Bandung is not the city in Java that most tourists would plan their trip around. That distinction easily goes to Yogyakarta further east, which is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites — including Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world.
Between Yogyakarta’s ancient temples and the volcano sunrises and waterfall hikes around Malang, there is so much to cover in Java — so I get why Bandung is often overlooked. However, if you have at least a night or two to spare, Bandung can be a highly rewarding stop. It’s much more approachable than Jakarta while having several solid day trips to volcanoes, jungles, and tea fields. And the best part is that you’re exploring a little off the usual path.
Most sights around Bandung aren’t as often visited by international travellers, so I felt like I was seeing a part of Java that isn’t in the typical highlight reels. Several times I was approached by strangers who were just curious to talk to a foreign visitor. (This is common throughout Indonesia, but much less so in the typical tourist hotspots.)
The logistics used to push travellers straight past Bandung on to Yogyakarta. But in recent years, the backpacker trail seems to be routing increasingly through it and not around it. This is surely due to the Whoosh high speed rail from Jakarta, which reduced a previously 4-6 hour journey (depending on traffic) into a quick 40-minute, well, whoosh. That makes it a much easier add-on to a Java itinerary.
Curious? Let me share everything I learned so you can have the best possible stay in Bandung.
North vs south Bandung
Even though Bandung is Java’s 3rd biggest city, the cooler highland climate and the large student population give Bandung a reputation as being much more relaxed than Jakarta and Surabaya. While it’s still a sprawling place, the many trendy cafes and interesting Art Deco architecture give it a much more welcoming character than the rather unforgiving capital.
However, it’s important to understand that Bandung is effectively a city of two halves, with the dividing line being more or less the railway line that connects to Bandung Central Station. Knowing this is key to deciding where to stay.
The south is largely flat, very sprawly, and it’s a feast of traffic for the most part. Although it’s home to the historic Braga shopping and nightlife district, which I talk about further below, apart from this I would say it’s not the most interesting side.
The north meanwhile is very hilly, filled with trees, and it’s the more trendy and student-y part of town since this is where most of the Technology Institute’s faculties are located. I ended up staying at a hostel in a residential neighborhood in the north and loved this area. It was a 30 minute taxi drive from the train station, but it was worth it for being based here.
I should say though there isn’t just one central cluster of shops or cafes around here. A lot of things are a fair distance apart, so it’s helpful to have a moped/scooter, or you can get around with Gojek or Grab ride-hailing (if you’re travelling solo, you can easily go on the back of moto-taxis, which arrive very quickly and may even let you skip past some of the car traffic).
If you’re interested in knowing more about Bandung’s urban layout, you might also want to listen to the Invisible Cities podcast (see Spotify, Apple), which did an entire episode on it. It’s co-hosted by Dustin Kemp, who also happens to be on the Indie Traveller writing team.
Cute cafe tip: In north Bandung I loved going to Kurokoffee for excellent coffee and rice bowls. The whole place is Miyazaki-themed (My Neighbor Totoro, etc.) and there’s a wonderfully green and calm garden. It’s the perfect oasis to recover from the more chaotic central Bandung.
Staying at D&D Backpackers
When I first visited Bandung in 2024, D&D Backpackers Guesthouse was the only proper hostel in town. It seems like they truly put Bandung on the travel map, because as I write this in 2026 there are at least half a dozen hostels available. Although the hostel selection has grown, D&D is still the highest-rated on Hostelworld.
The owner of D&D Backpackers actually once managed a collection of hostels in and around Bali, but had to let go of all of them during the pandemic. He’d almost given up on the hostel business until friends persuaded him to start over. He chose to open a new hostel, this time in his home city of Bandung, where there wasn’t so much of an established hostel scene. And I think he succeeded in creating one from scratch.
Built inside a residential house, D&D feels like a classic travellers’ hostel, with a homely feeling that brings people together. I often ended up having drinks both with other guests and the local staff in the garden.
Every night the hostel summons a merry band of ‘friends of the hostel’ with scooters to take everyone into town for an impromptu street food dinner, followed by a walking tour. This activity is free and it kicked off so organically that it really just felt like some friends hanging out.
Apart from the nightly ride into town, D&D Backpackers runs two alternating tours during the day, one to south Bandung, the other to the sights to the north.
As you can probably tell, staying at D&D really elevated my experience in Bandung (note that this is just my opinion, nothing sponsored). Since Bandung is often a stopover, the way this hostel is set up makes it easy to experience some highlights even if you have one or two nights. If you’re not into hostels, I do have other suggestions below.
Things to do in Bandung
See the colonial architecture
Bandung was originally planned as a Dutch administrative hub during the colonial times, with plans to move the capital here from Batavia (what is now Jakarta). As such you can find an unusual number of buildings from this era, much more so than in other cities like Malang or Yogyakarta.
While the old town in Jakarta features buildings going back to the 17th century, in Bandung it’s mostly more modern 19th and 20th century architecture, including many designs following the ‘Tropical Art Deco’ style.
Since I’m Dutch, it was quite surreal for me to see buildings that would fit perfectly somewhere in the Netherlands, such as what is now the Hotel Savoy Homann. If I just looked straight at the hotel and ignored the scooter traffic and the distant smell of grilled sate, I could swear I was in a suburb of Amsterdam.
While this is architecturally interesting, the colonial period was of course terrible for Indonesia, as is increasingly acknowledged in Dutch society today. If you’re interested in this subject, I highly recommend the award-winning book Revolusi, available in English, which gives a phenomenal account of the Dutch colonial times and the eventual independence revolution. Since I was reading this book during my Java journey, a lot more of the sights and stories I got during walking tours (of Bandung and elsewhere) clicked into place.
Reserve your FREE walking tour with Anam: Bandung truly comes to life with an expert guide. Check this storytelling tour of Bandung’s soul, run by a passionate local who knows the side inside out. It’s free to book, then pay-what-you-want at the end.
Gedung Sate and museum
The “Sate building” was once the seat of government and is a beautiful example of Dutch-Indonesian architecture. (Funnily enough it’s named after sate, the typical Indonesian meat skewer, due to the six ornamental ‘skewers’ on top.)
Partially still used as a government office, it’s now also a museum, letting you learn more about the history and culture of Bandung and West Java. It’s honestly a fairly small museum, but at a cost of just 5000 IDR I couldn’t complain.
Most guides describe this as a very calm museum, though I happened to visit while a school trip was taking place and was besieged by numerous children insisting to take pictures with me — a situation that is sometimes unavoidable in Java, but which can be fun if you lean into the vibe.
The Gudung Sate museum covers mostly the heritage of the building and includes modern displays such as touch screens and augmented reality (AR).
Visit the Lembur Katumbiri rainbow village
Mirroring the similar (and more online-famous) initiative in Malang, the city government of Bandung repainted 347 houses using 504 gallons of paint, while commissioning murals by local artist John Martono depicting nature, local history, and social commentary.
The intention of the project was to revitalize an underprivileged area by bringing in tourists. The area is fun to explore and, of course, can make for some eyecatching social media backdrops.
The Lembur Katumbiri village is free to enter, reached via a 700-meter walk from the main road along the river, and residents have opened small warungs and cafes in some of the repainted houses.
Jalan Braga
Braga street is one of the liveliest spots in Bandung, which is fun to check out by day but especially at night if you’re looking to grab some drinks in town.
Jalan Braga itself is one specific street, but the Braga name has been extended into a brand for the whole shopping/nightlife area. Here you’ll find many lowrise heritage houses home to boutique shops, cafes, and bars.
Since Bandung has a major student population, there seems to be always something happening here. Even on a Tuesday night, I passed several places with live music.
Going out is an alcohol-free affair for many locals, so socializing centers often mostly around the many coffee shops. However, plenty of bars serving alcoholic drinks do exist, such as LB Cafe, I Am Beer, and the Elite Bar & Lounge.
Outside Bandung (south)
About an hour southwest of Bandung is a cluster of interesting sights, which I tackled all together on a single day using a tour organized by the D&D hostel. You can get a similar experience by booking a tour via online platforms (I’ve linked two tours below with a similar itinerary to mine).
The sights are in various places and the roads leading out of Bandung are very busy, so it’s easier to do this in an organized way rather than trying to do it yourself. You could also rent a motorbike or moped and DIY it though; the roads do get more rural and quiet once you’re past Soreang.
White Crater (Kawah Putih)
This is the big standout sight – a volcanic crater lake that due to the mineral composition appears to be almost cyan. A wooden walkway leads you into the lake, where you can see sulphuric steam billowing from the vents. Note that since there is a lot of particulate matter in the air, you’re officially supposed to spend not more than 20 minutes or so here.
You might notice a lot of scorched trees around the lake – these died off due to the toxicity of the soil around the volcano. When mist covers some of the lake, the gnarly blackened branches give it a spooky atmosphere.
The viewing platform by the lake is where everyone goes for selfies. However, I recommend hiking up the higher viewpoint on the crater wall. It will give you a much more expansive view from above.
It seems few foreigners visit Kawah Putih, but clearly it’s a big domestic tourism draw, with a fleet of orange minivans at the entrance ready to take visitors to the actual site. I went on a weekday when it was quiet, but judging by the on-site transport available, I’d expect it to be very busy on weekends.
Rengganis Suspension Bridge
Fromthe rocky and desolate-looking volcanic landscapes, it’s just a short 40-minute hop to lush, dense jungles — which you can see perfectly from this canopy walk.
At 370 meters long, the Rengganis Suspension Bridge is actually the longest suspension bridge in Southeast Asia. You’ll get some great views of the forest, just know that the gentle swaying of this footbridge may be a challenge if you have any fear of heights.
Beyond the bridge is a fun hanging basket zip line that will take you down into the valley to the Kawah Rengganis Hot Springs. Here you’ll find several pools of hot thermal waters where you can relax. I was with a guide who took us to a muddy area a bit further back, where we could slather ourselves fully in the supposedly medicinal mud, before washing off in the thermal waters.
The setup at the hot spring is pretty basic, so don’t expect some kind of luxury wellness resort here (it doesn’t really look like the picture you see on Google maps, which I suspect is AI enhanced). It’s just a few changing rooms and some natural pools with murky waters, plus one actual bath where some concrete walls were constructed. It can be pretty fun though, especially if you’re with a group.
Tea plantations
Because of the highland climate, tea grows very well in this region. All around the southwest of Bandung you can find gently undulating green hills with what appear to be long lines carved along them — the paths in between the rows of tea plants. Some of the tea plantations offer tours, sometimes combined with strawberry picking.
Personally, I ended up hiking through tea fields on the way to the White Crater — see this pin — so if you just want to see some tea landscapes it can be easily combined.
Patenggang Lake
This lake among the pine trees is clearly a popular leisure spot for locals — a place to picnic, kayak around the lake, or stay at one of the glamping sites. I can definitely see the appeal for someone living in Bandung, though it was probably the least interesting site for me personally.
Squint your eyes and the lake and pine forest surroundings may look like Ireland, which maybe isn’t as exotic as some of the tropical rainforests around Java.
I did enjoy seeing a restaurant in the shape of a huge ship with several decks overlooking the lake. It looked literally like a big wooden boat that had somehow gotten stranded on top of a hill. While I can’t vouch for the food, just the novelty factor made it fun to check out.
Outside Bandung (north)
North of Bandung there is another cluster of day-trip attractions, mostly within 30 to 60 minutes of the city. The big sight is Tangkuban Perahu, an active volcano where you can walk right up the main crater. There are also hot springs, a floating market, and an orchid forest, among other pins on the map.
I should say though that I only had time to visit the sights south of Bandung. Since I don’t want to write about places I haven’t been, I’ll refer to some other blog I like for info on the northern highlights:
- Snoezels on the road has a section on north Bandung
- Things to do In Bandung at the Travel Intern has some other ideas I didn’t see anywhere else.
Getting in and out
Reaching Bandung got much easier ever since the new high-speed railway between Jakarta and Bandung was opened in 2023. The trip now takes only about 30-40 minutes, down from 4 hours or more in the past. You can easily book the Whoosh high speed train via 12Go.
Just know that it departs from Halim in Jakarta, which is not connected to any other public transport, so you’ll have to go there by taxi/Grab first. In Bandung it also doesn’t stop in the city center, but pretty far outside of it. However, you can take one of the free feeder trains to Bandung Central. (They ‘feed’ the high-speed line with passengers from the center.)
So, point-to-point it may still take more than an hour to get between Jakarta and Bandung, but that’s still speedy enough to make it a convenient stop in your Java itinerary without needing to take any detour.
Bandung is well-serviced by all sorts of bus, train, and minivan connections. I personally love to travel by train in Java for the scenic views and high level of comfort. The regular-speed train line between Bandung and Yogyakarta runs through some particularly beautiful mountainous terrain, especially for the first 2 to 3 hours starting from Bandung.
You can read more tips on how to travel Java by train here, which explains everything from how to convert your reservations into final tickets at the stations, to how to get the best seats.
