Alun-alun Bandung or city square. Alun-alun is the classical central core of the democratic city in Indonesia, since the 15th century. It is typically a square of grass field with 4 sides are the city major residence, pendopo (a place to meet between citizens and the government), a mosque and a prison. The grand mosque is still visible, though it has been renovated 7 times. Now, it has undergone a major renovation and expansion with two 81 m high minarets and a Taj Mahal interior design. The pendopo is also still there, behind a high wall. The prison has been transformed into a mall with one block is preserved as a museum, a cell block where Soekarno, the first president of Indonesia, spent some time in there. The major transition is that now alun-alun serves as an entertainment park, where shopping mall buildings are surrounding the square.
Bandung Zoo, Jl. Kebun Binatang No. 6. ☎ +62 22 2502770. Built in 1930.
Mt. Tangkuban Perahu.
Tangkuban Perahu main crater
Tracking in Tangkuban Perahu area
Mt. Tangkuban Perahu. Is on the northern side of Bandung, the closest city is Lembang. (Angkot route: St. Hall-Lembang). You can see it from a distance at many places in Bandung but a tour to Bandung will not be complete without visiting the crater. If you are in Bandung, take a look towards the north keeping an eye out for a mountain of unusual shape. The name itself comes from the local legend of Sangkuriang ("Legenda Sangkuriang") The legend is based upon a disobedient son who kicks his boat upside-down and was then transformed into stone. Hence the name of this mountain. Tangkubanflipped and perahu boat. It is still an active volcanic mountain. The crater is reachable by car and it is fun to do hiking to the top by foot from Lembang. Elevation is 2,084 m above sea level and the path from Lembang is not too steep. At the crater, there is a tourist spot. Near the main crater is another amazing site, 'Kawah Upas', where you stand between two big craters, to the left and to the right.
Entrance fee to the park is Rp 50,000 for foreigners . When you reach Tangkuban Perahu, the first thing you'll see (and most popular) is the main crater (Kawah Ratu). But don't stop there. Many viitors miss this but it's probably the best part of Tangkuban Perahu.
Kawah Domas. A 30 min walk from Kawah Ratu, track 1.3 km down to Kawah Domas to get upclose and personal with volcanic activity. A guide to walk you down will charge Rp 250,000/hr. To visit the Kawah Domas and walk to the car park at Kawah Domas down the hill from Kawah ratu is approx 1 hr 30 min. It will be more if you indulge in mud massages, egg boiling or similar. Walk around Kawah Ratu on your own and only then get a guide if you feel you need one. Take note that the people selling tourist items will possibly hassle you. Politely tell them not to follow if you are not going to buy anything. Tourists are often pestered to retain a guide or to buy souvenirs. After finishing you do not need to walk back to Kawah ratu which makes life much easier. The walk to Kawah Domas looks like hell on earth and it is a must-do experience with bubbling mud, boiling hot water and hissing sulphur vapour. You can smell the sulfur, watch the hot water springs very closely or even buy a boiled egg cooked on the hot surface.
Now there is an alterntive way to go Kawah Domas in less pain and without guide. After seeing Kawah Ratu, go down the mountain to parkir Kawah Domas (the Kawah Domas car park). Walk from here to Kawah Domas. There is no need for guide and the walk is less tiring than the walk down from Kawah ratu, this may be better for the less fit.
Getting to Tangkuban Perahu
From Bandung Indah Plaza (BIP), take an 'angkot' heading to "CICAHEUM - LEDENG". The angkot will stop at Terminal Ledeng (Rp 3,000). From the terminal, take a mini van or 'Elep' towards Subang and get down at Tangkuban Perahu (Rp 12,000). From the entrance of Tangkuban Perahu, it's another 4-5 km hike up on a really bad road. You can often hire a local 'motorcycle cab' (local drivers are often waiting nearby) to take you up. If you can ride a motorcycle, it's a lot easier to rent one to get there.
Juanda Forest Park or Dago Pakar (Taman Hutan Raya ir. H. Juanda). It is a forest park and serves as a water reservoir catchment area for the city. There are some interesting parks for children or to have a picnic. There are also some old WWII caves used during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s. Some people walk through the forest to reach Maribaya park in Lembang. This is at the end of Jalan Dago. The Angkot routes are Abd. Muis-Dago and followed by walking or take a ride by motorcycle.
Puncrut-Lembang Hiking trail. Started from Puncrut, Jl. Kiputih, North Bandung.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Bandung
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Bandung - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Bandung hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Bandung Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
