Ramadan’s over: A stroll through Brunei’s Gadong Night Market
Among the remarkably plentiful sights to see in Brunei is one place everybody who is interested in Asian food and/or authentic local markets shouid visit: Gadong Night Market. It is completely untouristy, it offers a plethora of cheap Malayan, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and even Western food, including barbecue or grilled fishes or chicken. and there are also stalls selling drinks, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and even clothes and accessories. Notably, the market offers a huge choice of durian, pure or in desserts and bakeries, in particular of the Borneo varieties, which are not easy to find elsewhere.
In a nutshell, it is a great hangout place at night (when not much happens in Brunei) and it is one of the cleanest markets in the entire region.
After June 14, when the fasting month of Ramadan is officially over, the time window for the tasty adventure at Gadong switches back to around 4pm to close to midnight after the market during Ramadan only opens after sunset for iftar and closes early.
In short, a fantastic place to see and enjoy, with delicious food for just a few Brunei dollars, cooked in great varieties by welcoming, friendly people.
The only two downsides are (1) that the market can get hot and heavily smoky from the many barbecues as there is no real ventilation system, and (2) that transport options are a nuisance. Getting there is possible with bus 01-C from the central bus terminal, but all buses in Brunei stop their service at around 8pm. Getting back to downtown Bandar Seri Begawan can be tricky since taxis are hard to come by in this place, and one should be prepared for a four-kilometer nightly walk. Some of the upscale hotels offer free shuttles to Gadong Mall which is close nearby, though.
All pictures © Arno Maierbrugger
[caption id="attachment_31405" align="alignleft" width="850"] Gadong Night Market in Brunei © Arno Maierbrugger[/caption] Among the remarkably plentiful sights to see in Brunei is one place everybody who is interested in Asian food and/or authentic local markets shouid visit: Gadong Night Market. It is completely untouristy, it offers a plethora of cheap Malayan, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and even Western food, including barbecue or grilled fishes or chicken. and there are also stalls selling drinks, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and even clothes and accessories. Notably, the market offers a huge choice of durian, pure or in desserts and bakeries, in particular of the...
Among the remarkably plentiful sights to see in Brunei is one place everybody who is interested in Asian food and/or authentic local markets shouid visit: Gadong Night Market. It is completely untouristy, it offers a plethora of cheap Malayan, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and even Western food, including barbecue or grilled fishes or chicken. and there are also stalls selling drinks, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and even clothes and accessories. Notably, the market offers a huge choice of durian, pure or in desserts and bakeries, in particular of the Borneo varieties, which are not easy to find elsewhere.
In a nutshell, it is a great hangout place at night (when not much happens in Brunei) and it is one of the cleanest markets in the entire region.
After June 14, when the fasting month of Ramadan is officially over, the time window for the tasty adventure at Gadong switches back to around 4pm to close to midnight after the market during Ramadan only opens after sunset for iftar and closes early.
In short, a fantastic place to see and enjoy, with delicious food for just a few Brunei dollars, cooked in great varieties by welcoming, friendly people.
The only two downsides are (1) that the market can get hot and heavily smoky from the many barbecues as there is no real ventilation system, and (2) that transport options are a nuisance. Getting there is possible with bus 01-C from the central bus terminal, but all buses in Brunei stop their service at around 8pm. Getting back to downtown Bandar Seri Begawan can be tricky since taxis are hard to come by in this place, and one should be prepared for a four-kilometer nightly walk. Some of the upscale hotels offer free shuttles to Gadong Mall which is close nearby, though.
All pictures © Arno Maierbrugger
