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IN THIS ISSUE
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Max Ernst Museum
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COVER The Treasury, Petra, Jordan.
AWARD FOR BEST MAGAZINE Indian International Journalism Festival 2011
Editorial Board Advisor Royal Brunei Airlines Head, Corporate Communications Azhani Abu Daniel Editorial Hj Omar Hj Jaafar, Muaz Roslan, Mahyuddin Zulkipli
Print Production Brunei Press Sdn. Bhd., Brunei Darussalam
Editorial & Production General Manager Jacqueline WM Wong Editor Anis Ramli Editorial Assistant Kimberly MY Low Studio Director Lau Weng Leong Creative Director Michele Tee Digital Media Designer Tang Sze Yik Imaging Colourist June Lim Senior Account Executive Chu Pung Ping Coordinator Sa’adiah Hj Abas
Publishing & AdSales Digital Impressions Lot 20010, Taman Alam Jalan Telanai, Beribi BE1118 Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2654 851 F: +673 2650 276 E: muhibah@digital-impressions.org
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FEATURES 08
Why Dubai Dissecting the city’s success and counting its awesome moments.
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Swingin’ At The Siam Where to go for a vacation, staycation and more in Bangkok.
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London On The Light Enjoying this world-class city for almost next to nothing.
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Outback, Offroad Driving further afield to discover Victoria’s vast and diverse region.
MUHIBAH is published by Digital Impressions. All rights reserved. Copyright by Royal Brunei Airlines. Unsolicited materials will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and sufficient return postage. While every reasonable care is taken by the editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. The contents of this magazine are entirely the personal views of the author(s) and/or contributors and do not in any way reflect the views or opinions of the publisher. The publisher disclaims all and any liability to any person arising from the printing, sale or use of the materials in this magazine. The Editorial team reserves the right to edit and/or rewrite all materials according to the needs of the publication upon usage. MUHIBAH is complimentary for passengers on Royal Brunei Airlines. It is also available on subscription at BND7 per copy, excluding postage. Alternatively, log on www.muhibah.com.bn for e-MUHIBAH.
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Roberto Seba
David Kirkland/Brunei Tourism
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Finding Jordan Discovering an ancient kingdom for the first time traveller. Best of Brunei Walking On High. Keistimewaan Brunei Kembara Di Kaki Langit.
LIFESTYLE
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Take 5 Canberra
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Travel Diary
WELCOME ABOARD 05
CEO’s Message
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Inside RB
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Selamat Datang
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Brunei International Airport
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Motoring Green Drives
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Traveller’s Guide
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In Person Dato’ Seri Ibrahim Hj Ahmad Badawi and Nur Fatin
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Route Map & Destinations
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Abode of Peace
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The Buzz Best Holiday Reads
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WELCOME ONBOARD CEO’S MESSAGE
RB’s Training and Development team at a recent school outreach and enlisting programme.
Dear Guests, Welcome aboard Royal Brunei Airlines! We wish you a very pleasant trip with RB. Rest assure that our team, both on the ground and in the air, will do their utmost to make your journey comfortable and enjoyable. In this issue of Muhibah, we are very proud to highlight the dedicated and hardworking Training and Development team. The Training and Development team, under RB’s People and Performance Department, is the catalyst behind RB’s successful career programmes such as the Cadet Pilot, Engineering Apprentice and Graduate Trainee schemes. The team aims to inspire and educate Bruneians on the career opportunities available with the National Airline. This is done through school visits, career talks and exhibitions organised with various educational institutions and in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Read about the team’s latest initiative in this issue’s Inside RB on page 7. We are always looking for ways to provide the best experience for our guests, and our Training and Development team plays a vital role in helping to train our front line staff
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to ensure your needs are well taken care of, whether at the point of the customer service centre, the airport or inflight. Speaking of developments, in signifying our commitment to enhance RB’s services within the region, we have added two new cities to our route map: Tokyo, Japan via Hong Kong, a code share with Hong Kong Airlines and Seoul-Incheon, South Korea, via a charter service partnership with FOB Sdn Bhd. With the holiday season around the corner, we wish you and your families safe travels and a wonderful year end. Thank you for choosing to fly with us. Betterfly Royal Brunei.
Warmest regards, Karam Chand Chief Executive Officer
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WELCOME ONBOARD INSIGHTS
INSIDE RB Roundup of Royal Brunei Airlines happenings.
RB CELEBRATES EID UL-ADHA
AN AFTERNOON WITH WU CHUN
The State Mufti Department, Royal Brunei Catering (RBC), Mulaut Abbatoir and RB jointly organised a Qurban slaughter (sacrifice) on 15 September, 2016 to commemorate this year’s Eid ul-Adha. The Qurban was done at Pusat Kemasyarakatan RPN Kg Mentiri, with volunteers helping to clean the meats that were later distributed to the poor and the needy.
RB organised another meet-and-greet session with Wu Chun, RB’s Brand Ambassador, with his Chinese fans. Dubbed ‘An Afternoon with RB Brand Ambassador Wu Chun’, about 100 guests including 11 press members from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taiwan attended the event. The afternoon also saw tourists from the Greater China region who had purchased their three-day Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) package to the Sultanate.
HONG KONG AIRLINES AND ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES CODE SHARE RB and Hong Kong Airlines signed a code share agreement on 26 August, 2016 to provide travellers with enhanced connections in Asia. Hong Kong Airlines has over 30 destinations and Tokyo, Japan is one of the destinations that RB customers can look forward to from this code share agreement.
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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL VISITS RB’s Training & Development team recently visited a number of schools as part of its awareness campaign to promote careers at RB. The team held talks at Jerudong International School, Sekolah Menegah Masin and Sekolah Menengah Sayiddina Hassan, highlighting job prospects in the areas of Pilot, Cabin Crew and Engineering Apprentice.
LUFTHANSA & RB PARTNERSHIP RB and Lufthansa Technik marked yet another milestone on 3 October, 2016. A 10-year contract was signed between the two partners to cover component support for RB’s A320 and upcoming A320neo fleet. The scope of services includes repair management for a comprehensive range of line replaceable units, provision of critical inventory at RB’s home base in Brunei and access to Lufthansa Technik’s global network of component pools. In addition, Lufthansa Technik will support Royal Brunei Airlines with c.more®, a supply management solution for consumables and expendables.
BRUNEI TRAVEL FAIR 2016 The Brunei Travel Fair 2016, organised by Sabre Travel Network Brunei, welcomed thousands of avid travellers throughout the three-day event. Held at The Centrepoint Hotel, Gadong from 3-5 September, 2016, RB was delighted to sponsor various prizes during the Grand Draw. Congratulations to all winners and thank you to all our supporters, sponsors and event partners who participated in this travel fair.
TEAM AMAN WINS RB GAMES Team Aman was crowned overall champion followed by Teams Ria, Mega and Wira at the recent RB Games. RB wishes to congratulate everyone who participated in the games and for their support.
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FEATURES
Why Dissecting the city’s success and counting its awesome moments. Words EMMA RAMSAY Images DUBAI TOURISM
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DUBAI 01 Piercing the sky is Burj Khalifa, the world’s presently tallest building.
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Dubai is one of the world’s most exhilarating destinations: a glittering city that offers swathes of golden beaches and worldclass shopping, dining and nightlife. It hosts electrifying events and sporting championships, and for all the family, is one big, adventurous playground. A place where tradition meets ambition, where the past meets the future. The visionary city is also proud to display its rich heritage and culture. Extraordinary images of Dubai’s skyline have been seen around the world, but this is a city that must be experienced to be believed. Where else can you spend the morning on the beach, the afternoon snow skiing and the evening camel riding in the desert? Where else can you dive with sharks in a shopping mall and watch dancing fountains at the base of the world’s tallest tower? Whatever your passion, whatever your age – Dubai will never disappoint. And with many more hotels and attractions in the pipeline, no-one can ever truly say they’ve ticked off Dubai.
02 The Dubai Marina evokes the riviera-style lifestyle of Europe. 03 Burj Al Arab remains one of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks. 04 & 05 On the ground or from the air, there’s something exciting to discover.
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With changes constantly afoot, Dubai is a city that can be visited year after year, after year. The pace of progress has been phenomenal and it takes some believing to imagine that just 50 years ago Dubai was little more than a fishing village beside the famous Creek. It was here that the Bani Yas tribe and the forefathers of the Maktoum dynasty first settled back in 1800. Even in the 1950s when the rest of the world was exploring space and New York’s Times Square had been illuminated for a good 50 years, Dubai still sat in darkness without electricity. But it was also here that the vision of Dubai first came about. The seeds of ambition were sowed and that small fishing village blossomed into the modern, multicultural and dynamic metropolis we see today.
06 See the birth of Dubai from fishing village to megapolis at the Dubai Museum. 07 Soar over the desert plains and sand dunes for an experience of a lifetime. 08 Cruise the iconic riverbank for a different look at the city.
Dubai dares to dream big – and then turns that dream into reality.
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Having welcomed 10 million visitors during the course of the year for the first time in 2012, the emirate’s Tourism Vision for 2020 was declared in May 2013 with the aim of welcoming 20 million visitors a year by 2020. One year later, having won the bid to host the World Expo in 2020 – during which His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, promises to “astonish the world” – Dubai is building on that declaration by pursuing its ambition to become The World’s Most Visited City. Yet not just a city to be seen, but a city to be experienced.
09 There are many places to snag some of UAE’s best carpets. 10 Ski Dubai is the place you can enjoy the activity all year round. 11 & 12 The Spice Souk is the hotspot for all things exotic.
Shopping in Dubai is, for example, not just about making purchases – it is also about amazing leisure and cultural opportunities, such as bartering for silk in a historic souq, meeting a colony of king penguins, or coming face to face with one of the
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world’s largest crocodiles in a shopping mall, and picking up handcrafted trinkets from a market.
Festival, now an annual month-long event since its launch in 2014.
Dining in Dubai is not just about eating – it is about sampling cuisines from the 200 nationalities that live here. As a culinary capital not only regionally but increasingly also globally, Dubai has long caught the attention of Michelinstarred chefs and is home to some of the best tastes in the world – flavours that can be savoured in both five-star hotels and pavement cafés.
And for families, Dubai vows to be the world’s premier family destination, continually building on its portfolio of attractions and events. Few cities offer as many attractions that appeal to all ages as Dubai does. It’s here that families can dash from the ski dome to the desert, from the beach to the park (be it a theme park, water park or sprawling green oasis), and from a multi-screen cinema where butlers serve popcorn to an Olympic-sized ice skating rink.
For the sportsman and adventure seeker, Dubai is about sand boarding down a 100-metre sand dune, camping in the desert, deep-sea fishing, skydiving above Palm Jumeirah and playing camel polo. For culture vultures, Dubai is a city that’s rich in heritage and, increasingly, it’s making its mark on the world stages for art, film, literature, comedy, theatre and music. For all these genres, the city hosts dedicated festivals and events, all combining to create an exciting, packed calendar, including the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Throughout the year, city-wide festivals add to the fun, ranging from the legendary Dubai Shopping Festival, which celebrated its 20th year in January 2015, to the hugely successful Dubai Food
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And with the number of international overnight visitors growing by 8.2% per cent year-on-year in 2014, equating to a total of more than 13.2 million tourists over the course of the year, the pace has been set. To host all these guests, the total number of hotel establishments increased by 7.8 per cent in 2014, equalling 657 properties and 92,333 hotel rooms and apartments – spanning all types of accommodation, from simple guesthouses to fivestar resorts located in the city, by the beach and in the middle of the desert. Dubai’s accommodation portfolio is impressive, with hotel companies such as home-grown Jumeirah Group and Emaar Hospitality setting the global standards for luxury and service. And it’s a service-focused ethos adopted by all hotels across the board.
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Where else in the world can you have a 24-carat-gold facial in an award-winning spa, swim with dolphins, dine on cuisine cooked up by Michelin-starred chefs, feed sharks and watch a world-class act on the beach at midnight – all without leaving your hotel resort? The answer is a resounding ‘only in Dubai’. Dubai is a city where the impossible is possible. Where you cannot help but be impressed, awestruck and mesmerised. It’s where holiday dreams come true and where remarkable memories are made that last for a lifetime.
13 There are plenty of luxurious accommodations abound that offer stellar service and hospitality. 14 Dubai is a city where the impossible is possible. 15 Head for an overnight desert safari to seek out more adventure.
Royal Brunei Airlines flies Dubai daily.
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Swingin’at
THE SIAM Where to go for a vacation, staycation and more in Bangkok. Words ANIS RAMLI Images THE SIAM
In Dusit, the area known as old Bangkok, there are no skyscrapers or stylish malls. Tourists come here to experience the Bangkok that once was and admire the beautiful Sino-Portuguese architecture that defines the area. Locals are perfectly fine with the lack of development. The neighbourhood remains close-knit, and everyone’s linked through food. Because ask any Bangkokian, and they’ll say Dusit is where dishes made from decades-old family recipes still thrive and street food remains for a song. So how then, can a rock star hotelier – in this case, Krissada Sukosol Clapp – reconcile the Old Bangkok while bringing his vision of luxury to the area? That is where The Siam triumphs.
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The hotel is a play of sublime spaces with Art Decoinspired accents and a nod throughout to nostalgic Siam, using Clapp’s love for antiques as the narrative glue. Each individual ethos is then synthesised under the brilliant designer eye of Bill Bensley. It starts with an intimate cobbled courtyard with free-falling ferns that leads to the main residence with 28 bespoke suites. Along the way, there is the greenhouse-styled atrium filled with tall palm trees that lends the area a fresh tropical feel. Everywhere you look, nooks and corners are filled with wanton displays of curios – all personal effects from Clapp’s own private collection.
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The rooms are large by Bangkok standards, and are the capital’s most spacious. The everyday suite has been reimagined to indulge the tastes of owner and designer. There are variations of themes on the local and social landscape; more antiques, throw cushions, oversized armchairs – all with the unmistakable old-school swagger and glitz that define the Art Deco genre. What makes the suites work is that while the outside may feel (to some) like a cavernous antique showroom, the suites offer a safe haven to unwind and are restful cocoons.
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For a more intimate stay, The Siam also has 11 villas with its own dedicated plunge pool, one of which is a repurposed, century-old Thai teak wooden house, boat-transferred from the ancient capital of Ayutthata, that once belonged to the late silk tycoon, Jim Thompson. With a private entrance, these villas – some with rooftop terraces, private gardens and outdoor balconies – are the ultimate retreat away from the city and are favoured by the locals for a staycation. Lofty ceilings, luxuriously deep bath tubs
and super-sized king beds make a stay here beyond indulgent. The Siam is also not short on resort-style amenities. At the aptly-named Opium Spa, guests are drawn into the dark and seductive interiors of the spa, where candles and perfumed diffusers are in profusion. Treatments celebrate the naturally-sourced Sodashi products that are used extensively throughout the intoxicating body massages and refreshing facials.
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Heightening The Siam experience further is the menu at Chon, the hotel’s restaurant housed in yet another repurposed Thompson teak building. Authentic local flavours get snazzy when paired with Thailand’s finest produce, such as the pomelo salad with Maine lobster, seared Hokkaido scallops done Thai style and a traditional fish green curry. If you wish to recreate the flavours back home, sign up for a private cooking class that has its open kitchen adjacent to the restaurant.
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The active holidaymaker will find many things to do elsewhere on the grounds. Pack your stylish cotton gear for Tai Chi on the terrace or go for a bout of Muay Thai with a trained trainer in the first professionally equipped, state-of-the-art Muay Thai gym in Bangkok. Royal Brunei Airlines flies Bangkok 8x weekly.
FEATURES
01 Big Ben seen from the London Eye.
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LONDON on the LIGHT Enjoying this world-class city for almost next to nothing. Words EMMA RAMSAY
Visit Britain
London to every traveller almost always conjures up a mental picture of a pinched pocket. But if you know where to look, the city has plenty to offer the traveller on a shoestring budget. When it comes to food, London is a collaboration of different cultures and a melting pot of great cuisines from around the world. The markets are the best place to not only experience this but also source for cheap eats. You can explore London’s oldest market in Southwark, Borough Market, that has great options for international cuisines and takeaway options. There are Moroccon salads, chocolate cakes, sandwiches, meat pies, falafels, fruits and gourmet lunches ready to go if you’re in a hurry. The Veggie Table for instance preps some of the most luscious vegan and vegetarian burgers, using locally-sourced legumes, beans and vegetables, before whipping them up into sumptuous creations.
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Of course, a London trip will not be complete without experiencing a traditional English afternoon tea. But do it with a twist. With the Afternoon Tea Bus Tour, guests can mix a London sightseeing tour while nibbling on finger sandwiches, macarons, scones, mini quiches and pastries. The best part is they also offer gluten-free, vegetarian and halal menus upon request. The bus, a Routemaster nonetheless, passes some of London’s iconic landmarks, including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Royal Albert Hall.
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La Suite West
For more options on cheap eats, Bayswater seems to be popular with backpackers and budget-conscious travellers. Here is also where neighbourhoods are filled with halal eateries, from Chinese noodles to Middle Eastern fare, and more. Bayswater is also the place for a comfortable dig without breaking the bank. La Suite West Hyde Park, designed by Anouska Hempel, is a stunning designer residence. A former 19th Century building, this has been turned into a stylish abode with rooms that have Japanese accents but done modern. The elegant garden terrace is popular for taking tea or sipping any of their chic alcoholic-free mocktails, especially when the weather’s balmy. Its RAW restaurant now offers vegan afternoon teas including a menu that will make meat-free lovers happy. The rooms themselves are stylishly dark with wooden accents, with slatted shutter slides, a sleek marble bathroom and a private terrace in the bigger rooms.
02 Take time to browse through the huge Borough Market.
La Suite West
03 Check out London’s colourful streets and artistic shops window displays that won’t cost a cent. 04 & 05 La Suite West in Bayswater was designed by Anouska Hempel.
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06 Part of Dippy the Dinosaur that greets guests at the Natural History Museum. 07 Inside the British Museum. 08 Tate Modern’s new menu. 09 Tate Modern Switch House extension.
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For sightseeing, not many cities offer as many world-class museums as London that can be explored for free. At the top of the list, kids and adults alike will have a field time at The Natural History Museum. The arresting Alfred Waterhouse building is home to over 70 million plant, animal, fossil, rock and mineral specimens. Come face-to-face with dinosaurs and other sealife, and don’t forget to enjoy the museum’s open-air Ice Rink for a limited time this year end for a bout of skating fun under the stars. With its fairy lights and a fairground carousel on site, this certainly is an enchanted place to be this season. The British Museum, opened in 1759, was the first national museum and remains free for all to visit. Here’s where visitors can marvel at past civilisations and admire ancient artifacts. Come over and see if you can spot the actual locations used during the filming of the third installment of Night at the Museum. Meanwhile, for lovers of modern art, Tate Modern is the ultimate powerhouse on the subject. Spread over seven floors of a former power station, its permanent collection offers heavy-hitters such as Cezanne, Matisse and John Singer Sargent. Now, there’s even more reason to visit with the opening of the new Herzog & de Meuron-designed, 10-storey Switch House extension. Home to the Tate Modern Espresso Bar (Switch House, Level 2), a 150-cover Tate Modern Restaurant (Switch House, Level 9), and Viewing Gallery (Switch House, Level 10), try not to miss the chance to explore these communal spaces and seek the panoramic roof terrace that overlooks the London skyline.
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To catch the freshest London vibe, head over to Shoredith, a gentrified neighbourhood that is both low-key and cool. Walk around the area and soak up its laidback scene that boasts of hip cafes, quaint shops and vibrant art-and-exhibition areas. Boxpark is a neat pop-up mall concept made up of containers with indie fashion labels. Just around the corner from it is Spitalfields Market where you can see the young crowd selling anything from organic produce to artisanal everything and fashion. As the day winds down, head over to Brick Lane Road, an area famous for affordable curries, vintage shops and other bric-a-brack stores. Don’t leave without grabbing a cup of insanely chocolatey hot chocolate from Dark Sugars. At the store, this liquid gold drink is amped up with chopped milk, white and dark chocolate for a finishing touch, making the end result simply luscious.
If the drink is a bit too much, browse around the shop for handmade truffles flavoured with cardamom, ginger and chili. Or simply ask for samples.
10 Take the local bus for the best sightseeing.
Round off your whirlwind London on a shoestring with one final bow. Tour the city on, get this – public bus. That’s right. Forget the touristy, four-frou set-ups. For only £1.50 using your Oyster Card, you can catch the No 11 from King’s Road in Chelsea to glimpse at the chic streets of Belgravia and marvel at the uniformed late Georgian estate of terraces, crescents and squares. Then get ready your camera as the bus takes you pass Big Ben and Parliament House in quick successions, before rambling through the Royal Courts of Justice, Fleet Street, Mansion House – the official residence of the Mayor of London, and ending at Liverpool Street station.
12 At Dark Sugars, the hot chocolate is to die for!
Royal Brunei Airlines flies London daily via Dubai.
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11 The Afternoon Tea Bus Tour drives around Central London while you nibble on a luscious scone.
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Outback, Offroad Driving further afield to discover Victoria’s vast and diverse region. Words ZAYD OON Images VISIONS OF VICTORIA
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02 01 The Pink Lakes, Hattah Kulkyne National Park. 02 Mount William Lookout.
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The compact state of Victoria, with its diversity of landscapes and terrains, means visitors can get seriously off the beaten track. Off road adventures in Victoria are available for everyone from novice drivers taking their own vehicles, to those experienced in a four wheel drive (4WD) or SUV. The landscapes range from the adrenalin pumping action of the rugged high plains to the big deserts and open skies of the Mallee, river red gum forests, hinterland, rainforest and Victoria’s famous coast. Off roaders can go for a day trip, an overnight stay in a camp site or hotel, or longer. For high plains and a bit of history, driving through the Davies Plain Ridge will be both scenic and challenging. The trail takes you through remote Alpine landscapes, pass Snow Gum woodlands, tranquil riverside campsites, historic huts and panoramic mountain views. Best undertaken over a number of days, the track includes demanding 4WD tracks in some of Victoria’s most isolated and scenic country. Highlights include big views, imposing forests, meandering streams and wildflower-strewn ridges. Drivers will enjoy views across the Victorian Alps to Kosciuszko National Park from Mount Pinnibar summit. Keen anglers can finish the day by catching a wily brown trout for dinner and cooking over the campfire.
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04 03 Mount William. 04 Tower Hill National Park, Warrnambool.
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05 Mungo National Park.
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06 Great Otway National Park.
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A drive through the Grampians will take you past beautiful rock art and rugged beauty. The spectacular peaks and dramatic rock formations of Grampians National Park provide for an aweinspiring drive. Picturesque waterfalls, spectacular wildflower displays, panoramic views, and fascinating Aboriginal rock art sites are some of the highlights. Stunning camping and picnic grounds and a network of excellent 4WD and walking tracks make exploring this natural wonderland easy and enjoyable. For a drive that lets you feel as though the world is an endless road, consider Victoria’s Mallee region. One of the State’s hidden gems, it has big deserts and open skies for a liberating adventure. From sand dunes and pink lakes to woodlands and rolling plains, it features abundant native wildlife and fascinating remains of the pastoral era. It may be Victoria’s driest region, but the Mallee is far from lifeless. Emus, kangaroos, birdlife, woodlands and wildflowers make this a nature lover’s delight. Starting at the Wyperfeld
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07 Derelict Homestead, Murray region.
08 National Park entrance, this drive allows for lots of daytime exploration and night time star-gazing. Vast open spaces and the famous Pink Lakes offer fantastic photo opportunities. Pitch a tent by dry creek beds, enjoy native woodland walks and stunning Mallee sunsets, before stepping into the area’s pastoral past at the Shearers Quarters Campground in the remote northwest. Take a spin to Otways for stunning coasts and lush green hinterland. Starting from the surf beach village of Anglesea and heading inland to tranquil Mountain Ash forests and lush fern gullies, drivers can discover the ancient rainforest at Maits Rest, watch the water drop at the stunning Erskine Falls, and walk the rainforest loop to Triplet Falls. The coastal scenery on the return journey along the Great Ocean Road has few equals in the world, with spectacular coastal views. Dinner can be enjoyed with some delicious local seafood at Apollo Bay or the popular seaside resort of Lorne, then tired eyes can hit the sack at one of the many accommodations or campsites. The world’s largest River Red Gum forest is the star on a scenic drive past backdrops of the mighty Murray River of the Murray region. There is a wide range of camping and picnic grounds, and an extensive network of forest tracks that make this natural area one of the most memorable of the collection. It’s a 354-kilometre, two to three days drive if drivers wish to fully appreciate the natural and cultural heritage of these forests that are home to many threatened native plants and animals. Whichever four wheel drive or SUV adventure you choose, you will be sure to discover the breadth and depth of regional Victoria. Royal Brunei Airlines flies Melbourne daily.
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08 River red gums, Barmah State Park.
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JORDAN Discovering an ancient kingdom for the ďŹ rst time traveller. Words & Images VISIT JORDAN
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01 Petra’s most famous monument, the Treasury, appears dramatically at the end of the Siq. 02 Ajloun Castle was built in 1183-1184, during the rule of Saladin.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which once captivated ancient travellers, continues to enthral a whole new generation as a modern, vibrant nation. From the haunting, primeval starkness of Wadi Rum to the teeming centre of urban Amman, and from the majestic ruins of bygone civilisations to the timeless splendour of the Dead Sea, Jordan is unveiled as a unique destination offering breathtaking and mysterious sights with countless activities that can provide visitors with inspiration, motivation and rejuvenation. Marvelling at herds of gazelles and oryx and migrating birds, camping amidst the grandeur of Wadi Rum or Dana Reserve, trekking the ancient caravan trails from the highlands of Moab and Edom, hiking the wooded hills of Gilead, or experiencing the unique, cleansing mud baths of the Dead Sea are just a few examples of the treasures awaiting visitors to this unique kingdom.
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Amman, the capital of Jordan for instance, is a fascinating city of contrasts. A sprawling city spread over 19 hills, or “jebels,” it makes the perfect base to delve deep into Jordan as it is no more than a four hour drive from anywhere in the country. Known as Rabbath-Ammon during the Iron Age and later as Philadelphia, the ancient city that was once part of the Decapolis league now boasts a population of around 2.3 million people.
white city” due to its low size canvas of stone houses. There are a number of renovations and excavations taking place that have revealed remains from the Neolithic period, as well as from the Hellenestic and late Roman to Arab Islamic Ages. The site which is known as the Citadel includes many structures such as the Umayyad Palace. At the foot of the Citadel lies the 6,000 seat Roman Theatre, which is a deep-sided bowl carved into the hill and is still being used for cultural events. The three museums found in the area offer a glimpse of history and culture; they are the Jordan Archaeological Museum, The Folklore Museum and the Museum of Popular Traditions.
As a modern and prosperous city, almost half of Jordan’s population is concentrated in the Amman area. The city is also often referred to as “the
There is evidence of the city’s much older past everywhere you turn. You can find modern building rubbing shoulders with traditional coffee shops and old souqs.
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03 Savour the timeless beauty of Wadi Rum that is virtually untouched by humanity and climate forces. 04 Amman’s Roman Theatre was the centrepiece of Roman Philadelphia. 05 As-Salt’s Ottoman past is clearly visible in its architecture.
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The downtown area is much older and more traditional, with smaller businesses producing and selling everything from intricate gold and silver jewellery, to everyday household items. You can find art galleries, coffee shop and a diversity of artisan shops along Rainbow Street that truly embodies the unique blend of old and new that the city manifests. Travelling south from Amman along the 5,000-year-old Kings Highway and passing through a string of ancient sites, visitors will encounter Madaba. This “City of Mosaics” is best known for its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad
mosaics and is home to the famous 6th century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. With two million pieces of coloured stone, the map depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns as far as the Nile Delta. The ancient city of Petra is one of Jordan’s national treasures and by far its best known tourist attraction. Located approximately three hours south of Amman, Petra is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2,000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and
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ingenious complex of dams and water channels, Petra is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site that enchants visitors from all corners of the globe. Much of Petra’s appeal comes from its spectacular setting deep inside a narrow desert gorge. The site is accessed by walking through a kilometre long chasm (or “Siq”), the walls of which soar 200 metres upwards. Petra’s most famous monument, the Treasury, appears dramatically at the end of the Siq. Used in the final sequence of the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the towering façade of the Treasury is only one of myriad archaeological wonders to be explored at Petra. Various walks and climbs reveal literally hundreds of buildings, baths, arched gateways, colonnaded streets and haunting rock drawings, all of which can be explored at leisure.
A close second to Petra on the list of favourite destinations in Jordan, the ancient city of Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. The city’s golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates. Beneath its external GraecoRoman veneer, Jerash also preserves a subtle blend of east and west. Its architecture, religion and languages reflect a process by which two powerful cultures meshed and coexisted: The Graeco-Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the ancient traditions of the Arab Orient.
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06 The Burdah rock bridge at Wadi Rum is one of the highest arches in the world. 07 Aqaba is Jordan’s window to the Red Sea. 08 Transport yourself to 2,000 years back in time in the marvellous ancient city of Jerash.
Don’t leave Jordan without visiting the Jordan Rift Valley, a dramatic, beautiful landscape, which at the Dead Sea, is over 400 metres below sea level. The lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast stretch of water receives a number of incoming rivers, including the River Jordan. Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are land-locked and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving behind a dense, rich, cocktail of salts and minerals that supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its finest products. The leading attraction at the Dead Sea is the warm, soothing, super salty water itself – some ten times saltier than sea water, and rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium, bromine and several others. The unusually warm, incredibly buoyant and mineral-rich waters have attracted visitors since ancient times, including King Herod the Great and the beautiful Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. All of whom have luxuriated in the Dead Sea’s rich, black, stimulating mud and floated effortlessly on their backs while soaking up the water’s healthy minerals along with the gently diffused rays of the Jordanian sun.
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Royal Brunei Airlines flies Dubai daily for connections to Jordan.
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FEATURES BEST OF BRUNEI
Walking on
High The Bruneians that made it to the Himalayas. Words JACQUELINE WONG Images SHUKRI ZAIN
There are many ways to discover the ancient kingdom of Nepal. Perhaps the most exhilarating and memorable manner is trekking some of its iconic mountains. For Shukri Zain, trekking to the Annapurna Base Camp, lying 4,120m above sea level, was an easy choice. The harder decision was, in fact, getting himself ready and fit – both physically and mentally – for the journey ahead. Shukri’s decision to trek Annapurna came at the heels of a serendipitous meeting with Ravichandran Tharumalingam, the first Malaysian to summit the epic Mount Everest solo. In Malaysia then to attend a mountaineering course conducted by Ravichandran (or Ravi, for short), Shukri found himself taking on the idea of Annapurna when Ravi suggested he took a team of Bruneians together with him. Upon returning to Brunei, Shukri developed the thought further and then just as quickly, promoted the idea on his Facebook page. The response was quite unexpected. Many reached out to him with interest – some out of curiosity. After much deliberation and vetting, the plan whittled down to a party of five, with him included.
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Kembara di
Kaki Langit Warga Brunei yang menakluk banjaran Himalaya. Teks JACQUELINE WONG Imej SHUKRI ZAIN
Terdapat pelbagai cara untuk mengenali kesultanan purba Nepal. Mungkin salah satu cara yang paling menarik dan tidak dapat dilupakan ialah menjelajahi beberapa gunung ikonik di negara ini yang amat dikenali di kalangan pendaki. Pendakian ke Kem Induk Annapurna yang terletak 4,120m di atas paras laut adalah satu pilihan yang paling mudah untuk Shukri Zain. Sebenarnya, keputusan yang lebih sukar merupakan persiapan dan penyediaan untuk menjalani pengembaraan ini – dari segi ďŹ zikal dan juga mental. Keputusan Shukri untuk mendaki Annapurna tercetus hasil pertemuannya dengan Ravichandran Tharumalingam, warga Malaysia pertama yang berjaya mendaki ke puncak gunung Everest secara solo. Ketika berada di Malaysia untuk menghadiri kursus pendakian gunung yang diadakan oleh Ravichandran (atau Ravi), Shukri mendapat ilham apabila Ravi mencadangkan beliau menjejak ke Annapurna bersama sepasukan pendaki dari Negara Brunei Darussalam.
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FEATURES BEST OF BRUNEI
The beauty of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek lies in the fact that very few of the Himalayan treks combine as diverse a landscape as it. The trek also lets one reach the base of 7,000 and 8,000-metre peaks in a relatively short time. Trekkers go past trails with views of terraced rice paddies, lush rhododendron forests, thunderous gorges that are threateningly beautiful, quaint Gurung villages that defy development, and spectacular and majestic peaks that change colours under sun and shadow. The group, consisting of Shukri Zain (Expedition Leader), Reduan Hussin, Romie K, Pg Sulaiman Pg Metali and Zulamri Emran, set their target to trek in May, springtime in Nepal, and one of the better seasons to trek. However, the weather took an unexpected turn for the worse when the group was there, with heavy rain and thunderstorm, turning the trails into slippery mud paths and challenging them even further. But thanks to their three-month training preparation, under the watchful eye of Ravi, that included a basic mountaineering course and training at Tasek Lama and Shahbandar, these all but prepared them to face these new challenges.
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Selepas pulang ke tanah air, Shukri semakin bernekad untuk memulakan pengembaraan ini. Tidak lama kemudian, beliau berkongsi idea tersebut di laman Facebook. Sambutan yang diterima tidak disangka sama sekali. Ramai yang berminat dan ingin tahu akan rencananya. Selepas dipertimbangkan dengan penelitian yang terperinci beliau akhirnya membentuk satu pasukan yang terdiri dari lima individu termasuk dirinya. Keindahan trek ke Kem Induk Annapurna termasuk kepelbagaian landskap yang dapat dinikmati. Seorang pendaki yang berpengalaman juga dapat menjejak trek ini ke paras 7,000 hingga 8,000 meter dalam masa yang agak singkat. Antara lain, trek ini melalui landskap denai dengan pemandangan sawah padi berteres, hutan renek rhododendron subur yang tumbuh liar, keindahan ancaman gaung mendalam, perkampungan Gurung yang tidak disentuh peredaran zaman, dan tentu sekali puncak pergunungan megah yang berubah warna antara simbahan cahaya matahari dan bayang-bayang. Pasukan lima orang pendaki warga Brunei yang terdiri daripada Shukri Zain (Ketua Ekspedisi), Reduan Hussin, Romie K, Pg Sulaiman Pg Metali dan Zulamri Emran telah menetapkan sasaran mereka untuk memulakan pengembaraan pada bulan Mei, ketika musim bunga di Nepal yang sering menjadi pilihan para pendaki.
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The 14-day trekking expedition to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m) was a superb experience for the Brunei Mountaineer Team. They reached the base camp on the sixth day, a day ahead of their original schedule. Their level of fitness and endurance were highly praised by Ravi. On 12 May, the team caught the sunset at Annapurna Base Camp. Then on 13 May, the team managed to catch the breathtaking view of the sunrise. With time to spare, they headed to Mount Himchuli (6,441m) as an alpine mountaineer special training exercise and made it up to 6,000 metres before bad weather hampered their summit. However, despite the bad weather it was an exhilarating and rare experience for any team to hit the Annapurna Base Camp twice within 24 hours! Documenting the climb was important for Shukri as a way of encouraging the rest of his countrymen to follow. As he sets his eyes on the next target – the Everest Base Camp in 2017 – he is confident that more will follow in his footsteps. For now, it’s back to training and getting ready to strike off one more trekking from his bucket list. Shukri will attempt his first solo climb to the Everest Base Camp in November.
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Namun nasib tidak menyebelahi mereka kerana ketika mereka berada di situ, hujan lebat dan ribut petir yang tidak diduga melanda. Cuaca yang begitu buruk telah menyebabkan laluan trek berlumpur dan licin yang membawa cabaran yang lebih getir. Mujurnya, hasil persediaan rapi selama tiga bulan di bawah pengawasan Ravi, termasuk kursus mendaki gunung asas dan latihan lanjut di Tasek Lama dan Shahbandar, telah menyediakan pasukan Brunei ini dalam menghadapi cabaran situasi yang begitu susah serta buruk dengan tenang. Ekspedisi pendakian 14-hari ke Kem Induk Annapurna (4,130 m) ini merupakan suatu pengalaman yang amat hebat untuk Pasukan Mountaineer Brunei. Mereka tiba di kem pada hari yang keenam, sehari lebih awal daripada jadual asal. Tahap kecergasan dan ketahanan mereka sangat dipuji oleh Ravi. Pada 12 Mei 2016, pasukan ini sempat menikmati pemandangan keindahan matahari terbenam di Kem Induk Annapurna. Keesokan harinya pada 13 Mei pula, mereka dapat menikmati keindahan pemandangan matahari terbit di bumbung dunia. Tanpa melengahkan masa, mereka tetap meneruskan perjalanan mereka menuju ke puncak Gunung Himchuli (6,441m) sebagai suatu latihan khas pendaki gunung alpine. Pasukan Brunei telah menjejakkan kaki sampai ke paras
6,000 meter sebelum cuaca buruk menghalang niat mereka untuk sampai ke puncak. Demi keselamatan, pasukan Brunei mengambil keputusan untuk kembali ke Kem Induk Annapurna. Walaupun dihalang cuaca buruk, pengalaman ini amat hebat dan menakjubkan kerana jarang sekali sepasukan pendaki dapat mencapai ke Kem Induk Annapurna dua kali dalam tempoh 24 jam! Mendokumentasikan pendakian ini amat penting bagi Shukri kerana beliau ingin mendorong lebih ramai warga Brunei untuk menyahut cabaran yang sama. Sasaran beliau seterusnya ialah menjejaki Kem Induk Gunung Everest pada tahun 2017. Dan kali ini, beliau yakin lebih ramai warga Brunei akan berminat untuk turut serta bersama beliau. Buat masa ini, beliau kembali meneruskan latihan dalam persiapan untuk mencapai impiannya mengembara di kaki langit sekali lagi. Shukri akan mendaki ke Kem Induk Everest secara solo pada bulan November.
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LIFESTYLE MOTORING
GreenDRIVES Improve your carbon footprint with these eco-friendly cars.
TOYOTA Prius C 2016 The smallest of the Prius models, the Prius C still surprises with an EPA-estimated 53/46/50 mpg city/highway/combined – comparable to the 2015 regular-size Prius. This combination of extraordinarily high gas mileage and low price is something that the Prius C owners can brag about that the earlier Prius models don’t have. While the Prius C does not claim to be a luxury car, it continues to amaze and have that ‘wow’ factor when viewed alongside other subcompacts.
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BMW X3 The BMW has been designed to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency, as well as boasting new methods of mobility. It can easily handle 965 kilometres with a tank of gas and offers an alternative electrically-powered motor. It has an EPA estimated mileage of 27-34-30 mpg for highway and city driving combined. The 2016 BMW X3 also offers three engine options and each boasts strong performance and impressive fuel economy. The lofty interiors also make this a good family car.
MITSUBISHI Attrage The Mitsubishi Attrage is known for its superior economically friendly engine which runs 21km/litre. Boasting a modern and lightweight 1.2-litre engine with 100Nm of torque, the three-cylinder MIVEC unit is paired with a smooth five-speed CVT or manual transmission. With low auto emission of less than 1208g CO2/km, the Attrage puts out a respectable 78hp which gives its driver acceleration when demanded as it offers spirited torque and power while maintaining impressive fuel economy. The CVT-equipped Attrage also benefits from neutral idle, a fuel-saving feature that helps minimise idle vibration and promote a quieter cabin ambience. GHK Motors is running a “Made for the Long Drive” campaign valid until November 2016. Follow Mitsubishi Brunei on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MitsubishiMotorsGHK or log on www.ghkmotors.com for more information on the campaign promotions.
MITSUBISHI Mirage The Mirage is powered by a 1.0 litre threecylinder petrol engine with MIVEC variable distribution. The vehicle is highly fuel efficient and low on auto emission and stands at just 92g CO2/km. It is the only conventional gasoline-powered vehicle – not a hybrid, EV, PHEV or natural gas-powered vehicle – to make the American Council’s Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) prestigious “Greenest Vehicles” list. The lightweight, compact engines with auto START/STOP as standard all add to the Mirage’s eco-friendly attitude.
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LIFESTYLE IN PERSON
What were your earliest memories about food? Dato’ Seri Ibrahim (DSI): I was my mother’s kitchen helper. During the ‘60s, boys don’t usually go into the kitchen. I remembered how my mother learned some of the more complicated dishes from my father. My father was born in Mecca and later studied in Arabia where, living alone, he had to learn to cook. He later taught my mother how to cook his favourite dishes and then “awarded” her points like, “this is an eight”. My father enjoyed a well-prepared meal and didn’t believe, for example, in using a grinder to mince meat because he said the meat would lose their natural juice that way. So I would have to mince the meat by hand whenever the dish required it. I naturally became curious about food from this early kitchen experience. Nur Fatin Ibrahim (NFI): I grew up with my grandmother who stayed with us. She was a great cook and would make everything from scratch, from Malaysian dishes like curry, masak lemak, sambal, asam pedas to Western dishes like beef stew, pizza and spaghetti. And we would all eat our meals together as a family, except during lunch when mom and dad were at work. My grandmother had a green thumb. Our backyard had banana, coconut, mango, apple custard, rambutan, sugarcane, tapioca and vegetables like kacang botol and herbs like parsley, pandan, daun kesum – everything! She would pick these out fresh and start cooking with them. I remember looking forward to having fresh sugarcane when my grandmother would get it from her backyard garden and cut it up, and I’ll chew on it. It was a great joy to me when I was growing up. What does Brahim’s mean to you? DSI: When I was a kid, curry was done traditionally, meaning spices were dry fried and roasted before they were milled by hand on a stone grinder and made into a paste. After that they were sautéed to get the flavour profile. After that came the next culinary advancement: curry powder. All the spices are pre-blended, so you need not go to all the trouble to prepare the paste. While powdered mix is a major step in simplifying the cooking process, one would still need some cooking sense. You need to know how much powder mix to use, how to saute it right and when to add the meats and so on. Then the great leap forward came in the form of the Brahim’s pouch. All you need to do is add the meat. In my opinion, you can’t do any better than preparing your meals with Brahim’s cooking sauces and Meals-Readyto-Eat (MRE).
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NFI: I was 10 years old when Brahim’s was launched at 1988. I can remember clearly my family’s excitement when the factory was completed and my father started the business, with all the machines and huge cooking pots with its own automatic stirrers. I remembered I was amazed at the huge pots that were nearly the height of my shoulders! I fell in love with Brahim’s since day one. My initial favourite was MRE Ayam Masak Merah. I once brought an MRE packet to school with pulut (sticky rice) made by my grandmother for break. There was an incident where I was a bit clumsy opening the pouch, and the gravy splashed all over my uniform! I had to bear with the embarrassment of wearing the stained uniform until the end of school day. What were some of Brahim’s achievements and milestones you consider important? DSI: We pioneered the use of retort pouch food processing in the ASEAN region. When we began in the late ‘80s, Brahim’s was third in the world to use this new technology after Japan and USA. For the first 10 years, we supplied mainly to the military. There were so many orders received that it was hard to cope. Brahim’s was also the only halal retort pack in the world at the time. So the UN would also source from us for halal food for their peacekeeping forces. There was one time when we received an order for 40 containers. We had to split the order to meet the demand. Today, we have still not broken that record! Brunei Darussalam’s military was amongst the earliest to source from Brahim’s for its army. We had nicknamed them the ‘gourmet army’. That was in 1991. In 1995, Dewina Food the maker of Brahim’s brand was listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. It was a proud moment for us! What makes Brahim’s special, in your opinion? DSI: Brahim’s method of preparation remains very traditional and authentic. Every batch is prepared fresh. The preparation and steps to every meal are done the way they would be prepared at home in a 5-litre cooking pot, except that in our factory, it’s cooked in larger volumes in several 500-litre cauldrons! For instance, before the sauces are placed in pouches, they are allowed to simmer to develop the flavour profile. Simmering is a very important but time-consuming process. As the sauces simmer, our QC will check for the salt level, viscosity and when everything is checked, only then do we pump the sauces to the tanks to be filled into the pouches. In short, we use modern production, but the preparation is done the traditional way.
NFI: With all the fresh ingredients and time we use in preparing our meals and sauces, all Brahim’s products are very reasonably priced. Any home cook or chef can tell you any simple Malay dish easily contain more than 10 fresh spices and aromatics. Basically, it is our Brahim’s concept of retailing good quality and award-winning products at a reasonable price. From when I was 10, my father taught me the concept of selling at a reasonable price. From young, I never liked it when people overpriced their products, as I understood the process of our business is sustainability and the continued loyalty of our customers. This year, Brahim’s celebrates its 30th anniversary. So, moving forward what is next? DSI: When I started Brahim’s 30 years ago, I have decided it has got to be halal all the way. Today, the halal food market is approximately USD3 trillion and is estimated to grow by 20 per cent annually. Halal is still a huge market yet to be fully tapped into. From Brahim’s pouch foods, we have moved into F&B operations, industrial and airline catering, manufacturing and bonded warehousing.
Alhamdulillah, on our manufacturing portfolio, I am thankful that I have a great team working for me at Dewina Group of Companies, where creativity and innovation are a daily affair, from the pioneering pouch technology to innovative products never seen in Malaysia before. NFI: My father has been an inspiration throughout. He instill in me to be humble and to continue learning, and where possible, to learn from the best. Education, after all is a lifelong process. I am very happy to take over the family business, of course with my brother Ahmad Fahimi, and hopefully one day with my sister, Nur Azizah too. We aspire to become an integrated food company – from farm-to-fork, though we haven’t a farm – yet. While we continue to grow the businesses of Dewina’s sauces and ready meals factory, Desatera’s institutional catering, ready meals factory in Jordan and our F&B operations – both locally and overseas, it is my fervent hope, as the next generation and further growing my father’s legacy, that our Dewina-Brahim’s Group will one day be a major conglomerate in the global halal food business, insyaAllah.
A Packed
Legacy
Dato’ Seri Ibrahim Hj Ahmad Badawi and daughter Nur Fatin speak on Brahim’s 30-year journey of serving authentic and traditional halal ready-to-eat-meals and sauces.
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LIFESTYLE THE BUZZ
BEST HOLIDAY
READS Gift someone the gift of reading with these fabulous reads of 2016.
NUJEEN: ONE GIRL’S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY FROM WAR-TORN SYRIA IN A WHEELCHAIR Nujeen Mustafa and Christina Lamb
BRAHIM’S: MALAYSIA’S FAVOURITE TRADITIONAL RECIPES Ibrahim Badawi Ibrahim Badawi created a Malaysian food empire through understanding what Malaysians really want: home-styled food and traditional recipes. Now, he’s sharing his own collection of the best home-cooked meals in this book that will transport every Asian food lover to his mother’s kitchen.
Nujeen Mustafa has cerebral palsy and cannot walk. This did not stop her braving inconceivable odds to travel in her wheelchair from Syria in search of a new life. Sharing her full story for the first time, Nujeen recounts the details of her childhood and disability, as well as the specifics of her harrowing journey across the Mediterranean to Greece and finally to Germany to seek an education and the medical treatment she needs.
THERE’S A SNAKE IN MY SCHOOL! David Walliams Introducing a spectacularly slithery picture book packed with mischief and mayhem! Get to know Miranda who loves to be different. On Bring-your-pet-to-school Day she introduces everyone to her very DIFFERENT pet … Penelope the snake. Discover the ssssspectacularly funny adventure as Miranda goes up against Miss Bloat the headmistress.
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THE CHEMIST Stephenie Meyer An ex-agent on the run from her former employers must take one more case to clear her name and save her life. What she doesn’t expect is that the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous. Resolving to meet the threat head on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life. And as she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.
LONELY PLANET’S BEST IN TRAVEL 2017 Lonely Planet
A NYONYA INHERITANCE Pearly Kee Pearly Kee is a fifth generation Penang Nyonya and well-known food ambassador for Penang. Her popular Nyonya cooking classes have attracted students from all over the world, drawn by her cheeky, feisty style. She has also appeared on numerous cooking programmes aired throughout Asia, showcasing the best of Nyonya cuisine. This is her first book and a revised edition with four brand new recipes. A must-read for anyone looking to recreate the magic of a Penang Nyonya kitchen!
Where is the best place to visit right now, at this very moment in travel history? This is the most hotly contested topic at Lonely Planet and dominates more conversations than any other. We pose this question to everyone at Lonely Planet, from our authors and editors, all the way to our online family of bloggers and tweeters. The list is 10 countries, 10 regions and 10 cities that travellers must visit in the year ahead.
SMALL GREAT THINGS: A NOVEL Jodi Picoult With richly layered characters and a gripping moral dilemma, Picoult leads readers to question everything they know about privilege, power and race. African American nurse Ruth Jefferson attends to a baby belonging to a white supremacist parents. When tragedy ensues Ruth is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy.
All books are available at major bookstores. Or purchase these books at:
mphonline.com members (MoRewards) enjoy 10% off on purchases. Not yet a member? Just spend RM100 and above in a single receipt to receive a free one-year membership.
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2016
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Conquer CANBERRA! Experience one good thing after another with your family in this compact city. SEE Canberra Glassworks is Australia’s only cultural centre that is wholly dedicated to contemporary glass art, with a workspace for glass artists and a gallery for those interested in working with this delicate material. Explore exhibitions in its two dedicated spaces, watch art in the making in the Hotshop, sign up for a class, or browse the shop for something to take home.
DO Cycle, wander or segway along Lake Burley Griffin and burn off some energy. Check out some of Canberra’s iconic galleries and museums scattered along the shoreline, and cycle or walk the 5-kilometre loop between the Kings Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue bridges. For kids aged 12 years and older, discover the Lake and famous landmarks on a segway with the SegGlideRide company.
SHOP Make your way over to Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre and trawl through the unique handcrafted items on offer. Featuring products by local crafters and design artists, you’ll find only the most cutting-edge designs, located in one convenient space within Canberra’s city centre.
STAY An achingly lovable hotel, Jamala Wildlife Lodge combines zoo and aquarium to visitors in an all-inclusive luxury lodge experience with behind-the-scenes tours and animal encounters. Includes six unique Giraffe treehouse suites nestled into a reserve and five Jungle Bungalow suites adjoining different animal enclosures, including lions, bears or cheetahs. For more information, go to: visitcanberra.com.au Royal Brunei Airlines flies Melbourne daily for connections to Canberra.
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At International School Brunei EVERYONE EXCELS
NURTURING MULTI-TALENTED, UNIVERSITY-BOUND, GLOBAL CITIZENS
New Campus 2015
World-beating Academic results since 1964
180-Bed International Boarding
For more information, email us at adenquiry@ac.isb.edu.bn or call Ms Elaine at +673 233 0608 ext 201
BSB Jalan Utama Salambigar, Kg Sungai Hanching, Berakas 'B' BC2115, Brunei Darussalam Tel: +673 233 0608 Fax: +673 233 7446 KB Lot 4655, Jalan Panglima, Kuala Belait KA1189, Brunei Darussalam Tel: +673 334 7113 Fax: +673 334 7109
LIFESTYLE TRAVEL DIARY
WHAT’S
Now til
26
ON
Feb 2017
Register on www.flyroyalbrunei.com/royalskies
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
International luxury fashion house Viktor & Rolf are showcasing their haute couture pieces at the NGV International, Melbourne. Their rebellious approach to design, technical virtuosity and deep knowledge of fashion history is reflected in their spectacular and avant-garde creations. www.ngv.vic.gov.au
Team Peter Stigter
A world of adventure and new experiences await you when you fly with Royal Brunei Airlines. Make your trip even more memorable with free flights, seat upgrades and other privileges with Royal Skies, our frequent flyer programme. Not yet a member?
VIKTOR&ROLF: FASHION ARTISTS
AUSTRALIA HONG KONG
THE WORLD OF TIM BURTON For years, Tim Burton, master of the comically grotesque and endearingly heartfelt movies, has captured our imagination with his creativity. The exhibition at ArtisTree, Taikoo Place, will take you through the full range of the artist’s works from childhood to present. www.theworldoftimburton.hk
27
Now til
5 -23 Nov
Jan 2017
Nov
For further information, please contact Department of Museums at 238 1672.
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Leticia Godoy
RUSSIA: BEAUTY IN DIVERSITY Marking the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Brunei Darussalam and Russia, the Russian embassy is holding an exhibition featuring its culture and history at the Royal Wharf Art Gallery. Entrance is free and guests are able to view examples of Russian architecture, national costumes, as well as traditional Russian folk crafts.
UNITED KINGDOM
6
Nov
BONHAMS LONDON TO BRIGHTON VETERAN CAR RUN Antique automobiles afficionados will be thrilled to know that they will soon witness some 400 fine examples of pre-1905 manufactured vehicles travelling en masse somewhere near them. The entourage of cars will start their 96-kilometre journey beginning at sunrise from Hyde Park in London, making their through Crawley before ending in Brighton. www.veterancarrun.com
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
SINGAPORE
dubaiopera.com
23-4 Nov
Dec
Danny Lim © Apparat 2016
LES MISÉRABLES Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. Playing at the Dubai Opera for the very first time, the stirring musical will move many to tears with its sensational international cast.
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Taking place across various venues, the Singapore International Film Festival focuses on Asian filmmakers and promotes South East Asian films. This year’s edition of the festival will open with Interchange, a noir fantasy thriller by Dain Iskandar Said, one of Malaysia’s most celebrated filmmakers.
10 -2
Nov
sgiff.com
Dec
MALAYSIA
ASICS PENANG BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL MARATHON Join thounsands of runners as they gather at the Penang Bridge for its annual marathon. Much of the race takes place in the wee hours of the morning, so runners will be greeted by the rising sun as they run across the bridge. The marathon is divided into different categories – Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km Open, 10km Junior and Fun Run. www.penangmarathon.gov.my
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SELAMAT DATANG Selamat Datang means ‘Welcome’ in Malay, and your seamless journey begins here.
with the Eco 9-Inch personal touch screen monitors filled with great entertainment content. Each seat also comes with a USB port as well as shared power supply.
Business Class
RB Impian Inflight Entertainment
The Royal Brunei Airlines 787 Dreamliner Business Class cabin features “Contour” seats that reclines to a 180 degree flat bed, along with a plush duvet and larger pillow, offer a peaceful rest. Each seat is equiped with a 15.4 touchscreen LCD Monitor with Panasonic eX2 in-flight entertainment system; as well as in seat power connecter. The Business Class cabin lavatories are also equipped with bidets for passengers convenience.
Economy Class Comfort Royal Brunei Airlines 787 Dreamliner Economy cabin offers comfortable seats with semiarticulating recline and adjustable headrest, and with very spacious leg-rooms for passengers comfort. Each seat is intergrated
RB Impian Inflight Entertainment system gives passengers a number of entertainment options throughout their flight. A library of hit movies, classic Hollywood films and TV and audio programmes for all ages are available onboard. Refer to the Impian entertainment guide located in the seat pocket in front of you for the list of movies, TV and audio programmes. For Business Class seats; the sockets for earphones and channel/ volume remote control are located in your seat armrest. Seatback-mounted personal screens are only available on our Boeing 787s. Elsewhere, passengers can avail our service, sit back and relax with our overhead movie screens. For more information, please contact your nearest Royal Brunei Airlines office.
JOURNEY THROUGH THE DECADES As Brunei Darussalam’s national carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines serves not only as the coming of age of this tiny Sultanate, but today cements itself as a serious competitor in the region. 64
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Cuisine Everything we serve has been carefully chosen for freshness and flavour. In fact, there’s nothing you can’t enjoy even when dining at 35,000 feet. Our award winning menu has been meticulously created by our Royal Brunei Catering chefs, combining both Western and Oriental flavours using the best seasonal and fresh produce available. For our Business Class passengers on long-haul flights, you can now select your desired meal times. Our ‘Dine upon Request’ service is available throughout the flight up until 90 minutes before landing. Passengers on all classes also enjoy our ‘Food Fit to Fly by’ service menu that features healthier and lighter meal options, complemented by our award-winning cabin service from our crew.
Special Meals Royal Brunei offers a variety of tasty culinary solutions to suit our passengers’ special dietary requirements. Special meals can be
1970s
1980s
> The maiden Royal Brunei Airlines flight to Singapore left Bandar Seri Begawan on a Boeing 737-200 on 14 May, 1975.
> RB added a Boeing 737, the quick change convertible aircraft, to its fleet. This aircraft allowed for either an all-passenger or an all-cargo configuration, or a combination of both.
> Two Boeing 737 aircraft were put into service flying five times a week to Singapore, two times to Hong Kong, and seven times to Kota Kinabalu. > Services to Bangkok and Manila were added.
> RB accepted the delivery of its Boeing 757 aircraft that featured a redesigned livery combining Brunei’s traditional royal colours on 16 May, 1986.
ordered when you make your reservation; please confirm your request at least 24 hours before boarding your flight.
Alcohol-free Environment Policy Royal Brunei Airlines operates alcoholfree flights to all destinations.
Hand Luggage For your safety and comfort, you may store your hand luggage in the overhead lockers or under the seat in front of you. Please do not hesitate to ask our cabin crew for help in stowing your luggage properly. Be careful when opening the overhead luggage compartments, as items dislodged by aircraft movement may fall on you or fellow passengers.
Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (LAG) Various countries have implemented restrictions on the carriage of liquids, aerosols and gels in compliance with new guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Passengers transiting through airports and carrying any liquids, pastes and gels in containers over 100ml may be asked to dispose of the items at security checkpoints. These restrictions may affect your ability to carry duty-free purchases onboard the aircraft. Customers are advised to check with duty free personnel before making their purchases. All liquids, aerosols and gels must be carried in containers of no greater than 100ml/3.3oz capacity (approximately 100gm in weight) and placed in a transparent, resealable plastic bag. The plastic bag must be removed from carry on baggage and presented to security
personnel at the checkpoint for inspection and separate x-ray screening. Exceptions to the new regulations are medicines and dietary supplements needed during a flight, including baby food. Proof of need may be required.
Use of Electronic Equipment Electronic devices such as Citizen’s band (CB) radio, remote-controlled devices (such as radio controlled toys), and transmitting devices that emit radio frequencies are not to be used at any time during the flight. These devices may interfere with the aircraft’s electronic equipment, compromising aircraft safety and endangering the lives of passengers and crew. The following devices may be used on board, except during take-off, initial climb, approach and landing; mobile phones (which must be
1990s
2000s
2010s
> RB took delivery of the first of three leased Boeing 767-200ER aircraft in June 1990 and set a long distance world record for twin-engine commercial airlines.
> RB took delivery of two new Airbus A319 aircraft in August and September 2003.
> In October 2012, RB launched a rebranding journey with a new logo and livery.
> Two more Airbus A320s were delivered in December 2003 and January 2004. > In January 2010, RB introduced Royal Brunei Holidays, a revamp of its Golden Touch Holidays, which offers passengers value-for-money holiday packages available locally and abroad.
> RB launched “A betterfly”, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and commenced its first commercial flight from Bandar Seri Begawan to Singapore on 18 October, 2013, followed by flights to Dubai and London on 1 December, 2013 and to Melbourne on 2 April, 2014.
> Direct services to Shanghai were re-launched in March 2010.
> RB unveiled its new heritage-inspired uniforms on 21 February, 2014.
> RB’s newly-leased Boeing 777-200ER aircraft took off on its first commercial flight from Bandar Seri Begawan to London via Dubai in June 2010.
> The first of RB’s two A320 CEO aircraft arrived in Bandar Seri Begawan on 26 September, 2015.
> The delivery of Boeing 767-200ER aircraft enabled RB’s route to extend to London Gatwick in November 1990. > Twice-weekly flights to London Heathrow began in May 1991. The route became a daily service on 1 December, 1996. > RB employed the use of a Fokker 50 aircraft to service Miri and Labuan in Malaysia, two destinations that were significant to the growth of Brunei’s oil and gas industry. > The opportunity to expand regional connections saw RB establishing a service to Surabaya in 1997.
> RB commenced four-times weekly flights to Melbourne in March 2011.
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switched to flight mode), personal computers, FM receivers, calculators, electronic shavers, audio and video recorders, hand-held computer games, and playback devices..
Lithium Batteries The abundant stored energy that makes lithium batteries practical also makes them dangerous when they are not packed and carried properly. Royal Brunei takes the initiatives to increase the safety onboard with the carriage limitations (from industry initiatives, ICAO and IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations guidance) to mitigate against the risks of the hazards. Low and medium powered rechargeable batteries in equipment and limited quantity of spares are recommended as carry on baggage. All spare units must be in the original packaging or packed to insulate the terminals. Medium and large nonrechargeable must be carried as cargo/ freight in accordance with current Dangerous
Goods Regulations. High-Powered batteries are not permitted onboard passenger aircraft. Information of safe carriage of lithium batteries on-board RB flights are also available at the RB websites www.bruneiair.com.
Non-smoking Policy Royal Brunei Airlines operates non-smoking flights to all destinations.
Reconfirmation Reconfirmation is not required except for passengers travelling to and from the Middle East. Please reconfirm your departure flight at least 72 hours in advance with the local Royal Brunei Airlines office or your travel agent. Failure to do so could result in the cancellation of your reservations.
Online Booking Fly through the airport. You can now book online at www.flyroyalbrunei.com, check in online and print your own electronic ticket
(e-ticket). Online check in is available 24 hours before flight departure and closes 60 minutes before departure time.
Check In Check in counters at the Brunei International Airport are open three hours before flight departure. Passengers are advised to check in at least two hours before departure to allow for security and baggage checks. Check in counters will be closed 45 minutes before departure, after which no boarding passes will be issued. Royal Brunei Airlines also advises its passengers to reach the boarding gate 20 minutes before the flight departs to avoid missing their flights.
Passenger Comments Your comments and suggestions will help us enhance our services. Please e-mail us at: feedback@rba.com.bn.
BRUNEI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Brunei International Airport’s computerised passenger and cargo handling facilities can handle 3 million passengers and 50,000 tonnes of cargo a year. Among the facilities offered at the airport are the Airport Prayer Hall (Surau Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Brunei Darussalam), telephones and Free Wi-Fi services, restaurants and shower facilities for passengers who want to rest or freshen up before their flight. For customer comfort and convenience, RB Service Centre is located on the Departure Hall area. Passengers can make reservations, ticket purchase, book tour packages and redeem Royal Skies miles. The Customer Service Centre at the Brunei International Airport operates 7 days a week, from 8am to
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9pm Mondays to Saturdays, and 8am to 5pm on Sundays; except for Friday midday break from 12noon to 2pm.
prior to their flights. Complimentary massage chairs, shower rooms, ablution areas and High Definition TV are available.
Our Business Class and Royal Skies Elite passengers can now enjoy the service of our RB porters at departure curb-side for baggage assistance and trolley service to the check-in counters. The premium checkin lounge offers our Business Class and Royal Skies Elite passengers with a relaxed check-in experience.
Duty-free shops offer consumer goods at competitive prices. There are several outlets, including a money changer located at the departure/transit hall. On sale are portable electrical goods with international warranties, designer goods, perfumes and confectionery. Brunei International Airport is a smoke-free airport.
RB Economy class passengers and groups booking may proceed to RB check-in counter Row B.
A mobile application app has been developed by the Department of Civil Aviation to help passengers/visitors experience the newly refurbished Brunei International Airport seamlessly through the ‘iFLYBRUNEI’ app on the smartphone.
Business Class and Royal Skies Elite passengers are able to access the SkyLounge
STAYING FIT At Royal Brunei Airlines, your health, safety and comfort is of prime importance to us. For your general well-being onboard our flights, we would recommend the basic inflight exercises.
Ankle circles While seated, raise one foot and draw a circle with your toes. Rotate clockwise for 15 seconds and repeat the same counterclockwise. Repeat with the other foot. You can do one foot at a time or both simultaneously.
Knee lifts Lift and hug your knee to your chest as close as you can. Hold for 15 seconds. Alternate knee. Repeat 10-15 times for each knee.
Shoulder roll Relax shoulders then hunch them forward. Rotate gently 10-15 times.
Neck roll With shoulders relaxed, drop ear to shoulder and gently roll neck forward and back, holding each position about five seconds. Repeat five times.
Upper back flex Stretch hands forward, then pull back slowly as far as possible. Repeat 10-15 times.
Trunk flex With both feet on the floor and stomach held in, slowly bend forward and walk your hands down the front of your legs toward your ankles. Hold stretch for 15 seconds and slowly sit back up.
TRAVELLER’S GUIDE Brunei Visitor Information Visas* Austrian, German, Malaysian, Singaporean, British nationals with the right of abode in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands and New Zealand nationals are exempted from the requirement to obtain a visa for visits not exceeding 30 days. American passport holders can enter Brunei Darussalam for three months without visas. For nationals of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Republic of Maldives, Norway, Oman, The Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and The Principality of Liechtenstein — visas are waived for 14day visits. Nationals of Australia are issued visas on arrival at the Brunei International Airport for visits not exceeding 30 days. All other visitors entering Brunei Darussalam must have visas obtainable from any Brunei Darussalam diplomatic mission abroad. These visas are normally issued for a two-week stay but can be renewed in Brunei. Visitors must hold onward tickets and sufficient funds to support themselves while in the country. N.B. For more details, please contact your nearest Brunei Embassy or diplomatic representative. Currency Bearer Negotiation Instrument Declaration Passengers entering or leaving Brunei who carry physical currency or bearer negotiable instruments valued at BND15,000 or more are required to complete a declaration form and submit it to a customs officer (if arriving in Brunei) or an immigration officer (if departing Brunei).
Duty-free Allowance* The import of the following products is subject to restrictions imposed by Brunei’s Customs and Excise Department. Cigarettes: Passengers will be charged duty on cigarettes of $0.25 tax per stick, equal to $5 per pack of 20 sticks of cigarette, and $50 for one carton of 10 packs. Other tobacco products - Import duty on other tobacco products has increased significantly. Passengers will be charged duty for the import of tobacco products. Alcohol: Non-Muslim passengers may bring in two bottles of liquor plus 12 cans of beer for personal consumption only; and a reasonable quantity of perfumes. Transportation The airport is about 11km from the capital. Taxis, car rentals and buses are available. Currency The Brunei dollar is on a par with the Singapore dollar, which is also accepted in Brunei. Banks, hotels and many department stores will cash traveller’s cheques. Language Malay is the official language but English is widely used. Other languages include Chinese and its dialect variants and other indigenous dialects. Although the official religion is Islam, other faiths including Christianity and Buddhism are practised. Clothing Light clothing is advisable as the climate is generally warm and humid. Women are requested to dress modestly in keeping with local customs.
* The visa and duty-free allowances are provided as a guideline and may change without notice.
Health Doctors provide private medical services for a nominal charge. There are a number of state health clinics and hospitals. Credit Cards Hotels, department stores and other major establishments generally accept all internationally known credit cards. Tipping Optional. Some hotels add a 10 per cent service charge to their room rates. Telephones Overseas calls can be made from hotel rooms through the operator, or via international direct dialling (IDD). There are also coin and phonecard operated public telephones. Utilities Power supply is 220 - 240v, 50 cycles. The PAL and NTSC systems are used by local television. Tap water is generally safe to drink although some take the precaution of boiling it. Media Radio Television Brunei has nightly news bulletins and a range of popular entertainment in both English and Malay. Cable network and Malaysian television programmes can also be received. There are three local daily newspapers namely: Borneo Bulletin (English), The Brunei Times (English) and Media Permata (Malay). Other regional and international publications are also available at newstands. Food For the adventurous, the food stalls offer Malay favourites, such as satay (barbecued meat on a skewer) and local dishes prepared with curry or coconut milk. Chinese, European and Indian cuisines are also available. All F&B businesses, including hotel restaurants, close for Friday prayer 12pm to 2pm. For hotel guests, room service dining operates as usual.
Hotels Accommodation in the capital ranges from international standard to middle range hotels. Service apartments are also available at reasonable rates. Shopping Department stores and shops offer goods ranging from cosmetics and stereos to local handicrafts such as the keris (an ornamental dagger), miniature brass cannons, and kain tenunan, a cloth woven with gold or silver threads. Festivals and Celebrations National Day, 23 February, Hari Raya, the end of the Muslim fasting month, and His Majesty The Sultan’s birthday, 15 July. Other public holidays include Chinese Lunar New Year and Christmas. Customs and Courtesy • In mosques, visitors should remove their shoes and should not pass in front of people at prayer. A woman should ensure that her head, knees and arms are covered before entering mosques. Robes are provided at the entrance to the mosque. • A Bruneian shakes hands lightly and brings his hands to his chest. Members of the opposite sex do not shake hands. • It is impolite to point with the index finger (use the right thumb instead) or to beckon someone with fingers and palm facing upwards. Instead the whole hand should be waved with palm facing downwards. The right fist should never be smacked into the left palm. • Gifts, particularly food, are passed with the right hand.
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ROUTE MAP & DESTINATIONS
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AUSTRALIA MELBOURNE (MEL)
TULLAMARINE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 22 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus AUD16 • Taxi AUD85 Airport Tax AUD38 Currency Australian Dollar (AUD) Language English GMT +10 RB OFFICE Level 10, 45 William Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 T: (61) 3 8651 1000 T: Toll Free Aust wide 1300 721271 E: melrba@rba.com.bn MCH AVIATION HOLDING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD Suite 6, 7-9 Mallet Road, Tullamarine Vic 3043 T: (61) 3 8318 5100 / 5109 M: (61) 4 3046 3324
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (BWN)
BRUNEI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 8 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus BND1 • Taxi BND25 Airport Tax BND12, BKI: BND5 Currency Brunei Dollar (BND) Language Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien, English GMT +8 RB OFFICE RBA Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan, BS 8811 T: (673) 2 212 222 / 2 240 500 F: (673) 2 244 737 AIR LOGISTICS SDN BHD Unit 6, Ground Floor, Madang Complex, Berakas BC3715, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: (673) 234 1158 / 9 F: (673) 234 1162 E: bwn@airlogisticsgroup.com
CHINA HONG KONG (HKG)
CHEK LAP KOK AIRPORT Airport-City 32 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Taxi Kowloon HKD300, Hong Kong HKD400 Airport Tax HKD120 Currency Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) Language Cantonese, Mandarin, English GMT +8 GENERAL SALES AGENT DEKS AIR (HONG KONG) LTD Room 1804-5, Jubilee Centre, 18 Fenwick Street, Wanchai T: (852) 2529 3883 F: (852) 2527 7300 E: hkgres@rba.com.bn AIR LOGISTICS LIMITED 1205A, 12th Floor, Tower II, Cheung Sha Wan Plaza , 833 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong T: (852) 2328 0278 F: (852) 2328 0221 M: (852) 9161 1747 / 9181 9146
GUANGZHOU (CAN)
BAIYUN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 28 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus CNY19 • Taxi CNY2.6 Airport Tax CNY90 Currency Chinese Yuan (CNY) Language Cantonese, Mandarin GMT +8
GENERAL SALES AGENT DEKS AIR (CHINA) LTD. Room 2915, Tower B, China Shine Plaza, 9 Linhe Road West, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, China T: (8620) 8332 3120 / 8332 1575 F: (8620) 8332 6369
SHANGHAI (PVG)
PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 35 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus CNY50 • Taxi CNY160 Airport Tax CNY90 Currency Chinese Yuan (CNY) Language Chinese (dialects include Mandarin, Shanghainese) GMT +8 PASSENGER SALES AGENT BEIJING LONGWAY INTERNATIONAL Room 0, 22nd Floor, Zhiyuan Building, No.768 Xietu Road, Luwan District, Shanghai, China Post code: 200023 T: (86) 21 5302 7288 F: (86) 21 6304 7686 E: shasales@rba.com.bn AIR LOGISTICS GROUP Room 1631, No. 333, North Chengdu Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, China 200040 T: (86) 21 2215 7645 M: (852) 9161 1747
INDONESIA BALI (DPS)
NGURAH RAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City approximately 16 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus IDR25,000 • Taxi IDR70,000 - 90,000 Airport Tax IDR150,000 Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) Language Bahasa Indonesia, English GMT +8 GENERAL SALES AGENT PT DEKS AVIATION INTERNUSA Suite #3, Lobby Level, Kuta Paradiso Hotel, Jl Kartika Plaza, Kuta, Tuban Bali (ID) T: (62) 361 757355 F: (62) 361 757785 E: dpsrba@rba.com.bn AIR LOGISTICS GROUP Wisthi Sabha Builing, 2nd FI, Room 19, Ngurah Rai International Airport, Tuban 80361, Bali, Indonesia T: (62) 361 936 3345 F: (62) 361 936 0284
JAKARTA (JKT)
SOEKARNO-HATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 50 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus IDR7,000 • Taxi IDR150,000 Airport Tax IDR150,000 Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) Language Bahasa Indonesia, English GMT +7 GENERAL SALES AGENT PT DEKS AVIATION INTERNUSA Wisma Tamara, 6th Floor #668, Jalan Jend Sudirman Kav 24, Jakarta 1290, Indonesia T: (62) 21 520 6338 F: (62) 21 527 9990 E: jktrba@rba.com.bn
AIR LOGISTICS GROUP Suite 3K, 3rd Floor, Wisma Soewarna, Soewarna Business Park, Block E, Lot 1 & 2, Soekarno Hata International Airport, Jakarta 19110, Indonesia T: (62) 21 5591 1311 F: (62) 21 5591 1662 M: (62) 81 2165 799 22
SURABAYA (SUB)
JUANDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 17 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Taxi IDR29,500 Airport Tax IDR150,000 Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) Language Bahasa Indonesia, English, Madurese GMT +7 GENERAL SALES AGENT PT DEKS AVIATION INTERNUSA Wisma BII, 6th Floor #606, Jalan Pemuda No: 60-70, Surabaya 60271, Indonesia T: (62) 31 535 6377 F: (62) 31 535 6166 E: subrba@rba.com.bn AIR LOGISTICS GROUP Suite 3K, 3rd Floor Wisma Soewarna, Soewarna Business Park, Block E, Lot 1 & 2, Soekarno Hata International Airport, Jakarta 19110, Indonesia T: (62) 21 5591 2839 F: (62) 21 5591 1662 M: (62) 81 653 6501
MALAYSIA KUALA LUMPUR (KUL)
KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 80 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus Luxury RM25 • Taxi Budget MYR70-80, Limo MYR100-120 Airport Tax MYR51 Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) Language Malay, English, Cantonese, Tamil, Mandarin GMT +8 RB OFFICE Lot 25, 1st Floor, UBN Tower (Shangri-la Shopping Arcade), P.O. Box 99, Jln P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur T: (60) 3 2070 7166 / 2070 6628 F: (60) 3 2070 6899 E: kulrba@rba.com.bn ORIENT PACIFIC AIR SERVICES SDN BHD Lot GFM 027A, MAS Advance Cargo Centre, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, 64000 Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia T: (60) 3 8787 1868 / 1611 / 1622 F: (60) 3 8787 4028
KOTA KINABALU (BKI)
KOTA KINABALU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 8.5 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Taxi MYR13.50 Airport Tax MYR26 To/ Transit via Brunei: MYR20 Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) Language Malay, Mandarin, English GMT +8 RB OFFICE Lot BG - 3B Ground Floor, Block B, Komplex KWSP, Jalan Karamunsing, 8000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah T: (60) 88 242 193 / 6 E: sskkoff@rba.com.bn
RB MIRI OFFICE Lot 1378 (Sub Lot 7) and Lot 1345, Block 10, Miri Concession. Land District, Kubu Road, Centre Point Commercial Centre, Miri Sarawak, Malaysia T: (60) 85 426 322 / 426 334 F: (60) 85 426 355
PHILIPPINES MANILA (MNL)
NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 9 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus PhP13 • Taxi PhP120 Airport Tax PhP750 Currency Philippine Peso (PhP) Language Tagalog, English GMT +8 GENERAL SALES AGENT AVIA-RH INC 4/F Le Rose Building, 832 A. Arnaiz Avenue, San Lorenzo Village, Makati City, Philippines. T: (63) 632 886 7513 F: (63) 632 886 7494 E: mnlres@rba.com.bn AIR CARGO PARTNERS CORPORATION True North GSA Inc., Unit 26 Cargo Village Complex, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Paranaque City Metro Manila, Philippines 1700 T: (63) 2 500 9114 F: (63) 2 854 0244
SAUDI ARABIA JEDDAH (JED)
KING ABDUL AZIZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 25 kms (from North Terminal); 15 kms (from South Terminal) Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Taxi SAR50 Airport Tax SAR50 except Haj & Umrah pax, diplomats and escorts for human remains Currency Saudi Arabian Riyal (SAR) Language Arabic, English, French GMT +3 GENERAL SALES AGENT ELAF AVIATION Al Nakheel Centre, Madina Road Jeddah 21414, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia T: (9662) 665 7143 / 661 2679 / 665 7908 E: jedrba@rba.com.bn LEISURE CARGO FZCO Saudi Airline Cargo Terminal Building, Jeddah, K.S.A (SITA DXBFBAB) T: (966) 56 512 5101 M: (966) 56 512 5101
SINGAPORE SINGAPORE (SIN)
CHANGI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 20 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus SGD1.40 • Taxi SGD18 Airport Tax SGD21 Currency Singapore Dollar (SGD) Language Malay, English, Mandarin, Tamil GMT +8 RB OFFICE 81 Clemenceau Avenue, #03-13, UE Square Shopping Mall, Singapore 239917 T: (65) 6235 4672 E: sinrba@rba.com.bn
WORLDWIDE GSA (ORIENT AIR PTE LTD) Unit 05-24, Cargo Agent Building D, 9 Airline Road, Changi Airfreight Centre, Singapore 819827 T: (65) 6214 2187 F: (65) 6214 2199 E: bicargo.sin@worldwidegsa.com
THAILAND BANGKOK (BKK)
SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT Airport-City 25 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus BHT150 • Taxi BHT200-250 Airport Tax BHT700 Currency Baht (BHT) Language Thai, English GMT +7 GENERAL SALES AGENT DEKS AIR THAILAND 4th Floor, C.P. Tower, 313 Silom Road,Bangrak 10500, Thailand T: (66) 02 638 3050 F: (66) 02 638 2969 ABDA CARGO INTERNATIONAL 999 Moo 7, B-FZ Cargo Terminal, Room 302, 3rd Fl, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangphli. Samutprakarn 10540 Bangkok, Thailand T: (66) 2134 2305 / 6 F: (66) 2134 2307 M: (66) 86 392 1132
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DUBAI (DXB)
DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport-City 4 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Taxi AED20 + 50 fils for every 500m Airport Tax AED30 Currency Dirham (AED) Language Arabic, English GMT +4 RB OFFICE Centurian Star, Shop Number 3, (new RB office), Opp. Deira City Centre, Deira, Dubai, UAE T: (971) 4334 4884 (Reservation) / 4686 (Sales) F: (971) 4334 4585 E: dxbres@rba.com.bn, dxbrba@rba.com.bn Tower 400 (UNB Building), Shop 7-10, Al Soor Area, Sharjah, UAE (SHJBI0301) T: (971) 6005 24444 / 6575 8575 Oman Road, Nakheel, Shaikh Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qasmi Street, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE (RAKBI0301) T: (971) 7227 2847 / 7228 9987 Al-Ain Tower, East 4th Road, Almouror, Electra Street, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, UAE (AUHBI0301) T: (971) 2815 3444 / 2815 3450 M-201, Paris Gift Palace Building, Zayed Bin Sulthan Street, Al-Ain, UAE (AUHBI0301) T: (971) 3764 1410 / 1990 LEISURE CARGO Office No 3069, Air Cargo Terminal Building, Dubai Cargo Village, P.O. Box 293051 Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SITA DXBFBLT) T: (971) 4 286 9666 F: (971) 4 286 9995 M: (971) 55 954 6066 Office No. M25 Freight Gate-4, Dubai Airport Free Zone, P.O. Box 54385, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SITA DXBFBLT) T: (971) 4 299 7924 F: (971) 4 299 7989 M: (971) 55 221 6289
UNITED KINGDOM LONDON (LHR)
HEATHROW AIRPORT Airport-City 35 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus GBP7 • Taxi GBP40 Airport Tax F & J Class Pax: GBP80; Y Class Pax: GBP40; PSC: GBP9 Currency Pound Sterling (GBP) Language English GMT +0 RB OFFICE 49 Cromwell Road, London SW7 2ED, England, United Kingdom T: (44) 207 584 6660 E: lonrba@rba.com.bn AIR LOGISTICS LIMITED Cargo Terminal 4, East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Derby, DE74 2SA (SITA LONALXH) T: (44) 0 1332 850021 / 7885 875184 F: (44) 0 1332 811961 E: airlogistics@airlogistics. co.uk / operations@ airlogistics.co.uk / sales@airlogistics.co.uk 2nd Floor, Building 558, Shoreham Road West, Heathrow Airport Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 3RN T: (44) 0 208 759 8686 F: (44) 0 208 990 9005 M: (44) 7713 506614 E: sales@airlogistics.co.uk
VIETNAM HO CHI MINH CITY (SGN)
TAN SON NHAT AIRPORT Airport-City 7 kms Approx. Fare from Airport to City • Bus VND8,000 • Taxi VND160,000 Airport Tax USD20 Currency Vietnam Dong (VND) Language Vietnamese, Mandarin, English, French GMT +7 GENERAL SALES AGENT DEKS AIR VIETNAM SERVICE Ground Floor, Citilight Tower, 45 Vo Thi Sau St., Dakao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam T: (84) 8 3820 7327 F: (84) 8 3820 7329 E: SGNRBA@rba.com.bn 7th Floor, 163 Ba Trieu St. Ba Trieu St., Le Dai Hanh Ward, Hai Ba Trung Dist, Hanoi, Vietnam T: (84) 4 3820 2828 F: (84) 4 3974 3595 AIR CARGO LOGISTICS VIETNAM CO. LTD Air Logistics Limited, Room 06, 2nd Floor, New TCS Building, 46-48 Hau Giang Str., Ward 4, Ho Chi Minh City T: (84) 8 3848 8567 M: (84) 9 0380 7939 Air Cargo Logistics Vietnam - HCM City, Unit 206 - New TCS Building, 46 Hau Giang Street, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam T: (84) 8 7305 0988 Ext 8400 F: (84) 8 3547 0004 Room 1308A, 13rd Floor, Dao Duy Anh Tower, No. 9 Dao Duy Anh Street, Phuong Mai Ward Dong Da District, Hanoi City T: (84) 4 3577 2454 / 3577 0942 F: (84) 4 3577 2146 M: (852) 6892 4588 / (84) 9 0380 7939 E: hansales@airlogisticsgroup.com
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2016
69
WELCOME ONBOARD
CAPITAL ATTRACTIONS
ABODE OF PEACE
Small in size but big in attractions, Brunei’s capital has lots to offer.
Brunei Darussalam is a country rich in culture and heritage. It is a small, peaceful, prosperous kingdom on the northern shore of the ecologically-rich island of Borneo. Come and discover Brunei, a Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures. Brunei is arguably best known today as an oil producing country. The nation became independent in 1984 and, thanks to its large reserves of oil and gas, now has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Its population of just over 408,000 is made up of two-thirds ethnic Malay, with the remainder being Chinese, Indian and other indigenous groups. The Sultanate has four districts: Brunei-Muara (which includes the capital Bandar Seri Begawan), Temburong, Tutong and Belait. ‘Darussalam’, the Arabic word for ‘Abode of Peace’ describes Brunei’s Islamic history that dates back some 1,500 years. Today, Brunei remains the world’s only Malay Islamic Monarchy with an unbroken royal lineage that has ruled the nation for the past 600 years.
www.bruneitourism.travel For more information on Brunei, email: info@bruneitourism.travel Images DAVID KIRKLAND/ BRUNEI TOURISM
Brunei-Muara
1 2 3
THE OMAR ‘ALI SAIFUDDIEN MOSQUE
Brunei Darussalam’s iconic landmark, the mosque was completed in 1958 and is named after the 28th Sultan, the late Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, who is referred to as the Architect of Modern Brunei.
ISTANA NURUL IMAN
The official residence of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. Although not open to public, except during Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, its golden domes and vaulted roof can be viewed from Kampong Ayer.
LAPAU AND DEWAN MAJLIS
The Royal Ceremonial Hall features an exquisite golden dome and hosts all of the Sultanate’s traditional royal ceremonies.
MUSLIM PRAYER TIMES in Brunei Darussalam November 2016
Safar 1438 Date
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3
4
5
6
7
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9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Hijriah
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Day
Sun Mon
Sun Mon
Sun Mon
Sun Mon
Tue Wed
Imsak
4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.36
4.37
4.37
4.37
4.37
4.37
4.37
4.37 4.38 4.38 4.38 4.38 4.38 4.39 4.39 4.39 4.40 4.40 4.40
Subuh
4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46 4.46
4.47
4.47
4.47
4.47
4.47
4.47
4.47 4.48 4.48 4.48 4.48 4.48 4.49 4.49 4.49 4.50 4.50 4.50
Syuruk
6.05 6.06 6.06 6.06 6.06 6.06 6.06 6.06
6.07
6.07
6.07 6.08 6.08 6.08 6.08 6.09 6.09 6.09
6.10
6.11
6.11
6.11
6.12
6.13
6.13
6.28 6.29 6.29 6.29 6.29 6.29 6.29 6.30 6.30 6.30 6.30
6.31
6.31
6.33 6.34 6.34 6.34
6.35
6.35 6.36 6.36
6.37
6.37
Doha Zohor Asar
6.07
6.07
6.31
6.31 6.32 6.32 6.32
6.33
6.33
6.10
6.10
6.12
4.41 4.51
12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.05 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.07 12.07 12.07 12.07 12.08 12.08 12.08 12.09 12.09 12.09 12.10 12.10 3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25
3.26
3.26
3.26
3.26
3.26
3.26
3.27
3.27
3.27
3.27
3.27
3.28
3.28
3.28
3.28
3.29
3.29
3.29
3.29 3.30 3.30 3.30
3.31
3.31
3.31
3.32
Maghrib 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.02 6.03 6.03 6.03 6.03 6.03 6.04 6.04 6.04 6.04 6.05 Isyak
70
7.13
7.13
7.13
MUHIBAH
7.13
7.13
7.13
7.13
7.13
7.13
7.14
7.14
7.14
7.14
7.14
7.14
7.14
7.15
7.15
7.15
7.15
7.16
7.16
7.16
7.17
7.17
7.17
7.18
7.18
7.18
7.19
4
THE ROYAL REGALIA BUILDING
7 8 9 10
BRUNEI MUSEUM
The museum is home to a collection of royal regalia, including the royal chariot, gold and silver ceremonial armoury, the jewel encrusted crowns used during the coronation and a replica of the throne, which is used by the Sultan on state occasions.
5 6
ISTANA DARUSSALAM
Located on Jalan Sumbiling, this wooden palace captures the architectural heritage of old Malay palaces. Visitors may view only from outside.
THE SULTAN HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH FOUNDATION COMPLEX
The capital’s most popular shopping venues, it combines both traditional Malay and modern architecture.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Brunei’s national museum spotlights Brunei’s role in Southeast Asia’s history. The Islamic Art Gallery has historical pieces of Islamic art and a commendable Quran collection.
Temburong
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ULU TEMBURONG NATIONAL PARK
BRUNEI ARTS AND HANDICRAFTS CENTRE
Brunei’s ancient and traditional arts and crafts – kain tenunan, silver & brass ware, wood carving and basketry – are showcased in this centre, aimed to preserve its rich legacy.
TAMU KIANGGEH
The Tamu, or open air market, on the banks of the Kianggeh River is a popular local market for traditional dishes, fruits, vegetables, flowers and handicrafts.
Explore Brunei’s lush virgin forest through lofty canopy walkways, scenic hiking trails and a thrilling river ride to the park on the Temburong River.
Tutong TASEK MERIMBUN
Brunei’s largest lake that curves in an ‘S’ has an island in the centre accessible via a wooden walkway and various facilities for picnics and recreation.
Belait OIL & GAS DISCOVERY CENTRE
An ‘edutainment’ facility, this interactive science centre aims to make science exciting and accessible to all with more than 100 hands-on exhibits in themed areas to explore.
KAMPONG AYER
The world’s largest water village that is home to more than 30,000 people living on unique wooden houses on stilts over the Brunei River.
December 2016
Rabiulawal 1438 / Rabiulakhir 1438 Date
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5
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7
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9
10
11
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Hijriah
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
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27
28
29
1
2
Day
Thu
Fri
Sat
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Imsak
4.41
4.41 4.42 4.42 4.42
4.43
4.43 4.44 4.44 4.44
4.45
4.45 4.46 4.46
4.47
4.47 4.48 4.48 4.49 4.49 4.50 4.50
4.51
4.51
4.52
4.52
4.53
4.53 4.54 4.54
4.55
Subuh
4.51
4.51
4.52
4.52
4.52
4.53
4.53 4.54 4.54 4.54
4.55
4.55 4.56 4.56
4.57
4.57
5.01
5.01
5.02
5.02
5.03
5.03 5.04 5.04
5.05
Syuruk
6.14
6.14
6.14
6.15
6.15
6.16
6.16
6.17
6.17
6.18
6.19
6.19 6.20 6.20
6.21
6.21 6.22 6.22
6.23
6.23 6.24 6.24
6.25
6.25 6.26 6.26
6.27
6.27
6.27 6.28
Doha
6.37 6.38 6.38 6.39 6.39 6.40 6.40
6.41
6.41 6.42 6.42
6.43
6.43 6.44 6.44
6.45
6.45 6.46 6.46
6.47
6.47 6.48 6.48 6.49 6.49 6.50 6.50
6.51
6.51
6.52
Zohor Asar
Sun Mon
6.18
Sun Mon
4.58
Sun Mon
4.58 4.59 4.59 5.00 5.00
Sun Mon
31
6.52
12.10 12.11 12.11 12.12 12.12 12.12 12.13 12.13 12.14 12.14 12.15 12.15 12.15 12.16 12.16 12.17 12.17 12.18 12.18 12.19 12.19 12.20 12.20 12.21 12.21 12.22 12.22 12.23 12.23 12.24 12.24 3.34
3.34
3.35
3.37
3.37
3.38
3.38
3.39
3.39 3.40 3.40
3.41
3.41
3.42
3.42
3.43
3.43
3.44
3.44
3.45
3.45
3.46
3.46
Maghrib 6.05 6.05 6.06 6.06 6.06
3.32
6.07
6.07 6.08 6.08 6.08 6.09 6.09
6.10
6.10
6.11
6.11
6.12
6.12
6.12
6.13
6.13
6.14
6.14
6.15
6.15
6.16
6.16
6.17
6.17
6.18
6.19
Isyak
7.21
7.22
7.24
7.25
7.25
7.26
7.26
7.27
7.27
7.28
7.28
7.29
7.29
7.30
7.30
7.31
7.31
7.32
7.32
7.33
7.33
7.19
3.33
7.19
3.33
7.20
3.33
7.20
7.21
3.35
7.22
3.35
7.23
3.36
7.23
3.36
7.23
7.24
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2016
71
Visit Jordan
THE LAST WORD
Guess where? This castle makes up part of one of the best preserved Roman Cities outside of Italy, built in 1184 AD by one of Saladin’s generals from the Crusade era.
Answer Ajloun Castle.
72
MUHIBAH
roya l b ru n e i a ir l in e s | Nov ember - D ecember 20 16
Fi n di n g Jo rdan Jordan
Why D ubai United Ar ab Emir ates BY ROYA L B R U N E I A I R L I N E S | Nov e mb er - D e ce mb e r 2 0 16
S wi n gi n ’ A t The S i am Thail and
Lo n do n On The Li ght United Kingdom
Outback , Offroad Austr alia