how impulsive I am when it comes to food…so that in itself proposes a challenge.

First Tip: NAIA TAX. The last time I went out of the country (which was like 10 years ago) the terminal fee was only Php 500. Imagine how surprised I was when I found out that we have to pay a whooping Php 1,620 for airport tax! I paid 3x more! With no other choices left and with a heavy heart, I took the money from my budget.

The flight from Manila to Kota Kinabalu via Cebu Pacific leaves at night. Do not forget to check-in immediately as the line for immigration can be long. Also, travel light! If you are not planning to purchase check-in baggage, Cebu Pacific only allows 7kg as hand carry allowance.

 

 

When we arrived at Kota Kinabalu, immigration was easier. We were out in no time!

Second Tip: Purchase a local sim card. The one we got was a little bit pricey. However, we enjoyed 7 days of data and unlimited texting for around Php 300. We were amazed, as well, at how far the coverage is. Imagine being in the center of the ocean, heading to Brunei but still able to update our Instagram account!

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Ladies and Gentlemen, at this point, you have 2 passport stamps.

Third Tip: Take UBER! Update your Uber apps and book from the airport to wherever you are headed. It’s waay cheaper than the taxi cab in Kota Kinabalu plus we got really lucky with the promo code UBERRAYA. That was 14 trips with 4 RM off!

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Meet Jonathan, our Uber driver!

If you are headed to Brunei, you have to go to Jesselton Ferry Port. First trip is at 8AM. Head to counter 4 as soon as it opens and buy your tickets.

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PASALUBONGS GALORE!!!

Fourth Tip: You will be riding 2 ferries to get to Brunei. The first leg will be Kota Kinabalu to Labuan Port, and the other would be from Labuan Port to Muara Port (Brunei). Double Power (Counter 4) offers a package for the transfer. It is more economical plus it saves you the hassle of falling in line again in Labuan Port to purchase the ticket to Muara Port.

Ticket Computation KK to BSB

saves you 6 RM! WHOOO MATH!

In our case, since we arrived really early in the morning and short of Ringgits, we just purchased the ticket from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan and had our money changed before we rode the ferry to Muara.

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You will be arriving in Labuan port at around 11:00 AM. The ferry ride from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan is a long one. The waves can be really cruel as well and if you are the type to get seasick, this is not for you. Now you might ask, what will you be doing to entertain yourself for 3 hours? They will be playing a movie during the whole trip, don’t you worry! It may not be your current box office but, hey, you can live with that! They will also be serving Maggi noodles for 2 RM. I am officially in love with Maggi Curry!

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you will be given a seat number but, hey, it’s free seating!!!

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After eating my cup noodles and watching the first few minutes of Journey to the West, I slept like a baby on a very violent crib. When I woke up, we’re finally docking in Labuan.

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Fifth Tip: Have enough Ringgits! Do not make the same mistake we did. Aside from spending more for the ticket, Labuan, like all ports around the world, houses some shady characters. When we had our money changed at Ranjit Store (most trusted money changer in the area. the lady working here is also very patient in explaining the computation of the exchange), there were a group of guys “hanging around” outside the store peering on the tourists inside.

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Once you are in Labuan, the first thing you might want to do is buy your ticket to Muara, Brunei. There were instances where in tickets were sold out. If that happens to you, you would have to leave at a later schedule which will get you to Brunei late and chances are, buses will no longer be available in the city. Do not risk it, if I were you.

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buy your tickets ASAP!

Since man cannot live on Maggi alone, we scouted for good places to eat near the port. We found Fook Yuen Cafe and Bakery where we were surprised as one of the staff called us in Tagalog. We met Jenny and she assisted us in getting our food. She was very accommodating and even scolded her boss to speak to us is Tagalog. She also relayed to us how she was born to a Filipino family living in Labuan.

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Thanks so much Jenny for assisting us and adding more to our lunch! We were so full!

In Malaysia, it is a common practice to just provide customers rice and it would be up to them to scoop their viand. Basic price of a viand in Fook Yuen is 2.50 RM. I scooped a good amount of Fish Curry and it’s sauce. To top it off, I got myself fried egg! My partner ordered Chicken Rice (which is a resto favorite) and was not disappointed by the size of the chicken. Everything we ordered (plus 2 cans of soda) only costs 14.80 RM which is around 175 Php! This is the price of a Starbucks Venti!

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Chicken Rice and Fish Curry with Egg! (and lots of rice!!!)

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had to buy contacts solution

After we were done eating, we headed back to the port to prepare boarding. As Labuan is considered an international port, there is Duty Free!!! This is the perfect place to buy your pasalubongs! Here, you can purchase bundled chocolates per brand. Of course, I opted for Cadbury!! I paid 20 RM for a bundle and that’s approximately Php 240!

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Pall Mall looked sosyal here and the price is sosyal, as well.

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There is an immigration in Labuan. Here we met the unexpected.

Sixth Tip: Apparently, if you are travelling by ferry and you are a Filipino, you would need to have a show money of no lower than 300 Brunei Dollars. Without it, you are not going to be allowed to cross boarders. What’s worse is that if you challenged your luck and went to Brunei, disregarding the advice of the Malaysian immigration, you get deported to the Philippines. This means, you will no longer be allowed in the country of Brunei.

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We honestly didn’t have that money. Well, we did before we paid for the terminal fee in NAIA, the food, and the ferry ticket. As we were trying to contact people who can help us, at the same time planning our trip back to Kota Kinabalu, help arrived in the form of Bhing Harris. She is a fellow Filipino from Davao whom we shared a conversation with together with her niece, Hope, while we were waiting to board in Labuan. In the calmest of calm, she handed me and my partner 300 USD each and declared to the immigration officer that we are travelling with her. She said no need to worry and to return the money to her once we’re done with the Brunei immigration. We can never thank her enough for trusting and helping us. Up until now, we cannot believe that someone can easily hand over money to strangers just to help them!

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Hope and Bhing Harris! Thank you so much! Without you, our trip would not have been possible!!!

At this point, my passport got chopped which gave me a total of 3 passport stamps.

The travel by sea from Labuan Port to Brunei is relatively smoother via Express Kinabalu. It is the equivalent of fast craft here in the Philippines. We arrived after 1 and half hours to Bandar Seri Begawan and underwent immigration again. We were asked for our purpose of travel and how much money we have. We declared everything including the money lent by Bhing, plus the Ringgits and Pesos we have.

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Meeting people while travelling is the best part. It was a pleasure meeting you Hope, Bhing, and Chinn! I hope our roads would cross again.

As soon as we passed immigration, hello 4 passport stamps!!!

To read about our stay in Brunei, click HERE.
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My Seventh and Final Tip: Brunei buses will be in operation only until 6PM.  After which, you have no means of transportation. For the locals, this is not a problem as almost everyone owns a car. Yep, you are now in a rich country! For you, if you have no problem with walking kilometers, then this should not be a problem. We walked 8 kilometers during Hari Raya because we were so happy buying food at the night market.

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Meet Chin! She is a fellow backpacker! She is super brave travelling alone!

Going home, we missed Express Kinabalu’s first trip. We ended up riding Shuttle Hope which is Brunei’s equivalent to our RO-RO. Honestly, this form of transport is better than Express Kinabalu as it has more comfortable seats and brighter atmosphere. We were also able to see the massive offshore oil rigs in the seas of Brunei which is a rare sight for us Filipinos!

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OIL RIGS!

Exiting Brunei earned us 5 passport stamps.

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We alighted in Manumbok, headed our way to Labuan to get our exit stamp out of the port (6th stamp!) and rode the final 3-hour ferry ride back to Kota Kinabalu.

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Root beer and Maggi! Simple joys of backpacking!

My 7th and 8th passport stamps were gained exiting Malaysia and returning to the Philippines.

The experience was worth the long trip. Experiencing 2 different cultures in 7 days was more than I bargained for. We were also fortunate to have experienced Ramadan and Hari Raya in Brunei which is the solemnest that I have seen in my lifetime. The travel taught me patience (this is an obvious one- the trip was not easy!) and respect for other customs.

—and if you must ask if my 20k was enough to land me home safe and sound–and comfortable–in the Philippines, you would be surprised about the things we get to do in both Brunei and Kota Kinabalu with that budget! Watch out for my next blogs!

TERIMA KASIH, KOTA KINABALU & BRUNEI!!!