Traditions of Bandar Seri Begawan
The capital of Brunei, where Malay royal customs, the water village of Kampong Ayer and daily Islamic practice meet.
Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of Brunei, a small Malay sultanate on Borneo. The Sultan's role as head of the Malay Islamic Monarchy gives public life a formal and religious tone. Kampong Ayer, a village of houses on stilts over the river, has been the heart of Brunei Malay life for over a thousand years.
Royal and religious days
The Sultan's birthday is marked with a grand parade, and Ramadan and Hari Raya are central. Brunei Malays take pride in the Adat, Malay customs, in dress, wedding rites and forms of address. Songket, silk woven with gold thread, is worn at ceremony, and silverwork and brass are old crafts.
At the table
Ambuyat, a sticky starch from the sago palm, is eaten by twirling it on a bamboo fork called chandas and dipping it in a sour sauce. Nasi katok is a simple street dish of rice, fried chicken and sambal. Kuih, small sweet cakes, appear at all celebrations.
Signature traditions of Bandar Seri Begawan
Also part of it, and being written: Ambuyat (The sago starch dish.), Hari Raya Aidilfitri (The festival at the end of Ramadan.).
A trail idea for Bandar Seri Begawan
- Kampong Ayer Cross by water taxi to the stilt village.
- Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque A gold-domed mosque beside a lagoon.
- Tamu Kianggeh A morning market on the river.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Iftar: Shariful Islam (Masum), CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Songket: Rijksmuseum, CC0, source