When you’re travelling through Muslim states, visiting Mosques will inevitably be on your agenda which ultimately becomes part of your travel lifestyle. You can’t avoid them – they spring up everywhere. They are also works of art. I saw countless Mosques in Brunei Darussalam but two main ones stand out – the first of which is the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, which is nestled in the suburbs of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s unusual capital city.
How to get to Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan
Brunei has a single company bus network with every standard fare being $1 Brunei Dollar and it’s easy to get around Brunei using this system. To get to the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan, head to the central bus station which is situated very close to the Waterfront at Jalan Cator, the bus station is below a multi-storey car park and is accessible down the side streets.
All buses are numbered and the bus stops themselves also have routes on them for each number. To get to the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque you need to take the Number 1 bus. If that’s too much of a tongue twister just tell them “the Mosque” and they will know what you mean and within about 20 minutes, you’ll be there.
What is the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan?
The Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan is Brunei’s largest Mosque with 29 golden domes and four 58metre minarets. It sits in an elaborate garden area with a large car park where, inside, there is room for a massive 4,500 worshippers. That’s over one tenth of the country’s population!
Admiring the mosaics, the domes and the building itself is the main part of your visit, if you’re a non-Muslim. I was also impressed by the elaborate hanging chandelairs from the ceiling.
My Videos from the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan:
Outside the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan:
On the bus to the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan:
Jonny Blair is a self confessed traveling nomad who founded and blogs at Don’t Stop Living. He sees every day as an adventure. Since leaving behind his home town of Bangor in Northern Ireland ten years ago he has traveled to all seven continents, working his way through various jobs and funding it all with hard work and an appetite for travel. Don’t Stop Living, a lifestyle of travel’ contains over 1,000 stories and tips from his journeys round the globe. He wants to show others how easy it is to travel the world, give them some ideas and encourage them to do the same but most of all he aims to constantly live a lifestyle of travel. He is currently based in Hong Kong and on Twitter @jonnyblair.
