Last Updated on September 8, 2023 by Tina
Two weeks ago, I flew to Brunei with my brother and his friend. It was his friend’s first out-of-the-country trip and my brother’s first out-of-the-country trip after the pandemic. I’ve been to Brunei more than 10 years ago but only stayed at the airport. I had a six-hour layover in Brunei from a flight from Perth, Australia to the Philippines. It was a work trip and my first time to travel alone and out of the country so I didn’t dare go out of the airport.
For this trip, we spent 12 days in Borneo, and it started and ended in Brunei. We landed in Brunei ready to explore the night market, but things didn’t pan out as planned. Our first night was quite an unexpected journey.
After a stressful few minutes at the immigration in Brunei, we finally made our way out of the airport. The airport looked quiet. We saw the sign of where the buses were. But we had to withdraw some cash first. The money changers had already closed because it was past 11 in the evening. My brother read before our flight that the money changers were open only until 10:00 PM. There were two ATMs at the airport so we thought we were okay. Unfortunately, both machines didn’t dispense money. And it wasn’t a problem with our card, because the couple that tried after us were not able to get cash too. Here’s where our adventure begins.
Getting Out Of The Airport
Not having cash meant we couldn’t book a ride with Dart (the ride app in Brunei). Originally, my brother thought you couldn’t use a card with Dart, that they only accept cash. I found out on the last day of our trip though that it is actually possible to top up your account using a credit card.
My brother also read that the bus from the airport to the city center only costs 1 BND. So I thought we were still okay, we just needed to find the bus. There should be more ATMs in the city. I’ve read that in Brunei they accept Singaporean Dollars and I have around 10 SGD from my previous trip to Singapore. Plot twist- When my brother asked where the buses were, we were told that the buses at the airport were only until 6:00 PM. We were also told that it might be hard to book a ride with Dart when it’s already late. The only way to get out of the airport late at night is to arrange to have someone pick you up.
When things were already looking uncertain, this guy that my brother asked about the buses offered to drop us off to where we were staying. Talk about a warm welcome! He is a Filipino working and living in Brunei for a few years, and he was with his wife and their child. They were there to pick up his wife’s sister who was also on the same flight as ours. You are probably thinking about how we were able to fit in their car. Well, his wife’s mom was also there and she has her own car and it’s where his wife’s sister rode. We were beyond grateful for their kindness. But our adventure didn’t end there.
Dinner At McDonald’s
With no local currency in our pockets, we knew that we wouldn’t be able to eat at the night market anymore. After checking in and leaving our bags in our room, we decided to head to the trusty golden arches – McDonald’s! It was just one block away from our accommodation. Now, it might not be the most exotic choice, but desperate times call for desperate measures, right? When we saw a sign on the door with the words “We Accept Mastercard Visa BIBD”, we knew we were going to be fine. We placed our orders on the self-service kiosk and paid for our meals using my brother’s credit card. Crisis averted!
With our bellies full, and because we weren’t sleepy yet even though it was already midnight, we decided to make the most of our evening. We took a leisurely walk to one of Brunei’s most stunning landmarks – the Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. I was leaving early for Malaysia the following day so I had to have my picture taken with a landmark of Brunei. And the Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque as a backdrop was perfect. It is Brunei’s largest mosque and was named after the current Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah.
On our way back to our accommodation, I remembered we needed to buy water. Luckily, the convenience store near our accommodation was still open. I had to double-check first that they accept Singaporean Dollars and they really do. Another problem solved! Glad I brought my Singaporean coins.
Our first night in Brunei was full of unexpected twists and turns, but it taught us a valuable lesson about adaptability and the kindness of strangers. We may not have had Brunei Dollars, but we had a memorable experience.
If you enjoyed reading about our Brunei adventure, please subscribe to my blog for more travel stories about our trip to Borneo. If you have any questions, feel free to write them down in the comments section. Follow my Facebook page @iwentanyways and Instagram accounts @iwentanyways and @tnadeperalta for updates. Remember, no matter where you are in the world, there’s always a way to turn challenges into unforgettable adventures. Until next time, fellow explorers!
