Ferry Ride to Labuan

A few days back when I first reached Bandar Seri Badgawan, I did a ride to the port Serasa Ferry Terminal. Quite easy to find using google maps and in a way it was a mini loop of 60km perfect for a day trip to visit riding around.

Hence I got the timetable for the ferry and had a little chat with the guys to ensure me that the boats were running. Never can trust too much information on the internet with these stuff as it really does change with time so it was always good to have solid confirmation.

RORO Ferry Timetable Between Brunei - Malaysia (Labuan)

The day to depart Brunei and take a Ferry across back to Malaysia-Labuan was quite strightforawrd. Reach Serasa Ferry Terminal, bought a ticket at Goodwill start counter and roll on to the Ferry. Documents require was quite strightforard for a Malaysian Bike, just the vehicle ownership certificate and my passport which was processed easily at the Brunei exit customs. Once on the ferry they actually strap the bike down as the ferry does rock a bit at the open waters.

Buying RORO Ferry Tickets at the Terminal 

Clearing Customs & Immigration at Brunei before going up the Ferry

All Vehicles are Straped down for the boat ride

RORO Ferry from Brunei to Malaysia - Labuan

Passenger waiting area during the Ferry Ride 

A ride across the Brunei Bay Sea and of course a few view of Oil Rigs up close is quite a sight. Reach Labuan and roll off and stright to imigration to get passport stamped back into Malaysia. No paperworks for Bluey as its just re-entering back into the country.

Watching some Oil Rigs at the Brunei Bay Sea 

The simplest and easiest border crossing I ever had with Bluey was Brunei. Even Singapore had more complicated procedures.

Traveled on: Aug 2019

Bandar Seri Badgawan and Around

To be frank, I totally forgot to write about Brunei or rather Bandar Seri Badgawan. Weird as well since I spend quite a few days in the city exploring. If anyone tells me there is nothing to see or do in Brunei, I would definately say not true, it is worth a visit at least once for it is a country like no other, semi frozen in time and the culture itself while boring is worth observing.

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Brunei

Brunei is a slow country ... slow pace of life which is exzactly what I felt when I was there. Everything had their own time and in a way it was peaceful. However I could see very little young people as the life can be very boring as well. The capital Bandar Seri Badgawan (BSB for short) kept me around for a few days to explore.

Gadong Night Market - Brunei 

Downtown Bandar Seri Badgawan - Brunei

Riding Around Downtown Bandar Seri Badgawan - Brunei 

Most times I was visiting Mosque after mosque ... like Malaysia it is one of the few muslim countries where non-muslim can enter a place of worship as a tourist. Other times I was just riding around everywhere I could. Weird as well since I could not remember ever see another motorbike in Brunei.

I remembered spending half a day in the Royal Regalia Museum yet I had no photograph records. Probabaly had some sort of no Photography requirement in the Museum which usually means a good sign.

The other half of the time was spend exploring on foot the water village settlement called Kampung Ayer. Facinatingly modern and upkeep to have power, water and internet yets rusticly old in its history and trade. Just getting lost walking about is all one can do.

Kampung Ayer Cultural & Tourism Gallery

Signpost for the Water Village Places of Interest

Life on the Water - Kampung Ayer Brunei

Water Taxi - Life on the River Kampung Ayer - Brunei 

Al - Muhtadee  Billah Mosque - Kampung Ayer - Brunei 

The New with the Old 

Traveled on: Aug 2019

Riding from Kuala Belait to Bandar Seri Bagawan

At the border, once the rain subside, I took a ride to the nearest town called Kuala Belait for lunch, and along the way passed my first and only toll in Brunei. Bluey cost BNR 1 but I only had SGD with me. Luckily too since if I was to wait till the city to change money, I would have been stuck at the toll with no way to get money other than to go back to Miri.

Only 126 km From the Miri Border to Bandar Seri Bagawan Brunei

The Only TOLL I encountered in Brunei

Kuala Belait was a small town I thought but apparently the district is the biggest in the whole of Brunei. They had a mini museum there which was free entry so a nice introductory of the migration and type of people living in brunei espescially around the Belait district. Not supprising, their history and people is very much similar to Sarawak history and people just with a line on a map that marks the divide.

After a good break from lunch at Kuala Belait, I rode the coast passing all these little “donkeys” as the Brunei people call them, oil retriver pumping up oil from the ground, the number one source of income for Brunei. Along the way near Seria, I made a pitstop at the Billionth Barrel Monument.

Hard Working "Donkeys" in Brunei 

Billion Barrel Monument 

The coast was prestine, with no habitants at all, but of couse along the way was the oil refinery which seams to be the main source of work in Brunei as well.

Prestine Beach in Brunei 

Brunei Oil Terminal 

Traveled on: Aug 2019

Border Crossing from Miri to Brunei (Sungai Tujuh Imigresion)

The crossing was the easiest crossing I have ever done with Bluey thoughout my journey in South East Asia. Following Rider ChrissBlogpost,I got the weblink for brunei Vehicle Entry Pass and from there just filled up the form online a few days in advance and within minutes I got the 2D barcode for vehicle entry.

I rock up the Malaysian Border and they just stamp me out barely giving me any notice and then I rock up the Brunei Immigration which was also a few second checks before a stamp in was approved for 30 days.

Border Crossing - Malaysia to Brunei - Sungai Tujuh Immigration 

Next was customs and ride up to the booth, took out the printed 2D barcode and scan it and I was good to go. Easy ... too easy that I worry I missed some important step. Felt so unreal that it was too easy.

One custom officer saw my bike and with a smile asked me to move forward and park to the side. I thought yea ok, this will be the customs checks and I had some tobacco with me as well so I wanted to declare and be upfront first abiding with all their rules. He asked some standard questions like what I was carrying and I was more than eager to show him my camping gear stash in the box while he left my bag untouched.

Crossed in to Brunei - Waiting for Rain to Stop

Ciggarattes is a no no .... pay tax ... but for the ammount i was carrying, he said sure its ok.

Then he saw the flag I stuck on Bluey, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos. A big smile on his face and we started chatting as he was also an adventure biker who has ride all the way up to Guangzhou China.

I ended up chatting with him for nearly an hour exhanging stories on customs clearence, budgets, tackling bribes with local police while on the journey etc. Etc and then the rain came ... so I had to wait another hour and we talk more with the custom officer excusing himself from time to time to see to work but as it was a quiet border and not much people were crossing on a tuesday morning, it was a barrage of adventure stories exchanged.

At one point I even forgot that I was talking to a customs officer and we were exchanging stories of all the hassle to get the bikes into other countries for touring including backdoors connections, bribing, getting a carnet without putting down the heavy deposit, some side money after settling all the customs paperwork and the things we do slightly illegally just to be touring in another country legally.

It was a great start to Brunei, and somehow I know that this will be a very friendly and happy country.

The Start of Brunei Adventure

Traveled on: Aug 2019