Favorite Holiday Destination For Jakartans
Beyond Jakarta
Travelers enroute through java.
Bandung is easily reached from Jakarta by train, road or air, with public transportation readily available. Train is preferable means of land transportation of visitors don't want to miss out witnessing breathtaking sceneries along the trip. Also known in colonials time as the Paris of java because of its European ambience and sophistication, Bandung is Studded with shops offering variety of accessories. In a city, encircled by mountainous area, you can do many leisure activities, including strolling and going shopping. Bandung is recognized for its variety of locally-made snacks, such as tape peuyeum or fermented cassava, oncom or fermented preparation made from peanut oil cake and mie kocok or shaking noodle.
For those of you with an interest in historical streets, such as Braga ,Taman Sari, Banceuy, Lembong and Asia Africa The city offers 100 historical edifices, each with Dutch architecture, Most of them were laid out by the Dutch in the 1920's As the intellectual and academic center of the region, however, the city's International claim to fame came in 1955 as the venue for the Bandung Conference or Asia Africa Conference.
Bandung is not only a nice place to troll but also to go shopping. The city is shopping paradise for shoppers. As the capital city of the West Java, Bandung 's shops are filled with products of this far-flung archipelago as well as imported goods. Shopping is Bandung is fun, simple and extensive. Factory outlets ( FOs )have mushroomed, with many of them selling garments with top licensed brand at low price. Pasar Kota Kembang, a narrow lane with shops and stalls lining along it, could be a perfect place for bargaining cheap clothes, belts, shoes or handbags. Next to it is a shopping center specializing in textiles. This market lane connect Jalan Asia-Afrika with Jalan Dalem Kaum. Many of the Fos are seen equipped with neatly arranged canteens with palatable cuisines, making visitors feel comfortable and at home.
Tired of taking a stroll or shopping? Just take a rest for drink or food. Bandung is heaven to satisfy your taste buds. From traditional food sold by street vendors up to international ones in fancy restaurants. A warung is regarded as a poor man's restaurant. But on Jalan Bungsu next to Puri Mas Bakery, you could see the newest BMW and Mercedez parked in front of a small lane famous for its Sekoteng Ice. By far the best food money can buy and is served in these makeshift foodstalls with canopies, hardwood benches or stools, and glowing with hissing gas lamps. Open after 5:30 pm. Groups of nightstalls located in the corner of Jalan Merdeka and Jalan L.L.R.E. Martadinata spread mouth watering smells from sizzling sate on red hot glowing charcoal braziers.
Try Madurese, chicken, beef, or mutton sate and various kinds of soto, an Indnesian thick soup. Jalan Cikapundung Baratstalls, occupying sidewalks used as a selling place for secondhand books at noon, serve all kinds of popular Indonesian food. Sate Padang Pak Datuk is worth a try.
The must-see attractions include Dago Tea House, Geological Museum and Art Deco. Located two kilometers north of the ITB campus at the head of Jalan Dago, Dago Tea House offers a sweeping view of the city, the surrounding valley and mountains. A short hill climb from there reveals several footpaths through cool forests and waterfalls. Another attraction well worth a visit is Tangkuban Perahu. Even if you are content to merely shop till you drop in Bandung, you might be tempted to head for Tangkuban Perahu, Indonesia's, if not the world's, only drive-up volcano. Without even leaving the comforts of your automobile, you can peer down into the primodial ooze of a live volcanic crater secure in the knowledge that if the vendor tapping outside your window feels safe enough, you should be just fine inside.
Enough to keep you entertained for a while…? Please dive and enjoy!