| Kota Bandung | |||
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| Nickname(s): Kota Kembang (City of Flowers) and Parijs Van Java | |||
| Motto: Bermartabat ('dignified') | |||
  Kota Bandung
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| Coordinates: 6°54′53.08″S 107°36′35.32″E / 6.9147444°S 107.6098111°ECoordinates: 6°54′53.08″S 107°36′35.32″E / 6.9147444°S 107.6098111°E | |||
| Country | Indonesia | ||
| Province | West Java | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Dada Rosada | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 167.67 km2 (64.74 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 768 m (2,520 ft) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - Total | 2,510,982 | ||
| - Density | 14,976/km2 (38,786/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | WIB (UTC+7) | ||
| Website | www.bandung.go.id | ||
Bandung (pronounced [bʌnduŋ]) Indonesian: Kota Bandung) is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area, with 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 m (2,520 ft) above sea level, Bandung has relatively year-around cooler temperature than most other Indonesian cities. The city lies on a river basin and surrounded by volcanic mountains. This topography provides the city with a good natural defense system, which was the primary reason of Dutch East Indies government's plan to move the colony capital from Batavia to Bandung.
The Dutch colonials first opened tea plantations around the mountains in the eighteenth century, followed by a road construction connecting the plantation area to the capital (180 km or 112 miles to the northwest). The European inhabitants of the city demanded the establishment of a municipality (gemeente), which was granted in 1906 and Bandung gradually developed itself into a resort city for the plantation owners. Luxurious hotels, restaurants, cafes and European boutiques were opened of which the city was dubbed as Parijs van Java (Dutch: "The Paris of Java").
After Indonesian independence on 1945 onwards, the city experienced a rapid development and urbanization that has transformed Bandung from idyllic town into a dense 15,000 people/km² metropolitan area, a living space for over 2 million people. Natural resources have been exploited excessively, particularly in the conversions of protected upland area into highland villa and real estates. Although the city has encountered many problems (ranging from waste disposal, floods to chaotic traffic system, etc), Bandung however still has its charm to attract people flocking into the city, either as weekend travellers or living in.
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Bandung, the capital of West Java province, located about 180 kilometres (110 mi) southeast of Jakarta, is the thrid largest city in Indonesia. Its elevation is 768 metres (2,520 ft) above sea level and is surrounded by up to 2,400 m (7,874 ft) high Late Tertiary and Quarternary volcanic terrain.[1] The 400 km² flat of central Bandung plain is situated in the middle of 2,340.88 km² wide of the Bandung Basin; the basin comprises Bandung, the Cimahi city, part of Bandung Regency, part of West Bandung Regency, and part of Sumedang Regency.[2] The basin's main river is the Citarum; one of its branches, the Cikapundung, divides Bandung from north to south before it merges with Citarum again in Dayeuhkolot. The Bandung Basin is an important source of water for drinking water, irrigation and fisheries, and its 6,147 million m³ of groundwater is a major reservoir for the city.[2]
The northern part of the city is hillier than the rest; the distinguished truncated flat-peak shape of the Tangkuban Perahu volcano (Tangkuban Perahu literally means 'up-turned boat') can be seen from the city to the north. Long-term volcanic activity has created fertile andisol soil in the north, suitable for intensive rice, fruit, tea, tobacco and coffee plantations. In the south and east, alluvial soils deposited by the Cikapundung river are mostly found.
Geological data shows that the Bandung Basin is located on an ancient volcano, known as Mount Sunda, erected up to 3,000–4,000 metres (9,850–13,100 ft) during the Pleistocene age.[3] Two large scale eruptions took place; the first formed the basin and the other (est. 55,000 Before Present) blocked the Citarum river, turning the basin into a lake known as "the Great Lake of Bandung".[4] The lake drained away; the reason for which is the subject of ongoing debate among geologists.[5][6]
Due to its elevation, the climate in Bandung is cooler than most Indonesian cities and can be classified as humid; the average temperature is 23.6 °C (74.5 °F) throughout the year.[7] The average annual rainfall ranges from 1,000 millimetres in the central and southeast regions to 3,500 millimetres in the north of the city.[2] The wet season conforms with other Indonesian regions, around November to April.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature (°C) (°F) |
23.9 75.0 |
23.3 73.9 |
23.4 74.1 |
24.1 75.4 |
24.2 75.6 |
23.5 74.3 |
22.9 73.2 |
23.4 74.1 |
23.6 74.5 |
23.7 74.7 |
23.7 74.7 |
23.7 74.7 |
74.5 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 72.1 | 265.6 | 365.0 | 136.0 | 117.7 | 37.4 | 40.5 | 74.7 | 76.3 | 314.2 | 185.9 | 197.2 |
|
| Evaporation (mm) | 3.7 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
|
| Rel. humidity (%) | 75 | 82 | 82 | 78 | 75 | 71 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 77 | 80 | 81 |
|
| Air pressure (mb) | 922.5 | 921.7 | 922.2 | 921.9 | 921.9 | 922.3 | 922.8 | 922.5 | 923.0 | 922.6 | 922.0 | 922.1 |
|
| Source: Bandung Dalam Angka (Bandung in Numbers), 2003.[8] | |||||||||||||
The earliest reference to the city dates back to 1488, but archaeological findings suggest a type of Homo erectus species had lived on the banks of the Cikapundung River and around the old lake of Bandung.[9] During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) opened plantations in the Bandung area. A supply road connecting Batavia (now Jakarta), Bogor, Cianjur, Bandung, Sumedang and Cirebon was built in 1786. In 1809, Napoleon I, the Emperor of the French and conqueror of much of Europe including the Netherlands and its colonies,(before his ultimate downfall at Waterloo in 1815) ordered the Dutch Indies Governor H.W. Daendels to increase the defensive systems of Java against the British from India. Daendels built a road, stretching approximately 1,000 km (621 miles) from the west to the east coast of Java, and passing through Bandung.[10][11] In 1810, the road was laid down in Bandung and was named De Groote Postweg (or the 'main post road'), the present-day site of Asia-Afrika Street. Under Daendels' orders, R.A. Wiranatakusumah II, the chief administration of the Bandung regency at that time, moved its office from Krapyak, in the south, to a place near a pair of holy city wells (sumur Bandung), the present-day site of the city square (alun-alun). He built his dalem (palace), masjid agung (the grand mosque) and pendopo (public-official meeting place) in the classical orientation.[12] The pendopo faces Tangkuban Perahu mountain, which was believed to have a mystical ambience.
In 1880, the first major railroad between Batavia and Bandung was built,[13] boosting light industry in Bandung. Chinese workers from outside the city flocked in, to help run facilities, services and selling vendor machines. The old Chinatown district in Bandung is still recognisable in the railroad station vicinity. In 1906, Bandung was given the status of gemeente (municipality) and then later as stadsgemeente (city municipality) in 1926.
In the beginning of the 1920s, the Dutch East Indies government made plans to move the capital of Dutch East Indies from Batavia to Bandung. Accordingly, during this decade, the Dutch colonial government started building military barracks, the central government building (Gouvernments Bedrijven, the present-day Gedung Sate) and other government buildings. This plan, however, was cut short by World War II after which the Dutch were not able to re-established their colony.
The fertile area of the Parahyangan Mountains surrounding Bandung supports productive tea plantations. In the nineteenth century, Franz Junghuhn introduced the cinchona (kina) plant.[14] With its cooler elevated landscape, surrounded by major plantations, Bandung became an exclusive European resort area.[15] Rich plantation owners visited the city on weekends, attracting girls and businessmen from the capital, Batavia. Braga Street grew into a promenade street with cafes, restaurants and boutique shops. Two art-deco style hotels, Savoy Homann and Preanger, were built in the vicinity of the Concordia Society, a club house for the wealthy with a large ballroom and a theatre.[13] The nickname "Parijs van Java" was given to the city.
After the Indonesian Independence in 1945, Bandung was determined as the capital of West Java province. During the 1945–1949 independence struggle against the Dutch when they wanted to reclaim their colonies, Bandung was one of the heaviest battle places. The Dutch military commander set an ultimatum for the Indonesian combatants in Bandung to leave the city. In response, on 24 March 1946, much of the southern part of Bandung was deliberately set alight as the combatants left; an event known as the Bandung Lautan Api or 'Bandung Sea of Flame'.[16]
In 1955, the first Asian-African Conference -- also known as the Bandung Conference -- was held in Bandung, attended by head of states representing twenty-nine countries and colonies from Asia and Africa. The conference venue was at the Gedung Merdeka, the former Concordia Society building. The conference announced 10 points of declaration on world peace promotion and oppositions against colonialism, known as the Declaration of Bandung, which followed by wave of nationalism movements around the globe and remapped the world politics.[17] The conference was also the first international conference of people of color in the history of mankind.[18] Richard Wright in his book, The Color Curtain, captured the epic meanings of the conference for people of color around the world.[18]
In 1987, the city boundary was expanded with the Greater Bandung (Bandung Raya) plan; a relocation of higher concentration development outside the city in an attempt to dilute some of population in the old city. During its development, however, the city core is often uprooted, old faces are torn down, lot sizes regrouped, and what was idyllic residence is bustling chain supermarkets and rich banks.[15]
| List of Mayors | |
|---|---|
 Dutch-Indies |
|
| E.A. Maurenbrecher (exofficio) | 1906-1907 |
| R.E. Krijboom (exofficio) | 1907-1908 |
| J.A. van Der Ent (exofficio) | 1909-1910 |
| J.J. Verwijk (exofficio) | 1910-1912 |
| C.C.B. van Vlenier (exofficio) | 1912-1913 |
| B. van Bijveld (exofficio) | 1913-1917 |
| B. Coops | 1917-1920 First Mayor |
| S.A. Reitsma | 1920-1921 |
| B. Coops | 1921-1928 |
| Ir. J.E.A. van Volsorgen Kuhr | 1929-1935 |
| Mr. J.M. Wesselink | 1935-1937 |
| N. Beets | 1937-1942 |
 Japanese Occupation |
|
| Raden A. Atma dit Nata | 1942-1945 |
 Indonesia |
|
| Ir. Ukar Bratakusumah | 1946-1949 |
| R. Enoch | 1949-1956 |
| R. Priatna Kusumah | 1956-1966 |
| R. Didi Jukardi | 1966-1968 |
| Hidayat Sukarmadijaya | 1968-1971 |
| R. Otje Djundjunan | 1971-1976 |
| Ucu Junaedi | 1976-1978 |
| R. Husein Wangsaatmaja | 1978-1983 |
| Ateng Wahyudi | 1983-1993 |
| Wahyu Hamidjaja | 1993-1998 |
| Aa Tarmana | 1998-2003 |
| Dada Rosada | 2003-... |
| Source: official website[19] | |
The city area in 1906 was only 19.22 square kilometres and it has been expanded several times until the 1987 expansion into 167.2965 km².[7] The city administration is divided into 26 subdistricts (kecamatan) and 139 villages (kelurahan). A mayor (walikota) leads the city administration. Since 2008, the city residents directly voted for a mayor, while previously mayors were nominated and selected by the city council members or known as the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD). As of 2003, the total number of city administration personnel, including the mayor, is 20,163.[7]
In 2005 the population was 2,290,464, with a density of 13,693 people/km².[20] and by 2007 - 2,364,312 [21] making it the fourth most populous city in Indonesia, after Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan.
Most of Bandung population are of Sundanese descent. Javanese is largest minority, from nearby provinces and eastern part of Java. Notable minorities include Chinese Indonesians, Indian Indonesians, and Korean Indonesians.[22]
Bandung is renowned for its large stock of Dutch colonial architecture; most notably the tropical Art Deco architectural style. Henri Maclaine-Pont is among the first Dutch architects who realized how important to combine each architectural style with culture of local people. He stressed that modern architecture should be evolved from local history and native elements.[23] In 1920, Pont planned and designed buildings for the first technical university in the Dutch East Indies, Technische Hogeschool te Bandung (the present-day Institut Teknologi Bandung), after which he was named as a professor in architecture at the university. A striking local Javanese roof style is noticeably seen on top of the campus' ceremonial hall, embedded in his artwork.[23]
In the same year, another Dutch architect, J Gerber, designed Gouverments Bedrijven (Government Companies) in line with the colonial government plan to move the capital from Batavia to Bandung. The building is an example of a harmonious mixture between West and East architectural styles, particularly the Italian Renaissance style of arch structures in the west wing and Thailand's pagoda-like structures in the middle section.[citation needed] The building is known as Gedung Sate, named after the distinguished small satay shaped structure on the roof, and used as the head office of West Java provincial government and West Java's house of representative.
The modern and native architectural blending was followed by several Dutch architects that have shaped the city landmarks. In the 1930s, Bandung was known also as the city of architecture laboratory because of many Dutch architects made some experiments with new architectural designs. Albert Aalbers added the expressionist architecture style to the Art Deco by designing the DENIS bank (1936) and renovated the Savoy Homann Hotel (1939). C.P.W. Schoemaker was one of celebrated architects who strongly added native elements in his artworks, including the Villa Isola (1932), Hotel Preanger (1929), the regional military headquarter (1918), Gedung Merdeka (1921) and ITB Rectorate Building (1925).[23]
Bandung is the capital of West Java, a province of which most of its residents are mainly Sundanese people. Sundanese language is spoken as the first language and is commonly used as informal language for communication in streets, school, campus, work and markets, while Indonesian - Indonesia's national language and a lingua franca among its many ethnic units - is used as a second language and the language of government, businesses, and instruction at schools.
A popular traditional musical instrument is angklung, made of parallel bamboo tubes tuned to specific frequencies with a hammer and is shaken to produce certain notes. Music is performed by a choir of angklung players, each of whom are responsible for sounding certain notes. Its melody is only slightly different from that of Central Java's gamelan ensembles.
Bandung has served for popular weekend-break destination for people living in Jakarta for many reasons. The cooler climate of highland plantation area, the varieties of food, the cheaper fashion shops located in factory outlets and distros, golf courses, and the friendliness of local people have become the main attraction of the city.[24]
In the 1990s, local designers opened denim clothing stores along Cihampelas Street which gave Bandung another nickname, the "Tourist Shopping City" (Kota Wisata Belanja). It was a success as the-then residential street had been fully transformed into a "jeans street". The city attracts people from other big cities to buy local fashion wears, as they are cheaper than branded items.[25]
The city gained more shoppers to come when textile factories in the outskirt of Bandung opened a fashion store that sells their products directly from the factory. The products are tagged as sisa export (rejected or over-produced export quality items) and these shops are called factory outlets. The trend was followed by another factory outlets.[26]
Bandung is the home town of the soccer team Persib Bandung. Another soccer team Persikab is based in neighbouring town of Soreang, the capital city of Bandung Regency (Kabupaten Bandung) and Pelita Jaya Jawa Barat (PJJB) who share it's home base stadium with Persikab at Si Jalak Harupat stadium in Soreang and Pro Duta. Persib Bandung's home base stadium is Siliwangi Stadium.
Other popular sports in Bandung include badminton (see Taufik Hidayat, gold medal winner at the 2004 Summer Olympics) and basketball, a well known basketball team which taking part in IBL league is Garuda Flexi (formerly PanAsia). The roads leading up to Lembang and Dago are popular routes for mountain cycling during the weekend. In the hillside around Bandung, there are a couple of golf courses.
Professional hockey player Richie Regehr was born in Bandung. Richie played professional hockey for the Calgary Flames and currently plays for Eisbären Berlin of the DEL. Regehr was born to Canadian parents working as missionaries in Bandung.
Bandung has several local daily newspapers, including Pikiran Rakyat, Galamedia and Tribun Jabar.
Several local television station operate in Bandung, such as TVRI Bandung, Space Toon Bandung, Padjadjaran TV, Bandung TV and STV.
Many radio stations broadcast from Bandung.
Bandung can be accessed through 4 highways from Jakarta. An intercity toll highway, named as Cipularang toll road, connecting Jakarta, Karawang, Purwakarta, Padalarang and Bandung, has recently been completed in May 2005. It is currently the fastest way to go to Bandung from the capital. Driving time is about 1.5 hours on average. There are 3 other options: the Puncak route (Jakarta-Cianjur/Sukabumi-Bandung), Purwakarta route (Jakarta-Cikampek-Purwakarta-Cikalong Wetan-Padalarang-Cimahi-Bandung) and the Subang route (Jakarta-Cikampek-Subang-Lembang-Bandung). From eastern part of the cities (Cirebon, Tasikmalaya and Central Java province), Bandung can be accessed through the main provincial road.
The Pasupati bridge recently opened to the public, relieving traffic jams in the city for east-west transport. The 2.8 km cable-stayed bridge lies through the valley of Cikapundung. It is 30 to 60 metres wide and after extensive delays, its construction finally completed in June 2005, following financial investment from Kuwait.[27] The bridge is part of Bandung's comprehensive inner-city highways plan.
Taxis are widely available. The primary means of public transportation is by minibus, called angkot (from angkutan=transportation and kota=city). They serve certain routes throughout the city and are operated privately. To find exact angkot routes, information are available through the drivers or at terminals. City-owned buses, called DAMRI, operates on larger relatively long routes. Bandung has 2 intercity bus terminals: Leuwipanjang, serving buses from the west, and Cicaheum, serving buses from the east.
Bandung Husein Sastranegara International Airport serves direct flights to Batam, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Palembang and Padang and also international services from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore Changi Airport. The airport is located nearby the Dirgantara aerospace complex and Dirgantara Fairground.
Railway connects Bandung to Cianjur, Jakarta, Purwakarta, Bekasi, Karawang and Cikampek to the west, and Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Solo to the east. It is also the major means of transportation for people living in suburb areas of Cimahi, Padalarang, Rancaekek, Cicalengka and Cileunyi.
There are hundreds of public and private schools in Bandung. Like in other Indonesian cities, Bandung has several state-funded and administered junior high and high schools, called State Junior High Schools (SMP Negeri) and State High Schools (SMA Negeri), respectively. At least sixteen universities — three of which are state-owned universities — and 45 professional schools are scattered throughout the city. Education from social sciences, technology until tourism education can be found in one of those universities.
Among the several universities located in Bandung, Institut Teknologi Telkom (Telkom Institute of Technology), Institut Teknologi Bandung (Bandung Institute of Technology), Universitas Padjadjaran (University of Padjadjaran), Parahyangan Catholic University, and Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (Indonesia University of Education) also Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati (Sunan Gunung Djati Islamic State University), Politeknik Negeri Bandung (Bandung State Polytechnic) and Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung (Bandung Manufacture Polytechnic) are considered among the best universities in their respective fields of specialty in Indonesia. Established 1920, Institut Teknologi Bandung is Indonesia's oldest and most prestigious technical university. Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (formerly IKIP Bandung, established in 1954) is one of the first institutions of higher education established after Indonesian independence and is currently a leading education university in the country. Universitas Padjadjaran (established in 1956) is considered to be one of the best universities in the country in the fields of medical, law, communication, and economic studies.
In the north of Bandung, Bosscha Observatory is the only observatory in Indonesia. Construction of the observatory began in 1923 and was completed in 1928. In 1922, the first international publication from Bosscha Observatory was published and in 1959, the observatory was included as a part of the department of astronomy in the Institut Teknologi Bandung (Bandung Institute of Technology).
Bandung economy is mainly built upon tourism, manufacturing, textile/apparel, education institutions, technology, retail, services, plantation/agriculture, financial, pharmaceutical, food, among others. Those are the major investments and most popular fields/industries being sought here.[22]
Bandung has nearly 50 higher educational institutions and is among the most popular destination for education in Indonesia. Creative-based culture has shaped the basis of Bandung economy. The once quiet residential district of Dago has become an important business and entertainment centre. Chic cafes and restaurants are spreading out along Dago Street. In the early 1990s Cihampelas Street became a popular clothing store location.
The distro sell stylish non-trademarked products, made by local designers. Books, indie label records, magazines, fashion products and other accessories are typical distro products. After their products receive large teenagers attention, then these local designers make their own clothing company. Now, there are more than 200 local brand names in Bandung. Distro distance itself from factory outlet in term of its philosophy. Distros come from individual designers and young entrepreneurs, while factory outlet products come from a garment factory.[28]
The north of the city serves as a water reservoir for Bandung's 2 million people, however, the area has seen much residential development. Several attempts to reserve this area have been made, including the creation of reserves, such as the Juanda National Park and Puncrut, but the development continues. The real danger has come in the form of several floodings in Bandung's south.[29]
In the middle of 2006, Bandung faced another environmental disaster, as the city's land fill site was reevaluated after a landslide in 2005.[30] Collection of 8,000 m3/day domestic garbage piled up, causing air pollution, spreading of diseases, and water contamination. The provincial government eventually stepped in to solve the garbage issues.[31][32]
Bandung has sister relationships with a number of towns worldwide:
Cebu, Philippines
Braunschweig, Germany
Fort Worth, United States
Suwon, South Korea Hamamatsu, Japan
Bari, Italy
Topolcianky, Slovakia
Savannakhet, Laos
Udon Thani, ThailandThe Adipura consists of a trophy and an award.
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Bandung [1] is the capital city of West Java, Indonesia. Nicknamed Parijs van Java (Paris of Java) by the Dutch for its resemblance to Paris and European atmosphere back at the colonial times. Bandung also earned another nickname as Kota Kembang, literally meaning the Flower City since Bandung used to have a lot of flowers.
Located at the altitude of 768m with the surroundings of lush and beautiful Parahyangan mountains makes the climate mild and pleasant. The city has been well known for the universities, apparel products and a great place for gastronomic adventure. Nowadays, Bandung has become a very popular weekend escape for Jakartans, who would crowd the city on weekends and national holidays.
Although the oldest written reference to the city dates back to 1488, there were numerous archaeological finds of Australopithecus (Java Man) living on the banks of Cikapundung river and the shores of the Great Lake of Bandung.
In the 17th-18th century, the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) created small plantations in Bandung, with a road to Batavia (today's Jakarta) completed in 1786. In 1809, Louis Bonaparte, the ruler of the Netherlands and its colonies, ordered the Dutch Indies Governor H.W. Daendels to improve Java's defenses against the threat of the English, who occupied the nearby Malay peninsula. Daendels responded by building the Great Post Road (De Groote Postweg), stretched about 1000 km between the west and the east coasts of Java. As much of the north coast was impassable swamp and marsh at the time, the road was diverted through Bandung along what is now Jalan Asia-Afrika.
Daendels liked Bandung's strategic location so much that he ordered the capital to be moved there. Military barracks were built and Bupati Wiranatakusumah II, the chief administrator of that area, built his dalem (palace), Masjid Agung (the grand mosque) and pendopo (meeting place) in the classical Javan alun-alun (city square) near a pair of holy city wells (Sumur Bandung) and facing the mystical mountain of Tangkuban Perahu.
Powered by its cinchona (for malaria drug quinine), tea, and coffee plantations, Bandung prospered and developed into an exclusive European style resort with hotels, cafes and shops. Many of Bandung's landmarks, including the Preanger and Savoy Homann hotels as well as the shopping street of Jalan Braga, date to this time. The Concordia Society, now Gedung Merdeka, was built with a large ball room as a club for rich Europeans for their weekends.
In 1880, the first major railroad between Jakarta to Bandung was opened, boosting light industry and bringing in Chinese workers. The first of Bandung's universities, the Technische Hogeschool (TH) was established on July 3, 1920. Now known as the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), one of TH's alumni was the independence leader and first president Soekarno.
In 1942, after Japanese soldiers landed in coastal areas of Java, the Dutch retreated from Jakarta to Bandung, but were driven out from there as well and surrendered soon after. After the end of the war, the Dutch returned with a vengeance and on March 24, 1946, during the struggle for Indonesian independence, the city of Bandung was burned down by its own residents (Bandung Sea of Fire/Bandung Lautan Api) as a sign of refusal to surrender and over 200,000 people fled the city.
In 1955, the Asia Africa Conference (Konferensi Asia Afrika) was held in Bandung, paving the way for the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961 The Indonesian parliament was held in Bandung from 1955 to 1966, but was moved back to Jakarta in 1966.
Today's Bandung is a sprawling city of 2.7 million people and suffers from many of the same problems as other Indonesian cities. Traffic is congested, old buildings have been torn down and once idyllic residences turned into business premises.
Jalan Asia-Afrika, the former Grote Postweg, remains one of Bandung's main thoroughfares and connects together the alun-alun (city square) with many of the city's colonial landmarks.
Alone among Indonesia's large cities, Bandung is not by the seaside, but in the central highlands. Direct transport links are thus limited, and the easiest way to go to Bandung is via Jakarta, the Indonesian capital. On the upside, the connections are excellent and the trip up through the Parahyangan mountains is quite scenic.
Bandung's Hussein Sastranegara (IATA: BDO airport has a difficult location among the mountains and has only limited services with small planes. The airport is located at the end of Pajajaran Street, 4 km from the centre of the city. A metered taxi costs approximately US$1, but most hotels provide a free airport transfer services.
Some airlines serving Bandung:
There are no longer any scheduled services from Jakarta to Bandung, as both Merpati and Deraya have stopped their flights. Charter plane/helicopter service is still available if you really need a zippy connection.
Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport is about 3 hours away (plus any traffic jams). A number of companies offer direct shuttle services; see the next section for details.
Bus services connect Bandung and smaller surrounding cities. Several long-route buses are also available from major big cities. The most convenient way is the air-conditioned bus with the express or non-stop tag. The main bus terminals in Bandung are Leuwipanjang, serving buses from the west (Bogor, Jakarta, Merak, Pandeglang, Tangerang, Depok, Bekasi, Cikarang, Cibinong and Sukabumi.) and Cicaheum, serving buses from the east (Cirebon, Garut, Tasikmalaya, Banjar, Pangandaran, Indramayu, central Java cities, eastern Java cities and also from Bali Island).
With 7-10 seater minivans leaving every few minutes, the shuttle bus market between Jakarta and Bandung is fiercely competitive. Roughly speaking, services can be categorized as either door to door (chartered car or van that takes your group exactly where you want to go, for c. US$50-75) or point to point (from a terminal to another, for under US$10). Many companies offer both.
A select list of larger transportation companies:
Bandung is two hours away from Jakarta by car, thanks to the new Cipularang toll road that completes the inter-city highway between Jakarta and Bandung. It is now faster to travel to Bandung by car than by train from Jakarta.
During the rainy season, parts of the Cipularang toll road may be closed because of landslides. On weekends, traffic jams often occur near the toll gates in the Djunjunan/Terusan Pasteur area.
One alternative route is by the slower, but enjoyable, route from Jakarta - Puncak - Cianjur - Bandung. If you travel by car using this route, then make sure to stop at the Puncak Pass, the tip of the highland just on the outskirts of Jakarta. From here, the view of tea plantation with fresh air can be enjoyed. There are plenty of good restaurants and hotels out there.
There is also a beautiful safari park/zoo in Puncak: Taman Safari Indonesia, Jl. Raya Puncak No.601, Cisarua, Bogor 16750. Tel.: (62)(251) 250 000, Fax.: (62)(251) 250 555. [5].
State operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia [6] offers frequent services between Jakarta and Bandung, as well as connections onward to Surabaya. Evem the fastest services take almost three hours, making this a slower option than the shuttle buses, but the scenery between Jakarta and Bandung is beautiful. The railroad passes mountains and padi terraces. Don't miss this view when traveling by train. Use the AC (air-conditioned) coach if you cannot cope with the tropical heat. Most hotels in Bandung provide free transportation from train station to the hotel.
| Train names | Routes | Coaches | Duration | Price | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argo Gede | Gambir (Jakarta) - Bandung | EKS | 2h45m | Rp. 50,000 | 7 (M-F), 9 (Su/Sa) |
| Parahyangan | Gambir (Jakarta) - Bandung | EKS & BIS | 3h10m | Rp. 35,000 & Rp 20,000 | 9 (M-F), 11 (Su/Sa) |
| Argo Wilis | Gubeng (Surabaya) - Bandung | EKS | 13h | Rp. 220,000 | 1 |
| Turangga | Gubeng (Surabaya) - Bandung | EKS | 13h | Rp. 240,000 | 1 |
| Mutiara Selatan | Gubeng (Surabaya) - Bandung | BIS | 12h40m | Rp. 120,000 | 1 |
| Harina | Semarang - Bandung | EKS | 7h10m | Rp. 120,000 | 1 |
| Lodaya Malam | Balapan (Solo) - Bandung | EKS & BIS | 16h | Rp. 130,000 & Rp. 80,000 | 1 (night) |
| Lodaya Pagi | Balapan (Solo) - Bandung | EKS & BIS | 15h | Rp. 150,000 & Rp. 90,000 | 1 (daytime) |
| Parahyangan Cirebon | Cirebon - Bandung | EKS & BIS | 4h 6m | Rp. 40,000 | Mon to Fri (Start March 3) |
| Pasundan | Gubeng (Surabaya) - Bandung | EKO | 1 | ||
| Kahuripan | Kediri - Bandung | EKO | 1 | ||
| Sawunggalih Selatan | Kutuarjo - Bandung | EKO | 1 | ||
| Serayu | Kroya - Bandung | EKO | 6h 20m | 2x daily | |
| Serayu | Kota (Jakarta) - Bandung | EKO | 3h 15m | 2x daily | |
| Baraya Geulis | Padalarang - Bandung - Cicalengka | BIS | 1h 22m | Rp. 8,000 | Daily 10x to PDL; 2x to CLK |
| KA Cibatu | Purwakarta - Bandung | EKO | 1 | ||
| KA Cibatu | Cibatu - Bandung | EKO | 1 | ||
| KA Cianjur | Cianjur - Bandung | EKO | 2 | ||
| KRD Patas | Cicalengka - Bandung | EKO | 36m | 9x daily | |
| KRD Bandung Raya | Padalarang - Bandung - Cicalengka | EKO | 1h 19m | 9x daily |
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Some tips on using angkot:
|
Travelling around in Bandung is quite complex and frustrating, especially to newcomers. There is no mass rapid transit system, metro nor tram in Bandung. Locals travel using small public minibuses, known as angkot from angkutan=transport and kota=city.
This city transport has only origin and destination names on top. Sometimes with via description if there are more than one angkot route for a certain origin-destination route. There is no route description anywhere. For locals, it is somewhat amazing that they only memorize where and how the route of each angkot route.
Although there is an official price for angkot from organda (the local organization of these private city transport), sometimes price is based on how far you travel. It's better that you ask the driver or kernet (driver assistance) about the price to go to a location. To ask for an angkot to stop and pick you up, just raise your hand and they will stop. When you're inside and want to stop, just ask the kernet to stop. Or say 'kiri' (key-reey) or simply 'stop' out loud. It was easy to find a bell that you can press to stop but not anymore. Most angkot fare are ranging from 2000-3000 rupiah (about 25 cents USD) depends on the route and distance.
The official angkot routes are listed here [7].
If you don't know which angkot routes to take, then you can take a taxi. Officially, taxis use meters, but some taxi drivers may refuse to use meters and will charge you a fixed price instead. Don't be afraid to refuse and walk away, even locals are annoyed by this behaviour. Metered cabbies may also take you the long way to get more money. So be careful when travelling by taxi. The most reliable taxi company (i.e always use the meter, go straight to the destination) in Bandung is Blue Bird.
List of taxi companies in Bandung:
There are also some bus lines, but they don't cover the whole city. City buses usually cover long routes across the city from end-to-end; for example, from the north to the south and from the west to the east. The city bus is called DAMRI.
Using your own car or renting a car is probably the easiest and the most convenient way to travel around Bandung and surrounds. If you don't have a valid driving licence, then you can also rent a car with a chauffeur, which is very common for western travelers. Perhaps it is even better to rent a car from Jakarta. You can stop for one night in Puncak, Bogor or Sukabumi.
World-wide Car Rental companies are now available in major cities in Indonesia:
For Local Car Rental in Bandung:
Jakarta : (62) 21 - 4585 1575 Bandung : (62) (22) 204 0505
Note that traffic in Bandung is so complex and the city administration likes to make experiments about the traffic. There are lack of traffic signs and directions. Most major roads are one-way, which makes it difficult to turn around if you are lost. Be careful to enter a street that it might be a one-way street from the opposite direction and there is no no-entry sign. Then, there is a police hiding somewhere and at once he will pop up instantly to stop you, which finally you will have to pay him some money.
In the late 18th and early 19th century, as locals called it the bandoeng tempo doeloe (old Bandung) era, there were many buildings built with an art-deco style. The city that had served as a weekend resort for European rich men has made these type of buildings possible. Unfortunately the city administration has a tendency to create a modern look of the city with suspension bridge, banks, malls and commercial areas, instead of preserving old historical buildings. The non-profit organization Bandung Heritage Society [14] has been formed recently to save these jewels forever.
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Who is C.P.W. Schoemaker? Born in Ambarawa (Central Java) in 1882, Schoemaker has been renowned as the father of Bandung Art-Deco architectural style. He is famous for blending modern European architecture, but closely related to the tropical surroundings. This blending of ancient decorative elements and modern architectural features has made him the best Indonesian architect at that time. He later became a professor at the Institute Technology Bandung. Among of his student is ir. Soekarno, the first president of the Republic of Indonesia. He died in 1949 in the city that he loved and buried at the Pandu cemetery, Bandung. When visiting Bandung, don't forget to visit his residence at Jl. Sawunggaling 2, where its heroic renovation has been awarded by UNESCO. His artworks include: Gedung Merdeka, Villa Isola, facade of the Grand Preanger Hotel, Cipaganti mosque, Cathedral at Jl. Merdeka, Church at Jl. Wastukencana, the Majestic theater, Gedung PLN, Landmark building at Jl. Braga, etc. |
Make sure you see these buildings before they're gone.
Bandung has been the melting point between the local Sundanese culture and the high-end technology developed at the Institute Technology Bandung. There are some interesting places to visit:
There are many activities that you can do in the city or outside the city. As Bandung highland is surrounded by a string of mountains, activities in the outskirt of the city are mainly mountain resorts, adventures and outdoor sports. In the city, you can have culinary activities (see the Eat section) as there are so many food varieties, shopping with many clothing outlets and distros (see the Buy section) or just hanging around.
The ticket prices are based on the days, in which Monday as the cheapest ticket price, and weekends as the most expensive
More about Tangkuban Perahu
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 tourists miss this but it's probably the best part of
Tangkuban Perahu: Kawah Domas. A 30 min walk from
Kawah Ratu, track 1.3km down to Kawah Domas to get upclose and
personal with volcanic activity. K.Domas looks like hell on earth
and it's a must experience - bubbling mud, boiling hot water, and
hissing sulphur vapor. You can smell the sulfur, watch the hot
water springs very closely or even buy a boiled egg from the hot
surface. Don't forget, the hike up is as tiring as the way down so
it's best to avoid flip flops!
Getting to Tangkuban Perahu
From Bandung Indah Plaza (BIP), take an 'angkut' heading to "CAHEUM
- LEDENG". The angkut will stop you at Terminal Ledeng (IDR 3000).
From the terminal, take a mini van or 'Elep' towards Subang and get
down at Tangkuban Perahu (IDR 12000). From the entrance of
Tangkuban Perahu, it's another 4-5km hike up on a really bad road.
I've been told you could hire 'motorcycle cabs' to bring you up
though I have not verified that information. If you can ride a
motorcycle, it's a lot easier to rent one to get there.
Fashion shopping and its accessories is the main reason for many weekend travellers from Jakarta, because those items are expensive in Jakarta. Starting with denim (jeans) stores along Jln. Cihampelas in the 90s with unique facades to attract people, fashion stores grow rapidly into sisa exports (rejected export products), then factory outlets, now with the new trend is the distro (distribution outlets). Don't expect luxury labels, because you can find them in Jakarta.
During the quality inspection, some of the products might be rejected, or they may overrun the production quota. These residual products are sold with sisa export tags, because they were made for export, but couldn't pass through. Some of these items have Grade A (best quality, but overrun product) or Grade B (export quality, but do not pass QC) qualities. Don't be surprised to see made in Korea or made in Singapore in their tags. Sometimes you will see the original price, such as USD$65, but they sell it for Rp. 45.000,00 (US$ 4.50).
Enjoy bargain hunting! Take a careful inspection yourself. Check for below-standard/damaged items. Beware also for the fake products with branded name.}}
It was originally meant for export garment (textile) factories that open a store directly in their area so that they can sell with bargain prices. Since it was a big success, many factory outlets without the factory itself were opening in many places in the city, also with bargain price tags. To attract people, they decorated the store with many styles: the colonial style, an old Chinese dynasty, etc. Some stores even have a small food court.
Most of factory outlets are concentrated in Jl. Riau, Jl. Dago (Jl. Ir. H. Juanda) and around Jl.Sukajadi-Jl.Setiabudi area. Some of them are listed below:
Distros are a new phenomenon in Bandung where a shop sells stylish products that were made by local designers. They are served as a distribution store, because these local designers do not have their own marketing label yet. The products that are sold are books, indie label records, magazines and also other fashion products and accessories. After their products receive large attention, then they make their own clothing company. Now, there are more than 200 local brand names in Bandung. One thing that makes distros stand out from factory outlet is that distros come from individual designers and young entrepeneurs, while factory outlet products come from a garment factory.
Note that now distros are getting famous in Indonesia. The local branded name with free and independent motivation has been shifted. Be careful when buying in distros as the prices are increasing to a level almost the same as at boutique shops.
Some of Bandung distros: unkl347, Jl. Trunojoyo 4, Invictus,Jl.Pager gunung 13 and Jl.Trunojoyo 6 [21] Ouval Research, Jl. Buah Batu 64, No Label, Jl. Sumatra 24, Blackjack, Jl. Trunojoyo, Screamous, Jl. Trunojoyo, Badger, Jl. Trunojoyo, Airplane,"starseeker","oglea", "Blankwear" Jl. Sultan Agung, Cosmic, Jl. Trunojoyo, Green Light, Bandung Indah Plaza Lt. 2 and Jl. Buah Batu, Temple, Jl. Dipatiukur, Skaters, Bandung Indah Plaza Lt. 2, Jl. Cihampelas and Jl. Raya Lembang, Black ID, Jl. Lombok and Paris Van Java Mall.
Bandung is a heaven for food lovers who enjoy new experiences. There are a lot of varieties, not only local cuisine but international ones. You can find any food you want for any kind of taste. Do note, that most eateries in Bandung focus on creating new variations, not making sure it tastes good.
Everybody has their own favourites. One page is not enough to list all food stalls, food courts, restaurants and cafes in Bandung. Here are some lists that are popular or have a long history.
Have been around for years and still famous for their delicious food:
For those who want a breathtaking view, eat in a local Sundanese village or have romantic international cuisine. Don't expect the taste to be half as good as the view and experience though.
Sunda is the ethnic name of the local people living in West Java. Sundanese food has some distinctive features than other ethnics. It mainly consists of fried fish, pepes ikan (steamed fish in a banana leaf), raw vegetables and chili pastes. To try these type of foods, there are numerous Sundanese restaurants. Some with famous name has many branches in Bandung and the vicinity. Some of the popular ones are:
Food in Bandung does not stop at the restaurants/cafes. There are plenty of bakeries in the city that you can buy some pastries. Some of them have high popularities that you must take a queue even before the shop is open in the morning.
Pastry
Ice cream
As the sale of alcoholic drinks is to be banned at public restaurants (although you can find them in upscale public restaurants), it will be difficult to find liquor, except at bars, night clubs, hotels and 24-hour mini markets. However, drinking fresh icy yogurt or juice is very tempting, especially after spending a day in a hot sun. These are some famous drinking places to try:
For alcoholic drinks you can buy it in these stores:
North Bandung / Dago / Jl. H. Juanda:
Central Bandung:
Cimbuleuit:
Other:
Cihampelas :
There are some sidetrips to the mountain range surrounding Bandung:
| This is a guide article. It has a variety of good, quality information including hotels, restaurants, attractions, arrival and departure info. Plunge forward and help us make it a star! |
Category: Guide articles
   | www.bandung.go.id - Website Resmi Pemerintah Kota Bandung |
| | Bandung Heritage Society - Bandung Heritage Society - Home |
| | An Extremely Brief Urban History of Bandung - Bandung - A Brief History |
| | Bandung and Bekasi the Dirtiest Metropolitan - ANTARA News: Portal Berita Indonesia |
| | On the geomorphological development of Pawon Cave, west of Bandung, and the evidence finding of prehistoric dwelling cave - On the Geomorphological Development of Pawon Cave in Western Bandung, and Its Implication to the Possibilities as |
| | Official tourism site - Bandung Tourism official website |
| | Universitas Katolik Parahyangan - UNPAR | Universitas Katolik Parahyangan |
| | Institut Teknologi Nasional - Itenas · Home Itenas.ac.id · Selamat Datang di Institut Teknologi Nasional |
| | Institut Teknologi Bandung - ITB | Institut Teknologi Bandung |
| | Kusnet - Sundanese Community in Internet - KUSNET - Komunitas Urang Sunda di Internet - Tepas |
| | Universitas Padjajaran - Universitas Padjadjaran | Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia | To Be Recognized as World Class University |
| | Universitas Pasundan - Sistem Informasi Terintegrasi Universitas Pasundan |
| | Bandung Fe Institute - Bandung Fe Institute - 2009 - Welcome |
| | Official tourism site - bandung hotels, tourism, travel, West Java Indonesia - Home |
| | Expat living in Bandung - Expat Living in Bandung - housing - churches - community organizations |
| | Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung - www.polman.com - Home |
| | DPRI Newsletter No. 2 - DPRI Newsletter No.2 |
| | SMU Negeri 2 Bandung - www.sma2bandung.com |
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