worldaltem: Day 128 , May 21, 2023 Maura, Brunei

Day 128 , May 21, 2023 Maura, Brunei

SBT-002 SPLENDOR OF THE SULTAN

Date: May 21, 2023 Duration: 4.00 Hrs

Time: 11:45 AM

OVERVIEW
Admire Brunei’s most lavish landmarks on a panoramic drive that also allows time to explore the extraordinary Royal Regalia. Along the way, you will pass the exclusive Royal Polo Grounds and NOT

the waterfront Empire Hotel, whose lobby chandelier alone cost a million dollars. Brunei’s immense wealth, a consequence of its oil and gas resources, is apparent throughout this tour. NO - You will not have opportunities to photograph the most impressive sites, including the government-funded billion-dollar amusement park Diamond Arch. NO You will also NOT enjoy a distant view of Istana Nurul Iman, the sultan’s hilltop home, the world’s largest residential palace. At the white-domed Royal Regalia, you will wander through exhibits of luxurious items from the sultan’s lavish coronation and other celebrations, including a royal chariot, ceremonial swords and a model of the palace.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Settle in for a panoramic drive past many of the most extravagant

attractions in Brunei.
• NO to 2 out of 3 See the Royal Polo Grounds, opulent Empire Hotel and a billion-dollar

amusement park.
NO• Pause to photograph the sultan’s fabulous palace, which boasts 1,788

rooms.
• Peruse the exhibits that reflect the monarchy’s fabulous wealth in the

Royal Regalia.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing, including long pants. • No low-cut tops, shorts, short skirts or short dresses.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

PLEASE NOTE
This tour includes about 45 minutes of easy to moderate walking over mostly flat surfaces with a few steps at the Royal Regalia. The tour is available to wheelchair guests who have a collapsible wheelchair, are
able to make their own way on and off the coach and have a companion to assist them. Guests with mobility concerns should evaluate their stamina and ability before joining the tour. Shoes must be removed at the Royal Regalia. Photography is prohibited in the Royal Regalia and mosques, and cameras and handbags must be left at the entrances.

The weather is hot, humid and rainy throughout the year. In May, the average low is 76 and the average high is 91. The average rainfall in May is nine inches and it rains about 18 days. The sunshines on average six to seven hours a day. Brunei is located at the southern edge of the area affected by typhoons, the tropical cyclones of Southeast Asia, so it is generally not affected. The typhoon season runs from May to December, with the probability peaking in December.

What we really did - The country is very clean and the buildings are impressive. We went to a mosque that was next door to the Prime Minister’s Building and were able to photograph both from the parking lot. We traveled to and visited the Royal Regalia seeing the memorabilia from the coronation and the history of the sultan’s life. He played golf, rode horses, and was a good athlete. He has three families, although only the family with the queen is on display. We saw the carriage the sultan was transported in, photos of his father transferring power to the current sultan, etc. We rode past the Royal Polo Ground, stable, glimpsed an amusement park and the sultan’s palace, etc.

I don’t recall glimpsing his sister’s residence or coach diamond arch.

The second Mosque we were able to photograph from outside is above and the first mosque we took a picture of is below.

This building is the Prime Minister's building.

Pictures of three of the Sultan's horses of which we saw many. Our guide commented she had not seen so many horses previously.

Royal Regalia - we had to take off our shoes to enter. We did see luxurious items from the sultan’s lavish coronation and other celebrations, including a royal chariot, ceremonial swords and a model of the palace.