North Bandung covers some of key urban expansions of Bandung during the early 20th century. It covers the Dago area with the ITB university campus and many cafés, restaurants, and the former colonial government centre of Gedung Sate.
Get in
By car
The main road to enter the area is the Pasupati overpass that runs from the Pasteur toll gate in the west (Northwest Bandung) via the Dago area towards East Bandung. The main north-south thoroughfare is Jl. Ir. H. Juanda, generally known as Jalan Dago (Dago Road), that runs from Central Bandung all the way to the mountains in the north. Jalan Dago is often severely congested during weekends and holidays, when many people from Greater Jakarta visit the area.
By bus
To get to North 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 angkot terminal in North Bandung is 1 Terminal Dago, with four routes terminating here. Line 2 (coloured green and orange) runs to Dago from the Kebon Kalapa terminal in Central Bandung, and line 9 (green-orange-green) from Bandung's main railway station (Stasiun Hall), also in Central Bandung. Two other routes run to Terminal Dago from South Bandung.
There are various other angkot and bus routes, with the main locations to get on and off being 2 Simpang Dago and 3 Dipatiukur (in front to the Padjadjaran University campus). To Dipatiukur there are also bus lines from the major Leuwi Panjang bus terminal in South Bandung and the other Padjadjaran University campus in Jatinangor (southeast of Bandung).
See
Colonial architecture
- 1 Gedung Sate, Jl. Diponegoro No. 22. One of the most well-known Dutch colonial buildings in Indonesia, the Gedung Sate was built in 1920-1924 to a design by Dutch architect J. Gerber. The building's name (literally 'Satay Building') refers to the ornament on the roof, that looks like a satay skewer. The building uses a combination of style elements, including European neoclassical architecture and Indonesian aspects. The building was built for the Department of Public Works of the Dutch East Indies. Nowadays, it is used as the provincial government building (for the governor and the provincial parliament) of West Java. On Sundays, the surrounding gardens are also open for public. Free entrance.
- 2 Bandung Institute of Technology (Institut Teknologi Bandung; ITB), Jl. Ganesha No. 10, ☏ +62 22 2500935, pddikti@akademik.itb.ac.id. The Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng was established by the Dutch colonial administration, and its campus was built 1918-1920 on the north side of Bandung, to a design by architect Henri Maclaine Pont. The most prominent examples of Dutch East Indies architecture include the entrance gate and the two assembly halls (Aula Barat and Aula Timur), which incorporate West Sumatran style elements. The entire campus of the university (after independence renamed ITB) is a nice green oasis in the bustling city. Indonesia's first president, Soekarno, studied architecture at the university. Free entrance.
- 3 De Driekleur, Jl. Ir. H.Djuanda No. 8. Dutch Colonial house built in 1937 to a design by A.F. Albers, in modernist/Art Deco style. The building's name, De Driekleur, is Dutch for 'the tricolour' and refers to the Dutch flag. The building is now a branch of a bank.
- 4 Post-, Telegraaf- en Telefoondienst (Pos Indonesia headquarters), Jl. Cilaki No. 73. Built by the Dutch East Indies government in 1920-1931 as the headquarters of the postal, telegraph and telephone service. The building is now used as the headquarters of Indonesia's postal service, and for the Postal Museum.
Museums
- 5 Geological Museum (Museum Geologi Bandung), Jl. Diponegoro No. 57, (near Gedung Sate complex), ☏ +62 22 7213822. Tu-Th 09:00-15:00; M F closed; Sa Su 09:00-14:00. Houses 250,000 rocks, a mineral collection, and 60,000 fossils. There are 3 major rooms in the museum: the geology of Indonesia, the history of life and the geology of human life. The building itself has an art-deco style, built in 1928 by a Dutch architect H. Menalda van Schouwenburg. Recommended museum by locals. Part of museum fully Indonesian and English texts but part with almost none. Ticket student Rp 2,000, public Rp 3,000, foreigner Rp 10,000 and pre-register on https://museum.geologi.esdm.go.id/tiket (can be done at entrance).
- 6 Postal Museum (Museum Pos), Jl. Cilaki No. 73 (southern side of the Pos Indonesia headquarters building), ☏ +62 22 420 6195. M-F 09:00-16:00, Sa 09:00-13:00. The Postal Museum was established upon the completion of the building, in 1931. Initially, the collection mainly consisted of postal stamps from the Dutch East Indies. Nowadays, it is a complete museum, covering Indonesia's postal history from the beginning of colonial times in the 17th century, until the present. An audio tour guide is available in Indonesian and English. Free entrance.
Other
- 7 Bandung Zoo (Kebun Binatang Bandung), Jl. Kebun Binatang No. 6, ☏ +62 22 250 2770. Daily 07:00-17:00. Zoo of 14 hectares next to the ITB university campus. The zoo was established during the colonial time, in 1933. It is a popular attraction for domestic tourists, but the zoo is not well maintained and therefore not recommended.
- 8 West Java People's Struggle Monument (Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat Jawa Barat; "Monju"), Jl. Dipatiukur No. 48. Monument established in 1995.
- 9 Djuanda Forest Park (Taman Hutan Raya Ir. H. Djuanda), Kompleks Tahura Ir. H. Djuanda No.99, ☏ +62 811-844-996. Daily 08:00-16:00. The forest park is a conservation area and botanical garden in the mountains on the north side of the city, and serves as a water catchment area for the city. There are some interesting parks for children or to have a picnic. Some people walk through the forest to reach Maribaya park in Lembang. There are two caves in the park that can be visited. You will need to rent a torch, because there is no light in the caves. Entrance Rp75,000.
- 10 Dutch Cave (Gua Belanda). Cave built in 1918 as a water tunnel. During the Second World War and Indonesian War of Independence, it was used as an arms and ammunition storage, prison, communications centre, and shelter.
- 11 Japanese Cave (Gua Jepang). Second cave, built during the Japanese occupation in 1942. The cave was built by using a forced-labour system, as a defence shelter for the Japanese.
Do
- 1 Gasibu Park (Lapangan Gasibu), Jl. Diponegoro. Large lawn square in front of Gedung Sate. It's a favourite spot for a walk around a park and all the way towards Monju (Monumen Perjuangan), some 500 metres away. The square is a fairground on Sunday mornings, with food stalls at the Monju Park. People's favourites include dim sum ceker (a chicken foot cooked dim sum style) and nasi liwet (rice cooked in coconut milk, with chicken and vegetables).
- 2 Dago Heritage 1917 Golf Course (Dago Endah), Jl. Raya Golf Dago Atas No. 78, ☏ +62 22 250 2567. M 10ː00-18ː30, Tu-Su 05ː30-18ː30. One of the oldest golf courses of Indonesia. 18 holes. Rp500,000-760,000.
- 3 Mountain View Golf Club, Jl. Dago Pakar Raya, ☏ +62 22 253 6089. M 08:00-18:00, Tu-Su 05:00-18:00. 18 holes golf course designed by Peter Thompson. Rp500,000-1,300,000.
Buy
Shopping malls
The largest and newest shopping malls of the city can be found in other districts, but North Bandung also has a few small malls of its own.
- 1 Riau Junction, Jl. R.E. Martadinata No. 17-21 (Riau), ☏ +62 22 420 2682. Daily 08:00-22:00. Relatively small shopping mall with a Yogya department store and various other shops and restaurants.
- 2 Balubur Town Square (Baltos), Jl. Tamansari No. 33. Shopping centre with mostly small independent shops, the large ACE Hardware store, and several cafés.
Markets
- 3 Simpang Dago Market (Pasar Tradisional Simpang Dago), Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 188. Market near the Simpang Dago junction. Fresh meat, fish, produce, rice, etc., for low prices.
Factory outlets
Bandung is known for its factory outlet (FO) stores. Many of them are concentrated along two of the main streets of North Bandung: Jl. Ir. H. Juanda (Dago) and Jl. R.E. Martadinata (Riau).
- 4 ForMen (Galeri Le'Laki), Jl. R.E. Martadinata No. 18 (Riau), ☏ +62 22 423 6169. Daily 09:00-21:00. The dedicated factory outlet solely for men, from formal to casual wear.
- 5 Heritage, The Factory Outlet, Jl. R.E. Martadinata No. 63 (Riau), ☏ +62 22 422 0545. M-Th 09:00-21:00, F 09:00-21:30, Sa Su 09:00-22:00. Colonial style exterior with humongous options of clothing. The outdoor café is very wide, has greenery, and a playing area. The top floor has a dedicated section for outwear or sweaters, as well as scrapbook making.
- 6 The Secret Factory Outlet, Jl. R.E. Martadinata No. 47 (Riau), ☏ +62 22 426 0818. Su-F 09:00-21:00, Sa 09:00-22:00. A modern style outlet, the first outlet you'll encounter when you enter Jalan Riau. There is a huge section for kids at its back, but it is for generally all ages. Casual and smart casual options.
- 7 Episode, Jl. Ir. H. Djuanda No.125 (Dago), ☏ +62 22 250 1515. M-F 09:00-21:00, Sa Su 09:00-21:30. International fashion. Also a specialised section of clothes, bags, etc. for hiking/trekking.
Local designers
In addition to factory outlets selling discounted clothing from garment factories, the city of Bandung is known for its distros, locally-owned independent designer shops. Jalan Trunojoyo in North Bandung (behind the Riau Junction mall) is a centre of distros, with many of them lined up in the same street.
- 8 UNKL347, Jl. Trunojoyo No. 4, ☏ +62 22 420 0515. Su-Th 09:00-21:00, F Sa 10:00-22:00. Well-known local fashion brand, with the slogan "This is not made in China" to promote its local production.
- 9 Invictus, Jl. Trunojoyo No. 6, ☏ +62 22 422 0376.
- 10 Blackjack 21, Jl. Trunojoyo No. 19, ☏ +62 22 70741121. Daily 10:00-22:30. Clothes popular among students. New items monthly.
- 11 Screamous, Jl. Trunojoyo No. 8, ☏ +62 22 2052 3152. M-F 09:00-21:00, Sa Su 09:00-22:00. Bandung distro that now has shops in multiple Indonesian cities.
- 12 Badger Invaders, Jl. Trunojoyo No. 23, ☏ +62 22 426 8109. Daily 09:00-21:00.
Eat
Budget
- 1 Kedai Timbel Dago, Jl. Ir. H.Djuanda No.117 (Dago), ☏ +62 22 250 2004. Daily 10:00-15:00. Selling the Sundanese specialty nasi timbel for lunch. About Rp30,000 for a main course.
- 2 Warung Lela (WaLe), Jl. Kupa No. 6, ☏ +62 22 250 1396. Daily 09:00-22:00. On the a hill side with a nice view to the city. Try yamien, a dried boiled noodle, mixed with soy sauce. There are sweet yamien and salt yamien. Try also chicken noodle and the strawberry juice as a dessert. About Rp20,000 for a main course.
- 3 Warung Pasta, Jl. Ganesha No. 4 (next to ITB campus main entrance), ☏ +62 22 2500416. Su-F 07:00-00:00; Sa 07:00-1:00. A variety of Italian dishes for budget prices, popular among students of the nearby ITB university. Main courses about Rp25,000.
- 4 Bakmi Jowo DU 67, Jl. Dipatiukur No.67, ☏ +62 851 0053 5874. Sa-Th 11:00-22:00, F 13:00-22:00. Popular streetside warung serving varieties of Javanese noodles, originally from Gunung Kidul. Main courses about Rp25,000.
- 5 Sop Kaki Kambing & Sapi 999, Jl. Dipatiukur No. 1 (opposite the BCA bank). M-Sa 17:00-23:00. Very popular roadside food stall selling goat and beef soup, either with regular meat, with offal, or a combination. The stall is set up every evening around 17:00 and has seating for about 40 people.
- 6 Bebek Ali Borromeus, Jl. Hasanudin (just south of the Borromeus hospital), ☏ +62 813 2035 3677. Daily 17:00-00:00. Roadside food stall selling fried duck and chicken, along with a signature sambal (chilli sauce). It is a very popular place, and around dinner time there are often people waiting for seats.
Mid-range
- 7 Dago Panyawangan, Jl. Ir. H. Djuanda No.127 (Jalan Dago), ☏ +62 22 250 1815. Daily 10:00-23:00. Sundanese restaurant
- 8 Hanamasa Dago, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No.48, ☏ +62 22 423 0968. Daily 11:00-22:00. One of the two Bandung branches of the all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant chain Hanamasa.
- 9 HDL 293 Cilaki, Jl. Diponegoro No.54, ☏ +62 22 7210543. Daily 10:00-23:00. Popular seafood restaurant.
- 10 Sindang Reret, Jl. Surapati No.53, ☏ +62 22 2535050. Daily 08:00-22:00. Sundanese restaurant. Sindang Reret also has branches in Ciwidey, Lembang, and Karawang.
- 11 Tizi's, Jl. Kidang Pananjung No. 3, ☏ +62 622 2250 4963. M-Th 11:00-22:30, F-Su 10:00-23:30. European dishes with homemade bread and pastries.
- 12 Cafe Halaman, Jl. Tamansari No. 92, ☏ +62 22 251 2350. Daily 11:00-01:00, Saturdays 24 hr. Café with nice garden, serving Indonesian, Chinese, and Western dishes.
Splurge
- 13 Fashion Pasta, Jl. Resort Dago Pakar No.18 A, ☏ +62 22 251 6101. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. International place for lunch and dining. Italian food: antipasti, pizza, salad, soup, pasta, main course, dessert.
- 14 Midori Japanese Restaurant, Jl. Sultan Agung Tirtayasa No. 31, ☏ +62 22 426 0797. Daily 10:00-22:00. Sushi restaurant.
- 15 Sierra Café & Lounge, Jl. Bukit Pakar Timur No.33, ☏ +62 22 251 2240. Daily 11:00-23:00. Located on the hill of Dago Pakar, Sierra has a relaxing and indulging ambience with a breathtaking view of Bandung's city lights. International cuisines include Western, Japanese and Thai.
- 16 Thai Palace, Jl. Ir. H.Djuanda No.345 (Dago), ☏ +62 22 251 2857. The most well-known Thai restaurant of the city. There are two other branches at the Istana Plaza and Festival Citylink malls.
- 17 The Stone Cafe, Jalan Raya Ranca Kendal Luhur No.5, Gerbang Dago Resort, ☏ +62 22 250 0577. Su-Th 11:00-23:00, F Sa 11:00-23:45.
- 18 The Valley Bistro, Jl. Lembah Pakar Timur No. 28 (in The Valley hotel), ☏ +62 22 2531052, reservasi@thevalley.co.id. Daily 11:00-23:00.
Drink
Bars and night clubs
- 1 Erla's Mexican Cafe, Jl. Dago Pojok No. 3, ☏ +62 22 250 5352. M-Sa 13:00-00:00; Su 18:00-00:00. Small bar with cheap beer and Mexican snacks.
- 2 Golden Monkey, Jalan Ir. H. Juanda No. 161 (at the corner of Dago and Jl. Dayang Sumbi), ☏ +62 22 253 1924. Su-F 10:00-01:00, Sa 10:00-02:00. Bar, restaurant, lounge.
- 3 Nine'square Bar&Resto, Jl. Sulanjana No. 9, ☏ +62 22 9249 3660.
Cafés and coffee houses
- 4 Yoghurt Cisangkuy, Jalan Cisangkuy No. 66 (near Gedung Sate). Daily 08:00-20:30. It has many flavours of fresh yogurt with fresh fruits. Very suitable as a resting place after walking in the hot weather.
- 5 Kopi Ireng, Jl. Bukit Pakar Timur No. 1, ☏ +62 22 253 1074. Su-Th 13:00-00:00, F Sa 13:00-01:00. Coffee house in the mountains with a great view.
- 6 Noah's Barn, Jalan Dayang Sumbi No. 2, Coblong, Bandung, West Java 40132. 08:00-23:00. Specialised in local variety of coffees such as Java, Bali, Toraja, and Papua. Starts at Rp15,000 - Rp 135,000.
- 7 Two Hands Full, Jalan Sukajadi No. 198A, Sukajadi, 40162 (Near Paris Van Java (PVJ) Mall. Quite hard to find, look for "Ray White"), ☏ +62 878-8022-8222. 08:00-21:00. Try the "Eggs in Hell" with chorizo, or a smoothie bowl. Some customers found the WiFi hard to connect or the signal quality is mediocre.
- 8 One Eighty Coffee and Music, Jl. Ganesha No. 3 (West of Borromeus Hospital, South of ITB, in Dago.), ☏ +62 822-1800-0155. Spacious café on two floors. Shallow pool you can cool your feet in. Regular live music. Western and Asian brunch items.
Sleep
Budget
- 1 Hotel Tebu, Jl. L.L.R.E. Martadinata No. 62 (Riau), ☏ +62 22 426 3335. A/C rooms, all with private toilet and bath, cableTV. Room is not too big with double bed, but has high roof for overhead single bed with consequency AC is not sufficient for overhead single bed. Good for family. From Rp388,000 per night.
- 2 Tamara Guest House, Jl. Wira Angun-Angun No. 46, ☏ +62 22 420 4442, ghtamara@hotmail.com. Guesthouse with single, twin, and triple bedrooms, with private bathroom, western appliances and hot water. Free continental breakfast, internet access, cableTV in common room, trilingual host; English, Dutch, Indonesian. Taxi, tour, and car rental can be arranged. From Rp325,000 per night.
- 3 Tune Hotel Bandung, Dago, Jl. Sumur Bandung No. 7, ☏ +62 22 251 8998. Budget chain hotel from the Tune Group. From Rp420,000.
- 4 Dago's Hill Hotel, Jl. Tubagus Ismail VIII No.39A, ☏ +62 22 250 9747. Budget hotel in the Tubagus Ismail neighbourhood (an area with many student dorms). From Rp225,000 per night.
Mid-range
- 5 Bumi Sawunggaling Hotel, Jl. Sawunggaling No.13, ☏ +62 22 421 8254. All rooms have A/C, cableTV, and mini-bar. Business centre, spa, wifi and travel services. From Rp400,000 per night.
- 6 Holiday Inn Bandung Dago, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 31-33, ☏ +62 22 421 1333, fax: +62 22 4216666. Lower Dago area. 4 Stars. From Rp700,000 per night.
- 7 Patra Jasa, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 132 (Dago), ☏ +62 22 250 4664, fax: +62 22 250 4995. Hotel near the ITB campus. With outdoor swimming pool. From Rp640,000 per night.
- 8 The Jayakarta Suites Bandung, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 381A (Dago), ☏ +62 22 250 5888, fax: +62 22 250 5388, rsvobandung@jayakartahotelsresorts.com. Upper Dago area. 4 stars. From Rp700,000 per night.
- 9 The Luxton, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 18 (Dago), ☏ +62 22 4220 700, fax: +62 22 4220 600. 4 stars. From Rp760,000 per night.
- 10 Hotel Scarlet (Scarlet Dago), Jl. Siliwangi No. 5, ☏ +62 22 250 0300. From Rp760,000.
- 11 Amaroossa Hotel Bandung, Jl. Aceh No. 71 A, ☏ +62 22 422 2221. From Rp800,000.
- 12 Clove Garden Hotel & Residence, Jalan Awiligar Raya 2, ☏ +6222-82526363, reservation@clovegardenhotel.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 3-star hotel with good online ratings. Rp500,000.
- 13 Ibis Styles Grand Central, Jl. Diponegoro No.27, Citarum, Bandung Wetan (Across Gasibu Park), ☏ +62 22 86038888. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A 3-star hotel. You may request a room facing Gedung Sate. From Rp495,000.
Splurge
- 14 Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 390 (Dago), ☏ +62 22 250 0303, fax: +62 22 250 0301. Upper Dago area. 5 stars. From Rp1,255,000 per night.
- 15 The Palais Dago Hotel, Jl. Ir. H. Djuanda No. 90, ☏ +62 22 250 5111. Boutique hotel with well appointed rooms, bar, cafe and resto, meeting room and business centre. From Rp1,000,000.
Private villas
- 16 De Bukit Dago Villa, Jl. Bukit Pakar Timur IV/D6 (Dago Atas), ☏ +62 811 248 956, +62 811 248 912, fax: +62 22 4207950. A villa/guest house in the Dago hill area with Bandung city views. Villa for 10 persons from Rp1,600,000 per night.
Stay safe
Police stations
There is one police station in North Bandung. In addition, there are small police posts at a few major traffic junctions, including Simpang Dago. The main police station of the city can be found in Central Bandung.
- 1 Coblong local police (Polsekta Coblong), Jl. Sangkuriang No. 10, ☏ +62 22 250 2532. Small local police station for the Coblong district.
Stay healthy
Hospitals with 24 hour emergency units
- 1 St. Borromeus Hospital (RS Santo Borromeus), Jl. Ir. H.Djuanda No. 100, ☏ +62 22 255 2000.
Connect
There are many copy shops and internet cafés on and around the campuses of the two large universities, Bandung Institute of Technology and Padjadjaran University. Especially Jalan Dipatiukur has numerous photocopy service shops. Many cafés and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi access, including the McDonald's branch at Simpang Dago. Post offices can be found among others at Jalan Ir. H. Juanda No. 10 (next to De Driekleur colonial building) and at Jl. Tamansari No. 1 (in the building of the Unisba Bandung Islamic University).