Can't say goodbye to Brunei

Kampong Ayer and Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital 

Anyone who's spent time in a kampung (village) will immediately sense the kampung like atmosphere in Brunei, particularly its capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

Perhaps it's arriving at a small international airport where passengers are mostly in transit to Europe or the Middle East via the flag carrier Royal Brunei Airlines, or members of small tour groups from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Chatting to an Indonesian tour guide in the immigration queue, I learn that these groups are usually on short day tours, spending about three hours spent in BSB before flying back home.

Or perhaps it's because you can go from one end of the city to the other on foot in one day and everything is within five minutes by car. Walking would earn you strange looks though, as pedestrians are not common except downtown where the rows of shops and restaurants are.

The majority of Bruneians own a car and unlike in other cities, there are no readily available taxis that you can hail outside the airport or anywhere else.

Most families, the number of cars exceeds family members, which is probably true, as Brunei has one of the highest car ownership rates in the world. That's attributed to the absence of a comprehensive transport system, low import tax, inexpensive maintenance and the low price of unleaded petrol.

But Brunei is no ordinary kampung but a wealthy country where there are even more heliports (three) than airports (two).

The Jame'asr Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque, also known as the Kiarong Mosque, was built in 1988 and officially launched in 1994 to commemorate the silver anniversary of the sultan's reign. The mosque is the largest and most magnificent in Brunei and is distinctive because of its sea-blue roof, golden domes and minarets. The surrounding grounds feature fountains, which makes it a nice quiet spot away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque (known locally as the SOAS Mosque), on the other hand, was built in 1958. It also features a golden dome and an interior of Italian marble walls, carpeting and... an elevator!

Photos are not allowed inside the mosques but one has to appreciate the domed ceiling inside the SOAS Mosque with its magnificent stained glass. On the lagoon beside the SOAS Mosque is a stone boat, which is a replica of a 16th-century mahligai barge.

Near the SOAS Mosque is Kampung Ayer made up of small villages linked together by foot-bridges and is considered one of the cultural heritages of Brunei.

While Brunei may be an unlikely choice for a vacation due to its limited choice of attractions and lack of an accessible transport system, it does have its hidden charms.