| Achong Tanjong |
WATER taxi operators continue to enjoy brisk business, particularly from foreigners wanting to visit Kampong Ayer and explore the way of life of the people staying there.
Mohd Zamani, 36, who operates his own water taxi, said: “Brunei’s water village is a must-visit destination for tourists visiting the country. Their visit would not be complete without visiting the famous Kampong Ayer.
“We normally charge tourists $20 for a boat tour around Kampong Ayer, and we’ll also take them to view Istana Nurul Iman and ‘Jong Batu’ during the boat ride.”
Kampong Ayer is considered the largest stilt settlement in the world and is a preserved national heritage site, he said.
“We also bring tourists to the Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery, where they can interact with the local residents,” Mohd Zamani added.
Yesterday, a group of tourists from the Philippines and Malaysia visited Kampong Ayer for the very first time, making use of local water taxi tour operator Roda Impian.
Tourists setting off on a tour of Kampong Ayer. – PHOTOS: ACHONG TANJONG
English tourists ready to tour the water village
Water taxi operators waiting for passengers at the Yayasan jetty
“Despite this being the holy month of Ramadhan, business is good and we will try our best to provide the best service to our customers,” a Roda Impian employee said.
The water taxi operator told the Bulletin that they have received many bookings from overseas tourists – particularly Koreans – who wish to check out the water village.
Water taxis, known locally as ‘perahu tambang’, is a wooden speedboat used to ferry people around the Brunei River. It is the main mode of transportation and link for people in Bandar Seri Begawan to get to Kampong Ayer.
Tourists and passengers can access the boats at the water taxi jetty at Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah or from the banks of the Brunei River in downtown Bandar Seri Begawan – the water taxis can be hailed from different docking points along the riverbank.
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