Bandung Travel Guide

The capital of Western Java sits up in the mountains which line the island of Java's spine, about two hours' drive from the national capital of Jakarta. The cool mountain air makes Bandung a very popular weekend destination for Indonesians who live in Jakarta. Adding to the attraction is the presence of numerous factory outlet style stores, making Bandung something of a shoppers paradise for Indonesians. Completing the picture are many good restaurants.

Bandung was established by the Dutch late in the nineteenth century, and it quickly became a commercial hub. In 1955, the city hosted the first Asia-Africa conference, which gave birth to the Non-Aligned Movement. Bandung's fortunes faded somewhat after that, but in some ways that's been a good thing, since many of the city's fine art deco buildings remain. Many have been restored in recent years, making Bandung architectural interesting to those of the right bent.