SULTAN OMAR ALI SAIFUDDIEN MOSQUE

 

 

There are two great mosques in Bandar Seri Begawan.The first was built by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III in 1958 and sits next to the Kampong Ayer(Water Village) regarded as one of the most magnificent in the whole Asia.
This mosque has majestic 52 metre Golden-Domed roof flanted by a 54 metre minaret.Linked to the mosque ,and built at the middle of lagoon,is an elegent concrete structure in the form of a 16th century royal barge known as Bahtera. The mosque unites Mughal Architectureand Italian styles. The plans were done by Booty and Edwards Chartered Architects according to designs by the Italian architect Rudolfo Nolli, who had already for decades been working at the Gulf of Siam
Most of foreigners come to Brunei and visit Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque.SOAS mosque short name for Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque is the most beautiful mosque in Brunei Darussalam and attract foreigners to visit it.


                                       Water Taxis in Kampong Ayer Brunei Darussalam

 

 

 

 

 on the Boat to Kampong Ayer Brunei

 

passed Kg Bendahara Lama and we could see a our late father's graveyard 

at 'Tanah perkuburan Limbungan' from distance

 

 Water pipes for Kampong Ayer water village's people

 

Beautiful....Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

view from Kampong Ayer

 

 View of Sultan Palace - Nurul Iman Palace

 

Garbage from Kampong Ayer

was transported by boat to the garbage area

 

Living in Kampong Ayer

 

Kampong Ayer Fuel station for boats

 

The legend rock is said to be the ship of Nakhoda Ragam 

that was being cursed by his mother

Small land called Lumut Lunting

 Can u see the hanging plastic bags? Inside are the placenta of the babies.
There are people still believe in traditional belief.
I don't actually know what it's purpose hanging that things.

 This is to the way towards Kampung Menunggul

 These are modern houses scheme at Kampung Bolkiah

 Towards Kampung Bolkiah

  

One of the primary school at Kampong Ayer

 

Traditional gallery Building for tourists visiting 

the Kampong Ayer water village

 

 

Seat to view a water village documentary

 

 Some of the ancient things and traditional handicrafts 

are displayed in this galary

 

Kampung Ayer

Kampung Ayer:

 

Kampung Ayer from the waterfront near customs wharf.
Water taxis shuttle people back and forth between early morning and late evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fires are not uncommon in Kampung Ayer, and it takes just a few minutes
to burn one of the wooden houses to the waterline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

bridge over the Sungai Kedayan river,
on the way to Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

Kampong Ayer

Early European visitors to Brunei described Kampong Ayer, or Water Village, as the Venice of the East. Today, visitors continue to be fascinated by these traditional and historic houses built on stilts over the water, spanning the greater part of the Brunei River.

Kampoung Ayer is home to about 30000 people and is accessible by boat or by wooden bridges from Bandar Seri Begawan. A visit to Brunei would not be complete without a trip to the this unique and intriguing place.

Kampong Ayer Cultural & Tourism Gallery is our latest Gallery that lies in "Kampong Ayer" or Water Village. This unique Gallery was established to provide visitors and locals alike a glimpse of Kampong Ayer's celebrated past and revive the cottage industries from days of old, integrating them into our modern economy.

                                                        Kampong Ayer

 

 

 

This sprawling "Water Village" built on stilts over the Brunei River, has over 30,000 inhabitants and although such fishing villages are relatively common along the coast of Borneo and Malaysia, there is nothing that comes close to the vast scale or history of Kampong Ayer.

The stilted city, which was described by early European travellers as the 'Venice of the East', is actually a collection of small kampongs each with their own names and their own Government-appointed leaders, or "ketua kampong" . The myriad homes, which have piped water and electricity and are bedecked by a forest of TV aerials, are interconnected by a maze of wooden walkways along which it is possible to walk from one end of the village to the other. This amazing community is almost self-contained. It has shops, mosques, schools, a police station, fire station and medical clinics.

Water Taxis

Kampong Ayer is equally famous for the armada of water taxis which speed around the village transporting people and goods.

Hiring a boat and driver is very easy and costs around B$10 - 15 for half an hour or so. Just appear at the top of the steps across from the Yayasan complex and there will soon be someone there touting for your business.