Bandung, Paris Van Java

Bandung is a well-known place in Indonesia and to travelers in Java especially. There are many things to do in Bandung and it is not short of attractions to see. Many locals will recommend going there for shopping, food and cool respite. It is a popular weekend destination for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of Jakarta. Many travelers would say they have their best Indonesian experience here.

Here the food is cheap and delicious, the things are cheap and in huge variety and important Indonesian attractions are nearby. Therefore, it is no surprise that the whole place evolved around tourism industry so come here and have fun.

Here’s our take of Top 10 things to Do and Must See in Bandung:

Bandung city, Java, Indonesia

Top Things To Do in Bandung

SHOP IN FACTORY OUTLETS

I am not exaggerating here, nobody goes back from Bandung empty handed. Especially if you go to the factory outlets at Jl Riau or Jl Dago, you will find all the hidden gems of quality clothes, shoes, bags and all else in various famous brands. All the items you find here are in good condition, brand new but in half the price!

Shopping at Bandung

CATCH SUNSET AT THE VALLEY

If you are looking for another option to dine and something special to do in Bandung, you can choose to go to The Valley for dinner. This Western restaurant is located at a hilltop with amazing sunset view. The food is good too, so enjoy your meal while watching the sunset over Bandung city.

EAT AT KAMPUNG DAUN

One of the Bandung’s best restaurant, many tourists come here for the relaxing ambiance with bamboo huts, streams, and waterfall. Food is not especially delicious but it is extensive and inexpensive. Come here for the overall experience of enjoying Indonesian cuisine in a comfortable and serene outdoor setting.

Kampung Daun restaurant at Bandung

GET LOST IN PASAR BARU

This epitome of Indonesian market in Bandung, you can get lost here and find all sorts of things that delight you. Travelers come here to source for fabrics and souvenirs. Prices here are unbelievable too especially if you have special bargaining skills. Though do take care of your belongings as this place is really crowded.

ENJOY THE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE AT SAUNG ANGKLUNG UDJO

This traditional musical performance is one of the best way to explore Indonesian culture. It is a 2 hour show of several parts including puppet show, mask dance, Angklung performance and dances with little kids. Watch the performance and maybe also participate in an Angklung workshop *, they are bound to delight.

Saung Angklung Udjo, Bandung

WALK OFF THE BEATEN PATH IN SEARCH OF RICE TERRACES

How can one come to Asia and not be awed by towering rice terraces. Unknown to many, Bandung actually do have rolling rice fields and some rice terraces in the highlands. Bribe a local to tell you the location is and head there for a soul refreshing time. There’s one apparently in Ciwidey!

Rice Terraces at Bandung

Top What to See in Bandung

KAWAH PUTIH

Definitely in the top of the list of attractions for its stunningly beautiful lake as if set out of a movie. It is 2 hours away from Bandung city center and in the highland but it is worth to do. The place is cooling but beware of sunburn as it is still really sunny here without feeling it. This is a sulphuric lake as it comes from a volcano.The entire area can be explored in 30 minutes. Many people come here either by car hire or through a Kawah Putih, Bandung Tour *.

Kawah Putih, Bandung, Java

TANGKUBAN PERAHU

About 1.5 hours from Bandung, it is yet another crater from a volcano in Indonesia that is worth the visit for the sheer awe of the view from the top. This may be second best to Kawah Putih but still worth to visit.

VILLA ISOLA

Built by an Italian millionaire and perched at the northern part of Bandung, Villa Isola overlooks a breathtaking view of the city to the south. This is one tourist attractions not to be missed.

Tangkuban Perahu, Bandung

GEDUNG SATE AND THE VIEW

Built and used by the Dutch companies, it is popular for its satay food decoration. It has 6 ornaments symbolizing 6 million guldens. Now it is used as the office for West Java governor. Luckily, the place is open to public and don’t forget to have a good chill and drink at the top floor while overlooking the city.

GEDUNG MERDEKA

Another architectural wonder built for the rich previously and then made famous for hosting the first Asian-African conference. Though not much of an attraction but worth to take a look if you are nearby.

Gedung Merdeka, Bandung

There you have it, the best of what Bandung have to offer in terms of things to do and attractions to see. You will be amazed how you can enjoy yourself so much without actually really spending a lot, especially good for budget travelers who are backpacking in Indonesia, though carrying a lot of things after the shopping is another story altogether! Do read our Bandung travel guide for more information.

Jakarta Travel Guide

Jakarta is the main and largest city in Indonesia. It has both good and bad reputation for travelers, from being highly congested and soulless to hidden treasures and shopping haven. It is also famous for itsnightlife.

Jakarta is also a very important international airport hub for the entire Indonesia serving many airlines to everywhere in the world. That is why despite it all Jakarta tourism is still rising and popular.

Where is it

It is located in The Northwest of Java. It is divided into North Jakarta, South Jakarta, East Jakarta, and West Jakarta.

Jakarta in West Java Map

Why go

It is the main hub for getting in and out of Indonesia, chances are if you are flying long distance you would fly in here or even if nearby find it one of the most convenient to fly to with various budget airline choices like AirAsia, Tiger Airways, and others.

Jakarta Skyline at Night

When is the best time to go

The weather in Jakarta consists of two seasons, which is the dry and wet season just like other parts of Java and most of Indonesia. Being a tropical season, it generally have hot temperature of around 25-30C all year round. During the monsoon season, October to March, there will be quite a lot of rainfall. On dry season from May to September, the weather will be humid and hot.

What to see

Jakarta is not well known for its sights but there are still a few tourist area (tempat wisata) or tourist attractions (objek wisata) to see. If you have just a day stopover or time to spare you may want try these few suggestions by others:

National Monument at Jakarta

Ancol Dream Park
National Museum
National Monument
Taman Mini Indonesia
Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Arts Theater)
Pasar Baru (market)

What to do

If shopping (belanja) is your thing, Jakarta offers a lot from high end to budget shoppings from malls to markets. Recommended Shopping malls or shopping centers or markets in Jakarta:
Plaza Indonesia of FX Mall – designer goods
Grand Indonesia
Mangga Dua – cheap yet quality imitation goods
Blok M – shoes, clothes, bags
Pasar Ikan – souvenirs and household items

Where to stay

Being the main city of Indonesia, you can be sure to find many choices of place to stay in Jakarta. It all depends on your budget; you can get from really cheap budget hotel or hostels to high-end luxury hotel. Most people choose to stay in Central Jakarta for many of the luxury hotels but if on a budget, you can check out in West Jakarta. A notable place for backpacker’s hostels is at Jalan Jaksa in Central Jakarta, where the scene is very much alive and there are many choices.

What and where to eat

The best restaurant in Jakarta that I find served really good local Sundanese food is Pondok Laguna . This place is popular with the locals and also travelers alike, so you may find it really pack during peak hours like lunch and dinner.

Pondok Laguna Restaurant

Clockwise from top left: Gurame goreng, Kangkong belachan, Sambal cobek, Sayur Asem, Tauhu kipas and Nasi.

How to get there

FLIGHTS

Fly into Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport, busiest airport in Indonesia. Being the main hub, there are international flights flying here from places almost everywhere in the world, but if you couldn’t find a direct route, try connecting via Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia or Singapore as these have frequent daily flights to Jakarta.

Soekarno Hatta Airport, Jakarta

The Soekarno Hatta airport is divided into three terminals:
Terminal 1 – domestic airlines except Air Asia, Mandala and Garuda
Terminal 2 – all international airlines except Air Aisa
Terminal 3 – low cost carrier terminal, serving Air Asia, Mandala/Tiger Airways and other low costs airlines.

You may get free shuttle bus service between the terminals but it is unreliable and if you are in the rush it is safer to get the taxis but beware the unscrupulous high charges.

Taxi from Soekarno Airport to Jakarta town
From the airport, if you did not arrange a pickup from hotel (which you should if you can to save all the hassle), you may buy at the counters after the customs to get ahead of the queue and to avoid the touts, but it will cost more – 175,000 IDR to get to Jakarta’s golden triangle. However if you want to save some money and brace the challenge, you may go to the taxi ranks and get your own taxi. Silver Bird being the most reliable and clean of the lot but costing 120,000 IDR to get to Jakarta, second in line is the Express Taxi charging 90,000IRD while the other taxis might charge you around 70,000 – 90,000 IDR.

Tips on taking taxi in Jakarta:

Silverbird and Bluebird taxis are the most popular for its reliability and cleanliness. If you are here for a business trip and requires a receipt for the taxi, Silverbird will be sure to have it but it is generally more expensive with starting price of 15000Rp. Bluebird is even more popular because of affordability with starting price of 6000Rp but only some of the taxis have just implemented receipts, so if you need receipts you should check first if they have it.

Caution:

There will be many touts who try to pull you into their ‘taxi’ stating that they are from Silverbird or Bluebird, but do not go in especially if you do not see the right signage on top of the car. The best is when you purchase the ticket from the counter, ask them where is the exact location to take your preferred taxi and head there straight.

Bus from Soekarno Airport to Jakarta town

If you have the time, you may wait for the shuttle bus service, DAMRI shuttle buses, which cover most area in the city and operates till midnight.

Take note of domestic departures which require 30,000 Rp tax while international departures are 150, 000 Rp tax.

How to get around

You have various choices from commuter trains (kereta api) to intercity trains, bus, bajaj (scooter-like vehicle), motorcycle (ojek) and taxi. You can also rent a car if you have the budget for convenience.

Bus
Taking bus is a bit of a challenge here as it is not on the schedule and it is really packed with people. Buses also do not stop at designated places, so it only stops whenever there is a request, tell the conductor ‘kiri’ (stopping at the left) or knock on the window three times, and be careful of belongings and also when leaving the bus as it would not stop completely.

Taxi
Taxi may be one of the best and convenient choices and it is relatively cheap. The most famous and apparently reliable taxi is the Blue Bird taxi but beware of fake ones. Other taxis you may take are also Taxiku, Express, Dian Taksi and Taxicab. Always insist on using the meter and do not give in to those who want to quote a price to earn more.

Rent car
If you do want to rent a car, it is advisable to get a driver as well as driving in Jakarta may be a hazard to both you and your mind.

Bajaj / Ojek

Bajaj

If you are scrimp for time and want to whizz past traffic while breathing in all the exhausts, you may try the bajaj, which are bigger and probably safer or the ojek if you don’t mind the risk. Recently there is a more reliable ojek call Taxijek that has it’s driver showing identity card, charge more appropriately and provide a helmet.

TRAFFIC AND PEAK HOURS IN JAKARTA

Bear in mind that the traffic is bad here, moreover peak hours which you should try to avoid at all cost. Peak hours in Jakarta is weekdays 6.30am – 12 pm and 4pm-8pm, but other times will still offer you enough car challenges. Sometimes there are a Sunday in the month where they close some roads for people to cycle and walk.

Train out of Jakarta (intercity)
There are few types of trains in Indonesia, where travellers can choose the eksekutif for the luxuries to business without the air condition and some frill to the economy if you want to brace it with the daily crowd. Details of the trains can be found here – http://www.kereta-api.co.id

Komuter Train – it connects Jakarta to all the nearby suburbs like Tangerang, Bekasi, Bogor and Depok. It operates from 5 am to 10 pm, where peak hours you will find many people crush together to get to work and back. The official site is here http://www.krl.co.id/

Where to go nearby

As Jakarta does not have much to offer, you may want to go to nearby for day trips or possibly few days getaway if you have the time.

Bandung
Many locals and tourists flock to Bandung for a weekend getaway in this place that is famous for shopping and good food. It is just 2.5 hours away by road.

Bogor
There is a nice botanical garden, do not judge it by its name, where it actually have beautiful scenery, with even jungle-like flora besides well tended ones and in the vicinity a castle. 2 hours away by road or commuter train.

Taman Safari
another 20km from Bogor, about 2.5 hours from Jakarta, you get to see wild animals roaming free while you drive through.

Botanical Garden in Bogor

Puncak Highlands – further up from Bogor, you will find cool respite from Jakarta. One of the locals’ favourite destination!

Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) – easy access by speed boat from Ancol marina with resorts sprawling across beaches that offer respite for those escaping Jakarta.

Travel Tips

Bring some Indonesian rupiah cash before reaching Jakarta as getting a good exchange rate at the airport is tough and it is not that convenient to get to any banks or money changer in the city.

The water here is not drinkable from the tap, always buy a water bottle and make sure it is sealed, the common brand here is Aqua. In fact, the locals call “water” interchangeably with “Aqua”, and that shows how prevalent the brand is!

Learn some Indonesian travel phrases to make your trip enjoyable.

Hiking Mount Bromo, East Java

Mount Bromo which stands tall at 2329 m is the most iconic and the most hiked mountain in Indonesia. It beckons majestically despite having the entire top blown off and with a crater inside that keeps spewing off white sulphurous smoke. Mount Bromo is still one of the most active volcanoes in the world and there are areas that are blocked off from tourists due to its imminent danger. It sits inside the massive Tengger caldera (volcanic crater with diameter approximately 10km), surrounded by the Laut Pasir (sea of sand) of fine volcanic sand. After an easy hike, travelers are awarded a breathtaking and ethereal landscape during the sunrise.

                                                                       Map of Mount Bromo, Indonesia

Myth has it that Mount Bromo is significant to the Tengger people who believe that the site is where their brave prince sacrificed his life for his family. To appease the Gods, the people will offer food and money by throwing it into the crater of the volcano once a year during annual Kasada (or Kasodo) festival.

                                                                     Mount Bromo @ East Java, Indonesia

Where is it

Mount Bromo is situated inside Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, beside Mount Semeru at East Java, Indonesia.

Why go

To be awe in nature’s best combination of beauty and danger, an active volcano that can be so foreboding and desolate yet so beautiful. The view itself is almost out of this world and be the reason enough to go there!

                                                                                Up close with Mount Bromo

When is the best time to go

June – August where there is less rain but more tourists. August is also the month for the Kesada / Kesodo festival for the Tengger people if you are interested.

But that being said, Indonesia being a fairly mild weather of just rain and shine, anytime is a good time to go Mount Bromo, only check out for local weather when you are there for the best clear sky for your sunrise experience. If you do not have many days then hope for the best when you are there.

Also try to avoid weekends if you do not want the crowd.

What to see

Tenggerese houses which is unique to its kind, while take some time to understand the fine Tengger people.

A Tenggerese Hindu temple known as The Poten that sits nearby Mount Bromo, looking both eerie and peaceful on the sea of sand.

What to do

                                                                

Hike up Mount Penanjakan in time to catch the sunrise over Mount Bromo. It takes about 1-2 hours hike to the first vantage point. Sun rises at 5.30am, therefore usually you have to plan when to start hiking depending on your fitness level. Maps and information are readily and easily available at one of the many official locations. Extra tip is that you may want to hike earlier to avoid the crowd and get a good spot as you may find a lot of people crowding the vantage point to view the sun rising over Mount Bromo. If you have the time and energy, there is another less-crowded vantage point higher up with unobstructed view of the sunrise. Find and scale the slope behind the shelter to get to the higher flat land.

Trek down Mount Penanjakan and up to Mount Bromo summit. Here you can trek down and then across 3km sand of sea and then upwards to summit the caldera of Mount Bromo. It takes about 1-2 hours again depending on your fitness level.

                                                        Road through Sea of Sand to Mount Bromo’s crater

What and where to eat

Every lodge, guesthouse or hotel normally serves food as well for travelers. There are also few independent eateries around to choose from such as Bromo Corner Café and Waroeng Basuki, or you may just head on to simple roadside warungs and enjoy basic local Indonesian food. You should also try out the hot Javanese coffee (kopi panas). All restaurants will open by 3am as that is when most people start to wake for the hike to catch the sunrise.

                                                              Catching sunrise @ Mount Bromo, Indonesia

Where to stay

You may find various guesthouses and basic hotels located around Mount Bromo, as that place is popular for tourists. Try to stay nearby so that you can do the morning hike up to catch the sunrise easily. Lots of guesthouses or hotels are situated at the crater rim. I stayed in Cemara Indah, it was an overall pleasant stay but most important was it is located right behind the trail to start trekking up for sunrise.

But if you want to stay a little bit further away, you may stay in nearby towns such as Malang, or at some of the cool mountain resorts offer spectacular view of Mount Semeru and Mount Arjuna.

How to get there

                                                          Horses and The Poten @ Mount Bromo, Indonesia

Fly into Juanda international airport at Surabaya. There are direct flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Bali. If you are flying domestic from Jakarta, you may take Sriwijaya that flies twice weekly. Take note of domestic departures cost is 40,000 Rp tax while international departures cost is 200, 000 Rp tax.

Distance from Surabaya airport to the Mount Bromo national park is about 70km and the time it takes is around 4 hours due to heavy traffic and congestion. On the way, you would pass Probolinggo town which lies at the major highway across java. Here is where most backpackers would usually share a transport to take them up to the Bromo Tengger Semeru National park. Or get a complete overnight sunrise tour from Surabaya to Mt. Bromo and back *.

How to get around

If you are able, then trekking or walking is the best way to experience Mount Bromo but you may take ponies or horses across the sea of sand to the bottom of the steep stairs that leads to the crater.

Where to go nearby

Malang – Cultural capital of East Java

Ijen crater – 6 hours drive away. Magnificent turquoise sulphur lake that exudes flames, blue fire at night and smoky white in the day.

Tips

Bring a jacket and gloves as it may get chilly up there. In a pinch, you can rent a jacket at around 25k rupiah and buy a glove at 20k rupiah.