Trip to Labuan and Brunei

Last Keamaatan holidays, my bestfriend Lam and I went on a 4 days/3 nights trip to Labuan and Brunei and it was awesome! It had also been a hell of a trip as most of the time it didn't go according to our original plan (you know what I mean, Lam! ha-ha), but I'm so glad that we did it in the first place!

First and foremost, we'd planned to drive up to KK, but it didn't happen in the end. We took a flight instead to save time. Next, we were told that there was a ferry going to Labuan at 10 am, but there actually wasn't, well, not until 3 pm at least. So we went to kill our time at 1 Borneo. We took a taxi instead of a bus and it cost us a good RM25! Serve us right.. so much for going shopping at 1B. In the end, none of us bought anything! 

We went back to Jesselton Point and took a ferry to Labuan. We only arrived there after 3 hours and it was already dark by then. Hygi picked us from the jetty and brought us to our hotel. And gahhhhh.. another surprise awaited us there.. It was a cheap dirty hotel near the pubs and night clubs. What the hell? And so we hopped over to every hotel we could find (as majority are fully booked) and ended up paying RM150 for an okay room at Global Hotel (if I'm not wrong). After we'd freshened up, we went out for dinner and Hygi took us around the city at night. It was a little bit too quiet but on a more positive note, it was perfect for people who are looking for peace and tranquility in an urban setting. 

On the following day, Hygi brought us around Labuan.. and yes, you can finish touring the island in a mere 3 hours or so! It's not that big anyway! We went to the Australian War Grave, Japanese War Grave, The Mysterious Chimney (since its real function is unknown to the public), The Marine Museum and Labuan Square. The weather was superb and great for touring around, except for the fact that my D60 was spoiled - it couldn't detect the SD card! So terpaksa lah take pics with my 3.2 MP camera phone.. well, it's still better than nothing righttttt? Next, we said goodbye to Labuan, took another 2-hour ferry ride to Sarawak, chartered a car to go into Brunei. It was only around dusk we arrived at our hotel in BSB (Bandar Seri Begawan).

Australian War Grave

Labuan Marine Museum

Labuan Square

You're the man, Hygi.. thanks for bringing us around!

Coal mining tunnel - a diorama

The Chimney

Japanese War Grave

We made a quick stop at Brunei's most luxurious hotel - The Empire, to watch the sunset and it was simply spectacular! We could even see Labuan Island from afar. After we had our dinner, we walked around the quiet (read: dead) city. The majestic view of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin's Mosque at night left me gaping in awe. Even the Kampung Ayer look lively and serene in the distance. I just couldn't wait to explore the city during daytime!

The Empire Hotel

The sunset

To be frank, there's nothing much that you can see around the city. After we had our breakfast, we hopped on the bus to go to the royal family's residence - the palace. Even though we couldn't go in, Istana Nurul Iman looked very grand from the gate. Did I mention the guards were nice apart from their fierce facade? Heh. Our next stop was Kampung Ayer, the trademark of Brunei. We took a boat ride around the area, and I tell you, it was huge! There were several villages with its own school, police station, mosque, and even fire station. The Sultan is very rich and generous.. he provided the houses and boats for free. It's no surprise that everybody worships him. We made a quick stop at Kampung Ayer Museum before having our lunch in the city. Geared with a full stomach, we walked around the park where we could see the majestic mosque I mentioned earlier, and next we spent a good two hours in the Royal Regalia Building which, like the name suggests, exhibits the royal regalia like the royal chariot or crowns for coronation and even gifts from other countries including Malaysia. Unfortunately, no camera or video equipment is allowed in the building except in the grand foyer. 

Istana Darul Iman

Kampung Ayer

Kampung Ayer Museum

The park

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

The front exhibit of the Royal Regalia Building - The Royal Chariot

Next, we took a flight back to KK, leaving the land famous for its petroleum, riches and royal family, bringing back the good times, unforgettable memories and new experience =)