It's evident that Bandung is a hotspot for tourists, largely due to its food, museums and attractions, hiking, and romance.
A few of the most popular sights are:
- Trans Studio Bandung for $13
- Tangkuban Perahu for $100
- Kawah Putih (White Crater) for $50
- The Museum of the Asian-African Conference (Free)
Bandung had many classic Dutch colonial style buildings built during the late 18th and early 19th century. The locals referred to this time as the old Bandung era. The art-deco style was very popular throughout the earlier half of the 20th century and the city and its suburbs retain many fine examples of these architectural styles. Many of the historical buildings have conservation orders and there are some very well preserved and maintained examples of the colonial era architecture to be seen.
The Villa Isola, built in 1932 for an Italian millionaire D.W. Berretty, lies in the northern part of Bandung, overlooking the city to the south and the Tangkuban Perahu mountain to the north. Villa Isola and its 2 gardens have a magnificent architectural design, combining the unique landscape and the Indo-European styles. This monumental art was later used for a hotel, named Hotel de Luxe. Now it serves as UPI's (Indonesia University of Education) headmastership building.
The Gedung Merdeka, built in 1895 for a club house, named the Concordia Society. In 1955, this building was famous as the first Asian-African conference venue. Now it is a museum for that conference.
The Savoy Homann Hotel was built in 1880 and renovated in 1938 by a Dutch architect with an art-deco style. It still serves as a hotel. The King and Queen of Siam, The Prince and Queen of Belgium, The Governor General of Indo-China, The Duchess of Westminster and even Charles Chaplin have stayed in this spectacular destination.
The Gedung Sate, built in 1921, was designed according to a neoclassical design incorporating native Indonesian elements by Dutch architect J. Gerber to be the seat of the Dutch East Indies department of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. Today, the building serves as the seat of the governor of the province of West Java. Its common name, Gedung sate, is a nickname that translates literally from Indonesian to 'satay building', which is a reference to the shape of the building's central pinnacle - which resemble the shape of one of the Indonesian traditional dish called satay. Interestingly, this building mixes different architectural styles: Spanish Moorish style for the windows, Italian renaissance for the overall building, and between Balinese Pura and Thai's pagoda for the roof. The facade faces directly to the Mt. Tangkubanperahu. The building is open for public, and at the end of the journey inside, you can sip a nice hot bajigur drink while watching the city view from the top floor.
The Cipaganti Mosque, built in 1933, was the only mosque that was built in the European residential area in the northern part of Bandung. The central facade still has the original design, but the mosque has been expanded on both sides.
There are many activities that you can do in or near the city, as Bandung's highland is surrounded by a string of mountains. Activities in the outskirts of the city are centered around the mountain resorts, adventure activities, and outdoor sports. In the city, you can enjoy culinary activities as there are so many food varieties, shopping in the many clothing outlets, or just hanging around.
Every Saturday night at Jalan Dago, the street is crowded with modified cars playing loud music. Walk around and watch this weekly event and take in the atmosphere and enthusiasm. There are some cafes and chic restaurants in the street that you can sit in. The party usually lasts until midnight.
Spend Sunday morning at the park. Sunday morning at Gasibu Park in front of the Gedung Sate complex, a variety of food stalls are ready and waiting for your culinary adventure through the park. People's favorites are dim sum ceker (a chicken foot cooked like a dim sum) and nasi liwet (rice cooked with coconut milk and served with chicken and other vegetables).
Take a trip north to Lembang, an uphill resort city. Go to Mt. Tangkuban Perahu where you can explore around Kawah Ratu (Queen's crater) to see the volcanic activity up close. There are two other craters available as well: Kawah Upas and Kawah Domas. Another top attraction in the resort area is the Sari Ater, a hot water spring complex with natural hot water spring pools, some recreation parks and healthy spas. This hot spring has shallow pools- some with lukewarm and some with hot spring water-for you to soak.
Go to a Ram fight. Villages around Bandung host ram fights on alternate Sundays. It's a big event for locals who turn out in their hundreds to watch 5-minute bouts between prize fighter male sheep. Tournaments are held in purpose-built rings in outlying villages.
Go for a Tea Plantation walk. You can drive to the plantation from Kawah Putih in about 5 min. The walk around the plantation is very scenic. On the way you can also visit one of many strawberry farms and drink strawberry milk shakes.
Museums and Attractions:
Bandung boasts some of the world's most well-known museums and landmarks. The city is filled with museums and landmarks like the Sri Baduga Museum, which displays prehistoric artifacts. There's also the Asian African Conference Museum, a geology museum, and the
Indonesia Postal Museum. The Mandala Wangsit Siliwangi Museum shows items relating to Indonesian wars and weapons while the Virajati Seskoad Museum has information on the Indonesian Army school.
Hiking:
The hiking in the area surrounding Bandung is really impressive. There are tons of great hiking trails just outside of town. Some are undiscovered while others are more popular. The trails will take you through forests, by volcanoes, and to dramatic craters.
Shopping:
Make sure to check out the shopping here, as it's a fun experience. This is the ultimate shopping destination in Indonesia. Visitors come from throughout the country and abroad to buy designer goods and name brands, often at a discount price. You'll find both knock-offs and authentic merchandise, so be aware when you're purchasing something, which you might be buying.
A nice way to explore destinations in Bandung is with local tours that last just a few hours. This way you can see as much as possible in an efficient way with knowledgable guides. Prices vary by the type of activity or tour, the dates, and the size of the group. Here are a few of the highest rated tours by previous visitors:
- Kawah Putih tour - Day trip Ticket etc all including for $47 details
- White Crater Day Trip Private Tour Bandung Kawah Putih All In for $63 details
- Private Guide Bandung Tour Car Charter for $51 details
Bandung, Indonesia
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.