Brunei - Borneo - page 412

NORTH & WEST OF CENTRAL BSB

Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
(Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Hwy, Kampung Kiarong; 8am-noon, 2-3pm & 5-6pm Mon-
Wed & Sat, 5-6pm Fri, 10.30am-noon, 2-3pm & 5-6pm Sun, closed Thu; ) Built in
1992 to celebrate the 25th year of the current sultan's reign, Brunei's largest mosque and
its four terrazzo-tiled minarets dominate the 'suburbs' of BSB. It's certainly a...noticable
building; because the sultan is his dynasty's 29th ruler, the complex is adorned with 29
golden domes. At night the mosque is lit up like a gold flame.
The interior is best described as jaw-droppingly over-the-top. The sheer volume in itself
is amazing, not to mention the myriad woven rugs scattered across the men's prayer hall.
The mosque is about 3km northwest of the city centre towards Gadong. To get here,
take buses 1 or 22 from the main bus terminal.

MOSQUE

Istana Nurul Iman
(Jln Tutong) If you drink too much water before visiting Istana Nurul Iman (Palace of the
Light of the Faith), the official residence of the sultan, never fear: the palace has 257 bath-
rooms. The 200,000-sq-m behemoth boasts 1531 more rooms (that's 1788 in total) and is
one of the largest habitations of any sort in the world - more than four times the size of
the Palace of Versailles and three times larger than Buckingham Palace.
Designed by Filipino architect Leandro Locsin, the palace - 3km southwest of the
centre of town - mixes Malay and Islamic elements with the sweep and oversized
grandeur of an airport terminal. Nonetheless, it's relatively attractive from a distance or
when illuminated in the evening.
Istana Nurul Iman is open to the public only during the three-day Hari Raya Aidil Fitri
festivities at the end of Ramadan. The best way to check it out the other 362 days of the
year, is to take a water-taxi cruise or to stop by the riverside pavilion at Taman Persiaran
Damuan , a landscaped park 1.2km beyond the palace (when travelling from the city
centre).

PALACE

Taman Peranginan Tasek
(Tasek Recreational Park; Jln Tasek Lama; ) BSB's tinier, dustier version of Central
Park has greenery, picnic areas and peaceful walks to a small waterfall and a large reser-
voir. Locals come here to do t'ai chi (6am to 9am), jog (in the evening), use the exercise
apparatus and admire the view. It's situated about 2km north of the city centre; to walk

PARK