Brunei's Best Buys: Unique Souvenirs To Take Home

Brunei is known for its diverse souvenirs, ranging from fabrics and embroidered items to local snacks and speciality items like durian. The country's rich handicraft industry offers unique items like the Jong Sarat fabric, made with intricate golden and silver threads, and the Kain Tenunan collector's textiles. Silverware, brassware, basketry, and wood carvings are also popular choices. For those with a sweet tooth, local biscuits, prawn crackers, and dried mangoes are sure to delight.

Local handicrafts and products

Brunei is known for its rich handicraft industry, with a wide variety of unique souvenirs to offer visitors.

One of the most popular items to buy in Brunei is the traditional fabric made from Jong Sarat yarns. This intricate handwoven fabric is crafted with golden and silver threads, creating beautiful patterns and motifs. The art of making Jong Sarat is a cultural heritage that has been preserved and passed down through generations in Brunei. It is often worn during weddings and other formal occasions. You can find Jong Sarat fabric at the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Training Centre in Kota Batu, or at the airport.

In addition to textiles, Brunei also offers a range of handcrafted silverware and brassware, such as bracelets, vases, mugs, plates, and napkin rings. These items showcase the country's rich craftsmanship and can be purchased at shopping malls or night markets.

For those interested in antiques, the Home Center at Mile 9, Jalan Tutong, is a great option. This showroom offers a range of furniture and lighting fixtures, as well as antiques with legal export documents.

If you're looking for ready-to-wear clothing, the Nazmi Textile Mall and Silk Shoppe Boutique offer a variety of options, including imported fabrics and locally made silks. You can also find ready-made clothes at shopping centres like The Mall in Gadong and the Hua Ho Department Store.

Lastly, for food lovers, Brunei's specialty is durian. You can find fresh durian at local markets, as well as a variety of durian-based products such as candies, ice cream, dried durian, and even durian chocolate.

With its diverse range of handicrafts and products, Brunei offers something for everyone looking for a unique souvenir to treasure.

Electronics, silverware, and jewellery

Brunei has a range of options for those looking to buy electronics, silverware, or jewellery as souvenirs.

For electronics, there is AV Electronics WebStore, which offers various Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and AirPods. They provide free shipping for orders over BND50 and ensure delivery on the next working day.

When it comes to silverware, Brunei has a long history of silver craftsmanship. The genesis of silver-crafting in the country is not precisely known, but it is believed to be an ancient art that has existed for centuries. The early silversmiths of Kampong Ayer, or the Water Village, kept their techniques a closely guarded secret, passing them down from father to son. Today, you can find intricately designed and uniquely refined silverware crafted by local silversmiths. Items such as smoking pipes, vases, fans, jars with covers, bowls with covers, and ornamental articles like cannon replicas, dinner gongs, and flower vases are available for purchase. The value of silverware is based on the weight of the metal used, and a silver tea set, for example, can cost up to $3,000.

For jewellery, D.fine Jewellery Brunei offers a range of collections to suit different styles. Their jewellery comes with exclusive gift packaging, including a gift bag, jewellery box, cleaning cloth, and a personalised thank you card, making it ideal for gifts or self-purchase.

Additionally, Mistik Antiques in Bandar Seri Begawan is an antique shop worth visiting. They have a collection of Kris, vintage cameras, coins, ceramics, and memorabilia.

Traditional fabrics and costumes

The exquisite gold and silver-threaded textiles known as jong sarat are a popular purchase. The jong sarat threads are used to create patterns and motifs, contributing to the uniqueness and elegance of the fabric. The fabric is also made with many different patterns and Muslim motifs. You can buy jong sarat fabric at the manufacturer's main stores, the airport, or the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Training Centre in Kota Batu, a historical and populated area in the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan.

Another popular fabric is called kain tenunan, which is also popular with textile collectors.

Traditional costumes in Brunei include the baju kurung for women and the baju cara melayu for men. The baju kurung is a loose, long-sleeved, knee-length tunic worn with a long skirt that reaches the ankles. It is usually accompanied by a headscarf. The baju cara melayu is a long-sleeved buttoned shirt worn with long trousers and a sarong wrap, called a sinjang, which is either plaid or floral patterned.

You can purchase traditional costumes at the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Training Centre or at the ready-to-wear stores, Nazmi Textile Mall or Silk Shoppe Boutique.

In addition to fabrics and costumes, there are also many other handicraft items to choose from, such as unique baskets and gongs made from pandan leaves, silver and brass utensils, and traditional daggers called kris.

Antiques and brassware

If you're looking for antiques and brassware to buy in Brunei, there are several options to choose from.

For brassware, you can consider items such as replica canons, gongs, basketry, and other unique items. These can often be found at the various handicraft centres and shops around the country.

When it comes to antiques, you can find a range of options, including:

• Bronze and copper items such as cannons, mini cannons, cookware, kettles, gongs, bells, and traditional musical instruments.
• Silverware and hand-tooled silver jewellery.
• Vintage cameras, coins, and other memorabilia.
• Kris (the traditional dagger of Brunei).
• Rattan baskets with silver and golden threads ("jong sarat").

Some recommended places to shop for antiques and brassware in Brunei include:

• Mistik Antiques: Located in Bandar Seri Begawan, this shop is known for its collection of Kris, vintage cameras, and coins.
• Home Center at Mile 9, Jalan Tutong, Brunei-Muara: This showroom offers a range of furniture, lighting equipment, and antiques with legal export documents.
• Tamu Kianggeh Market: On Fridays, this market in Bandar Seri Begawan offers a variety of cheap handicrafts, including a stall near the Chinese temple that sells unique Bruneian antiquities.
• Arts and Handicraft Training Centre: Located in Kota Batu, this centre sells traditional cloths made from Jong Sarat, as well as other handicrafts.

Food, including durian and dried mangoes

If you have a sweet tooth, there are plenty of food items to buy as souvenirs in Brunei.

Mangoes are a popular fruit in Brunei, with the country even having its own variety, the Brunei King Mango. This mango variety is available to buy as a plant to grow your own, or you can try the local dessert of mangoes with sticky rice. This dish combines ripe mango with coconut rice and a coconut cream sauce for a sweet end to a meal.

For those with a more adventurous palate, durian is also grown in Brunei and is available at stalls and farms across the country. This fruit has a very strong smell and an unusual flavour, but it is loved by many. The best time to try durian is during the harvest season, when you can visit farms and stalls to sample the fresh fruit. Brunei has a wide variety of durians, including the Siunggung, Kuning Pinang Masak, and Otak Udang Galah.

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