Manila to Singapore Cruise: Muara
In this fifth post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Muara, Brunei on her Manila to Singapore Cruise on Crystal.
Welcome to the second-to-last port of call of my amazing Manila to Singapore cruise on Crystal! I enjoyed a wonderful day in magnificent Muara, Brunei before getting another couple of days at sea to rest up before the finale of the cruise. Follow along as I explore Muara and enjoy two more relaxing sea days.
Manila to Singapore Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about Muara, followed by two days at sea. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- February 23-25: Manila, Philippines
- February 26: Boracay, Philippines
- February 27: Puerto Princesa, Philippines
- February 28: At sea
- March 1: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- March 2: Muara, Brunei
- March 3-4: At sea
- March 5-7: Singapore
- March 8: Hong Kong
Welcome to Muara, Brunei
I arrived into Muara, Brunei the morning of March 2. After another wonderful al fresco breakfast on the patio of The Marketplace, I stopped to take a pic to capture my 43rd flag here in Brunei (officially Brunei Darussalam). The small port town of Muara has a population of just over 2,500 people. It is located about 17 miles (28 kilometers) from the capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan.
Kampong Ayer
I had a great time on the “Sultanate Highlight and Water Village” excursion here in Brunei. It was the first day of Ramadan and Brunei is a Muslim country, so most places were closed. But we made several stops to see the exteriors of local landmarks. The first stop of the excursion was Kampong Ayer, a fascinating over-water village which is home to around 9,000 Malay Muslims. We first took a water taxi for a tour of the area.
Water Taxi Tour
Kampong Ayer has an area around 4 square miles (10 square kilometers). It has many neighborhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River. On our water taxi tour, we saw many of the neighborhoods.
Exploring the Neighborhood
Our water taxi tour stopped at one of the many local landing areas, where people get on and off of the boats that zip through the area. Once we disembarked the water taxi and made our way up the steps, we walked through the walkways of one of the neighborhoods.
Traditional Treats and Home Tour
We were warmly welcomed into a traditional local home. The smiling hosts proudly served us several local specialities including hot tea and some small sweet treats. The first two treats I sampled were small, sweet baked items. The first was similar to a shortbread cookie, and it was absolutely delicious dipped into the hot tea. The second was another small pastry, which was more sweet but equally delicious as the first!
The third treat was definitely something unique. It is a small section of a sweet paste made from pandan and rolled in a leaf wrapper. Pandan is a tropical plant used in many Southeastern Asian cuisines (I also sampled pandan in Kota Kinabalu earlier on this cruise). It is often referred to as ‘Asian vanilla,’ and it has a unique and aromatic flavor that is sweet, grassy, slightly nutty. It also has hints of coconut and a floral undertone. Pandan has a distinctive bright green color as well. To eat this treat, I first removed the small wooden pick that held the package together, then I began to unwrap the leaf to get to the delicious center. This was a fun and unique experience!
After enjoying our snacks, we were able to walk through the home to get a glimpse of what local life is like here in the water village of Kampong Ayer.
We then boarded our water taxi again to complete our tour of Kampong Ayer.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
The next stop of our excursion was the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. This gorgeous mosque is in the capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan. The 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddien III, built the mosque. It was completed in 1958 and cost $5 million (US dollars). This mosque sits in the middle of a man-made lagoon, with an ornate ceremonial stone barge at the front. The striking gold dome is made of 3.3 million golden Venetian mosaic tiles. The rest of the exterior is made of gleaming white Italian marble.
Teng Yun Temple
After visiting the mosque, we then walked a few blocks to visit the Teng Yun Chinese Temple. This brightly-colored temple sits in the middle of the bustling capital city in Brunei.
The beautiful interior of the Teng Yun Temple is filled with ornate symbols on the walls. There are also several areas for prayer and worship, each of which is more beautiful than the last.
There are also several displays of local culture and religion, represented by masks, lanterns, and stone carvings, in both the interior and exterior areas of the temple.
Sultan’s Palace
After the temple visit, we got back on the bus and drove over to the Istana Nural Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. Istana Nural Iman, which translates to “The Light of Faith Palace” in English, serves as both the Sultan’s residence and the seat of the Brunei government. This opulent palace was completed in 1984 at a total cost of around $1.4 billion (US dollars).
This is the largest single-family residence ever built, covering a whipping 2.1 million square feet (200,000 square meters) of floor space! It boasts 1,788 rooms (including 257 bathrooms), a banquet hall that can hold up to 5,000 guests, and a mosque with a capacity to accommodate 1,500 people. There is also a 110-car garage, an air conditioned stable for the Sultan’s 200 polo horses, and five swimming pools on the site. Unfortunately, this was just a quick stop to snap a couple of pictures of the exterior…the interior of the palace is only open to visitors one day a year.
Masjid Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
My interesting excursion concluded at the Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. Named after the 29th Sultan of Brunei, it is one of the two state mosques here (the other being the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque I visited earlier). This mosque is the largest of all mosques in Brunei. Construction began in 1988, and the mosque was formally opened on the Sultan’s 48th birthday: July 14, 1994.
Some of the notable features of this stunning mosque include:
- 29 golden domes, commemorating the 29 Bruneian Sultans
- A marble staircase with 29 steps, honoring the current 29th Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah
- Five water fountains, symbolizing both the five daily prayers and the five pillars of Islam
- Four minarets, each standing 190 feet (58 meters) tall
Because today was the first day of Ramadan, we were not able to go inside the mosque. But the mosque can accommodate up to 5,000 people. It is built with lush, imported materials such as Italian marble, Philippine hardwood, and Persian carpets. The Mihrab is decorated with 24-carat gold-plated tiles and black marble stones.
Back on the Ship
After a very hot and humid excursion, I was glad to return to the cool and comfortable ship for the afternoon! After lunch, I enjoyed a spirited game of bingo. A cool scoop of pistachio gelato definitely hit the spot in the afternoon, in a nice shady spot on the rather hot pool deck.
White Party
This evening was the White Party on the ship. I slipped on my festive new white dress and sparkly shoes and caught a glimpse of the setting sun from the Promenade Deck.
I headed back to the main dining room, Waterside, for dinner tonight:
- Appetizer: duo of crab, with celeriac espuma, pickled celery, chive oil
- Soup: cream of selected Italian mushrooms served in an oregano bread cup (a well-loved Crystal favorite!)
- Entree: Cantonese-style walnut shrimp with sticky rice, Chinese broccoli, and honey glazed walnuts
- Dessert: strawberry shortcake (white vanilla cake, strawberry consommé, strawberry sorbet)
After dinner, I headed to the atrium. The heart of the ship is festively decorated for the White Party. I sipped a delicious White Party cocktail and enjoyed the lively entertainment. Dancing is very popular on Crystal ships, with many guests very good at cutting the rug! The band provided a wonderful selection of tunes for everyone to dance to. The signature dancers on the ship also put on a fabulous performance.
Two Days at Sea
The next two days were a wonderful opportunity to relax and recharge after a busy few days. The first of the two sea days started with yet another fantastic breakfast outside. With the time difference, the Oscars were telecast this morning (live from California the evening prior). The Hollywood Theatre on the ship was all decked out for the occasion, including our very own red carpet! They broadcast the show inside the theater that morning. I took the opportunity to find a quiet spot to continue to work on my cross-stitch project. A nice cup of tea and an afternoon snack in The Bistro was the perfect mid-afternoon break.
I then slipped on my bathing suit and enjoyed a swim in the saltwater pool on another hot and humid afternoon. After a refreshing swim, I joined an art class. I tried my hand at watercolor painting for the first time and really enjoyed it!
Formal Evening
Tonight I got to enjoy my first Formal Evening on a Crystal ship. Every cruise of 8 nights or longer includes a Formal Evening, and my first Crystal cruise was only 7 nights. I thoroughly enjoyed getting gussied up for the evening!
The evening started with the Captain’s Reception and Crystal Society (their loyalty program) Party. It started with a welcome toast and small speeches by both Captain Nenad Willheim and Cruise Director Vicki Van Tassel. After the speeches, it was time to dance again!
Returning to Waterside again for dinner tonight, I got to enjoy a wonderfully fancy Formal Evening dinner, including:
- Appetizer: Petrossian Royal Daurenki caviar
- Soup: Pumpkin veloute with maple syrup, apple confit, cinnamon croutons
- Entree: Beef Wellington with baby carrots, Pommes Dauphine, Bordelais jus
- Dessert: “Bittersweet Passion” (passion fruit mousse, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, hazelnut)
More Fun at Sea
My next sea day was equally as relaxing as the first. There was a display in the atrium of the artwork done in the various classes throughout the cruise, including mine from yesterday.
Tea Time
I also enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea in Palm Court this afternoon. While being serenaded by a beautiful violinist, I sipped on Earl Grey tea and nibbled a variety of decadent treats. All of the typical afternoon tea delicacies are included, including an assortment of finger sandwiches, scones (with clotted cream and strawberry jam, of course!), and sweet treats like cakes and cookies. As is tradition, I started at the bottom level of the tray with the sandwiches and worked my way up to the top, final level of sweet treats.
Dinner at Umi Uma
After dressing for dinner, I caught yet another gorgeous sunset from the Promenade Deck. I also spotted a large pod of dolphins having a great time in our wake. There were countless dolphins leaping in and out of the waves, apparently having the time of their lives!
Tonight’s dinner took me to the other specialty restaurant on the ship, Umi Uma. This is a Nobu Matsushita restaurant.
- Edamame
- Shrimp tempura
- Miso soup
- Nobu-style lobster with truffle yuzu sauce
- Small cookies
- Trio of creme brûlée: sweet ginger, pink guava, passion fruit
Conclusion
These were three wonderful days on an overall wonderful cruise! My day in Brunei, although very hot and humid, was an interesting and educational introduction to various aspects of life in Brunei. I also got to relax on two sea days to prepare for the end of the cruise in Singapore. These three nights also included two of the special events on the ship (White Party and Formal Night), and three more fantastic dinners.
Links
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
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