Bandung/Central

By car

Many roads in the city centre of Bandung have one-way traffic, and driving to your destination may therefore require careful planning. Some of the main roads into Central Bandung include Jl. Pajajaran from the airport in Northwest Bandung and Jl. Ir. H. Juanda (Dago Road) from North Bandung, as well as the original Great Post Road, which is now known as Jl. Jendral Sudirman in the west, Jl. Asia Afrika in the centre, and Jl. Jendral Gatot Subroto in the east.
On-street parking is not allowed on major roads. There is a parking garage under the Alun-alun square, and the various shopping centres also have their own parking facilities. In Jalan Braga and a few other streets, prepaid parking meters have been installed.

By train

Bandung is served by long-distance trains to and from for example Jakarta and Yogyakarta. There are also local trains from suburbs such as Cimahi. However, for a tourist it's often easier to use buses and angkots (public minivans) for travelling within the city.

• Bandung railway stationAlso know as Hall station, this is central station where both local and long-distance trains stops.

• Ciroyom railway stationOnly served by local trains.

By bus

For getting around in Bandung by public transport, you can take a bus or angkot (public minivan). Angkots follow a fixed route (there are various routes throughout the city), but there is no fixed schedule and there are no fixed stops. To get on, simply raise your hand. To get off, shout "Kiri!" to the driver, so he will pull over on the left (Indonesian: kiri) side of the road. The price of an angkot ride within the city is usually about Rp2,000 to 5,000. It is best to ask a local which angkot route to take, and how to recognise the location you want to get off.
The main bus and angkot stops in Central Bandung are Stasiun Hall (behind the main railway station), Terminal Ciroyom (next to Ciroyom railway station), and (southside of the city centre, also known as Abdul Muis). From all of these locations, there are angkot in all directions to destinations throughout the city. From Stasiun Hall there are also angkot to the suburbs of Cimahi (24 hours per day) and Lembang. There are also buses, operated by DAMRI, that run to Cimahi from the Alun-alun square.

Landmarks and monuments

• Prayudi Setiadharma

  Kilometre Zero

  address: Jl. Asia Afrika
  In 1808, the Great Post Road across Java was built (the section in Bandung's city centre is now called Jalan Asia Afrika). It is said that when Governor-General H.W. Daendels of the Dutch East Indies travelled along the route, he said at the place where the road crosses the Cikapundung river: "Make sure that a city has been built here, when I return." At that location the a 'Kilometre Zero' milestone was placed, and until today this is used as the zero-point of Bandung and the wider region. Apart from the milestone, there is a commemorative plaque.
• Nuroni

  Alun-alunThe alun-alun is the large central open lawn square, as most Indonesian cities, towns, and villages have. Bandung's alun-alun is just west of the Kilometre Zero, on the southside of the Jalan Asia Afrika. Bandung's alun-alun has been renovated in 2015 using synthetic grass, and it is a popular place for locals to get together. Hawkers sell many types of snacks and toys for children. There is an underground parking garage below the square. On the northern side (Jl. Asia Africa), most days there'll be some youngsters hanging out dressed up in fancy costumes (cosplay) that are happy for a donation when you take pictures with them.

• Grand Mosque

  phone: +62 878 8084 7423
  address: Jl. Asia Afrika
  The provincial mosque of West Java. The first 'Great Mosque' (Masjid Agung) of Bandung was constructed in 1812, shortly after the founding of the city. Throughout the 19th century, it was gradually expanded and renovated, and in 1930 the front porch was refurbished with a design by Henri Maclaine Pont, who also designed the ITB campus in North Bandung. However, during the renovation and expansion of 1955, the year of the Bandung Conference, most of the mosque's features from before Indonesian independence were demolished. The latest major renovation took place in 2001-2003, when the main circular dome was built, and the two iconic minarets were added. The minarets were planned to be 99 metres high each, but this would result in restrictions for the airport in Northwest Bandung, so it was reduced to 81 metres. After this renovation, the mosque became the official provincial mosque, and its name was changed from Great Mosque to Grand Mosque. During weekends, one of the minarets is open to visitors. A quick elevator brings visitors to the top floor, which gives a great view across the city.

Museums

• sbamueller

  Museum of the Asian-African Conference

  phone: +62 22 423 3564
  address: Jl. Asia-Afrika No. 65
  The Merdeka Building was built in 1895, but completely refurbished in 1920 to a design by Dutch architect Charles P. Wolff Schoemaker, as a club house for the Concordia Society of rich colonials. The building was renovated in 1940 by A.F. Aalbers, the architect of the Savoy Homann hotel across the street. The building was renamed Gedung Merdeka ('Independence Building') after Indonesian independence, and was the venue of the 1955 Bandung Conference, the first meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (the Asian-African Conference). Now, the building houses a museum on that conference.

• Museum Mandala Wangsit Siliwangi

  phone: +62 22 420 3393
  address: Jl. Lembong No. 38
  Arms museum. The building was constructed around 1910 in Romanticist style, and was the house of Dutch army major general H. ter Poorten. The collection consists mainly of weapons used during the Japanese invasion and the Indonesian War of Independence, as well as items related to certain events that happened during these wars, such as the Bandung Lautan Api incident of 1946, when Indonesian nationalists on purpose burned down large parts of South Bandung.

Colonial architecture

There are many colonial buildings in Central Bandung, especially in Jalan Braga and its vicinity (Jl. Asia Afrika to the south and Jl. Merdeka to the north). Some of the colonial buildings are very famous, while others are relatively unknown. A walk in this area will lead you along dozens of colonial buildings.

• Gunawan Kartapranata

  Savoy Homann Hotel

  address: Jl. Asia-Afrika No. 112
  The Savoy Homann is the true grand old hotel of Bandung. The current building was designed by Dutch architect A.F. Aalbers in art-deco style, and built in 1939. One of the famous guests of the hotel during the colonial era was Charlie Chaplin. After Indonesian independence, the Savoy Homann hosted the delegations of the 1955 Asian-African conference, which was held across the street in Gedung Merdeka. Some of the guests included Soekarno, Ho Chi Minh, and Tito. It is still one of the most famous hotels of Bandung. In addition to staying in one of its rooms (see the Sleep section below), you can also visit the building to admire its art-deco architecture and the classic interior decoration.

• Grand Hotel Preanger

  address: Jl. Asia-Afrika No. 81
  Although less well-known than the Savoy Homann, also the Preanger hotel has a history dating back to the 19th century. The current building dates from 1925 and is based on a design by Dutch architect C.P.W. Schoemaker. The facade combined art deco style with local cultural elements, which was a controversial issue at the time of building.

• Kodam III/Siliwangi

  address: Jl. Aceh / Jl. Kalimantan
  Built in 1910-1915 as the Departement van Oorlog (Department of War) of the Dutch East Indies. The New Indies Style building is now used as the headquarters of the Kodam III/Siliwangi military district formation, covering the provinces of West Java and Banten.

• Gedung Pakuan

  address: Jl. Cicendo No 1
  Built 1864-1867 as the new residence of the resident of the residency of Parahyangan, as its capital was moved from Cianjur to Bandung. The Indies Empire style building is nowadays used as the official residence of the governor of West Java province.

• Toko De Vries

  address: Jl. Asia Afrika No. 100
  Known as the first department store of Bandung, Warenhuis De Vries (in Dutch) was established in 1895, and the building in (Old) Indies Style was built in 1899. After Indonesian independence, the building remained in use as a shop, but by the 1990s it became unused. In 2010, the building has been renovated (including the lettering of "Warenhuis De Vries"), and is now in use by a bank.

• Bala Keselamatan

  address: Jl. Jawa No. 20
  The headquarters of the Salvation Army of the Dutch East Indies was built in 1920. The building is still in use as the headquarters of the Indonesian Salvation Army.

• DENIS Bank Building

  address: Jl. Naripan No. 12-14
  The headquarter of De Eerste Nederlandsch-Indische Spaarkas ('The First Dutch East Indies Savings Bank', DENIS) was built in 1935 to a design by Dutch architect A.F. Aalbers in art-deco style, with a horizontal side with smooth curves, and a lift tower that is higher than the six floors of the rest of the building. The design was much appreciated, and therefore Aalbers also received the contract to design the new Savoy Homann hotel building. After Indonesian independence, DENIS Bank was nationalised, and nowadays the building is the headquarters of the BJB Bank (the regional bank for Western Java).

• Insulinde

  address: Jl. Braga No. 135
  A design by architect Wolff Schoemaker. Built as the headquarters of the Insulinde oil factory. Nowadays in use as the headquarters of the BJB Syariah bank.

• Bandung Cathedral

  phone: +62 22 423 5537
  address: Jl. Merdeka No.14
  Church building designed by Wolff Schoemaker in Neogothic style, built in 1921.

• Bethel Protestant Church

  phone: +62 22 420 1794
  address: Jl. Wastukencana No. 1
  Another church designed by Wolff Schoemaker, this protestant church was built in 1924.

• New Majestic

  phone: +62 22 420 0504
  address: Jl. Braga No. 1
  Cinema building designed by Wolff Schoemaker, built in 1924. Now the building is used as a restaurant, and sometimes as a concert venue.

• Santa Angela School

  address: Jl. Merdeka No. 24
  Private Catholic school, founded by Dutch Ursuline nuns in 1905, adjacent to the Ursuline convent. The building was constructed in 1922.

• SMP Negeri 5

  address: Jl. Sumatera No. 40
  The main junior high school in colonial Bandung, built in 1920. The building is still in use as junior highschool (SMP).

• "Ade Irma Suryani Nasution" Traffic Park

  phone: +62 22 420 1667
  address: Jl. Belitung No. 1
  Recreation park in the heart of the city, for children to learn about traffic signs and rules. Children can ride around by mini-cars or bicycles. The park is located in a green garden space that used to be part of the command centre of the Dutch East Indies army.

Shopping malls

• Bandung Indah Plaza

  phone: +62 22 423 0850
  address: Jl. Merdeka No. 56
  Typical Indonesian city mall with an Empire XXI cinema, a family karaoke (KTV), large supermarket, department store, and a range of middle class shops and reasonably priced cafés and restaurants.

• Braga City Walk

  phone: +62 22 426 0533
  address: Jl. Braga, No. 99-101
  Small mall right in the heart of Bandung. The number of shops is limited, but there are various cafés and restaurants, and a cinema.

• Pasar Baru Trade Center

  address: Jl. Otto Iskandar Dinata
  Very large shopping centre. One of the oldest shopping locations of Bandung, the Pasar Baru ('new market') was established in the 19th century. Nowadays, it is a centre with hundreds of small shops on 8 floors.

• Istana Bandung Electronic Center

  phone: +62 22 4205100
  address: Jl. Purnawarman No. 13-15
  Five floors of electronics shops, and a food court.

• Paskal Hyper Square

  phone: +62 22 8606 1098
  address: Jl. Pasirkaliki
  Open-air shopping centre with various shops, cafés, restaurants, a foodcourt, KTV, and the Amnesia night club.

Local handicrafts and souvenirs

• Toko Sin Sin

  phone: +62 22 4238574
  address: Jl. Braga 59
  Sells various high quality handicraft and souvenirs, including wayang golek (wood puppet), wayang kulit (leather puppet), angklung, leather and crocodile skin handicraft (mostly bags, wallets, and belts), wood carvings, Indonesian traditional silverworks, paintings, and even Indonesian furniture. This is a shop with very long history, started even before Indonesia gained independence.

• Cupumanik

  phone: +62 22 423 9456
  address: Jl. H. Akbar No. 10
  Centre for wayang golek (traditional Sundanese wooden doll puppets).

• Elizabeth

  phone: +62 22 520 1125
  address: Jl. Otto Iskandar Dinata No.520
  Leather handicrafts, including shoes, bags and other accessories. Elizabeth was founded in Bandung in 1963, and now has stores throughout Indonesia.

Budget

• Lotek Kalipah Apo 42

  phone: +62 22 420 5983
  address: Jl. Kalipah Apo No. 42
  Established in the 1960s. Specialty is lotek, Bandung-style vegetable salad with peanut sauce.

• Sate Kardjan

  phone: +62 815 1756 9256
  address: Jalan Pasirkaliki No 25-27
  Lamb satay speciality, since 1970. Try sate buntel (a grilled minced lamb meat), tongseng (lamb meat in a coconut milk soup), nasi goreng kambing (fried rice with lamb) or sate cempe (satay from 10 month old lamb).

• Soto Ojolali

  phone: +62 22 4202907
  address: Jalan Cibadak No.79 -81
  Selling a variety of soups since the 1940s, specialties are Soto Bandung and Soto Jakarta.

• Warung Nasi Ampera

  phone: +62 22 423 9217
  address: Jl. Dalem Kaum Gg Kaum No 54/15A
  Ampera is a chain of Sundanese restaurants established in Bandung. Nowadays, there are dozens of branches across the city and Western Java.

Mid-range

• Batagor Kingsley

  phone: +62 22 420 7104
  address: Jalan Veteran No. 25
  Batagor and siomay.

• Kedai Nyonya Rumah

  phone: +62 22 421 0426
  address: Jl. Naripan No. 92C
  Serves Indonesian and Western food.

Splurge

• Atmosphere Resort Cafe

  phone: +62 22 426 2815
  address: Jl. Lengkong Besar No. 97

• Grand Eastern

  phone: +62 22 4200580
  address: Jalan Pasirkaliki No. 18

Snacks, ice cream, and pastry

• Kartika Sari

  phone: +62 22 423 1355
  address: Jalan Haji Akbar No. 4
  The primary brand for local Bandung pastries. A wide selection of pastries, but the most famous include its lapis cakes; the cheese sticks; keju bagelen; and the special pisang mollen, a round bread stuffed with banana that you can choose with or without choose. The main store is in Jalan H. Akbar near the main railway station, but there are several more branches throughout the city.

• Martabak Canada

  phone: +62 815 6059 598
  address: Jl. Kebon Kawung
  A wide variety of martabak manis sweet stuffed pancakes and martabak asin salty stuffed pancakes.

• Rasa Bakery

  phone: +62 22 420 5330
  address: Jl. Tamblong No. 15
  One of the most well known ice cream parlors in Bandung. Home made for your sweet tooth.

• Soes Merdeka

  phone: +62 22 4235534
  address: Jl. Merdeka No. 25-29
  The outlet has a legacy of its kue soes, a puff pastry with sweet fillings, but its specialty includes a rum filling.

• Sumber Hidangan

  phone: +62 22 4236638
  address: Jl. Braga 20
  The bakery was opened as Het Snoephuis (The Candy House) in 1929. The interior is still pretty much the same as it was in earlier times. Breads and cookies' still retain their names on display in Dutch, such as zwieback, roomsoes, krentenbrood, saucijzenbrood, suiker hagelslaag. Its old-time ambience and original menu attracts tourists and long-time patrons. While the premise may look like a run down but the elderly long-time working staffs suggest that they have authenticity in mind. If you are fed up with pastries, its ice cream and steak should perk you up.

Bars and night clubs

• Amnesia Club

  phone: +62 22 8606 0711
  address: Paskal Hypersquare, Jl. Pasir Kaliki
  Large nightclub frequented by students as well as expats and tourists.

• North Sea Bar

  phone: +62 22 420 8904
  address: Jl. Braga No. 82
  Pub owned by a Dutchman that is popular among expats and bar-girls. Draught beers and Dutch snacks.

• Southbank Club

  phone: +62 818 283 939
  address: Jl. Sumatera No. 5-7
  Lounge bar/nightclub.

• The Loft Bar & Bistro

  phone: +62 22 422 3183
  address: Jl. Sumatera No. 5-7

Cafés and coffee houses

• BMC (Bandoengsche Melk Centrale)

  phone: +62 22 420 4595
  address: Jl. Aceh No.30
  In an old Dutch colonial house. They specialise in fresh milk beverages.

• Es Sekoteng Bungsu

  phone: +62 22 424 1520
  address: Jl. Veteran No. 29
  Es sekoteng is a grated ice cube with avocado, young coconut and kolang-kaling (some local preserved fruit)

• Kopi Aroma Bandung

  phone: +62 22 4230473
  address: Jl. Banceuy No. 51
  Good quality coffee store and factory, in an old district of town. The Robusta coffee beans are stored for 5 years and the Arabica beans for as long as 8 years and sourced from coffee plantations throughout Indonesia.

Budget

• Fabu Hotel

  phone: +62 22 422 4597
  address: Jl. Kebonjati No. 32
  3-star hotel without pool or spa.

• favehotel Braga

  phone: +62 22 8446 8222
  address: Jl Braga 99-101
  Hotel inside Braga City Walk with various vendors and Factory Outlet, near the Aston Braga Hotel. With cableTV, free Wifi in all rooms and public areas, private toilet and bath, restaurant, coffee shop, airport transfer, room service and wake-up call, car park.

• favehotel Hyper Square

  phone: +62 22 8778 6333
  address: Jl Pasir Kaliki No. 25-27
  With cable TV, free Wifi in all rooms and public areas, private toilet and bath, restaurant, coffee shop, room service and wake-up call, ample car park, but mostly without shade. One location with Pascal Food Market/Court, the biggest food court in Bandung with hundreds of menus. The rooms are not soundproof.

• ibis budget Bandung Asia Afrika

  phone: +62 22 4267999
  address: Jl Asia Afrika No. 128
  Budget hotel in the city centre. With cableTV, free Wifi in all rooms and public areas, private toilet and bath, restaurant, coffee shop, room service and wake-up call, limited car park.

• Hotel Jelita Parahyangan

  phone: +62 22 603 1133
  address: Jl. Pasirkaliki 61
  A/C rooms, all with private toilet and bath, cableTV, mini-home theater, and balcony/terrace. Airport and city transfers, cafe, and laundry services.

• Hotel Pelangi Indah

  phone: +62 22-423-5451
  address: Jl. Pasirkaliki No. 84
  Budget hotel in the city centre.

Mid-range

• Arion Swiss Bellhotel

  phone: +62 22 424 0000
  address: Jl. Otto Iskandardinata No. 16
  4 star hotel near the railway station.

• Aryaduta Bandung

  phone: +62 22 421 1234
  address: Jl. Sumatera No. 51
  252 rooms and suites in the city centre with Indonesian decor, marble bath, working desk, broadband internet access, daily newspaper, in-room coffee and nightly turndown.

• Grand Royal Panghegar

  phone: +62 22 423 2286
  address: Jl. Merdeka No. 2
  In the city centre with a revolving restaurant on the roof. 4 stars.

• Santika Bandung

  phone: +62 22 420 3009
  address: Jl. Sumatera No. 52-54
  3 star hotel near the corners of Riau and Dago streets.

• Vue Palace Hotel

  phone: +62 22 426 6288
  address: Jl. Otto Iskandardinata No. 3
  4 star hotel near the railway station.

• De'Rain Hotel Bandung

  phone: +62 22 8780 4800
  address: Jl. Lengkong Kecil No. 76-80

• Gino Feruci Hotel Braga

  phone: +62 22 4200099
  address: Jl. Braga No. 67
  Hotel in the heart of Braga Street.

• Golden Flower Hotel Bandung

  phone: +62 22 423 9999
  address: Jl. Asia Afrika No. 15-17
  Very centrally-located, just behind the Grand Mosque.

Splurge

• Grand Preanger

  phone: +62 22 423 1631
  address: Jl. Asia-Afrika No. 81
  In the Alun-Alun area, the facade has an art-deco style. 5 stars.

• Hilton Bandung

  phone: +62 22 8606 6888
  address: Jl. HOS Tjokroaminoto No. 41-43
  The standard high-end Hilton experience can be found at its Bandung property. Rooms look slightly outdated but large, a minimum of 45 square meters, and the suites are even more cavernous. Friendly facilities for business travelers and family, as well as a gym and swimming pool. Breakfast at Purnawarman, cocktail at Magma, or lounging at a poolside café or the lobby bar.

• Savoy Homann

  phone: +62 22 423 2244
  address: Jl. Asia-Afrika 112
  Bandung's main grand old hotel and one-time host to Charlie Chaplin, Yasser Arafat, and the delegation of the 1955 Asia-African Conference. The current building is a striking Art Deco work from the 1930s, perfect for even a daytime visit. Rooms have been renovated but are still somewhat dim.

Police stations

• City police headquarters

  phone: +62 22 423 8858
  address: Jl. Merdeka No. 18-21

• Cicendo local police

  phone: +62 22 601 1503
  address: Jl. Pasirkaliki No. 117
  Small local police station for the Cicendo district.

• Sumur Bandung local police

  phone: +62 22 423 5675
  address: Jl. Kebon Sirih No. 39
  Small local police station for the Sumur Bandung district.

Hospitals with 24 hour emergency units

• Santosa Hospital Bandung Central

  phone: +62 22 424 8555
  address: Jl. Kebonjati No.38

• Kebonjati Hospital

  phone: +62 22 601 4058
  address: Jl. Kebonjati No. 152

There are various copy shops and internet cafés in the area. Many cafés and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi access, including the branches of McDonald's and Starbucks at the Bandung Indah Plaza shopping mall, and there is also a free public Wi-Fi at the central Alun-alun square. The city's main post office can be found at Jl. Asia Afrika No. 49, opposite the Grand Mosque.