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Back from enchanting Brunei

Replies: 15 - Last Post: Feb 4, 2013 5:00 PM Last Post By: sprite

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Alexhambert

Alexhambert avatar

Dec 3, 2012 5:57 PM
Posts:  26

Back from enchanting Brunei

Hey guys, I recently came back from Brunei, I really loved it, unfortunately there is very few infos that you can find online, so I wrote a little report from our trip on a (non-commercial) blog: theonlytruthistravelling.blogspot.com.au
I hope it'll be usefull, I'll try to contact lonely planet and give them a couple of updates (especially the poor state of K H Soon backpacker). Cheers.

Alex H.

scottyheather

scottyheather avatar

Dec 3, 2012 9:26 PM
Posts:  1,144

1

Thanks for that Alex. We are leaving in two days to Borneo and will be travelling through Brunei so it was interesting for us to read. I'm not sure that the K H Soon guesthouse is even open any more - we tried to book in there and their emails bounced back and there's no response from their phone numbers. Perhaps just as well huh judging from your report....

westwood

westwood avatar

Dec 4, 2012 12:57 AM
Posts:  8,838

2

Poor state of KH Soon Backpackers?? Nothing new there.
As for LP using your info to update, I wouldnt count on it. All you can do is post on the Guidebook Updates Branch.

Alexhambert

Alexhambert avatar

Dec 4, 2012 11:18 AM
Posts:  26

3

Hi Scotty,
I'm pretty sure KH Soon are still open (same thing happened to us), but if you're not too much on a budget you can check out all the accomodation options for the best value on agoda.com.

Have a good trip to Brunei!

Hi westwood,
thanks for the headsup, just want to ease our fellow traveller once in Brunei...

westwood

westwood avatar

Dec 4, 2012 11:28 AM
Posts:  8,838

4

Its certainly not the worst place we've stayed in through all our trips to Asia. And theres been quite a few of them in over 20 years.

scottyheather

scottyheather avatar

Dec 4, 2012 3:00 PM
Posts:  1,144

5

Thanks Alex - I had a look on agoda last night and I'm afraid that everything on there is pretty much out of our budget range. We are actually going to try the Pusat Belia first (youth hostel) and then probably K H Soon if it's still open.

Westwood - I think quite possibly the worst place I've ever stayed in was in Chinatown in KL about 22 years ago - I remember we had to walk past a nest of rats on the stairwell to get into our mice and cockroach infested room! Ahhhhh..... the memories...... lol

I think K H Soon guesthouse will have a long way to go to beat that place. It lowered the bar standards wise.

Alexhambert

Alexhambert avatar

Dec 5, 2012 3:45 AM
Posts:  26

6

Okay well then this place will be 5 star compared haha !
Enjoy,

Alex H

scottyheather

scottyheather avatar

Dec 5, 2012 10:21 AM
Posts:  1,144

7

Thanks again Alex - we are actually setting off on our holiday in around 20 minutes - just having a last check of emails etc before we leave for the airport! Woo hoo.....

kiwitravelwriter

kiwitravelwriter avatar

Jan 23, 2013 6:56 PM
Posts:  1

8

I will be in Borneo in July this year so was good to read of your time there .. made a few notes for myself :) cheers, HH

sprite

sprite avatar

Jan 27, 2013 4:45 AM
Posts:  12,081

9

hey, alex, thanks for that. especially the water taxi tip--we did a group tour today (from work) and the one let-down was that it was low tide so we couldn't get close enough to see monkeys. all the guide books recommended early monring/early evening tours to see them best--oh, how the bruneians laughed at that. 'there are always monkeys' they chortled. we'll try contacting that taxi when we decide to go again.

the chinese temple is also a good one to see--we caught our first glimpse of it this morning because we usually take a different road to the waterfront but the drivers got lost.

We accepted this fact acknowledging the almost nonexistent tourism and people's wealth with a lovely lady cab driver.

i'm not sure i understand this, and i suspect you paid over the odds. gas is practically free here; it costs me 18 BND to fill up my car, and there is a lot of tourism. however, a lot of it is asian based--singaporeans, koreans, and hong kong chinese coming to play golf for cheap while still being able to enjoy spicy seafood.

scottyheather

scottyheather avatar

Feb 3, 2013 9:44 PM
Posts:  1,144

10

Actually, the K H Soon offers 'hourly rates' on Sunday 'fundays'. We only saw the sign as we were checking out - but says it all really.

sprite

sprite avatar

Feb 3, 2013 10:47 PM
Posts:  12,081

11

haha!!
in a sports kit shop i saw a bead dress like you would catch in a vegas show, and now i'm desperate to find out who they expect to buy it and where she would wear it--i'd like to hang out there.

scottyheather

scottyheather avatar

Feb 3, 2013 11:52 PM
Posts:  1,144

12

sprite - possibly someone who visits K H Soon for an hour or so on 'Sunday Fun Day' perhaps???

Alexhambert

Alexhambert avatar

Feb 4, 2013 2:30 PM
Posts:  26

13

ahahaha I'm glad you had a good time there! when I say 'the almost non existent tourism' I meant in a backpacker way or targetting a younger crowd, again there are plenty of high end hotel actually of good value for the money but I'm not sure everybody can afford it. Anyway I loved Brunei genuine character and hope many people will!

Alexhambert

Alexhambert avatar

Feb 4, 2013 2:31 PM
Posts:  26

14

By the way guys, sorry for the late answers, but we were in Tasmania for the past 3 months (back in Melbourne since yesterday) and the internet connection was really poor.
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