Built to commemorate the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of His Majesty’s accession to the throne, the aptly named Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Silver Jubilee Park is perched on the banks of the Brunei River, treating joggers to impressive views especially during sunsets. At night, stunning displays of light bring the park to life, making it a suitable place for families to hang out and relax. The park’s main feature is a fountain located in its centre that is surrounded by 25 pillars, signifying the 25 years of His Majesty’s reign.
Great for joggers and brisk walkers alike, Damuan Recreational Park is another option for those looking to run off steam while enjoying a scenic riverside view. The narrow, riverside park is lined with pathways and the trees provide shade for joggers. The one-kilometre long stretch of land is home to two separate playgrounds catering to young visitors as well as a skateboard park for youth. Additionally, the park houses a steamboat (hot pot) restaurant, a great place for a post-jog meal or dinner with friends. Scattered throughout the park are six ASEAN-themed sculptures. Each sculpture represents its respective original ASEAN member countries: Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines themed ‘Harmony in Diversity’.
Like the Jubilee Park, the Anduki Recreational Park was transformed from a series of abandoned natural sandpits into the current 63-hectare landscaped recreational area. The park’s centrepiece is the manmade large lake in the middle of the park which joins Anduki River, leading to the sea. The park is popular for family gathering and remote controlled boatracing. In addition to six shelters with designated barbecue pits, a playground and a camp site, the park also has a 3.2 kilometre jogging track suitable for cyclists and leisure walkers.
Situated in the capital, Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien is better known as the venue for state occasions such as His Majesty’s birthday and the nation’s National Day celebrations, usually the only occasions the park is open to the public. However, with the launch of Bandarku Ceria Programme in 2016, the Taman has since opened its doors to the public every Sunday. The weekly event, initiated by several government bodies and spearheaded by the Municipal Department, aims to promote a healthier lifestyle for residents, with cycling and aerobics some of the activities being held each week. Several roads in the capital, including Jalan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, Jalan Stoney, Jalan Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien, and Jalan McArthur are closed for four hours from 6am to 10am, turning the area into a designated car-free zone.
These car-free zones also house stalls selling food, beverages, souvenirs and health, government bodies hope to encourage residents to walk or opt for public transport as a stepping stone to reduce Brunei’s carbon footprint. The community event saw a lot of success, garnering not just local but also foreign visitors, as well as inspiring other ASEAN ministries to emulate the event by hosting an ASEAN-wide car-free day in the future.
Initially dubbed the Sungai Kedayan Eco- Corridor, the officially named Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas was unveiled in conjunction with the Golden Jubillee celebration of His Majesty’s Accession in 2017. The park was initially a plan to dredge the Sungai Kedayan river bed, with a wall to be built to lessen flood impacts but the plan was later revised and developed to become the park.
The 12-hectare waterfront park is located along the mouth of Sungai Kedayan and is the backdrop to the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque, a six-metre wide promenade and cycling lane, playground, pedestrian bridge which reaches Batu Satu and multiple access points both by land and water. Visitors can also rent a bicycle for a leisurely and tranquil ride with their family.
Located about five kilometres away from the iconic Billionth Barrel Monument, the Seria Energy Recreational Park is a special gift to the community of Seria from Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP) to commemorate its 90th anniversary in 2019. Boasting features such as slides, monkey bars, a kinetic see-saw, fireman pole, swings and jungle gyms, the playground is popular among children. One of the park’s attractions is the Offshore Rig Playground which resembles an oil platform, providing a glimpse into the basic structure of an oil platform.
The ‘I Love Seria’ sign is also popular among social media savvy visitors who enthusiastically snap away photos to share with friends and family.
The Jerudong Park Playground is the largest amusement park in Brunei, featuring thrilling rides and attractions that cater to all ages. From the moment visitors enter Jerudong Park, they will be ready for a fun-filled day of getting their adrenaline pumped by screaming, laughing, and splashing around happening all right here at the park.
The park has over 34 attractions ranging from a heart-stopping 50-metre plunge to classic rides such as a merry-go-round, Pirate ship and bumper cars. For a more extreme thrill that isn’t for the faint of heart, visitors can visit the Adventure Kingdom where they will find Brunei’s longest zipline, roller glider and giant swing.
A favourite among locals and visitors, the Water Park features a multi-level water play structure with water slides and tunnels for the little ones and the young at heart. The gigantic waterpark playground features a water jet curtain, giant tipping bucket, mushroom umbrella water sprays, standing structure water sprays, on the ground water streams, water slides and tube chutes, perfect for those who seek a haven from the heat. For the grown-ups, just be sure to leave your age at the entrance because this is one place where you’ll feel like a kid and relive your childhood memories all over again.
For the young curious minds, Jerudong Park’s newly renovated Kids Adventure Indoor Playground is an informal fun learning hub place where toddlers and young children can enjoy playing and learning through interactive touchscreens, hands on learning games or a wide genre of engaging books. Parents can relax comfortably while their children will have plenty of opportunities to explore and push the boundaries of the creativity.
Over the past year, the park introduced two new additions to its offerings: the Little Kingdom Petting Zoo and Big Red Warrior Obstacle Course.
The Little Kingdom Petting Zoo is a sanctuary for animals and a safe place for visitors. It serves to supplement early education in the form of a curated edutainment programme, designed to provide an outdoor learning experience with the aim of breaking the misconception that education is text-based and heavily dependent on spoon-fed knowledge.
Some of the zoo’s attractions include the Fishing Village with a fun hands-on activity available for the whole family to experience and enjoy as they catch and release little fishes with only nets. Prepare to explore a haven of the animal kingdom’s littlest wanderers, from experiencing a first-encounter of feeding an adorable family of raccoons, the spectacular fanning rituals of peacocks, to taking a step into the cavernous wonder of the reptilian world.
The Little Kingdom Petting Zoo welcomes schools or any educational institute. The Rangers will not only bring them around the kingdom, but also educate the students about the animals.
Visitors looking for a challenge may check out the Big Red Warrior Obstacle Course. Made up of 25 unique segments, each obstacle brings a whole new set of challenges to conquer while testing your physical abilities. This massive obstacle course is the perfect benchmark for fitness enthusiasts to test their stamina in a fun and most challenging way, racing for the best time with their partner.
Copyright 1993 Borneo Bulletin Yearbook All rights reserved.
