Seria

Day Trips

Arrive in Seria and settle into a beachfront guesthouse, enjoying panoramic views of the South China Sea. Unpack and stretch your legs with a stroll through the town centre, observing local life and colorful shopfronts. Feel the fresh coastal breeze while chatting with friendly vendors at the local market.

Head to the Shell Seria Office for an introductory session on Brunei’s oil industry and the town’s role as one of Southeast Asia’s earliest booms. Walk to the nearby Oil & Gas Discovery Centre for interactive exhibits and guided demonstrations. Sample a traditional lunch at a local kopitiam, savoring kuih and kopi for an authentic Bruneian experience.

Dine at Junjungan Seafood Restaurant, renowned for its grilled prawns and fresh catch of the day. Take an evening stroll along Seria Beach as fishing boats drift under a starlit sky. Sip chilled coconut water while listening to gentle waves lapping the shore.

Return early to the Oil & Gas Discovery Centre for an in-depth guided tour of drilling simulators and geological labs. Participate in hands-on activities that explain how oil wells are located and maintained. Learn about safety measures and environmental protections from expert volunteers.

Attend a workshop on core sampling techniques and inspect real rock samples from Seria’s oilfields. Discuss Brunei’s energy history with a retired Shell geologist over traditional chicken rice. Finish with a walkthrough of the centre’s multimedia theatre showing archival footage of early drilling operations.

Explore Seria’s nightly food stalls, sampling satay and freshly made apam balik. Enjoy live Malay music under string lights at a riverside café. Chat with locals about community life in this historic oil town.

Drive out to Oil Well Seven, one of the iconic relief wells that defined Seria’s boom era, and see aging pumpjacks against the skyline. Wander through rust-toned machinery while your guide recounts tales of daring drilling operations. Capture dramatic photos at sunrise as beams of light filter through the derrick framework.

Return to Seria Beach for a seaside picnic under shady casuarina trees, enjoying nasi lemak and fresh fruits. Swim in the calm waters or meander along the shoreline collecting shells. Relax with a good book or sketch the distant oil rigs bobbing offshore.

Watch the sun dip below the horizon from the beachfront, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. Feast on spicy seafood laksa at a roadside stall. End the night with a serene walk, listening to the gentle hush of the sea.

Set off on a guided kayak tour through the winding mangroves of Sungai Liang, just a short drive from Seria. Spot herons, kingfishers and monitor lizards as you paddle beneath the tangled canopy. Learn about the ecosystem’s role in protecting the coastline from your naturalist guide.

Stop at a riverside clearing for a picnic lunch of grilled fish wrapped in banana leaf and kueh lapis. Continue exploring smaller tributaries, observing fiddler crabs scuttling on exposed roots. Practice identifying different mangrove species and discover traditional uses of their timber and bark.

Return to Seria and freshen up before dinner at a popular Malay eatery. Sample sambal prawns and sayur lodeh while swapping stories with fellow paddlers. Wind down with a cup of teh tarik at a local coffeehouse.

Begin the day at Rasau Waterfront Park, strolling along the elevated boardwalk above the mangrove swamps. Admire the architecture of the floating mosque in the distance and take photos of vivid sunrise reflections. Join early-morning fishermen hauling in nets along the riverbank.

Head to nearby Kuala Balai Village, one of Brunei’s oldest water villages, by traditional sampan. Meet villagers who still live in stilted wooden houses and learn about their boat-building crafts. Enjoy a home-cooked lunch of ikan bakar and ulam-ulam (local salad greens) served by a welcoming family.

Return to Seria for sunset views at the jogging track overlooking the Belait River. Dine at a casual beachfront café, savoring fresh calamari and Tropical fruit smoothies. Listen to the distant hum of production rigs illuminated against the night sky.

Join a hands-on cooking class at a local community centre, learning to prepare signature Bruneian dishes like ambuyat and beef rendang. Grind spices on a mortar and pestle and discover the layers of flavor in local pastes. Share laughter and tips with fellow cooks as you chop, stir and season.

Feast on the dishes you’ve prepared, served with all the traditional condiments and sauces. Listen to a cooking instructor’s stories about Brunei’s festive food traditions and family gatherings. Try your hand at wrapping solok lada (stuffed peppers) before the session ends.

Stroll to Seria’s night market, sampling street foods such as pisang goreng and steamed tapioca cakes. Browse handicraft stalls selling woven baskets and beadwork. End the day with a sweet bowl of ice kacang under twinkling lanterns.

Visit a nearby artisan studio where traditional weaving and woodcarving techniques are kept alive by master craftsmen. Try your hand at weaving colourful pandan mats or carving miniature boat models from local hardwood. Discover how motifs in Bruneian art reflect the country’s Islamic heritage and natural surroundings.

Travel to a second workshop focused on batik painting and songket weaving. Learn about dye extraction from local plants and the intricate processes of embroidery with gold thread. Enjoy tea and kuih while swapping stories with young artisans preserving ancestral crafts.

Return to Seria centre for dinner at a fusion café, sampling dishes that blend traditional and modern flavors. Admire a pop-up exhibition of student art in the lobby. Sip on lavender-infused mocktails while reflecting on the day’s creative inspirations.

Depart early for a 30-minute drive to Mamar Forest Reserve and begin a guided hike through lush dipterocarp rainforest. Spot hornbills and macaques as you follow trails past giant trees draped in vines. Your guide will share insights on medicinal plants used by indigenous communities.

Reach Mamar Falls and cool off with a dip in its clear, refreshing pools beneath cascading streams. Enjoy a packed lunch of sandwiches, tropical fruits and herbal tea by the waterfall’s edge. Relax on smooth rocks and listen to the roar of falling water echoing through the forest.

Return to Seria for a casual dinner at a roadside diner known for its mee goreng and iced Milo. Wander along the Belait Riverbanks to shake off travel fatigue. Cap the night with a quiet moment under the starry Brunei sky.

Rent bicycles and follow a coastal trail from Seria Town to Sungai Belait, passing oilfield landmarks and serene rice paddies. Stop along the way to chat with farmers and discover how local agriculture thrives alongside the energy industry. Feel the morning breeze as you pedal through small kampongs.

Cycle back to Seria and head to the central market for fresh produce and handmade snacks. Sample tropical fruits like belimbing and chakrai while negotiating with friendly vendors. Gather picnic supplies before returning to the beach for a relaxed seaside lunch.

Enjoy an alfresco barbecue on Seria Beach organized by a local beach club, complete with live Malay drumming. Feast on skewered meats, grilled corn and pandan waffles hot off the grill. Share stories with new friends around a bonfire under flickering tiki torches.

Spend a leisurely morning lounging on Seria Beach, reading under palm trees or taking a final dip in the gentle surf. Practice yoga or meditation with the sound of waves as your soundtrack. Watch fishermen casting nets from their stilted platforms at daybreak.

Check out of your guesthouse and stop by a local café for one last plate of roti kirai and kopi O. Take an optional visit to the Oil & Gas Discovery Centre gift shop to pick up souvenirs like miniature pumpjacks and traditional handicrafts. Reflect on your immersive Seria experience over a final cup of teh tarik.

Bid farewell with an early dinner at Junjungan Seafood, sampling any specialties you may have missed. Drive to the airport with panoramic views of the coastline and oilfield lights twinkling in the distance. Carry home memories of a hidden Bruneian gem where industry, culture and nature coexist in harmony.