Ni hao, it’s me, your Chinito — and welcome to my Brunei travel journal!

This trip started from Cebu and took me to one of Southeast Asia’s less-talked-about destinations: Brunei Darussalam. For Day 0, it was all about getting there, figuring out the essentials upon arrival, and getting my first glimpse of Bandar Seri Begawan.

If you’re also planning to DIY Brunei from Cebu, I’ll be sharing the entire trip day by day — including the little details I wish I knew before going.

Cebu to Brunei

Our Brunei adventure officially started in Cebu with a 12:55 PM flight to Manila. After the layover, we departed from NAIA Terminal 3 at 7:50 PM for Bandar Seri Begawan.

We finally touched down in Brunei at around 10:30 PM. It was already late, and the weather wasn’t exactly giving us the warmest welcome — it had been raining heavily, and the gloomy skies had me wondering what the next day would look like. But hey, we made it to Brunei!

Arriving in Brunei

Immigration was pretty straightforward, although the queue took a little longer because there were quite a number of passengers, including OFWs arriving that night.

One important thing to remember before travelling to Brunei is the E-Arrival Card. We completed ours online before the trip and kept a screenshot of the reference number on our phones — something I’d definitely recommend doing before you fly.

Cash, Internet & Airport Essentials

After immigration, we headed to the arrival hall. You’ll find ATMs on the left side. I tried both BIBD and Baiduri, and during our visit, BIBD gave me the better rate, while Baiduri ended up costing a little more.

There’s also a telco/SIM counter on the right side of the arrival area. I didn’t need to buy a physical SIM since I had already booked an eSIM through Klook, so internet access was sorted as soon as we arrived.

Free Airport Pickup to Badi’ah Hotel

One reason we chose Badi’ah Hotel was its free airport pickup. We waited for four other hotel guests before leaving the airport sometime after 11 PM.

The hotel is only around a 10-minute drive away, but our driver gave us a little bonus — a quick nighttime drive around Bandar Seri Begawan. We passed the Royal Regalia area, the beautiful Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, and the marina and waterfront. Not bad for our first glimpse of Brunei!

First Night in Bandar Seri Begawan

Check-in at Badi’ah Hotel was quick and easy, and I was surprised by how huge our room was. We had a queen bed and what felt like a possible room upgrade — definitely a nice surprise after a long travel day.

By then, the rain had stopped. It was already late, so there wasn’t much left to do except shower, settle in, and get some sleep.

Day 0 was mostly about getting to Brunei, but that short nighttime drive already gave us our first taste of how quiet and different Bandar Seri Begawan feels.

And tomorrow, the real exploring begins.