Hot lava, cool Java: Bandung offers a break with coffee and crater lakes

By Ateesh Tankha

There are many reasons to visit the island of Java in Indonesia. If you are historically inclined, the city of Yogyakarta, with both Borobudur and Prambanan in its vicinity, will not disappoint. If hiking and the great outdoors are prerequisites, Puncak in the west or Malang in the east will satisfy you with cool highland trails and verdant natural parks. If you want to punish yourself, there’s always Jakarta where you will understand how a traffic jam leads to road rage. But if you want a short vacation that barely makes any demands on your time, patience or fitness, there’s no place like Bandung.

Bandung, the capital of West Java, was built by Dutch planters and merchants, whose nostalgia for Europe in the 1920s saw the construction of a number of impressive art deco edifices that survive as banks, hotels and gubernatorial palaces. Most notable among these, and worth a look, are the Bank Jabar building, Bank Indonesia, the Papandayan Hotel and the Satay Building — the governor’s palace, so called because of its curiously shaped multi-tiered roof. This old-world feel can also be sensed on the cobblestoned street Jalan Braga. Caviar, champagne and the excesses of the jazz age have now given way to more muted but equally enjoyable pursuits that include curiosity shops, cafes, bistros, art galleries and at least one great colonial fare establishment.

The Braga Permai Restaurant — the erstwhile Maison Bogerijen — offers the subtly flavoured Bitterballen (Dutch meatballs), the rich Bruine Bonensoep (red bean soup with sausages) and, for those who like nothing better than a juicy steak, the Tenderloin a la Bogerijen.

But a true gourmand would never stop there. Bandung is also the centre of local Sundanese culture and cuisine. There are a number of fabulous restaurants both in the heart of town and scattered along the road to Lembang that will satisfy the connoisseur and the inexperienced tourist alike. At Kampung Daun, Dusun Bambu and the Padma Hotel, you can savour local delicacies like the exquisitely cooked Bebek Bakar (grilled duck with rice, vegetables and sambal), the exotically flavoured Tumis Toge Teri (sautéed bean sprouts and salted fish), and the sumptuous Rawoniga ( Javanese beef soup served with steamed rice and sambal). For the less adventurous at heart, who want a taste of Bandung sans the exotic-sounding and suspicious-looking dishes, the Saffron Restaurant, Buttercup and The Braga Art Café serve surprisingly good Italian food with an Indonesian twist. Coffee and dessert are also Bandung specialities. The best cafes are so good that locals say that everybody should visit at least one of these places once in their life. My personal favourites include Beehive Café, Blue Doors and Lereng Anteng, which provide panoramic views as well. If you are still not full, and have a sweet tooth, Lula’s, Harliman Boulangerie or Amanda’s Brownies (steamed, not baked) will satisfy your cravings.

After all this, if you are still in a position to shuffle along, Bandung offers you the chance to shop for branded and knock-off apparel. Visit Rumah Mode Factory Outlet for an all-in-one experience or Rumah Batik Komar for world-class batik wear and prints.

Crater calls
And, yet, a half-day must be spared for the cherry on the icing. Only 45 minutes away, the town of Lembang offers a completely different experience. The road to this hill station is strewn with floating markets, strawberry fields and tea estates. But many of the hills that ring-fence Bandung and Lembang are active volcanoes. Mount Tangkuban Prahu is one such that offers easy access to outlandish craters, hot springs and recently solidified lava flows.

Starting at the main Ratu Crater, which affords you a 500 metre look into its sulphurous depths, one may opt for a 90-minute hike to view two other craters, Upas and Baru, though the latter may only be viewed from a safe distance because of the noxious gases that emanate from its maw. Finally visit the Domas Crater to soak your feet in the sulphuric mud pools and to view the hot springs that were formed as recently as three years ago.

Only two days are needed to enjoy the best that Bandung has to offer. Whether you choose to stay in the heart of the city or at some remove from it, nothing is more than an hour away, despite the frenetic weekday-office and weekend-getaway traffic. With its great food, delicious coffee, picturesque destinations and laidback culture, Bandung is an easy weekend getaway if you are wrapping up a work trip in Jakarta or Singapore, or bringing to a close a longer vacation in Bali or Yogyakarta.

The writer is a traveller who divides his time between Singapore and India.