Landmarks in Bandung
- 01
Gedung Sate
The 1920s government building with a satay-skewer pinnacle, now the seat of the West Java governor and home to a small museum.
- Time needed
- About 1 hour
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning, in soft light
- Tickets
- Museum opening hours and any ticket price are set by the operators and change, so check locally before you go. The building is the governor's seat, so offices are not open to visitors and security rules apply.
- 02
Tangkuban Perahu
An active stratovolcano north of Bandung, 2,084 metres high, where visitors reach the rim of Kawah Ratu and see steaming ground.
- Time needed
- 3 to 4 hours including the drive
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Early morning, before cloud
- Tickets
- Entry fees and rules are set by the park operator and change; Wikipedia notes that foreign visitors have been charged higher rates. Check current fees and any closure advisory before going, since the volcano has closed during activity.
Museums in Bandung
- 03
Geological Museum Bandung
A 1920s museum of fossils, rocks and the geology of Indonesia, renovated in 2000 and a short distance from Gedung Sate.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning
- Tickets
- Opening hours and ticket prices are set by the museum; Wikipedia lists its website, museum.geologi.esdm.go.id, so check it before you go.
- 04
Museum of the Asian-African Conference (Gedung Merdeka)
The Art Deco clubhouse where the 1955 Asian-African Conference met, now a museum of photographs and records from that meeting.
- Time needed
- About 1 hour
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning
- Tickets
- Opening hours and ticket prices are set by the museum and change; Wikipedia lists the museum's website, asiafricamuseum.org. Check it before you go.
Read the Museum of the Asian-African Conference (Gedung Merdeka) guide →
Experiences in Bandung
- 05
Bosscha Observatory
Indonesia's oldest modern observatory, in the hills at Lembang, built in the 1920s with a Zeiss double refractor.
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Daytime, with prior arrangement
- Tickets
- Visiting rules, tickets and any evening sessions are set by the observatory; we could not verify them, so check its official channels in advance.
Neighbourhoods in Bandung
- 06
Jalan Braga
The old European shopping street of Dutch Bandung, lined with Art Deco facades, cafes and, at weekends, car-free stretches.
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning, or evening on a car-free day
- Tickets
- Free to walk. Car-free arrangements on weekends and holidays are set by the city and may change; confirm locally.
Day trips in Bandung
- 07
Kawah Putih
An acidic turquoise crater lake on Mount Patuha, 2,430 metres up and about 50 km south of Bandung.
- Time needed
- Half to full day including the drive
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Weekday morning
- Tickets
- Fees and shuttle arrangements are set by the site operator and change; check current rules before you go. Parking and shuttle buses are used at busy times.
Temples in Bandung
- 08
Masjid Raya Bandung (Grand Mosque)
The provincial grand mosque on the alun-alun square, rebuilt in 2003 with two 81-metre minarets whose tops open to visitors on set days.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon
- Tickets
- Visitors should dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees, and remove shoes. Women may be asked to cover their hair. Avoid prayer times, and ask staff where non-worshippers may enter. Minaret visits run on set days and may have a ticket; check locally.
Culture in Bandung
- 09
Saung Angklung Udjo
A family-founded centre for angklung bamboo music and Sundanese arts in east Bandung, with afternoon performances.
- Time needed
- About 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Afternoon, for the show
- Tickets
- Performance times and ticket prices change and are set by the centre; Wikipedia says it holds daily afternoon performances. Confirm times and book ahead for groups.
