Bandar Lampung is the capital city of Lampung province in the south of Sumatra island, Indonesia.

Understand

Bandar Lampung is a conglomeration of two former municipalities occupying the frontage beside Lampung Bay: Tanjungkarang and Telukbetung. If you had been here in 1883, you could have watched (and heard) Krakatoa blow its top in the Sunda Strait, but that might not have been that euphoric given that over 36,000 people in the region died.

As capital of Lampung province and the major center of commerce for the southern end of Sumatra, Bandar Lampung has cultivated a diverse array of commercial interests that incorporate agriculture and industry, including coal. While the cityscape can look a bit dun and like it's in a state of development, Bandar Lampung does have a first-rate university in Lampung University.

Also, of particular note to tourism is its proximity to Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, which is one of the rare homes of the Sumatran elephant and Sumatran tiger.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Raden Intan II Airport (TKG  ^IATA). It is only used for domestic flights. There are highly frequent flights to and from Jakarta (both Soekarno-Hatta and Halim airports), as well as direct flights from Bandung, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Batam, and Palembang.  

From the airport you can take a prepaid taxi to Bandar Lampung city centre. There is a taxi counter which lists the various destinations with the prepaid rates.

By train

• 2 Tanjungkarang Station. There are few passenger trains with most being used to transport coal. Most trains are from and to Palembang; some trains only go as far as Baturaja in South Sumatra. There is a DAMRI bus connection to Jakarta. (updated Aug 2021)

By bus

Buses from Jakarta are regular and travelling time is about 7 hours. One of the best known services is run by DAMRI who depart from Jakarta's main train station, Gambir Complex and Tanjungkarang train station. Tickets are available from their service desk.

By boat

First you need to get to Merak Port in Banten province which takes about 1.5 hours from Jakarta. Ferries operate around the clock from Merak to Bakauheni. Ferries can carry up to 20 vehicles and 200 passengers at one time and take 1.5 to 2 hours to cross the Sunda Strait. From Bakauheni to Bandar Lampung will take about 90 minutes by car, or longer by bus. The ticket can be bought via Ferizy's website.

Speedboats also ply the route but during daylight hours only.

Get around

Getting around in Bandar Lampung is easy and relatively inexpensive because it is a small city. Traveling between the 2 main areas, (Tanjungkarang to Teluk Betung) will only take about 30–40 minutes by car.

By Angkutan Kota

Angkutan Kota or abbreviated as Angkot or Oplet is actually a car, usually either a Daihatsu Carry or Toyota Kijang, with the interior re-designed to give more space for passengers to seat. By doing this, an Angkot can carry up to 11 people at a time. Angkot is used as a mode of transportation in most of the cities in Indonesia. Different routes can be easily recognized from the color of the car. You may not want to bring anything valuable when traveling by angkot because pickpockets are very common. When you are ready to get off, you can tell the driver "Stop Kiri" which means stop at the left side.

By ojek

Ojek or motorbike taxi is the omnipresent mode of transport here as it is in many Indonesian cities. Although a little more expensive than Angkot, it gives the advantage of a totally personal conveyance. You can find ojeks at most of the main street crossings in the city. An ojek can be hired for a single destination journey or for a full day. As always, don't forget to bargain the price.

By Bus Rapid Transit system

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a newly developed bus transportation system in Bandar Lampung. The buses is still quite new and the fare is relatively cheap, only about US $0.30/trip. Sometimes buses stop in some available sideroad bus stops, but while other bus stops are being built, buses usually stop at roadside walkways that have been labeled as BRT Stop. Some corridors of Bandar Lampung BRT include: Rajabasa-Sukaraja (a main terminal for buses), Korpri-Sukaraja, Kemiling-Sukaraja, Tanjungkarang-Ir. Sutami, Rajabasa-Citra Garden (a housing block), and Panjang-Citra Garden.

See

• 1 Puncak Mas, Jl. PB. Marga, Sukadana Ham, ☏ +62 821 8115 5115. 08:00-23:00 daily. Something like a hill station or viewpoint overlooking the city where you can get all your Instagram photos. Some also come to admire the sunsets. Rp20000 admission + Rp10000 for parking. (updated Sep 2020)
• 2 Lampung Museum, Jl. ZA. Pagar Alam No.64, ☏ +62 721 705254. 08:00-14:00 M-Th, 08:00-10:30 F, 08:00-12:00 Sa, closed Su. Gallery hall of exhibits on the history and culture of Bandar Lampung and Lampung, including bronze work, ceramics, representative Sumatran dwellings, fauna dioramas, and weaponry. ~Rp5,000. (updated Sep 2020)
• 3 Teropong Kota Bukit Sindy, Jl. Tamin. Overlook and coffee drinking respite. The view is a bit underwhelming, perhaps if the city were a little more attractive... (updated Sep 2020)
• 4 Wira Garden, Jl. Wan Adburahman, Batu Putu, ☏ +62 821-8551-4123. 08:00-17:00 daily. Botanical garden with waterway and some sandstone formations. Rp10000. (updated Sep 2020)
• 5 Taman Wisata Hutan Kera (Monkey Forest Tourism Park), Jalan Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo, Sumur Batu, Teluk Betung Utara, Sumur Batu, Kec. Tlk. Betung Utara. open 24 hours. Monkeys everywhere. Free opportunity to hang out with them and let them raid your belongings if you don't bring food (preferably healthy fruits and such). (updated Sep 2020)
• 6 Penangkaran Rusa Taman Hutan Raya, Jl. Wan Abdurrahman, Sumber Agung, ☏ +62 823-7628-5577. 07:00-18:00 daily. Deer feeding area. (updated Sep 2020)
• 7 Adipura Monument, Ahmad Yani & Jl. Diponegoro. Iconic Bandar Lampung monument in roundabout. (updated Sep 2020)
• 8 Taman Kupu-Kupu Gita Persada (Gita Persada Butterfly Park), Jalan Wan Abdulrachman. 07:00-17:00. This park has about 160 species of butterflies. It has photo spots, a cafe, and a museum describing butterflies. Rp10,000. (updated Jan 2024)

Do

Hop on one of the traditional boat in Pasir Putih Beach and visit one or more small islands in Lampung Bay.The beach can be reached within 30 minutes from the city centre and the distance to the islands ranges from 5 minute boat ride to hours. The clean white sands and quiet island (most visitors here are local people who only come on weekends) make the islands a good location for you to relax and get fresh air. The sea is blue and green in some part. You don't need to check out from your hotel, because you can come in the morning and ask the boat operator to pick you up in the afternoon.

• 1 Taman Wisata Dan Taman Satwa Lembah Hijau (Green Valley Tourist Park and Animal Park), Jl. Raden Imba Kusuma Ratu Jl. Sukajadi No.21, ☏ +62 813-7978-8807. Kind of second-rate amusement/water/zoological park in that animal and amusement upkeep isn't exactly optimal and the water is sometimes dirty. And you have to pay additional fees for certain attractions such as the water park and elephant rides after paying the general admission fee. Has ropes course, bumper cars, sun bears and deer on display, etc. Rp25000 admission, Rp35000 elephant rides. (updated Sep 2020)
• 2 Slanik Waterpark, Jl. Raya Karang Anyar Jl. Karang Turi, ☏ +62 721 8014469. Another water park with more dirty water issues at times, dirty toilets, crowded and a malfunctioning wave pool. But it does have pretty cool features like an artificial mountain with water pouring out of it and Indonesian huts. Rp35000 Adults, Rp20000 Kids. (updated Sep 2020)
• 3 Pantai Mutun (Mutun Beach). Water park attached to the beach on the Sunda Strait/Lampung Bay. Banana boat rentals, etc. Clear water. Rp25000. (updated Sep 2020)
• 4 Pantai Sari Ringgung, Jl. Way Ratai No.KM. 14, Sidodadi, ☏ +62 852 7321 8664. 06:00-18:00 daily. Another beach, but entry fee is a bit steep. The highlight here is taking a boat ride or rental to a 'floating' mosque on Tegal Pulau island or a sandbar. ~Rp20,000 plus extra for boat ride to Tegal Pulau. (updated Sep 2020)
• 5 Pantai Pasir Putih Lampung, Rangai Tri Tunggal. Yet another beach, but sometimes with lots of plastic debris and foul smell. It's located in a somewhat industrial area. Boat rides to nearby islands are an additional Rp100000. Has pretty offshore haystack rocks and islets though. Rp10000. (updated Sep 2020)
• 6 Lampung Walk, Way Halim Permai, ☏ +62 853-8109-9988. Water park and recreation center with futsal court. Food court. (updated Sep 2020)
• 7 Pantai Gunung Kunyit (Mount Kunyit Beach), Jl. Ikan Terbang, Bumi Waras, Kec. Telukbetung Selatan. This beach has small sand hills and is located near Mount Kunyit. (updated Mar 2022)

Buy

Lampung has a special traditional-made cloth, called "Kain Tapis". There are various patterns of the Kain Tapis that can be bought in some souvenir shops located in the inner part of the town. These souvenir shops also sell other souvenirs such as unique accessories, miniatures, and many more. Instead of traditional souvenirs, there are also some modernized shopping arcades, such as Central Plaza, Mal Kartini, Mal Lampung, and Chandra Superstore.

Daily needs are quite easy to buy. Some supermarkets like Hypermart, Chandra Supermarket, and Giant, offer various quality and range of household and daily items.

Traditional markets are also spread over Bandar Lampung city, for instance: Pasar Tugu, Pasar Gudang Lelang, and Pasar Kangkung. These markets commonly sell raw food materials, such as raw noodles, raw fish and raw meat. Some indoor stalls sell household equipments, such as brooms, mops, buckets, etc.

There are also some speciality stores, such as stationery stores, D. I. Y. stores, and many more.

Eat

• 1 Rumah Makan New LG Pahoman. Nice chicken cutlet. (updated Sep 2020)

Budget

Pempek (made from tapioca flour and fish) in Bandar Lampung is one of the best in the country. It originates from Palembang, South Sumatra.You can get it from street vendors or restaurants. It is served with dark sweet and sour sauce, for which you can opt for hot (more chilli) or not hot.

Kemplang is a kind of fish cracker served with hot sauce (similar to pempek sauce but thicker).

Keripik (chips) - banana, pineapple and jackfruit chips are must-buys when visiting.

Nasi Padang (Padangese rice) from Padang in West Sumatra is quite common in Bandar Lampung. They are cheap and can be considered as a wise choice to fulfill hungry stomachs.

Mid-range

Mid-range restaurants can be found everywhere around Bandar Lampung town. Usually, they sell a la carte main dishes with rice. Mid-range restaurants in Bandar Lampung are also budget-friendly since some of the meals available are also not too expensive.

Splurge

In Bandar Lampung, costful and luxury restaurants are available in luxury hotels like Novotel, Sheraton, etc. There are also independent splurge restaurants such as Golden Dragon Restaurant. Various kinds of food starting with appetizers, entrees, to desserts are available with medium-high range of prices. These restaurants offer rather big portions of food, so consider the amount of your orders.

Drink

There is a laid back bar at the top of a hill overlooking the city called Beer and Chips. It offers the best views of Bandar Lampung and reasonably priced beers.

Sleep

Budget

Hotel Arinas - Jl. Raden Intan No 35 B. Ph: 0721-266778

Grand Anugerah Hotel - Jl. Raden Intan No 132. Ph: +62 721 266999

Hotel Kurnia Perdana - Jl. Raden Intan No 114. Ph: 0721-262030

Hotel Andalas - Jl. Raden Intan No 89. Ph: 0721-263432

• 1 OYO 530 Guest House Omah Anakku, Jl. Mr. Gele Harun, Rw, ☏ +62 21 8063006. A/C, wifi, comfortable for price. Rp208270. (updated Sep 2020)
• 2 Hotel Horison Lampung, Jl. Kartini No.88, Palapa, ☏ +62 721 8030515. Big concrete tower place surrounding all the tin or brown roof town structures makes for a bit of a non-egalitarian ambiance as you're staring out of your room, but has a nice pool/hot tub/spa, plus a/c and wifi and restaurant and bar. Rp312404. (updated Sep 2020)
• 3 Amalia Hotel, Jl. Raden Intan No.55, ☏ +62 721 250555. another mid-price hotel with pool, restaurant/bar, wifi, a/c. Rp371910. (updated Sep 2020)

Mid-range

• 4 Sheraton Lampung Hotel, Jl. Wolter Monginsidi No.175, Gulak Galik, Kec. Teluk Betung Utara, ☏ +62 721 486666. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Rp677,000. (updated Mar 2022)
• 5 Hotel Bukit Randu, Jl. Kamboja No.1, Kb. Jeruk, Kec. Tanjungkarang Timur, ☏ +62 721 241333. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. This hotel is located on a hill and has an outdoor pool overlook hardscrabble town. Restaurant/bar, free breakfast, a/c, wifi, pool/hot tub, gym and spa. Rp563,000. (updated Mar 2022)
• 6 Radisson Lampung Kedaton, Jl. Teuku Umar No.1 (next to Boemi Kedaton Mall), ☏ +62 721 8015592. Gym, pool, wifi, a/c, restaurant with breakfast buffet (surcharge), bar. Rp580180. (updated Sep 2020)
• 7 Emersia Hotel & Resort, Jl. Wolter Monginsidi No.70, Pengajaran (in city center), ☏ +62 721 258258. Gym, outdoor pool, restaurant/bar, wifi, a/c. Rp550427. (updated Sep 2020)

Go next

You could try Pahawang Island for some premier snorkeling, Anak Krakatau for a chance to say you've been to Krakatoa, or Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park for tiger and elephant encounters.