Tutong
Tutong is a small town of Tutong District of Brunei. It is located on the banks of Tutong River.
Understand
Tutong is the only town in Tutong District. It serves as the principal administrative and economic centre of the district.
Get in
By bus
Bus from Miri to Bandar Seri Begawan or from BSB to Miri will stop in Tutong and Kuala Belait if you ask them to stop. Overall travel from Miri to Capital of Brunei will take at least three hours driving.
PHL Express, ☏ +673-277-1668. First bus departs at 08:15 but make sure you come to terminal before 15:45. Contact them before making reservation. Fare from Miri to Tutong is BND 18 while fare from Miri to BSB is BND 20.
Get around
As public transportation such as buses outside Bandar Seri Begawan is not reliable, the way to get around in Tutong is by downloading the ride hailing app Dart.
See
- 🌍 Mercu Tanda Kenangan, Jalan Pengiran Haji Ahmad, Jalan Penyurat Haji Abu Bakar.
- 🌍 Old Building of Tutong District Office and Court (Bangunan Lama Pejabat Daerah Tutong dan Mahkamah). An old wooden building which used to house the district office and court for Tutong District.
- 🌍 Pantai Seri Kenangan (Seri Kenangan Beach). The popular beach and recreational area in Tutong District. It is located on the spit created by the meanders of Tutong River on its way to the South China Sea.
- 🌍 Sungai Basong Recreational Park (Taman Rekreasi Sungai Basong).
- 🌍 Taman Seri Warisan Emas. A monument to commemorate the 60th birthday of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei, on 15 July 2006.
- 🌍 Tatangan Persiaran Sungai Tutong (Tutong Waterfront), Jalan Enchi Awang. A small riverfront promenade along the banks of Tutong River.
- 🌍 Tasek Merimbun - part of ASEAN Heritage Park
Do
- 🌍 Times Cineplex. Located in Berjaya Complex, the local cineplex chain provides the only cinemas in the district.
Buy
- 🌍 Kompleks Pasarneka dan Tamu Tutong (Tamu Tutong), Jalan Simpang Tiga Sengkarai. Th 08:00-12:00. The farmers' market of the town, and one of the main markets in the country. It has wide variety of vendors selling local produce, snacks and even traditional handicrafts. Opens every Thursday from early morning to midday but some vendors may have sold out well before the closing hour so it is best to come at the earliest hours.
Eat
In Brunei, Tutong District is synonymous with pulut panggang (from the same name in Malay) and it can be obtained in the town. Pulut panggang is a type of Malay or Nyonya cuisine made with glutinous rice, wrapped in pandan leaves and grilled, hence the name which literally means 'grilled glutinous rice'. It may also come with fillings, most commonly of shrimp floss or minced beef. It is even mentioned in a local song, 'Joget Seri Kenangan', which highlights pulut panggang and Seri Kenangan Beach as the two most popular things associated with the district.
Eateries
There are several eateries in Tutong and they consist of, among others, restaurants, bakeries and take-out stalls. The restaurants are generally mamak-style which are notable for serving roti canai (known locally as murtabak) but may also serve Malay, Indonesian and Indian Muslim cuisine; these restaurants are generally inexpensive. There are also a few fast food restaurants, both of local and foreign joints. Meanwhile, like elsewhere in the country, bakeries in Tutong offer Western-style bread, pastries and cakes but nevertheless may have local or regional twist. Similarly, take-out stalls in the town usually sell snacks such as roti john (the Malay version of omelette sandwich), local variant of burgers, kebab served in pita bread, as well as drinks such as cordials and bubble tea.
Restaurants and cafes
- 🌍 EasyWay Tea Indulgence (EasyWay). The first bubble tea shop in Tutong. It is now expanded into a cafe.
- 🌍 Gerai Selera Pekan Tutong (Pekan Tutong Food Court). An open-air food court close to, and overlooking, the banks of Tutong River. The stalls are usually open from dusk and some may last until midnight.
- 🌍 Ho Yuen Restaurant, Jalan Enchi Awang. Another established Chinese kopitiam next to Mei Fang and the only non-halal restaurant in town. The restaurant serves popular Chinese dishes such as kolo mee and stir-fried noodles.
- 🌍 KK Koya Restaurant, Jalan Enchi Awang. A Malay-Indian Muslim restaurant next to Mei Fang Cafe which is known for its take on rojak, the regional version of fruit and vegetable salad, and may also come with chicken, squid or both. The restaurant in the town is a branch of the original restaurant in Telisai, which is a popular stopover along the old road between Tutong and the towns in Belait District.
- 🌍 Mei Fang Cafe, Jalan Enchi Awang. A Chinese kopitiam or traditional coffee shop established in the 1950s and known for its pulut panggang, as well as stir-fried noodles and Chinese desserts. It is usually crowded in the morning.
- 🌍 Pasar Malam Pekan Tutong (Pekan Tutong Night Market), Jalan Enchi Awang. An open-air building which houses a few food stalls selling popular local snacks such as roti john and kebab as well as takeaways. The stalls are usually open from dusk until night.
- 🌍 Puteh Restaurant. A Malay restaurant which is also known for its pulut panggang. The pulut panggang from Puteh Restaurant and Mei Fang Cafe are the most sought after in the district, and perhaps also in the country.
- 🌍 Soto Haji Tuah (Haji Tuah's Soto), Jalan Simpang Tiga Sengkarai. A food stall established in 1964 and known for its soto. In Brunei, soto is known as a type of noodle soup, that is noodle served in soto, which is an Indonesian-style soup. The stall is in Kompleks Pasarneka dan Tamu Tutong (Tutong Market), the farmers' and fish market in the town.
- 🌍 WYWY Restaurant. The restaurant is a branch of a popular restaurant chain the country which has a relatively large variety of menu, especially of side dishes that accompany a rice-based meal. The cuisine is mainly Malay, Chinese and a fusion of both.
Fast food chains
Takeaways
- 🌍 Auntie Anne's. An American chain known for its pretzels.
- 🌍 Le Doux Patisserie. A branch of a patisserie from the capital.
- 🌍 Mum Bakery and Cake House (Mum Bakery). A popular local bakery and cake house chain.
- 🌍 Par.Tea. A drink stall selling flavoured drinks, shakes and milk tea.
- 🌍 The Potato Habit. A local stall chain selling fries which come in various flavours.
Sleep
- 🌍 The Lanes Hotel (formerly Halim Plaza Hotel), ☏ +673 422-1991, reservations@thelaneshotel.com.
Go next
- Miri
- Kuala Belait
- Seria
- Sengkurong
- Jerudong
- Berakas
- Bandar Seri Begawan
- Limbang
- Bangar
- Lawas