Trip To Brunei

    Hi Assalamualaikum! My trip to Brunei will be the end of 2023 destination. When I first said I wanted to go to Brunei, many asked, why Brunei? Young people don’t go to Brunei to have fun 🤩 , they said.

    Our type of fun is totally different. I’m an old-school soul and my type of fun is culture and architecture 😂. Well, as a Muslim girl, I had to keep it Halal😆. 

    But if you love architecture, Brunei is a must-to-go. Trust me, their mosque designs are so magnificent. I felt like I was in Turkey. Okay then, let's get started.

    I bought roaming from Hotlink for 3 days RM20 for my internet service. Luckily I bought it earlier because to enter Brunei immigration, you must key in information on their website. However, if you do not have coverage, you can borrow their PC, but you must wait in a long queue. 

    The Immigration system is not so user-friendly and as a programmer, it hurts my soul deeply 😆. I could have built a better one. Let me describe the problems that I faced during my registration of the system.

1. It refreshes too frequently. We need time to fill in the info.

2. There is limited time when filling in the form. Both of my friends were accidentally logged out and all the details were
deleted. So, you need to be careful by saving it 1st, then continue logging and filling in the details.

(P/S: If you want to hire me as a Programmer, I'm open😆, jk)

The picture shows the QR needs to be scanned in order to fill in the form

The picture shows the details after filling out the form.

(FYI You only need to show this to the immigration PIC, so I suggest to screenshot it)

    I did have a culture shock when I first arrived at the airport. All the words in Malay are in Jawi.

I can read Jawi, but very slowly, like a 4-year-old kid starting to learn reading🥹. I really can't remember when is the last time I ever wrote and read in Jawi. This is really embarrassing, as a half-Malay girl, I should have done it better. I did promise myself to read and write in Jawi when I back to Malaysia 😅. (P/S I did it for a week, then I forgot about it already).

The picture shows signage in Jawi 

    After the immigration, and my friends I booked a Darts (an app like Grab/Uber) to go to the hotel. I booked Wafa Hotel & Apartments a month ago. It cost me BND207/RM739.17 for 2 nights. This hotel is more like an apartment and they provide a washer with a dryer, a kid's pool, and free breakfast.

The picture shows food at the hotel (it tastes like my mom's cooking, I Love it!)

        After we arrived, he had a tour of the hotel, FYI, this hotel builder like a SOHO, 1st floor, shops, 2nd-floor restaurant, 3rd-floor hall for a reception, and 4th floor where all the rooms are located. We eat lunch at IDEAL a Brunei fast-food restaurant. I ordered a rice set including iced tea which cost me around BND6/RM20.

IDEAL menu

       After that, we went to the hotel to check in earlier, the receptionists were so polite and allowed us to do so. This hotel provides wedding reception too which we witness weddings for 3 days straight. I was culture-shocked (again hahaha) because all the guys wearing full sets of Baju Melayu and Sampin. All the guys! In Malaysia, the guys rarely wear Sampin and sometimes they do match Baju Melayu with Jeans. Derhaka Fashion!😝

All the guys wearing a full set of Baju Melayu. Isn't that beautiful? 😍

The picture shows the receptionist at the Hotel

I read the newspaper while killing time.

        If you travel like me, I travel from Friday to Sunday. Bear in mind, on Friday is their public holiday, Which museums are closed and some are open only until 12pm. So, arrange your schedule accordingly. They also close all the stores on Friday from 12pm-2pm due to the Friday prayer.

        On Friday, we went to the Kianggeh Market and took a boat to the round area of Kampong Ayer. I think my favorite place in Brunei will be Kampong Ayer. It is so unique and huge. It has an Old and new house floating on water, a Police station, a Fire Station, a Clinic, and a Store all floating on water. It cost us BND25/RM87 per boat. The trip took us about an hour.

Kianggeh Market

Fire Station at Kampong Ayer

        After that, we visited Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. The mosque is super beautiful during dawn. For dinner, we went and bought some food at Pasar Gadong.

Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque during sunset

Pasar Gadong Desserts

        The next day on Saturday, we go to the Taman Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. It was recommended place in Google however, nothing to see here, to be honest. Our Darts driver said, people usually jog here at 6am.

Taman Jubli Perak

        After that, we took a Darts and went to the Royal Regalia Museum. If you are not Bruneian, you need to pay BND5/RM17.40. This museum is purely based on the history of lovely Brunei's King, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. If I'm not mistaken, he is the longest King in the monarch. This museum also contains gifts from all over the world, given to the Sultan. One of the tips when you visit here, is please wear thicker socks, because you need to take off your shoes, as a flat-feet person, my feet literally scream 'Help!', I feel like I want to crawl instead of walking due to the structure of the museum is humungous.

One of the gifts from my country Malaysia

The entrance of the Royal Regalia Museum provides some books to read.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah during his wedding

Shoutout to my pretty friends!

        After that, we go to The Mall to have lunch. I bought a Brunei's cuisine, Ambuyat. I personally have tasted ambuyat in Sabah and Sarawak (they called it Linut) before. I think my award will be Sarawak's ambuyat. Hehe. But it tastes good too for Brunei's ambuyat.

Ambuyat

I saw Sambal Nyet from Khairul Aming too! It cost like BND12/RM41

        After that, we back to the hotel had a rest, and continued our journey to Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque to capture some sunset photos. The architecture design looks like I'm in Turkey. It was worth it!

The scenery near Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque was captured by me! Fira fiki hehe

I'm in love with the windows😍.

The whole architecture is mesmerizing.

You can walk and capture this frame near the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque near the park. 

        After that, we had dinner near the mosque too. It just walking distance from the mosque. I can't remember the name. We had some BBQ chicken, dim sum, and drinks. We then, walked to the mall near the Pasar Malam to buy some key chains for our family and friends back home.

The Pasar Malam scenary.

I can't remember the store name, but I do capture the entrance of the store. Keychain range prices start from BND4/RM13.92

        That is the end of my journey. In my honest opinion, I think Brunei is underrated. Maybe, due to Drew Binsky opinion on Brunei. Well, screw you Drew! Haha. I think Brunei is lovely, calm, and pretty. I would 100% visit it again. I felt calm after back from Brunei. 

        ايت سهاج دري ساي، سکيان تريما کاسيه

😃

    

    

Trip To Dannok, Thailand (Driving)

        Hi everyone, I would like to share my experience on my trip to Dannok, Thailand. Crossing the border from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Sadao Border. You can Waze Sadao Border.

        I started my journey from Taiping and it took less than 3 hours to arrive at the border. First, when I arrived at Bukit Kayu Hitam, I stopped at this station. Insurance and other type of form.

This is one of the stations you can stop.

        But do not worry, because there are tons of insurance stations all over Bukit Kayu Hitam, so, feel free to stop at any station.

        When you buy insurance and all sorts of forms. Please check whether it is complete or not, you should have TM2, TM3, TM6, and Insurance forms. You also need to provide the original car grant.

This is the reminder given by the insurance station.

        

This is the flow, that you should follow when at the border

        The flow when entering will be. CUSTOM MALAYSIA (require a license from the driver)--> IMMIGRATION MALAYSIA(need a passport)-->IMMIGRATION THAILAND(all the form)-->CUSTOM THAILAND(car grant, insurance)

        Finally, make sure that you get the car declaration form and remember to keep this form safe as you will need to return them when you go back to Malaysia.

Picture showing how to get the declaration form.

The picture shows that you will need to return the form at counter 8

            After that, you are done! You can enter Thailand. Starting here, you can buy roaming of just drive to a nearby 7-Eleven to buy a sim card. I bought a sim card for ฿150 which is less than RM20, this sim is unlimited data for 1 month. 

            For me, I booked The Ring Border Hotel. Cost around RM100 for a queen room. The deposit is RM50, yes I use Malaysian Ringgit because here, most vendors are still able to accept RM. The hotel is huge but the parking is very limited. So, we park and just walk to the stalls. 

            After that, we went to the Lotus to buy some snacks to take back home. I use my credit card to pay and the charge is around RM2-3 when convert. The only time I use my cc is when I'm at 7Eleven and Lotus.

Tefal iron cost only RM46 at Lotus here.

            After that, we walk nearby to the street food to eat. Here are some of the food that I've tried and I could say that I'm amazed by the taste.

Pad Thai

Potatoes Ball cost less than RM3

Roti Milo and Roti Pisang

Very cute Cafe

I bought Ice Latte for RM3. Cheap~~

            Overall, if you do not wish to do shopping (which I doubt). RM130 change to Baht is enough for 2 days at Dannok. 

            Thanks for reading. I really recommend going to Dannok just for eating. Bye! Assalamualaikum~~

    

Trip To Hatyai Thailand

 Short Trip To Hatyai, Thailand

            Hello. Let's go through it together on my trip to Hatyai. So, like most Malaysian people, I chose ETS train to Padang Besar. I and my friend's first plan was to continue taking the train to Hatyai but sadly we need to wait more than 4 hours as the train will only shuttle twice a day. So we took a van instead, which cost RM30 directly send to our hotel. A lady (someone from the van's worker) handle me a white sheet that need to be given at the border later on. 

The van contact info

White sheet for Thailand Border

Here is the time from Padang Besar to Hatyai

Malaysia is an hour faster than Thailand, you also need to be careful when buying your ETS Ticket. So that you can arrange your time correctly.

            Before I ride the van to Hatyai, I bought a sim card that cost me RM20. I did not insert the sim up until I stamp my passport. Remember to bring enough baht and myr money just in case, at the border, Thai Taxi does accept Myr too.

Thailand's SIM Card

            At the Malaysia border, no extra charge is needed, but at the Thai border, RM2 was requested by the police, not very sure why but the local aunty told me that it is only needed during the weekend. However, the local Thailand people don't need to pay a dime So remember to bring a few extra RM1, so that you will get through smoothly.

Passport stamping

Thailand Border

            After passport stamping, we rode a fancy van to our hotel. It took us around 1 hour 15 minutes as the van send others to their hotel too. 

Look at how pretty the van was😍

            After that, we arrived at the Hotel, which I order at Agoda, Hi Season Hotel. 100 baht was required as a deposit.  100baht = RM12. I think it was kind of cheap. Overall, the hotel was just okay, it is clean, the bed a little bit hard and there was no iron provided, luckily I brought a pleated shawl, so no iron needed though my friend, Iz was suffered because she never goes out without ironing her shawl. But it is worth the price, I took a king and single bed for 2 nights just for RM185.56  

Hatyai , Thailand

Hi Season Hotel, Hatyai, Thailand

            We had dinner at Kai Tod Decha which is around 2km from the hotel we stayed. We booked a Grab and paid around ฿68. 

                                                Overall Grab price, ranged from ฿70-฿100

Kai Tod Decha ฿850 for 3 person

                After dinner, we went for a walk at Asean Night Bazaar. Here you can buy some new or pre-loved clothes. Key chains, fridge magnet, and souvenir. 

Asean Night Bazaar

            The next day, we had breakfast at Khaled. It was nice, the food taste like what we had in Malaysia too. I had some nasi dagang, roti Milo, roti tisu , tau sar piah and dimsum and some drinks. It cost us ฿200.

Breakfast at Khaled, Hatyai

            After that, we walked to Kim Yong Market for about 300m. I bought some Tom Yum paste and my friend, Amal brought some fruits+vitagen drinks. We also saw a Buddist Temple on the way to Kim Yong Market. After taking some pictures, we stop at Patae Gallery and bought some Batik and also 7-Eleven. 

Patae Gallery, Hatyai, Thailand

Something Wat, I can't remember the name, it is huge.

Fruit Drinks Booth and Tomyum paste @ Kim Yong Market

Souvenier bought @ 7-Eleven

            After that, we go to Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum. But I was misunderstood because I thought it was a museum about Thailand's history, but actually, it was an animal museum. To enter this Museum, you need to pass through Songkla University. It cost us ฿30 to enter the Museum.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum

Fish eating rubbish

                After that, we went to the Central Hatyai Mall for some shopping. Please bear in mind, the price here is much cheaper than in Malaysia. Some of it is almost 1/2 of the price 😅. We also took a picture using a photo booth. However, you need to pay using their E-Wallet, True Money, or some kind like the Touch N Go wallet we have here. We literally have to beg from their local people in exchange for cash.

The Photobooth

Pictures from the Photobooth

                After that, we had dinner at Klonghae Floating market. I bought some omelets with rice, and lychee drinks in bamboo and coconut dessert which I do not know the name of. Then, we went shopping at Greenway Plaza, which is like a flea market. It has a variety of things sold there

Floating Market Operating Hour

The food I ate. Range price about ฿20-฿30

Greenway Plaza

                The next day, we had brunch at Binsu Nom 6. I was kind of skeptical about this restaurant at first because I thought they only serve shaved ice there. But, I was wrong, I found that they sell a variety of food here and the price is very reasonable. We bought a 'bingsu' for only 129 which is almost the same price as Mykori in Malaysia but the portion is 3 times bigger than in Mykori. I also bought some Pad Kra Pao for my lunch. I wanted a hot pot but it wasn't open up until 2pm. So I changed to Pad Kra Pao instead.

Chocolate banana Bingsu

The price on the Menu

        

The hot pot was insanely cheap 😭

                Something insane happened after brunch, our van service said their van was full and could not pick us up. We were clueless as our ETS train at Padang Besar will arrive at 4.45pm (Malaysia Time) and our lunch finished at 12.30pm(Thai time) which is 1.30pm Malaysian Time. I guess I estimated it wrongly. We could not take the train as the train only has 2 trip which is 7.30am and 1.55pm. We could take the train but we do not know how long the queue is at the border later on. We tried to book Grab but was denied 3 times and some of the drivers asked for extra money. After waiting for more than 1/2 hour, 1 driver agreed to send us to the border. The grab price was around 538 baht. At the border we took a grab from border Thai to ETS Train Station for 200 baht. 

Herr is Dee Contact Info, Taxi from Thai Border to Train Station

            It was a pleasant holiday for me. But, if I would travel again to Hatyai, I might take a bus directly to Hatyai instead of the train, to avoid miscalculation of train time again. Total spend was around RM650 which is affordable for me and I think I would like to go to Hatyai again someday👍