In Brunei Darussalam, the sago is a local staple and is known as Ambuyat.  After searching out a traditional location to eat Ambuyat in Bandar Seri Begawan, I joyously ordered the combination meal from a cheerful family serving out of a food court eatery.

As the smiling waiter emerged from the kitchen with Ambuyat in hand, an overwhelming feeling of happiness swept over my being and I knew I was ready to have another great cuisine experience in the far-off and unique Brunei.

Here is a short video of how I managed to eat Ambuyat:

The transparent glue paste (ambuyat) is eaten with a utensil that is a double pronged bamboo stick (Candas), resembling a pair of amateur chopsticks where the two sticks automatically spring back together. The sticks are twirled into the ambuyat to create a bite size peice and dipped into the sauce.

Along with the sago paste, the meal deal came with a fish based soup (Ikan Rebus), a green leaf boiled vegetable (Sayur Bayam), and the craziest tasting sauce in the world (Cacah Binjai).  The cacah binjai sauce is made from the binjai fruit which resembles a mango but has been neglected throughout much of world except in parts of Borneo and is still thriving in Brunei.  The sauce was one of the more intense flavors that I have ever come across in my life.  Try to imagine this; cream of fermented mushroom soup blended with a super shrimp paste, mixed with pickled sour ginger, and doused with a dash of vodka, just enough for a sharp bite.  I was left speachless at the mercy of the powerful cacah binjai and loved every bite of super pungent excitement.

Much like a durian buffet, an ambuyat feast in Brunei is an imperative move for a gourmet guru. 

[smartads]

-Migration Mark

The Stickiest Business in Brunei is a post from: Cultural Travel and Street Food Around the World | Migrationology

I arrived at about 4 pm in the exotic Aladdin feeling city of Bandar Seri Begawan fresh off the ferry from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei.

Where to Stay?

Although there were mixed reviews of the cheapest and only youth hostel in Bandar, after checking-in, I realized it was much nicer than most places I had ever stayed.  The air-cons pushed cold air and the bunk-beds were amazingly stable and comfortable.  If you need highly adequate but not at all fancy accommodation, Pusat Belia Youth Hostel is a good enough place to bunk for $10 Brunei dollars per night.

Kampong Ayer Water Village

Kampong Ayer is a huge village built on stilts above the Brunei River that houses around 39,000 residents.  Where most water villages around the world are home to the poorest of the poor, Bruneian’s who live in Kampong Ayer are actually quite well off.  Many of the stilted homes are outfitted with electricity, satellite televisions, and internet access.  Many inhabitants in this oil driven country even own cars parked ashore.

During our kingly boat cruise, our skipper pointed off into the horizon to a glistening somewhat ostentatious golden dome poking through the tree line on the banks of the river.  “This is the Sultan’s palace,” he proclaimed.  With 1,788 rooms and 257 bathrooms it’s a shame I couldn’t test the quality of the sewage system (Only open for 3 days to the public on Eid al-Fitr).

A speed boat cruise through Kampong Ayer can be arranged by one of the many boat taxi’s eagerly waiting to give you a tour.  The price will be around $20 Brunei Dollars for an hour boat ride tour (don’t expect to really bargain, people are not overly desperate for money in Brunei).  The water village is equipped with schools, hospitals, police and fire stations, Mosques, and the one-of-a-kind Shell petrol station above water on stilts.

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

In full daylight, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the center of Bandar Seri Begawan is an audacious and remarkable display of design and construction.  In the late afternoon as the sun crept lower and lower with every second, the mosque became even more fascinating.  The electric colors from the golden dome ricocheted off the marble walls and minarets and I felt like I was a part of some extravagant surreal painting.

Bruneian Cuisine

After an hour of glossy eyed staring at the mosque and the surrounding skies, I realized my stomach was crying out for food.  Luckily, I was able to locate a local Bruneian dish made from the Sago palm, known as Ambuyat.  This sticky glue like substance was a novelty to twirl into bite sized pieces and further dip into the bizarre but awesomely bursting cacah binjai sauce.  If you are in Brunei you would be missing a lot to neglect an authentic Ambuyat feast.

If you have a minute, check out this 1:51 short video to get a  better feel for some of these images!

Though I was only in Brunei for a single evening, I had a luxurious time wandering around and seeing a few of the famous existing sights.  The incredible views from Brunei in such a brief time left me shocked and feeling like I was the Sultan of some exotic fairy tale.

[smartads]

-Migration Mark

Being the Sultan in Brunei is a post from: Cultural Travel and Street Food Around the World | Migrationology

Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in 1 Day

1. Get to Jesselton Point Ferry Pier in Kota Kinabalu the afternoon before departure in order to purchase a ferry ticket for the next morning
2. You have to take 2 different ferries to Brunei, 1st to Labuan riding the Labuan Express Tiga vessel (duty free port in Malaysia), 2nd to Serasa Ferry Terminal, Muara, in Brunei riding the Seri Anna vessel
3. Purchase both ferry tickets at Jesselton Point, Kota Kinabalu, for a package deal costing 56 Malaysian Ringgits
4. The ferry boat will leave Kota Kinabalu at 8 am so arrive at the jetty around 7.30 am
5. You will watch some shoot-em up horrible film on the ferry and soon after arrive in Labuan at about 11 am
6. The next ferry to Brunei will leave at 1:30 pm, so you have a bit of time to mess around, shop for duty free chocolate, alcohol, etc. (Note: If you leave the ferry terminal, you will be charged an extra 5 Ringgits for ferry terminal tax)
7. The ferry to Serasa Ferry Terminal in Brunei will take a little over 1 hour and you will arrive about 3 pm
8. From the terminal dock, Bardar Seri Begawan is still 30 km away.  You have 3 options,

• Take a taxi- B $20
• Wait for a bus (could take an hour or more)- B $2
• Take a taxi to the small bus terminal in Muara 5 minutes away- B $5, and then take the bus to city center- B $1

Note: Confirm all time and prices as they do tend to fluctuate.

You will arrive at the central bus station in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei around 4 pm. From there, most things of interest, including great hotels to stay at, are within easy walking distance.

Brunei to Kota Kinabalu in 1 Day

1. Get to the central bus terminal dock in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei by about 6:30 am in order to catch the bus (B $2) to the Serasa Ferry Terminal (bus will be market to ferry terminal)
2. The bus should leave anywhere from 6:45 am to 7 am depending on demand and arrive at the ferry terminal close to 7:45 am
3. Buy the ferry ticket to Labuan which will cost B $17 and leave at about 8:30 am
4. When you arrive in Labuan at about 10 am, immediately go through immigration, then exit the terminal, and head to the ticket counter to buy a ticket to Kota Kinabalu at 1 pm (34 Malaysian Ringgits)
5. You will have about 3 hours to mosey around, eat, and shop
6. The ferry to Kota Kinabalu will depart at 1 pm and arrive about 3 hours later

When I visited Brunei, I stayed at the YMCA, but there are many other places to stay within the city. Don’t forget to indulge ambuyat when you’re in Brunei!

How to Get From Kota Kinabalu to Brunei in 1 Day is a post from: Cultural Travel and Street Food Around the World | Migrationology