Thousand Islands
%021 / Pop 21,000
A string of 130 palm-fringed islands in the Jakarta Bay, the Thousand Islands (Pulau Seribu) offer white-sand beaches and calm, clear seas (aside from the islands closest to the mainland, which are plagued by trash). Although they’re hardly a match for many of Indonesia’s other dream isles, they’re certainly a welcome break from the polluted air of Jakarta. Most visitors to the archipelago are concrete-jungle-fleeing Jakartans and expats, and because of this, the Thousand Islands are expensive by Indonesian standards.
Several islands have been developed into resorts with bungalows and water sports. Pulau Pramuka is the group’s district centre, but most people live on Pulau Kelapa. Pulau Panjang has the only airstrip on the islands.
You can book island trips at Ancol Marina, which sits within a large resort and amusement-park complex, or book via the Jakarta Visitor Information Office.
4Sleeping
It’s wise to book all accommodation in advance as getting from one island to another to check out different hotels is difficult and costly.
Tiger Islands Village & Eco ResortRESORT$$$
(%0878 8234 1314, 0812 9753 1395; www.pulaumacan.com; Pulau Macan; cabins per person incl full board from 2,229,000Rp) 
S
A couple of glittering tropical dots in the ocean host this delightful, upmarket eco-resort. This beachside retreat uses recycled rainwater, solar panels and nature-friendly products. It may not be cheap, but the experience and location are special, and there is good snorkelling offshore.
Pulau Bidadari ResortRESORT$$$
(%021-6471 3173; www.pulaubidadariecoresort.com; Pulau Bidadari; s/d per person incl full board from 985,000/1,605,000Rp)
The closest of the resorts to Jakarta and handy as a base for visiting other nearby islands such as Pulau Kahyangan, Pulau Kelor (which has the ruins of an old Dutch fort) or Pulau Onrust (where the remains of an 18th-century shipyard can be explored). Otherwise, the beaches are filthy and the simple cottages run-down.
It can be booked directly at Ancol Marina.
8Getting There & Away
The resorts have daily speedboats from Jakarta’s Ancol Marina (%021-6471 1822; Taman Impian Jaya Ancol) for guests and day trippers, usually leaving between 8am and 11am and returning between 2pm and 5pm, with additional services on weekends. Some are just a 30-minute ride away, but the furthest islands take around two hours or more to reach. Return day-trip rates to the resorts with lunch include Pulau Bidadari (400,000Rp) and Pulau Macan (750,000Rp).
Locals will ferry you from one island to the next (but this can be pricey). Most islands are small enough to easily explore on foot and some have bikes for hire.
West Java
Many tourists only experience the lush, volcanic panoramas of West Java (Jawa Barat) through the murky window of a lumbering bus or train, but this dramatic, diverse region has plenty to detain the inquisitive traveller who enjoys breaking away from the standard Java traveller circuit. Historically, it’s known as Sunda, and its people and language are Sundanese.
West Java stretches from the remote islands of the Ujung Kulon National Park (last Javan home of the one-horned rhino) in the west to the sweeping beaches of Pangandaran in the east. In between, you can visit the infamous offshore volcano of Krakatau; surf in the chilled coastal resorts, Cimaja and Batu Karas; experience local culture in Cianjur; and stroll through Bogor’s lush botanical gardens. It’s also the most densely populated region in the entire country, and road travel can be exasperatingly slow going as a result.
8Getting There & Away
Jakarta is, needless to say, the main entry point to the wonders of West Java. Flights come into Jakarta from across the country and across the world. Bandung offers a (marginally) less chaotic entry point with a fair few domestic and international flights using this city’s airport.
A romantic way of arriving in West Java is by boat, and there are frequent ferries linking Java and Sumatra as well as Pelni ships leaving Jakarta for distant Indonesian dots.
Banten
%0254 / Pop 10,000
Once set on the edge of a lush network of rice fields, the fishing town of Banten was a great maritime capital, where the Dutch and English first landed in Java to secure trade and struggle for economic supremacy. After many years floating in obscurity, Banten and surrounding towns (including nearby sprawling Serang) are today becoming major ports and virtual Jakarta suburbs. If nothing else Banten is a perfect example of warp-speed, globalised development, as what’s left of this once ever-green breadbasket gets gobbled up, one shovelful at a time.
The chief landmark of Banten is the 16th-century mosque Mesjid Agung (Jl Masjid Agung Banten) 
F, which was once a good example of early Islamic architecture; its great white octagonal minaret was reputedly designed by a Chinese Muslim. More recent renovations however, means it no longer carries quite the same historical gravitas.
8Getting There & Away
Take a bus from Jakarta’s Kalideres bus terminal to Serang (30,000Rp, 1½ hours), 10km south of Banten, from where a minibus (12,000Rp, 20 minutes) will drop you near the Mesjid Agung.
Merak
%0254
Right on the northwestern tip of Java, Merak is an ugly port town and the terminus for ferries shuttling to south Sumatra. For decades there’s been talk of a bridge connecting Java and Sumatra here, and in 2007 the ambitious project finally got the go-ahead only for the idea to be shelved again in 2014 before any construction work had started. So, for the foreseeable future, travel between the two islands will continue to be by boat – a far more romantic way of arriving or departing Java, we think. Merak is 140km from Jakarta.
8Getting There & Away
The bus terminal and train station are at the ferry dock.
Ferries to Bakauheni in Sumatra depart every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day. Foot passengers pay 15,000Rp and cars are 350,000Rp. The journey takes about two hours. Fast boats (41,000Rp, 45 minutes) also make this crossing, but they don’t run in heavy seas. The through-buses to Bandarlampung are the easiest option.
Frequent buses make the run between Merak and Jakarta (100,000Rp to 130,000Rp, 2½ hours). Most go to the capital’s Kalideres bus terminal, but buses also run to/from Jakarta’s Pulo Gadung and Kampung Rambutan. Other buses run all over Java, including Bogor (150,000Rp) and Bandung (160,000Rp to 200,000Rp). For Labuan (30,000Rp), a change at Cilegon is required.
There are also infrequent trains (7000Rp) to Jakarta, which have economy-class carriages only.
GUNUNG KRAKATAU
On 22 December 2018, Gunung Krakatau blew its top. In fact it erupted so forcefully it blew itself almost out of existence. According to the Indonesian Centre for Volcanology, the original 338m-high volcano is now reduced to only 110m and is no longer visible from the Java mainland. The collapse of the cone into the sea triggered a massive tsunami, killing over 200 people in the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra. The victims were taken by surprise as tsunami warnings are generally generated by an earthquake, not by the disintegration of landmass.
Of course, this is not the first time Krakatau has erupted. Located 50km from the West Java coast and 40km from Sumatra, the volcanic mass has been volatile for the past two centuries. Regarded by 17th- and 18-century mariners as a mere nautical landmark in the narrow Selat Sunda, the volcano sprang to life in the 19th century with an eruption (on 27 August 1883) so explosive that on the island of Rodriguez, more than 4600km to the southwest, a police chief reported hearing the booming of heavy guns. On that occasion, Krakatau sent up a column of ash 80km high and threw into the air nearly 20 cubic kilometres of rock. Ash fell on Singapore 840km to the north and on ships as far as 6000km away; darkness covered Selat Sunda from 10am on 27 August until dawn the next day. Even more destructive were the great ocean waves Krakatau triggered. A tsunami more than 40m high swept over the nearby shores of Java and Sumatra, and the wave’s passage reached Aden (on the Arabian Peninsula). Coastal Java and Sumatra were devastated: 165 villages were destroyed and more than 36,000 people were killed. The following day a telegram sent to Singapore from Batavia (160km east of Krakatau) reported odd details such as ‘dizzy’ fish that were easy to catch; for three years ash clouds circled the earth, creating spectacular sunsets.
Throughout the 20th century, the inner cone called Anak Krakatau, meaning ‘Child of Krakatau’, grew at the rate of 7m per year through fits and starts of lava flow. The astonishing return of life to the devastated islands has been the subject of intense scientific study. Not a single plant was found on Krakatau a few months after the 1883 event, but a century later the vegetation appeared undisturbed. It remains to be seen how much of the flora and fauna will have survived the current eruption, but it seems clear that Krakatau’s role in reshaping the landscape of the straits is not over yet.
Carita
%0253 / Pop 7000
An easy trip from Jakarta and other massive West Java urban areas, Carita is a different world, with rising jade hills clumped with palms and laced with green rivers. The sandy beach crashes with one small (and very inconsistent) surf break, Karang Bolong, and the area is popular with weekenders from Jakarta. However, despite the easy appeal to frazzled city types, most travellers give the place a miss unless they’re headed to Krakatau or the Ujung Kulon National Park.
TTours
Virtually everyone in town is peddling a Krakatau tour. Travel agencies, including Java Rhino (%0812 1275 2333; www.krakatoatour.com; Jl Raya Carita), can organise trips. Check your tour boat first as waves can be rough, and make sure it has a radio and lifejackets on board. Day trips to Krakatau start at 2,500,000Rp after bargaining. Trips to Ujung Kulon start at 6,250,000Rp for a three-day tour. As of early 2019, Krakatau was off limits following a series of devastating violent eruptions.
4Sleeping & Eating
Most of the hotels are aimed more at domestic tourists, and quality can seem quite low compared to similar-priced places elsewhere in Java. Rates increase on weekends by about 20% at most places.
Sunset ViewHOTEL$
(%0253-801 075; www.augusta-ind.com; Jl Raya Carita; r with fan from 225,000Rp, with air-con 295,000Rp; 
a
W
s)
This centrally located hotel on the inland side of the coastal road offers large, clean rooms. The restaurant downstairs serves Indonesian grub. Rates rise by about 20% at weekends.
ArchipelagoHOTEL$$$
(%0253-880 888; www.archipelago-carita.com; Jl Raya Carita Km10; r from 600,000Rp, cottages from 1,500,000Rp; aWs)
Nest in a cool Torajan-style cottage or smaller, modern ‘Jakarta rooms’ right on the beach; this is the nicest choice in Carita. It has a beautiful pool (though not as nice as the huge natural one out front!) and views of fishing platforms, but no restaurant. Rates rise around 25% at weekends.
Pondok Makan ABGINDONESIAN$
(%0817 985 2645; Jl Raya Carita Km9; mains 20,000-40,000Rp; 
h8am-9pm)
This traditional-style restaurant specialises in ayam kalasan goreng (fried chicken with special herbs). Wash it down with a cold Bintang or a fresh fruit juice (6000Rp). It’s just behind the Hotel Rakata on the main beach road.
8Getting There & Away
To get to Carita from Jakarta, take a bus to Labuan and then an angkot to Carita (10,000Rp to 15,000Rp). On weekends allow extra time for the journey.
Labuan
%0253 / Pop 49,200
The dreary little port of Labuan is merely a jumping-off point for Carita or for Ujung Kulon National Park, but it is home to the helpful Labuan PHKA office (%0253-801731; www.ujungkulon.org; Jl Perintis Kemerdekaan 51; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri), located 2km north of town towards Carita (look for the rhino statue).
The Tanjung Lesung Bay Villas (%021-572 7345; http://tanjunglesung.com; cottages from 800,000Rp) is an inviting resort with individual cottages, all of which are a little different from one another, although wooden furnishings and colourful flourishes are universal. Some rooms have cool, semi-outdoor showers. Perhaps more of a highlight than the rooms are the gardens loaded with coconut trees that centre around a pool and the delicious beach out front (reasonable snorkelling too).
It’s not actually in Labuan itself, but on the opposite side of the horseshoe bay to the south and about a 40km drive from Labuan town itself. Ideally you need private transport to get there from Labuan.
Frequent buses depart from Kalideres bus terminal in Jakarta for Labuan (50,000Rp, 3½ hours). Regular buses also operate between Labuan and Bogor (50,000Rp, four hours). Angkots for Carita (5000Rp, 30 minutes) leave from the market, 100m from the Labuan bus terminal.
Ujung Kulon National Park
On the remote southwestern tip of Java, this Unesco World Heritage–listed national park (www.ujungkulon.org; 150,000-225,000Rp) has remained an outpost of prime rainforest and untouched wilderness, virgin beaches and healthy coral reefs. Relatively inaccessible, Indonesia’s first national park is visited by few people, but it is one of the most rewarding in all Java.
The national park also includes the nearby island of Panaitan (where Captain James Cook anchored HMS Endeavour in 1771) and the smaller offshore islands of Peucang and Handeuleum. Much of the peninsula is dense lowland rainforest and a mixture of scrub, grassy plains, swamps, pandanus palms and long stretches of sandy beach on the west and south coasts.
Most people visit Ujung Kulon on a tour organised through an agency, but it’s also possible to head to Tamanjaya village and access the park from there or to make arrangements directly through the park office in Labuan.
TTours
Tours can be set up in Tamanjaya itself, with the park office in Labuan or via more expensive Carita tour agencies. Basically you can either walk or boat it into the park; there are no roads. Either way, you must have a guide.
Factor in food costs (around 50,000Rp per day, per person), your guide (150,000Rp per day) and tent rental (around 100,000Rp per trip). Bring along lightweight food, such as packaged noodles, and drinking water if you are hiking; otherwise food can be organised by tour operators or the park wardens. Supplies are available in Tamanjaya, but in Sumur and Labuan there is far more choice. Boat trips are much more expensive as the boat hire costs from 3,000,000Rp per day depending on boat type and destination.
If you’d rather get organised in advance, book through the park office in Labuan. A three-day/two-night all-inclusive tour costs about 8,000,000Rp (for two people). This includes return road and sea transport on a wooden boat, accommodation inside the national park, snorkelling, canoeing, hiking and meals. You’ll pay double for a much more comfortable and faster speedboat.
Surf packages are also available to Panaitan; Bali-based Surf Panaitan (%0852 1644 8250; www.surfpanaitan.com) charges from US$900 for a seven-day trip.
2Activities
Few corners of Java offer such potential for truly wild, off-the-beaten-track jungle hiking and beach lounging, but you need to be well prepared.
A three-day hike across to the west coast via beaches and river crossings and on to Pulau Peucang is very popular, but there are decent alternatives, including a route that takes in good coastal scenery and the lighthouse at Tanjung Layar, the westernmost tip of mainland Java. Or, for wildlife viewing, you can set up a series of day hikes in Tamanjaya.
Pulau Peucang, which can only be reached by chartered boat, is one of the more popular destinations in the park thanks to it having good accommodation. Peucang also has beautiful white-sand beaches and coral reefs on its sheltered eastern coast (snorkelling gear is available).
Pulau Handeuleum, which is ringed by mangroves, is less commonly visited. It has some Timor deer but doesn’t have Peucang’s attractions. Canoes can be hired (50,000Rp) for the short cruise up a jungle river.
Large Pulau Panaitan is more expensive to reach but has some fine beaches and hiking. It’s a day’s walk between the PHKA posts at Legon Butun and Legon Haji, or you can walk to the top of Gunung Raksa, topped by a Hindu statue of Ganesh. Panaitan is a legendary surfing spot, with breaks including the infamous One Palm Point, a left-hand barrel that spins over a sharp reef.
4Sleeping
Advance bookings are recommended for Pulau Peucang and Handeuleum, particularly at weekends; contact the Labuan PHKA office. Within the park, you can camp or stay at the primitive huts for a small fee.
Tamanjaya village, the main gateway to the park, has budget accommodation and guides.
Sunda Jaya HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
(%0818 0618 1209; http://sundajaya.blogspot.com; Tamanjaya; r per person 150,000-200,000Rp, meals 30,000-50,000Rp; W)
This Tamanjaya guesthouse was orginially built by the World Wildlife Fund and has four simple, clean rooms, each with two single beds and mosquito nets. Bathrooms are shared. Good meals are offered and there’s free tea and coffee. The genial owner is an expert on the national park and can organise guides and supplies.
oNiki Peucang LodgeLODGE$$
(%0811 6112 772; Pulau Peucang; d full board from 549,000Rp; a)
If you want to get away from it all, this wonderful spot is the place to come. Surprisingly smart given its remote location, it has a good restaurant and absolute peace and quiet. The attractive, air-conditioned bungalows offer hot-water bathrooms and comfortable beds.
There are some divine stretches of sand nearby, wild jungle walks, and barking deer, monkeys and wild boar frequently wander in and out of view of the lodge. The deer sometimes even go for a paddle in the sea!
Pulau Handeuleum LodgeLODGE$$
(www.ujungkulon.org; Pulau Handeuleum; r 250,000Rp)
Set in a coconut grove, this lodge has been recently renovated and has six simple double rooms with fans. There’s a kitchen, but you must bring your own food, as the island has no other dining options. You also must charter a boat from Tamanjaya (3,500,000Rp, one hour) to get here.
UJUNG KULON’S CLAIMS TO FAME
Ujung Kulon is best known for two things: surfing and being the last refuge of the one-horned Javan rhinoceros.
The one-horned Javan rhinoceros was once the most widespread of Asian rhino species, occurring across a great swath of SE Asia, India and China. Due to persecution, poaching and habitat loss, it’s today one of the globe’s most critically endangered large mammals – there are estimated to be between 55 and 61 remaining, all right here.
Numbers are thought to be stable and the rhinos are breeding; however, they are an extremely rare sight. You are far more likely to come across banteng (wild cattle), wild pigs, otters, deer, squirrels, leaf monkeys, gibbons and big monitor lizards. Leopards also live in the forest and crocodiles in the river estuaries. Green turtles nest in some of the bays and the bird life is excellent.
Not all visitors to the park come for the wildlife, though. Panaitan Island is home to several incredible surf breaks. Best known of these is the infamous One Palm Point. At first glance, this mesmerising left-hander, which barrels in perfect form for hundreds of metres down the side of the island, appears to be the world’s most perfect wave. And 99% of the time there’s barely another surfer around, and that’s because this beauty comes with a very severe sting in its tail. Even at high tide, the wave breaks over razor-sharp, live coral in water depths that can be measured in centimetres. The wave itself is so long and fast that it’s almost impossible to outrun it, with the result that you will get violently thrown across that reef. This is one surf spot that is reserved only for the absolute best surfers and even then most people wear full wetsuits and helmets for safety. There are other waves here as well, but almost all of them are equally unforgiving. Do not even consider coming here to surf unless you are of a very high standard.
8Information
The Labuan PHKA office is a useful source of information. You pay your entry fee when you enter the park, at the park office in Tamanjaya or on the islands. Hikers should try to pick up a copy of the excellent (but rarely available) Visitor’s Guidebook to the Trails of Ujung Kulon National Park (50,000Rp) from the park office.
The best time to visit Ujung Kulon is in the dry season (April to October), when the sea is generally calm and the reserve less boggy. Malaria has been reported in Ujung Kulon.
8Getting There & Away
From Labuan there’s one direct bus to Tamanjaya (50,000Rp, 3½ hours) daily at noon. There are also hourly angkots as far as Sumur (35,000Rp, two hours) until around 4pm. From Sumur, an ojek to Tamanjaya is about 30,000Rp.
The road between Sumur and Tamanjaya is usually in very poor shape, particularly during rainy season.
You may also charter a boat to get here from Carita, Labuan or Sumur. Given the long stretch of open sea, fork out for a decent one. Speedboats are double the price of the wooden relics but worth it. Surf tours use their own transport.
Bogor
%0251 / Pop 1.04 million
‘A romantic little village’ is how Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles described Bogor when he made it his country home during the British interregnum. As an oasis of unpredictable weather – it is credited with 322 thunderstorms a year – cool, quiet Bogor was the chosen retreat of colonials escaping the stifling, crowded capital.
Things have changed a little since then, and today the long arm of Jakarta reaches the whole way to Bogor, meaning this satellite city experiences the overspill of the capital’s perennial traffic and air-quality problems. Despite the relentless pull of ‘development’, the world-class botanical gardens that sit right in the heart of the city would still put a smile on the face of any old colonialists and more than justify a day trip from Jakarta. The city is also a handy base for a number of interesting attractions in the nearby green and lush countryside.
Remember to pack an umbrella!
1Sights
oKebun RayaGARDENS
(map Google map; Great Garden; www.krbogor.lipi.go.id; 25,000Rp; h7.30am-5pm)
At the heart of Bogor are the fabulous botanical gardens, known as the Kebun Raya; the city’s green lung covers 87 hectares. Everyone loves the Orchid House with its exotic and delicate blooms, but there are more than 15,000 species of plant here including 400 different kinds of palm (don’t miss the footstool palm, which tops out at an impressive 40m). There are lots of graceful pandan trees and some huge agave and cacti in the Mexican section.
To avoid Bogor’s infamous thunderstorms, try to visit as early in the day as you can and allow at least half a day to enjoy Kebun Raya. Just relaxing on one of the grand lawns with a book is as much an attraction as the horticulture. Look out also for monitor lizards, exotic bird life and deer. The one nitpick is that signage isn’t the garden’s strong suit.
Governor-General Raffles first developed a garden here, and the spacious grounds of the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace) were expanded by Dutch botanist Professor Reinwardt, with assistance from London’s Kew Gardens, and officially opened in 1817.
Near the main entrance of the gardens is a small memorial, erected in memory of Governor-General Raffles’ first wife Olivia Raffles, who died in 1814 and was buried in Batavia. There is also a cemetery near the palace with Dutch headstones, including the tomb of DJ de Eerens, a former governor-general.
Crowds flock here on Sunday, but the gardens are quiet at most other times. Don’t miss the delightful Grand Garden Café, the perfect spot for lunch.
Pasar BaruMARKET
(map Google map; cnr Jl Otto Iskandardinata & Jl Suryakencana; h6am-1pm)
Jl Suryakencana, steps from the garden gates, is a whirlwind of activity as shoppers spill en masse from within the byzantine concrete halls of Pasar Baru onto the street. Inside, the morning market is awash with all manner of produce and flowers, meat and fish, second-hand clothes and more. Hot, sweltering and loud, it’s a hell of a browse. Dive into the barter and trade, and experience Bogor.
Gong WorkshopFACTORY
(map Google map; %0251-832 4132; Jl Pancasan 17) F
In business for around 200 years, this family-run operation is one of the few remaining gongsmiths in Java, where you can see gamelan instruments smelted over a charcoal fire by hand. It’s a fascinating insight into what goes into producing such beautiful music. A few pricey gongs and wayang golek puppets are on sale.
Istana BogorHISTORIC BUILDING
In the northwestern corner of the botanical gardens, the summer palace of the president was formerly the opulent official residence of the Dutch governors-general from 1870 to 1942. Today, herds of white-spotted deer roam the immaculate lawns and the building contains Sukarno’s huge art collection, which largely focuses on the female figure. The palace is only open to groups (minimum 10) by prior arrangement, and children are not allowed inside. Contact the tourist office for more information.
BatutulisSHRINE
(Jl Batutulis) F
The Batutulis is an inscribed stone dedicated to Sri Baduga Maharaja (1482–1521), a Pajajaran king credited with great mystical power. The stone is housed in a small shrine visited by pilgrims – remove your shoes and pay a small donation before entering. Batutulis is 2.5km south of the botanical gardens, almost opposite the former home of Sukarno. His request to be buried here was ignored by Suharto, who wanted the former president’s grave far from the capital.
TTours
Tours of Bogor can be arranged through the tourist office for around 200,000/300,000Rp per half-day/day. The tours take in a working-class kampung and various cottage industries, including the gong factory and tofu and krupuk (prawn cracker) kitchens. Speak to the office about hiking trips into Halimun National Park. For trips to the nearby Gunung Salak, an active volcano, get in touch with Ridwan Guide Bogor (%0877 7040 1824; www.ridwanguidebogor.com) or Bogor Private Tour Guide (%0852 2612 6069; www.bogorprivatetourguide.com).
4Sleeping
Bogor has a good choice of accommodation, including all the national and international chain hotels. There are also a number of budget guesthouses that offer more character as well as local info and tours.
Cendana Mulia Hostel BogorHOSTEL$
(%0251-857 1445, 0812 8662 795; Jl Cendana Mulia 9; dm/r incl breakfast 120,000/230,000Rp; aW)
In a quiet residential street to the north of town is this popular and chilled-out hostel. The whole place is spotless, while the staff are super-friendly and the little garden is a pleasant place to sit and chat to other travellers. Prices go up by 10,000Rp to 20,000Rp on weekends.
Tom’s HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; %0877 7046 7818; www.tomshomestay.com; Jl Selot 32; r incl breakfast 100,000Rp; W)
Offering a great local experience is this character-filled family home, whose owner has lived here his entire life. In a faded colonial building, the rooms are basic and have shared bathrooms, but they’re spacious and there’s a back verandah to relax on while looking into the jungle-like backyard. It’s a 10-minute walk from the train station.
Abu PensioneGUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; %0251-832 2893; Jl Mayor Oking 15; s/d with fan & shared bathroom 140,000/175,000Rp, d/tr with private bathroom & air-con 200,000/400,000Rp; a)
First impressions, of a fairly grim facade, can be deceiving, but once you walk through the lobby the guesthouse opens up to a well-maintained garden and a restaurant that backs on to a river. Here the rooms are spacious and fairly clean, though the budget street-facing rooms are noisy and best avoided. The family that runs it is helpful.
101HOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0251-756 7101; www.the101hotels.com; Jl Suryakencana 179-181; r incl breakfast from 718,000Rp; 
pa
iWs)
Relatively sleek, with a parlour-floor lobby and a nice pool area, this hotel rises like a shark fin above the city, looming over the red roof tiles and domed mosques. Set close to the gardens and the morning market, rooms have tiled floors, flat-screens and accent walls, which complete the tastefully modern, minimalist decor. Many have balconies.
Savero Golden FlowerHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0251-835 8888; www.golden-flower.co.id; Jl Raya Pajajaran 27; r from 391,000Rp; paWs)
Built in a colonial mansion style, this glossy upmarket hotel is blessed with a perfect location looming over the botanical gardens. Despite the sumptuous appearance, however, the beige and white rooms aren’t huge, though they have a certain class, with rain showers and plush linen. The standard of service is high, and it’s still fairly new and clean.
5Eating
Soto Mie AgihINDONESIAN$
(%0251-832 8038; Jl Suryakencana 313; mains 25,000-50,000Rp; h8am-8pm)
Specialising in soto mie (a rich noodle soup), this simple place does such a roaring trade that you might have to queue for a table. Word is that the soto mie tastes so much better than elsewhere because pork is added to many of the dishes (so some Indonesians avoid it for religious reasons).
oDe’ LeuitINDONESIAN$$
(map Google map; %0251-839 0011; www.deleuit.co.id; Jl Pakuan III; mains 40,000-105,000Rp; h10am-10pm; W
v)
The most happening eatery in Bogor. There’s seating on three floors beneath a soaring, pyramid-shaped thatched roof, though the best tables are on the first two levels. It does exciting variations on the standard sate (satay), mixed rice, fried gurame (fish) and fried chicken, as well as a variety of local veggie dishes.
oGrand Garden CaféINTERNATIONAL$$
(map Google map; %0251-857 4070; Kebun Raya; mains 45,000-105,000Rp; h8am-11pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat)
The cafe-restaurant in the botanical gardens is a wonderfully civilised place for a bite or a drink, with sweeping views down to the water-lily ponds. It’s a little pricey (especially as you need to pay the 25,000Rp entry fee, though it’s free after 4pm), but the tasty international and Indonesian food and sublime setting make it an essential stop.
It was here where Indonesian president Jokowi met Barack Obama during the latter’s visit in 2017. Their table remains a popular selfie spot.
Doea TjangkirINDONESIAN$$
(map; %0251-754 7385; www.doeatjangkir.com; Jl Sawojajar 40; mains 40,000-65,000Rp; h10am-10pm)
Dress smart for this classy upmarket restaurant, located inside a painstakingly restored colonial building. The menu consists primarily of expertly crafted modern Javanese cuisine, but it also has a few European classics such as steak and chips. You can eat inside among the faded portraits of old colonial types or out on the garden terrace.
KentjanaCHINESE$$
(map Google map; Resto Kencana; %0251-833 0698; Jl Suryakencana 143; dishes 35,000-120,000Rp; hnoon-10pm)
A tasteful, soulful Chinese diner with a wonderful mapo tofu on the menu (the tofu was among the silkiest we’ve ever had), along with a number of ethnic Chinese Indonesian dishes. All served up in a gold and red room decked out with Chinese lanterns and artfully arranged black-and-white photos of yesteryear Bogor. The house sambal rocks.
Gumati CafeINDONESIAN$$
(map Google map; %0251-832 4318; Jl Paledang 26 & 28; mains 20,000-64,000Rp; h10am-10pm; W)
This Sundanese restaurant offers arguably the best view in town with superlative vistas over Bogor’s red-tiled rooftops towards the volcanic cone of Gunung Salak. There’s an extensive menu, with tapas-style snacks and traditional dishes such as sup ikan bambu (soup with fish and bamboo). However, while the views might be star-studded, the food is only average.
8Information
PHKA Headquarters (Jl Ir H Juanda 15; h7am-2.30pm Mon-Thu, to 11am Fri) The official body for the administration of all of Indonesia’s wildlife reserves and national parks; located next to the main garden gates.
Tourist Office (%0816 195 3838; Jl Dewi Sartika 51; h8am-6pm) The friendly team here can help out with basic queries about the region, provide a city map and also offer excellent, well-priced tours.
BCA Bank (Jl Ir H Juanda 28; h8am-4pm Mon-Sat) Has an ATM accepting foreign Visa cards.
8Getting There & Away
BUS
Every 15 minutes or so, buses depart from Jakarta’s Kampung Rambutan bus terminal (10,000Rp to 15,000Rp, one hour) for Bogor’s bus station (Jl Raya Pajajaran), located in the centre of town.
Buses depart frequently to Bandung (air-con, 65,000Rp, 3½ hours), Pelabuhan Ratu (55,000Rp, three hours) and Labuan (50,000Rp, four hours). For Cianjur (25,000Rp to 30,000Rp, two hours), white minibuses (called colt) depart regularly from the bus station. Door-to-door travel minibuses go to Bandung for 100,000Rp.
Damri buses head direct to Jakarta’s Sukarno-Hatta International Airport (standard/deluxe 55,000/75,000Rp, two to three hours) every 40 minutes from 2am to 8.30pm from Jl Raya Pajajaran.
CAR
The tourist board can recommend car drivers to explore the region around Bogor; rates start at 500,000Rp per day. Otherwise try Bogor Private Tour Guide.
TRAIN
Train is by far the most enjoyable (and fastest) way of travelling between Bogor and the capital. Express trains (6000Rp to 16,000Rp, one hour) connect Bogor with the capital roughly every hour, though try to avoid travelling during rush hour. Economy trains are more frequent, but they are packed with people – some clinging to the roof.
8Getting Around
Green angkot minibuses (3000Rp) shuttle around town, particularly between the bus terminal and train station. Angkot 03 does a counterclockwise loop of the botanical gardens on its way to Jl Kapten Muslihat, near the train station. Angkot 06 gets you to the bus terminal from the train station.
Becak are banned from the main road encircling the gardens. Taxis are rare in Bogor.
Around Bogor
With lush forests, rugged, hilly landscapes, white-water rapids and few international tourists, Bogor’s outskirts are full of natural thrills for those who are after an easy escape from the surrounding urbanity.
1Sights
Gunung Halimun National ParkNATIONAL PARK
(%park office 0266-621256; www.halimunsalak.org; Jl Raya Cipanas, Kabandungan; 250,000Rp)
This mixed-use national park is home to small swatches of primary rainforest, but also includes plantations such as the Nirmala Tea Estate. The park’s best feature is the rich montane forest in the highland regions around Gunung Halimun (1929m), its tallest peak. The scenery is ravishing and there’s a lot of wildlife (though most of it is hard to see), including langurs and gibbons as well as profuse bird life. Several happy days could be spent hiking here.
The most popular walk is a half-day hike taking in three waterfalls.
ArusLiar Adventure (map Google map; %021-2270 7917; www.arusliar.co.id; 3rd fl, Jl Kemang Raya 31; rafting per person from 225,000Rp; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) is a recommended local operator running hiking trips in the park and white-water rafting in the peripheral areas. Otherwise, speak to the staff at the tourist office in Bogor about setting up a trip.
The usual access (you need your own transport) is through Cibadak on the Bogor–Pelabuhan Ratu road, from where you turn off to Cikadang and then on to the Nirmala Tea Estate. Rainfall in the park is between 4000mm and 6000mm per year. Most of this falls from October to May, when a visit is more or less out of the question. There is a helpful park office on the eastern edge of the village of Kabandungan.
4Sleeping & Eating
oLodges Ekologika on Portibi FarmsFARMSTAY$$
(%0812 8211 8850; www.portibi.com; huts $10, bungalows US$45-65, r US$66; meals per day $40) S
Set on the terraced slopes of Gunung Salak (2211m), this organic farm and gourmet kitchen has developed a reputation for imaginative meals crafted from ingredients grown on its 14 hectares. Most guests stay in charming rooms and bungalows built from reclaimed teak, glass and polished concrete, and blessed with magnificent views (with cheap and simple bamboo huts available for backpackers).
Whatever their budget, most guests spend their downtime in the Pacifist Cannibal Lounge. It is here, on the ground floor of the main house, where the owner, a recovering American academic, mixes original cocktails behind a curved reclaimed-timber bar, while the sound system thumps out classic punk anthems and neo-classic hip-hop beats.
But above all, the family-style meals are the thing. Think homemade ravioli, steamed barramundi, tempe tacos folded in housemade tortillas, and colourful salads, which are among the best we’ve ever had. Though it attracts mostly midrange customers, backpackers can take advantage of special midweek rates (all-inclusive US$30), though you’ll be crashing in a hut. Advance bookings are obligatory.
Cimaja
%0266
Cimaja is an attractive, low-key surf resort some 100km south of Bogor, with a good choice of accommodation and several decent and reasonably quiet surf spots (though none attain the epic standards that can be found elsewhere in the archipelago). There’s also a mystical quality to the place. After a long sunset session, as you wander back through the rice fields along the canals, you’ll hear the ethereal calls to prayer filter through the palms and feel far from Java’s teeming cities. All up, the slow pace and oceanic air makes for an exhilarating change that will appeal even to non-surfers.
To get here, you have to pass through the large, unlovely resort of Pelabuhan Ratu; Cimaja is 8km further west. There are a couple of banks with ATMs in Cimaja, and several more in Pelabuhan Ratu.
1Sights & Activities
The main beach is a stony affair, but attractive enough. It’s often pounded by crashing surf and the swimming can be treacherous. Take extreme care. For a sandy beach you’ll have to head west for a kilometre or so to Karang Hawu (Sunset Beach), a broad strip of dark sand.
About 3km north of Pantai Karang Hawu are the Cipanas hot springs. Boiling water sprays into the river, and you can soak downstream where the hot and cold waters mingle. It is a very scenic area, with lush forest upstream and a waterfall, though it’s crowded on weekends.
Mostly, though, Cimaja is all about the surf. In general, the wave quality isn’t as high as in more famous surf areas of Indonesia, but as every surfer knows, even an average Indonesian surf spot is probably 10 times better than your home break!
Some of the better-known waves include Cimaja Point, which is a long, walled-up right point with rare cover-up sections. It’s the most consistent and crowded wave. Indicator Point, which is just outside Cimaja Point, fires at high tide when there’s a big swell, but it’s only for experienced surfers. Karang Hawu has a sectiony beach break that is good for beginners.
There are other spots tucked away along the coastline either side of Cimaja. Some of these are very good waves indeed.
Diving, fishing, rafting and motorcycling trips can also be organised through your guesthouse, and so can surf lessons. They cost about 150,000Rp per day (excluding soft board rental, which is another 100,000Rp).
4Sleeping & Eating
Cimaja is very quiet during the week and fills up at weekends and during holidays, when prices rise by around 20% at many places.
Cimaja HomestayHOMESTAY$
(%0858 4615 9092; http://cimajahomestay.com; Jl Raya Cisolok; s/d 200,000/250,000Rp; aW)
Set in the rice fields a short way back from the main surf break is this sky-blue, concrete-block homestay, tended by lovely English-speaking staff who offer four sparkling tiled rooms. Surfboards are available for rent.
Chill House CimajaGUESTHOUSE$
(%0812 8044 2220; r with private/shared bathroom 170,000/150,000Rp)
A friendly and simple homestay with a surfy vibe, hammocks on the terraces and helpful owners. It can be a little tricky to find, so ask locals for some clues. Downsides are that the communal bathrooms are none too clean and the mosque will wake you early – but that way at least you’ll be the first one in the waves!
oNurda’sLODGE$$
(%0813 1475 9937; www.cimajapoint.com; Jl Raya Cisolok; r 150,000-400,000Rp; aW)
This surf lodge is set in large grassy grounds just back from the main surf break and with views out over the waves. Rooms are tiled, modern and spacious, though not especially imaginative. The restaurant is the most creative in town and serves fish and tempe burgers, chicken schnitzel, and grilled and fried seafood complete with lots of surf talk.
Sadly, some of the rooms have been tainted by smokers.
Cimaja SquareBUNGALOW$$
(%0266-644 0800; http://cimajasquare.com; Jl Raya Cisolok; bungalows 150,000-400,000Rp; aiW)
Attractive thatched roof, brick and wood cottages, all of good size and built over the rice paddies make this a tranquil and endearing choice. It’s a five-minute stroll from the main point break. The bathrooms can be mosquito sanctuaries.
At the decent in-house restaurant (mains 40,000-60,000Rp; h7am-9pm) you not only get solidly prepared and presented international dishes (think pasta, burgers, pizza, seafood and some standard Indonesian dishes) at this open-to-all hotel restaurant, but also a good atmosphere and a mix of international surfers and travellers eating, knocking back a few Bintangs and playing pool.
8Getting There & Away
To reach Cimaja, you first need to get to Pelabuhan Ratu. Buses run throughout the day from Bogor (air-con/normal 55,000/35,000Rp, three to four hours) to Pelabuhan Ratu. There is no direct access to or from Jakarta. You have to get to Bogor first.
Some buses continue on from Pelabuhan Ratu to Cimaja. These are supplemented by regular angkot (5000Rp, 30 minutes, but expect to pay more if you have surfboards with you), which run about every 20 minutes. Some angkot then go on to Cisolok, past Sunset Beach.
Motorbikes can be hired for 60,000Rp per day from locals in Cimaja, and surfboard racks are available.
Cibodas
%0263 / Pop 142,500
Home to the famous Kebun Raya Cibodas, a botanical garden where nature always seems to be one step ahead of the gardeners’ pruning blades, Cibodas and its cool air are popular with weekending city folk, although it features on the itineraries of only a few foreign visitors.
Cibodas, like most of West Java, is swelling beyond its original skin. Once a relatively prosperous yet simple tea and market town, with nice homes dotting the green hills, now it has gleaming malls, fashion outlets and upmarket lodgings serving weekenders from nearby cities. The road from Jakarta and Bogor climbs in elevation, through a sprawling hill resort known as the Puncak to a height of 1490m before descending to Cibodas. Note that at the weekend and during holidays the traffic along this route is almost gridlocked.
Visitors must pay 2000Rp to enter Cibodas village.
1Sights
Kebun Raya CibodasGARDENS
(%0263-520 448; www.krcibodas.lipi.go.id; per person 16,500Rp, car 16,000Rp; h8am-5pm)
The stunning gardens of Kebun Raya Cibodas are an extension of the Bogor botanical gardens. Spread over the steep lower slopes of Gunung Gede and Gunung Pangrango at an altitude of 1300m to 1440m, these lush gardens are among the dampest places in Java. The Dutch tried to cultivate quinine here (its bark is used in malaria medication), though the East Javan climate proved more suitable.
4Sleeping
Bali Ubud GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0263-512 051; Jl Kebun Raya; r from 240,000Rp)
About 4km south of the entrance to Kebun Raya Cibodas, this Balinese-owned place has attractive rooms with balconies that enjoy spectacular valley views. The restaurant here also makes the most of the views, serving good Western and Indonesian food, and cold Bintang. However, they do keep pit-bull dogs here, which can be off-putting for some.
8Getting There & Away
The turn-off to Cibodas is on the Bogor–Bandung Hwy, a few kilometres west of Cipanas. Buses running between these two cities will drop you off at the turn-off. The gardens are 5km from the main road. Angkot run from the roadside in Cipanas up to the gardens and the entrance to the Gede Pangrango National Park (5000Rp, 10 minutes).
Gede Pangrango National Park
In every way the highlight of the Gede Pangrango National Park is the climb to the peak of the volcanically active Gunung Gede (2958m). From the top of Gede on a clear day you can see Jakarta to the north, or, more enticingly, the sensuous south coast of Java.
Because it’s close to Jakarta, this is an extremely popular mountain to climb. Numbers are restricted and during peak holiday season there may be a waiting list. At other times you can normally just rock up and trek the next day.
2Activities
There are a number of different walking trails within the park. The majority are fairly long and are better suited to those who don’t mind getting muddy and scratched by jungle thorns. Park authorities (%0263-512776; www.gedepangrango.org; per person weekday/weekend 22,500Rp/27,500Rp) can advise on routes and supply guides.
Gunung GedeTREKKING
The thick, jungled slopes of the 2958m Gunung Gede volcano offer one of the most exciting and challenging treks in West Java. The 10km hike right to the summit takes at least 12 hours there and back, so you should start as early as possible and take warm clothes (night temperatures can drop to 5°C), food, water and a torch (flashlight). Most hikers leave by 2am to reach the summit in the early morning before the mists roll in.
8Getting There & Away
For 5000Rp angkot run from Cibodas to the park entrance, which is right next to the entrance for the Kebun Raya Cibodas. There is a charge of 3000Rp for every vehicle entering the national park and 1000Rp per vehicle occupant.
Cianjur
%0263 / Pop 161,500
A market town that’s famed throughout Java for the quality of its rice, Cianjur is enveloped by shimmering green paddy fields. However, it’s no tourist town; instead, it’s a sprawling urban settlement with little charm that just serves as a base to explore the area’s fine walking trails, hillside villages and attractive countryside.
The town (which is more an amalgamation of villages) has few attractions, but instead serves as a popular base to explore the attractive surrounds.
The Sarongge Valley (%0857 5976 8683; h9am-2pm Mon-Thu & Sat) F green-tea plantation and processing factory lies 20km north of Cianjur. The site also includes a silkworm farm and flower farms. Near town, there’s also Jhon (%0263-264 444; https://thejhons.com; 30,000Rp, additional charges for other activities; h8am-9pm Mon-Fri, to 10pm Sat & Sun), a leisure complex with three pools, paintballing, boating and other activities. It’s around 3km northwest of the town centre.
4Sleeping
Chill Out Guest HouseHOMESTAY$
(Joy’s Guest House; %0877 1458 5454, 0813 2172 9004; www.cianjuradventure.com; r incl full board 300,000Rp; W)
Set in the joyful and inviting middle-class family home of Yudhi Suryana, here guests sleep in private or shared rooms with curtained-off beds and a shared bathroom. It’s starting to show its age a bit, but there’s a large yard usually bustling with family members (and other guests). Rates include three tasty meals and strong local coffee, and free laundry too.
Best part: Yudhi arranges a handful of delightful tours in the region. He also arranges bus and train tickets, and books private transport.
The guesthouse is actually around 10km northeast of Cianjur and very complicated to find without some local knowledge. The best bet is simply to phone and ask them to explain how to get there.
5Eating
The Cianjur region is famous for its sweet, spicy cuisine, and there are several delicious dishes unique to the area. Be sure to try the local lontong (sticky rice with tofu in a delicious, sweet coconut sauce); there are several warungs on Jl Dewisartika that specialise in this dish. Look out for some of the best beef sate in Java, locally known as marangi, which is available in many places across town. Other local specialities include delicious batagor (crispy tofu) and pandan wangi rice, which is fragrantly flavoured short-grain rice that’s often cooked with lemon grass and spices.
Lotek LPINDONESIAN$
(%0263-264 554; Jl Juanda 28; meals 10,000-20,000Rp; h6.30am-10pm)
A scruffy storefront Sundanese diner run by a charming ibu who mixes a fine gado gado (14,000Rp), plus authentically sweet and sticky sate marangi (5000Rp per stick).
Ikan Bakar CianjurSEAFOOD$$
(map Google map; %0263-263 392; Jl Dr Muwardi 143; mains 35,000-80,000Rp; h9am-10pm)
DON’T MISS
LIVE LIKE A LOCAL
Author Yudhi Suryana (who for years lived in New Zealand) has been building the tourism industry in Cianjur, one guest at a time. Through his homestay, the Chill Out Guest House, and through his rare agenda of treks and driving tours, his goal is to offer independent travellers a slice of authentic Sundanese life.
There are several different tours and activities, including one to Cangling, a floating village (per person 175,000Rp) on a nearby lake, with a fish-farming economy, and to a local school in town. The profusion of plastic around the floating village can be disappointing, but there is no doubt that you’re seeing real Javanese life up close – with all its charms and challenges.
However, the most popular trip is the traditional village tour (200,000Rp per person, lunch included). Guests will take local angkot transport from the centre of Cianjur into the hills, where you’ll follow a concrete gang (footpath) until it flakes away into earth. The 90-minute hike, past elegantly terraced rice fields and stands of clove, cardamom and guava trees, eventually leads to Kampung Gombong where you will have lunch at a wonderful braided bamboo home.
The whole village is filled with homes that, for the moment at least, remain far from asphalt roads and are served by small shops and tiny lanes that only the brave and knowledgeable can navigate with a motorbike. Lunch is prepared over an open flame in the kitchen. After lunch you can have a massage and a nap before the lazy and beautiful wander back to the asphalt streets. This is the perfect antidote to those contagious urban blues so common in West Java.
Yudhi arranges airport pick-ups and drop-offs, as well as bus and train tickets to or from Jakarta, Bandung or Yogyakarta.
8Getting There & Away
From Jakarta the easiest – if not necessarily fastest – way to Cianjur is via a daily minibus (125,000Rp, three hours) organised through the Chill Out Guest House. The minibus will pick you up from any Jakarta area hotel, but be warned that this zig-zagging around Jakarta collecting clients can add hours to the journey.
Otherwise, buses leave Jakarta’s Kampung Rambutan every 30 minutes to Cipanas (40,000Rp, two hours) and Cianjur (50,000Rp, three hours). On weekends (when traffic is terrible around Puncuk Pass) buses are routed via Jonggol (add an extra hour to your journey and an extra 10,000Rp to your tab). Buses to and from Bandung (normal/air-con 20,000/30,000Rp, two hours) run every half hour.
There are buses to Bogor from Cianjur (weekday/weekend 25,000/35,000Rp, 1½ to two hours) and the highway by Cipanas every 20 minutes. The bus station is at the eastern end of town but many of the buses that are just passing through town will drop off and pick up passengers anywhere along the main road through town.
Bandung
%022 / Pop 2.4 million
Bandung is a city of punks and prayer, serious religion and serious coffee. Here are teeming markets and good shopping, thriving cafes in reclaimed Dutch relics, palpable warmth and camaraderie on street corners, and traffic everywhere you look. Almost everything great and terrible about Indonesia can be found in Bandung. You may cringe at the young teens smoking and systemic poverty, and nod with respect at the city’s thriving art, shopping and cafe scene. Yes, Bandung has everything, except nature, and after the bottle-green hills of Cibodas, the sprawling bulk of Bandung is quite the urban reality check. But even if the local mountains are cloaked in smog, the city does make a good base for day trips to the surrounding countryside – high volcanic peaks, hot springs and tea plantations are all within reach.
1Sights
There are some fine Dutch art deco structures to admire on Jl Jenderal Sudirman and Jl Asia Afrika, two of the best being the Prama Grand Preanger and the Savoy Homann Hotel, both of which have imposing facades. In the north of the city, Villa Isola is another wonderful Dutch art deco structure.
oSelasar Sunaryo Art SpaceGALLERY
(%022-250 7939; www.selasarsunaryo.com; Jl Bukit Pakar Timur 100; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun) F
Just outside town in the pretty rural district of Ciburial is this sleek contemporary art gallery. It exhibits both Indonesian and international artists in both an impressive permanent exhibition and monthly changing shows in its four galleries. There’s also an attractive cafe here set under a protruding tree.
Here you can pick up the Art Bandung (www.bandungartmap.com) map to check out galleries across town.
Villa IsolaNOTABLE BUILDING
(Bumi Siliwangi; %0813 2245 3101, 022-201316; Jl Dr Setiabudhi 229; hinterior visits by appointment) F
Around 7km north of the centre, Villa Isola is a landmark art deco building, a four-storey villa built by a Dutch media baron in the 1930s as a private residence. It’s now the University of Education’s administrative offices. This curvaceous architectural masterpiece is in excellent condition; from its balconies there’s a fine perspective of Bandung. It’s possible to enter the building if you call ahead.
Governor’s ResidenceNOTABLE BUILDING
(map Google map; off Jl Kebon Kawung)
One of Bandung’s most beautifully restored period buildings, though you can only gaze at it from behind the railings.
Bandung Institute of TechnologyUNIVERSITY
(ITB; www.itb.ac.id/en; Jl Ganeca)
Opened in 1920, the ITB was the first university open to Indonesians – Sukarno studied here, and it has a reputation for political activism. In 1998, in the lead-up to Suharto’s downfall, up to 100,000 students rallied daily. Set in spacious grounds, the complex contains some bizarre hybrid Indo-European architecture. Visit the art gallery (admission free; opens on request) as its fine-arts school is internationally famous.
2Activities
Bersih SehatMASSAGE
(map Google map; %022-426 0765; Jl Sultan Tirtayasa 31; h10am-10pm)
This is an excellent massage and treatment salon. Rates are reasonable with a one-hour body massage costing 130,000Rp. A 90-minute treatment with a massage and lulur scrub costs just 150,000Rp.
TTours
Freelance English-speaking Enoss (%0852 2106 3788; enoss_travellers@yahoo.com) is a good-natured tour guide who runs one-day tours (400,000Rp per person) of the sights to the north and south of the city. The tours get you away from the more predictable touristy locations. He can also set up trips to Pangandaran (800,000Rp) via Garut.
4Sleeping
Bandung offers quality accommodation across all budgets: there are a few good hostels, funky well-priced business hotels and classy historical digs. Luxury hotels offer online discounts, so shop around.
oButon Backpacker LodgeHOSTEL$
(map Google map; %022-423 8958; www.buton-backpacker-lodge-id; Jl Buton 14A; dm/s/tw/d 140,000/150,000/250,000/270,000; aW)
Brilliant and central hostel, with well-designed eight-bed pod dorms, which gives each guest more privacy than the traditional bunkbed-style dorms (though you do feel a little like you’re sleeping in a coffin…). There are also colourful and smart single and double rooms, some of which share bathrooms. Great communal spaces and friendly staff round out the deal.
AtticHOSTEL$
(%0857 7690 5080; Jl Juanda 130; incl breakfast dm 120,000Rp, d with private/shared bathroom 250,000/200,000Rp; aW)
While it’s a tad out of the way, 4km north of the city, the Attic remains one of Bandung’s best budget options. It’s run by a friendly crew, who are helpful in assisting with local travel info and offer tours in the area. The dorms and private rooms are basic, but spotlessly maintained, and they have comfortable beds.
Chez BonHOSTEL$
(map Google map; %0811 2015 333, 022-426 0600; www.chez-bon.com; Jl Braga 45; dm incl breakfast 150,000Rp; aW)
In the heart of the action is this popular but institutional-feeling hostel, located up a flight of scruffy marble stairs from Jl Braga. Bunks are set up in two-bed, six-bed and 16-bed arrangements. All dorms are air-conditioned and come with lockers and wi-fi, and the individual reading lights are a nice touch.
Summerbird Boutique HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(map Google map; %022-603 0228; www.summerbirdhotel.com; Jl Kesatriaan 11; d from 519,000Rp; aW)
When the rooms go by names such as Vintage Chocolate Flavor or Scandanavian Milk (whatever that might be?), you know you’re going to be staying somewhere hip. And this pleasingly styled 28-room hotel certainly delivers. It even describes itself as ‘Instagramable’! Despite the varying decor schemes, all rooms are modern, comfortable and have a countryside charm.
favehotel BragaHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %022-8446 8222; www.favehotels.com/en; Jl Braga 99, Braga City Walk Entertainment Complex; r from 289,000Rp; aW)
Part of a reliable national chain, this bright and bold design hotel is a good central choice where you can expect a stylish, air-conditioned room with cable TV for under US$40.
101HOTEL$$
(map Google map; %022-426 0966; www.the101hotels.com; Jl Juanda 3; r incl breakfast from 780,000Rp; paWs)
Part of a small national chain; the 101’s reclaimed wood-panelled facade dripping with vines is cool, as is the Sino-Portuguese tile in the lobby and groovy lounge spaces. The jazzy rooms are just as attractive, with blonde-wood furnishings and checkerboard tile floors, though they aren’t huge. It’s set in the leafy north.
NovotelHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %022-421 1001; www.novotel.com; Jl Cihampelas 23; r from 675,000Rp; aiWs)
A worthy splurge. Rooms are stylish and service standards are very high. Although the pool is tiny, it has a great gym and a spa. Online discounts are easy to find.
Prama Grand PreangerHISTORIC HOTEL$$
(map Google map; %022-423 1631; www.pramahotels.com; Jl Asia Afrika 181; r/ste from 550,000/2,277,000Rp; aWs)
This hotel dates back to 1929 and is blessed with a photogenic lobby patisserie set beneath stained-glass skylights. The best rooms are those in the executive class, on the 1st floor. These are the originals, and though they were renovated a few years back, art deco flourishes remain with reproduction furniture, marble floors and baths, and original lighting.
YokotelHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %022-421 9338; www.yokotel.com; Jl Kebonjati 17-19; r from 310,000Rp; aW)
A handsome midranger with a welcoming, if cramped, tiled lobby, a homely facade and 19 rooms on three floors. Rooms aren’t huge but have nice linens, wallpaper accents and wood floors, and are very clean, with coffee and tea too.
oSavoy Homann HotelHISTORIC HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %022-423 2244; www.savoyhomann-hotel.com; Jl Asia Afrika 112; r/ste from 750,000/1,000,000Rp; aiWs)
Dating back to 1921, this wonderful-looking hotel has a superb sweeping facade and a palm-tree-filled atrium, while the impressively large and bright rooms and communal areas retain real art deco class, with period lighting and stylish details galore. Promo deals are available on the website.
Tama Boutique HotelDESIGN HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %022-426 4888; www.tama-boutique.com; Jl Rajiman 5; r/ste incl breakfast from 950,000/1,200,000Rp; 
nW)
An unusual ‘building block’ exterior gives way to a contemporary, Japanese-influenced design hotel with floor-to-ceiling wall murals, soft wooden furnishings and low, comfortable beds. All of which help to make this one of the more eye-catching Bandung hotels. Continuing with the Far Eastern feel, there’s also a decent in-house Korean restaurant with great rooftop views.
5Eating
Bandung is renowned throughout Java for its cuisine and for having great places to eat. And for many visitors, eating out is a Bandung highlight. In the centre, Jl Braga has a strip of cafes and restaurants. Many of Bandung’s most exclusive places are concentrated in the north of town. For cheap eats check out the night warungs on Jl Cikapundung Barat, across from the alun-alun (main public square).
HangoverPUB FOOD$
(map Google map; Jl Braga 47; dishes 20,000-50,000Rp; h11am-2am Mon-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat, to 1am Sun)
A busy pub restaurant, with classic rock and blues on the stereo and a comforting range of updated Western and Indo classics emerging from the kitchen. It does meatballs with fried rice, oxtail soup, chicken burgers and a delicious hot salty tofu. And it serves icy-cold beer, of course, which goes well with the big TV screens showing sport.
Mangokok ManisICE CREAM$
(map Google map; %0813 2069 2006; Jl Cihampelas 101; ice cream 25,000-40,000Rp; h10am-11pm Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri, to midnight Sat)
An uber-popular dessert restaurant and ice-cream joint (the name means Sweet Bowl) on ‘Jeans St’, where you build your own sticky concoction from the foundation up. First, choose a flavour: vanilla, chocolate, green tea, strawberry or rum raisin. Next add a favourite pudding: mango, egg, vanilla, coconut or black forest. Finish off with a topping, such as fresh fruit.
KioskINDONESIAN$
(map Google map; Jl Braga, Braga City Walk; meals 15,000-50,000Rp; h10am-10pm; W)
This mini food court on the ground floor of the Braga City Walk is ideal for mixing with locals and sampling some unusual snacks from kaki lima (street vendor) style stalls. Order a lotek (Sundanese salad) or a noodle dish. Drinks include juices – try the sirsak (soursop) – cold beers and iced coffees.
oPaviliun SundaINDONESIAN$$
(%022-426 7700; Jl Martadinata 97; mains 40,000-80,000Rp; h10am-11pm)
Classy restaurant serving modern, well-presented Sundanese food. The fried or barbecued fish, which comes with a variety of interesting sides and sauces served on banana-leaf plates, is delicious. Try to arrive early because otherwise there can be a long wait for service.
IndischetafelINDONESIAN$$
(map Google map; %022-4218 802; Jl Sumatera 19; mains 50,000-85,000Rp; h8am-11pm)
Set within a stunning Dutch colonial villa that’s been beautifully renovated and filled with period furnishings (even the background music is from the 1930s), this is a well-priced place to try classic, expertly turned out Javanese dishes as well as a few old-fashioned Dutch ones.
Braga Punya CaritaINDONESIAN$$
(map Google map; Jl Braga; mains 27,000-75,000Rp; h11am-10pm)
A new-school warung serving mixed rice dishes, oxtail and fish soup, and some forgettable Western options. For the rice dishes, you can choose between red or white rice then add the flavour from a menu of chicken Taliwang, grilled tempe and salted fish, among others.
EATBOSS DagoINTERNATIONAL$$
(map Google map; %022-253 1222; www.eatboss.co.id; Jl Juanda 72; mains 40,000-125,000Rp; h9am-11pm; W)
A modern chain restaurant blessed with bright colours and a terrific design. Serves standard Indonesian dishes as well as pasta and burgers. Portions are big and cheap, though not of the highest quality.
6Drinking & Nightlife
After dark Jl Braga is the place to be, with small bars, pool halls, karaoke lounges and live-music venues. Up in north Bandung, the well-heeled head to places along Jl Juanda, and students converge on Jeans St aka Jl Cihampelas (though there are few bars here).
oWiki KoffeeCAFE
(map Google map; %022-4269 0970; Jl Braga; coffee from 19,000Rp; h9am-midnight; W)
The best place for coffee on Jl Braga is this smoky cafe set in a restored old storefront and tastefully decorated with vintage furniture, art and fresh-cut flowers. This is where the hip, young and cute collide in intimate corners and at table-and-chair arrangements that feel like your living room.
Armor KopiCOFFEE
(%0812 8072 9721; Jl Pakar Utara 10; coffee & tea 16,000-20,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)
A good reason to hit the hills is this outdoor cafe set among pine plantations and pastoral outlooks. There’s an excellent choice of Indonesian coffees, created via a multitude of techniques; our favourite is the Acehenese tubruk (unfiltered coffee). It also does wood-fired pizzas. It’s 10km from town in Ciburial, an arty enclave of galleries and cafes.
Cups Coffe & KitchenCAFE
(map Google map; %022-426 5092; Jl Trunojoyo 25; coffee 15,000-20,000Rp, snacks 40,000-50,000Rp; h7am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat; W)
A polished-concrete atrium cafe with orchids hung on the wall, smoke in the air and mostly Western snacks and sandwiches on the menu. Fish and chips, Caesar salad, burgers and hot dogs are all here for the ordering, but coffee is its thing. That’s what draws Bandung’s creative class for all-day work-and-sip sessions.
RoempoetBAR
(map Google map; Jl Braga 80; hnoon-2am Mon-Thu, to 3am Fri-Sun)
Intimate bar with live bands (mainly playing covers most nights) and a social vibe. Sizzling sate is also served.
3Entertainment
Bandung is a good place to see Sundanese performing arts; however, performance times are haphazard – check with the Tourist Information Centre for the latest schedules.
oASTI BandungPERFORMING ARTS
(%022-731 4982; www.isbi.ac.id; Jl Buah Batu 212, Kampus STSI Bandung)
In the southern part of the city about 3km from the centre, this is a school for traditional Sundanese arts – music, dancing and pencak silat (martial arts). There are frequent good performances, some of which are held in a breezy outdoor setting.
Saung AngklungPERFORMING ARTS
(%022-727 1714; www.angklung-udjo.co.id; Jl Padasuka 118; adult/child under 12yr 75,000/50,000Rp; h10.30am-5pm)
Hosts enjoyable, if not entirely authentic, angklung (bamboo musical instrument) performances daily in a Sundanese cultural centre that also features dance events and ceremonial processions. It’s around 10km northeast of the city centre.
7Shopping
With glitzy malls and factory outlets, shopaholics love Bandung. Bandung’s celebrated Jeans St (Jl Cihampelas) has masses of cheap clothing stores. Jl Cibaduyut, in southwest Bandung, is to shoes what Jl Cihampelas is to jeans. Check out Jl Braga for antiques, art and curios. Jl Trunojoyo, in the leafy north end, offers the hippest, trendiest styles and shoppers.
Kayu SolidART
(map Google map; %022-426 0577; Jl Braga 29; h10am-6pm)
The coolest showroom on Jl Braga displays the artistry of nature. The medium here is huge slabs of tropical wood, minimally treated and displayed like fine art. Admire the wonders of teak, jackfruit, rosewood and many others. None of it is cheap, but it’s still a better deal than in Jakarta.
Bandung SupermalMALL
(Jl Gatot Subroto 289; h8am-11pm; W)
More than 200 shops, including Boss and Levi’s, a huge Hero supermarket, a bowling alley and cinemas.
Braga City WalkMALL
(map Google map; www.bragacitywalk.net; Jl Braga; h10am-10pm; W)
Small upmarket shopping mall with boutiques, a food court, a cinema and a supermarket.
Pasar JatayuMARKET
(Jl Arjuna; h8am-6pm)
Search this flea market for collectables hidden amid the junk.
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Bandung’s Husein Sastranegara airport (%150 138; http://huseinsastranegara-airport.co.id) is 4km northwest of town, and is fast becoming an important international and domestic transport hub. It’s a key hub for AirAsia (www.airasia.com), with connections to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and domestic cities, including Denpasar. Lion Air (www.lionair.co.id) flies to Banjarmasin, Batam, Denpasar, Surabaya and Yogyakarta. Garuda (www.garuda-indonesia.com) and Citilink (www.citilink.co.id) connect to Denpasar and Surabaya.
It costs around 50,000Rp to the airport by taxi from the city centre.
BUS
Five kilometres south of the city centre, Leuwi Panjang bus terminal (Jl Sukarno Hatta) has buses west to places such as Cianjur (normal/air-con 20,000/30,000Rp, two hours), Bogor (air-con 80,000Rp, 3½ hours) and to Jakarta’s Kampung Rambutan bus terminal (60,000Rp to 70,000Rp, three hours). Buses to Bogor take at least an hour longer on weekends due to traffic.
On the city’s eastern outskirts, Cicaheum bus terminal (JI Nasution) serves Cirebon (normal/air-con 40,000/100,000Rp, four hours, hourly), Garut (normal/air-con 25,000/30,000Rp, two hours, every 40 minutes), Pangandaran (normal/air-con 65,000/80,000Rp, six hours, hourly), Wonosobo (90,000Rp, nine to 10 hours) and Yogyakarta (120,000Rp to 250,000Rp, 10½ to 12 hours). Note that the traffic around the Cicaheum terminal can be so clogged it can take almost as long to reach the bus station as it does to get the bus to wherever you’re going!
CitiTrans (%022-251 4090, 0804 1111 000; www.cititrans.co.id; Jl Dipatiukur 53) offers luxury shuttle-bus service to the Jakarta airport (180,000Rp, five hours), departing hourly.
TRAIN
Bandung Station is centrally located, 1km northwest of the alun-alun.
TRAINS FROM BANDUNG
| DESTINATION | COST (RP) | DURATION (HR) | FREQUENCY (DAILY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jakarta (Gambir) | 80,000-250,000 | 3¼ | 10 |
| Surabaya | 190,000-460,000 | 11-13½ | 3 |
| Yogyakarta | 165,000-370,000 | 7¼-8½ | 6 |
8Getting Around
Bandung is a fiendishly difficult city to negotiate on public transport, and few travellers bother as taxi rates are reasonable. Stick to the ever-reliable Bluebird taxis, as well as Grab and Go-Jek. A taxi to the airport costs around 50,000Rp.
Angkot run from Stasiun Hall (St Hall), on the southern side of the train station, to Dago, Ledeng and other destinations; fares cost from 5000Rp. City buses (called Damri) run from west to east down Jl Asia Afrika to Cicaheum bus terminal, and from the train station to Leuwi Panjang bus terminal.
Various plans (and pipedreams) have been mooted to alleviate Bandung’s notorious traffic congestion. First choice – a metro – is simply beyond the financial reach of the local authorities. Alternatives have included a TransJakarta-style busway system, monorail and even a cable car. Of these, shelters for the busway have been built but the proposed network has stalled due to opposition from angkot drivers; the monorail is still at discussion stage; and in July 2017 the cable car had finally been given the green light for construction. The first section had been due for completion by April 2018, but at the time of research still hadn’t been completed. Once complete, it will use 55 gondolas and link Jl Pasteur with Jl Siliwangi.
North of Bandung
Hot springs bubble up from the earth and are piped into tubs at the soothing resorts north of Bandung.
1Sights & Activities
Tangkuban PrahuVOLCANO
(Mon-Fri 200,000Rp, Sat & Sun 300,000Rp; hinfo centre 7am-5pm)
This volcanic crater, 30km north of Bandung, has a flat, elongated summit that resembles an upturned boat (prahu). It’s a huge attraction and certainly a spectacular sight, but also a major tourist trap. If you do decide to go, try to aim for early in the day as by noon the mist starts to roll in. Expect forceful guides trying to sell you overpriced souvenirs. Many foreign visitors find it pricey and not worth the hassle.
It’s possible to circumnavigate most of the caldera on foot, but as wannabe guides can be aggressive and tourists have been robbed, there are better places for a highland walk.
Gracia SpaHOT SPRINGS
(%0260-724 9997; www.graciaspa.com; 35,000Rp; h7am-11pm)
Eight kilometres northeast of Tangkuban Prahu in the village of Ciater, Gracia Spa is a natural hot spring set in gorgeous grounds on the lower slopes of the volcano. The springs have been developed in an upmarket way and are kept clean. There are three large pools, expensive villa accommodation and a spa and a restaurant, and it’s very quiet midweek.
Sari Ater Hot Spring ResortHOT SPRINGS
(%0260-471 700; www.sariater-hotel.com; spring access 20,000-70,000Rp; h24hr)
This is the village of Ciater’s main attraction. Although they’re quite commercialised, the pools are among the best of the hot springs around Bandung. Plush but overpriced rooms (from 900,000Rp), villas and permanent upmarket ‘safari’ tents (from 950,000Rp) are available here. The pools can get insanely busy on weekends.
Ciwidey & Around
%022 / Pop 26,000
The mountains surrounding the small farming town of Ciwidey, south of Bandung, offer magnificent scenery, a rolling evergreen landscape of neatly cropped tea bushes, clumps of tropical forest and misty hilltops. Although there are no standout tourist attractions, the area is ideal for gentle explorations and is well off the standard backpacker trail. The cooler climate is an attraction in itself, and the area lends itself to the growing of more temperate fruits. It can sometimes seem as if every second house has a strawberry patch.
Although the area is seldom visited by international travellers, it’s very popular with people from Bandung and Jakarta. This means that it can initially be a struggle to get here through the endless Bandung suburbs and traffic, even on weekdays. On weekends, when Jakartans descend en masse – well, you’ve been warned.
1Sights
Ciwidey itself has few attractions but does have minimarts and hotels. You really need your own set of wheels to properly get the most out of this area. It’s easy to combine Kawah Putih, Kawah Rengganis and Situ Patengan into a fun day trip as they are all close to one another and within 50km of Ciwidey. Touring this region by public transport is possible but a pain. Most travellers explore the area on a tour from Bandung.
Kawah RengganisHOT SPRINGS
(30,000Rp)
Lovely Kawah Rengganis (also known as Kawah Cibuni) is a pretty, isolated river fed by hot springs and surrounded by billowing steam from volcanic vents. It’s off the main tourist path and is wonderful for bathing. You have to park by the road and walk for a few minutes up to the pools; villagers here ask visitors for a 50,000Rp donation to visit their land. It’s best to avoid wearing skimpy swimwear when bathing here.
Kawah PutihLAKE
(Indonesians/foreigners 20,000/50,000Rp)
Sulphur mists swirl around the deadened and burnt black trees that line the shores of the acid-water volcanic lake of Kawah Putih (or white lake). It’s a mesmerising and slightly eerie sight that is popular with domestic tourists and well worth the short drive from Ciwedey. If you want a closer look at the hypnotic turquoise lake waters pay 10,000Rp to walk out along the wooden pontoon.
Situ PatenganLAKE
(20,000Rp)
Situ Patengan is a pretty lake buried into the folds of mountains carpeted in tea estates and remnant patches of forest. It’s a popular stop with local tourists and has tearooms and boat trips catering to the Sunday crowds. For the best view of the lake, head out onto the deck of the ridiculously tacky beached boat. It’s 18km southwest of Ciwidey and best reached by private transport.
Malabar Tea EstateFARM
If you want to visit a tea plantation, head for the Malabar Tea Estate, where you can tour the grounds and stay at the creaky, colonial guesthouse, the Malabar Tea Village. It’s around 35km southeast of Ciwidey and is best reached by private transport.
Tahu SumedangFACTORY
(%0813 9468 3458; Jl Raya Soreang 34, Km25; tofu meal 20,000-30,000Rp; h7am-9pm)
A traditional tofu factory where you can watch tofu being made and fried in coconut oil and then, the best bit, devour it in the cafe. It’s a half-hour drive northeast of Ciwidey on the road to Bandung.
4Sleeping & Eating
Malabar Tea VillageHISTORIC HOTEL$$
(%0853 2037 1164; Banjarsari, Pangalengan; r Mon-Fri from 325,000Rp, Sat & Sun from 475,000Rp)
It’s hard to beat this idyllically situated colonial guesthouse, located at an altitude of 1500m in a working tea plantation near the town of Pangalengan. The simple, clean rooms, each with a front porch and Dutch-era furnishings, make it a great place to kick back for a few days.
Saung GawirINDONESIAN$$
(%0812 2113 3664; Jl Raya Ciwidey; meals 30,000-90,000Rp; h9am-5pm)
This restaurant–strawberry farm has startling valley views from its roadside perch in Alam Endah. Ignore the tour groups, pick a table and soak up the quintessential Javanese scenery as you feast on authentic local cuisine (don’t miss the excellent grilled carp). And, of course, it would be rude not to buy some berries while you’re here.
Bandung to Pangandaran
Heading southeast from Bandung, the road passes through rolling hills and stunning volcanic peaks, skirting – at a safe distance – the particularly explosive Gunung Papandayan (2622m). This is the Bandung–Yogyakarta road as far as Banjar; the Bandung–Yogyakarta train line passes through Tasikmalaya and Banjar, but not Garut. After the choked streets of Jakarta and Bandung, these quieter back roads are a pleasure. If you’re in a private vehicle, it pays to slow down here. Take the time to pause in small roadside villages or veer off down jungle-fringed back lanes, creating adventures as you go.
Garut & Cipanas
%0262 / Pop 126,000
The pretty village of Cipanas makes a tranquil base for a day or two exploring volcanic scenery and soaking away any travelling tensions in a hot-spring bath or pool. Six kilometres to the south is Garut, a once-lovely spa town that’s now become a featureless sprawl and leatherware centre that you’ll need to pass through to get to Cipanas.
The region is famed for its dodol – a confectionery of coconut milk, palm sugar and sticky rice. The Picnic brand is the best, and it is possible to visit the factory (%0811 203 5689; www.dodolpicnicgarut.com; Jl Pasundan 102; h8.30am-2pm) in Garut where it’s made.
4Sleeping
Cipanas has a good choice of places to stay; all are strung along Jl Raya Cipanas, the resort’s single road. Many of the flashier hotels have swimming pools heated by the springs; if you’re staying at a cheaper option, it’s possible to use the pools for a minimal fee (10,000/5000Rp per adult/child). Prices rise on weekends.
Kampung Sumber AlamRESORT$$
(%0262-238000; www.resort-kampungsumberalam.com; r 570,000-3,750,000Rp; ais)
Water, water everywhere at this upmarket resort with attractive thatch-and-timber bungalows built around and over waterlily ponds complete with croaking frogs. If you prefer your swimming a little more chlorinated, there’s a large and impressive pool complex. It’s popular with Indonesian families, particularly at weekends, though note that the call to prayer from the nearby mosque is enthusiastic.
Tirtagangga HotelHOTEL$$
(%0262-232549; http://tirtaganggahotel.com; Jl Raya Cipanas 130; r Mon-Fri from 680,000Rp, Sat & Sun from 950,000Rp; aWs)
A large, somewhat sterile but well-run hotel offering good-value rooms with wood-panelled walls, modern decor and generous bathrooms, many with tubs fed with hot-spring water. The huge pool is surrounded by palm trees, and the restaurant serves authentic Indonesian food.
HIKING GUNUNG PAPANDAYAN
Twin-peaked Gunung Papandayan, 28km southwest of Garut, is one of the most active volcanoes in West Java. Papandayan exploded in 1772, a catastrophe that killed more than 3000. It erupted again in 2002, and thousands were forced to flee when pyroclastic flows devastated the area. Papandayan is periodically closed to visitors, so check first with locals before setting out.
The impressive bubbling yellow Kawah Papandayan (100,000Rp) is just below the peak and clearly visible from the Garut valley on clear mornings. From the car park it is an easy half-hour walk to the crater, which is riddled with bubbling mud pools, steam vents and crumbling sulphur deposits. Take care – keep well to the right when ascending through the crater.
Consider hiring a guide (around 350,000Rp per day, but many will allow bargaining) from the PHKA office, as the car-park area is generally full of cowboys. For fine views, go early in the morning before the clouds roll in. Gunung Papandayan’s summit is a two-hour walk beyond the crater, and there are fields of Javan edelweiss near the top.
Craters to the west of Garut that can be visited are Kawah Darajat, 26km away, and Kawah Kamojang, 23km away, the site of a geothermal plant that has defused the once spectacular geyser activity and replaced it with huge pipes. Sigh, progress.
To get here, take a Cikajang minibus and get off at the turn-off on the outskirts of Cisurupan (10,000Rp), where you can catch a waiting ojek (40,000Rp one way, 13km).
Pangandaran
%0265 / Pop 52,200
Situated on a narrow isthmus, with a broad stretch of sand on either side and a thickly forested national park on the nearby headland, Pangandaran is West Java’s premier beach resort. It’s built up, especially toward the south end where a jumble of concrete block towers stand shoulder to shoulder across the channel from the national park. Yet for most of the year, Pangandaran is a quiet, tranquil place to enjoy walks along the beach or through the forest. Of course, on weekends and during peak holiday times, the town fills up to the point where you can hardly see empty sand for all the humanity.
Sadly, sections of the beach are littered with plastic and flotsam, especially during peak tourist time, and are in dire need of a clean-up.
A 6000Rp admission charge is officially levied at the gates on entering Pangandaran.
1Sights
Pangandaran National ParkNATIONAL PARK
(map Google map; Taman Nasional Pangandaran; Mon-Fri 215,000Rp, Sat & Sun 310,000Rp; h7am-5pm)
The Pangandaran National Park, which takes up the entire southern end of Pangandaran, is a wild expanse of dense forest. Within its boundaries live porcupines, kijang (barking deer), hornbills, monitor lizards and various species of monkey. Small bays within the park enclose reasonably pretty tree-fringed beaches. The park is divided into two sections: the recreation park and the jungle.
Due to environmental degradation, the jungle is usually off limits. Well-maintained paths allow the recreation park to be explored, passing small caves (including Gua Jepang, which was used by the Japanese in WWII), the remains of a Hindu temple, Batu Kalde, and a nice beach on the eastern side. English-speaking guides hang around both entrances and charge around 350,000Rp (per group of four) for a three-hour walk on a weekday and 400,000Rp at weekends. Longer treks are also possible.
Pangandaran’s best swimming beach, white-sand Pasir Putih, lies on the western side of the national park. It’s a thin stretch of soft sand fronted by a reef that’s pretty well thrashed, though plenty of fish still live, eat and love there. You can swim over here from the southern end of the main resort beach if the surf is not too rough, but take care of rip currents and the steady stream of boats that shuttle people back and forth (per person 40,000Rp return). They will not be looking for you. The beach stretches to a point that gets a reasonable wave (it’s very shallow and not suited to learners) when the swell is big. On calm days, the swim out to the point is peaceful and devoid of boat traffic. The large marooned ship here is an illegal Antarctic toothfish fishing vessel that was sunk by the ministry of Maritime Affairs as a monument to the government’s efforts in fighting illegal fishing. However, it’s supposed to sit upright, not toppled over as it is now.
Note that many tourists take advantage of a scam whereby boat operators will ferry you over to the park in their boats allowing you to avoid paying the park entry fees. The park authorities are already starved of money to properly preserve the park, so consider the morals of your actions before taking advantage of this.
At sunset, huge fruit bats emerge from the forest. They fly down the length of Pangandaran’s beach but have to evade local boys who patrol with barbed-wire kites. Few are trapped this way, but every now and then a bat’s wing will get caught on a kite string and the creature will be brought crashing to the ground in a fit of squeals, before being dispatched to the cooking pot.
2Activities
The beach is wide and long, and relentlessly pummelled by a heavy swell that doesn’t make for great swimming, as dangerous rips swirl (listen to the lifeguards!). But it is a great place to get out on a board or learn how to ride (surf lessons can be easily arranged).
Mas RudinADVENTURE
(map Google map; %0813 8005 6724; www.pangandaran-guide.com)
Mas Rudin is a tremendous local guide who operates out of MM Books and offers fair prices on a range of tours. His website has a wealth of information.
Pangandaran SurfSURFING
(map Google map; %0265-639436; Mini Tiga Homestay, off Jl Pamugaran Bulak Laut)
The friendly staff from Pangandaran Surf are all lifesavers, speak English and understand local conditions. Board hire runs about 75,000Rp per day, and lessons are 250,000Rp per day. It operates out of Mini Tiga Homestay.
TTours
Many guesthouses sell day tours taking in sights and activities in and around the town (Green Canyon, Green Valley, and various home-industry visits). Tours (from 350,000Rp per person) normally include transport and entry fees as well as a simple lunch.
There are also tours to Paradise Island, an uninhabited nearby island with good beaches (including a 5km white-sand beach) and waves.
4Sleeping
The principal area for budget or independent travellers is the main beach, where guesthouses are dotted along a grid of quiet lanes just inland from the shore. Most cheaper places have cold-water-only bathrooms.
Expect to pay 15% to 30% more at some places on weekends and holidays.
Many places have flexible prices that are dependent on demand, so you might get a good deal on weekdays outside the main holiday periods.
Pangandaran has a tightly controlled becak union. All hotels have to pay commission to the becak driver who takes you to your accommodation, so if you walk in on your own without a trailing becak driver, you’ll be in a better bargaining position.
oMini Tiga HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; %0265-639436; www.minitigahomestay.weebly.com; off Jl Pamugaran Bulak Laut; s/d incl breakfast with fan 120,000/150,000Rp, with air-con from 150,000/200,000Rp; iW)
Longstanding and superb-value backpackers with 13 clean, spacious rooms with nice decorative touches – including bamboo walls and batik wall hangings. All have en suite bathrooms and Western toilets. There are plenty of nooks and crannies in which to hide away with a book and a small garden space with tables where you can talk with fellow travellers.
Bale’KuHUT$
(%0813 2270 2692; Jl Sadiproyo, Desa Wonoharjo; d incl breakfast from 175,000Rp)
And now for something totally different… Down a maze of tracks through the rice fields, this guesthouse represents back-to-nature simplicity. Built entirely from wood and bamboo (but with solid floors), the main communal area is on raised stilts above a pond, while the rooms, each of which has an en suite bathroom, are set among the rice fields.
Rinjani HomestayGUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; %0813 2302 0263, 0265-639757; rinjanipnd@gmail.com; Jl Pamugaran Bulak; s/d incl breakfast with fan 100,000/130,000Rp, with air-con 130,000/160,000Rp; aW)
Run with the eye of a person who is a natural in the hospitality industry, this welcoming family-run place has 10 pleasant, tiled rooms with wood furnishings, private porches and clean but cold-water bathrooms. Good breakfasts and heaps of useful travel tips. All up it’s sweet, quiet and good value. Holiday periods see price increases of up to 100,000Rp.
Villa AngelaGUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; %0821 180 2400; Jl Pamugaran Bulak; r incl breakfast from 150,000Rp; aW)
An attractive guesthouse with five spacious rooms (all with TV and bathroom, and a porch or balcony) in two villa-style houses with cold-water baths. There’s a family room as well. Some of the rooms smell musty, though a cross breeze will do the trick. It’s run by a welcoming family and has a nice garden.
oAdam’s HomestayHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0265-639396; www.adamshomestay.com; off Jl Pamugaran Bulak Laut; r incl breakfast 350,000-488,000Rp; aWs)
Pangandaran’s most creative guesthouse is a wonderfully relaxed and stylish place with artistically presented rooms (many with balconies, beamed ceilings and outdoor bathrooms) spread around a luxurious pool and landscaped verdant Balinese garden bursting with exotic plants, lotus ponds and bird life. There’s good international and local food available, too, including wonderful breakfasts cooked by German owner, Kirsten.
Nyiur Indah Beach HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0265-639380; http://nyiurindahbeach.hotel.mypangandaran.com; Jl Pamugaran 46; r from 675,000Rp; aWs)
Taking centre stage at this low-rise boutique hotel is an artistic multi-level pool complex lined with water-spouting Balinese statues. The sizeable rooms have high-end tile floors and linens, shuttered windows, wood furnishings, wall-mounted flat-screens, day beds, built-in desks and lovely bathrooms. It’s more popular with middle-class holidaying Javanese than foreigners, and we think it’s all the better for it.
5Eating
Pangandaran is famous for its excellent seafood, and by far the best place to sample it is in the pasar ikan (fish market). At the time of research a new fish market was being constructed west of the town.
oGreen Garden CafeINDONESIAN$
(map Google map; Jl Kidang Pananjung 116; mains 20,000-35,000Rp; h8am-10pm; v)
A tiny, unassuming place with just three or four tables (and little evidence of a garden), but with a welcoming atmosphere and great local dishes, this is one of the best eateries in town. Need convincing? Try the delicious batagor (crispy tofu), which is fried in cassava flour and served with spicy peanut sauce.
Brillo PizzaPIZZA$
(%0812 2280 1742; Desa Cikembulan; pizzas 50,000-100,000Rp; hnoon-9.30pm)
Pangandaran might have lots of fabulous seafood, but sometimes you just need something, well, less healthy… And this fun pizzeria a few kilometres out of town to the west fulfills such needs. Thin-based, wood-fired pizzas come with a variety of toppings, and you can enjoy them eating alfresco in the pretty garden.
Rumah Makan ChristiINDONESIAN$
(map Google map; Jl Pamugaran; meals 25,000-40,000Rp; h7am-10pm)
This clean, orderly rumah makan (restaurant), with a large interior and bench seating outside, is a good bet for local food. It fries, grills and stews tofu, chicken and fish, and offers a range of vegetarian dishes too. All authentic Javanese. Pick and mix to your pleasure, then sit at the common table and dine with your new friends.
oPasar IkanSEAFOOD$$
(map Google map; Fish Market; Jl Pantai Timur; fish around 90,000Rp; h11am-10pm)
Pangandaran’s terrific fish market consists of more than a dozen large, open-sided restaurants just off the east beach. Karya Bahari is considered the best – which is why it’s so crowded – but all operate on exactly the same basis. The fresh seafood here is so good it could probably entice a mermaid to the table.
Chez Mama CilacapINDONESIAN$$
(map Google map; %0265-630098; Jl Kidang Pananjung 197; mains 30,000-75,000Rp; h8am-10.30pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
One of the oldest restaurants in Pangandaran, the French-Indonesian-run Mama Cilacap has a large, airy thatched dining room and twirling ceiling fans. It offers a huge range of Indonesian specialities, but it’s most famous for its fresh seafood, which you can choose from the cooler.
Relax RestaurantINTERNATIONAL, INDONESIAN$$
(map Google map; %0265-630377; Jl Bulak Laut 74; mains 28,000-72,000Rp; h8am-10.30pm)
A dependable, slightly formal Swiss-owned restaurant with a restrained atmosphere thanks to the starched tablecloths and attentive service. The menu covers both Western and Indonesian fare; portions are generous. It’s a great bet for breakfast with muesli, homemade yoghurt, brown bread and even bacon available, but what locals come for are the ice creams – multi-flavoured piles soaked in chocolate sauce!
6Drinking & Nightlife
oBamboo Beach CaféBAR
(Jl Pamugaran, Kampung Turis 1; h8am-late)
This old favourite has recently upped sticks and moved further along the beach (alongside a number of other warungs), but the beach-bum vibe and sunset sea views are just as good as before and it remains the perfect place to scout the swell with a cold Bintang in hand. With luck, someone will grab a guitar and start strumming.
7Shopping
MM BooksBOOKS
(map Google map; %0813 8005 6724; Jl Pasanggrahan; h8.30am-8.30pm)
Sells a wide range of second-hand Western titles from a roadside shop stacked floor to ceiling with English, Dutch, French, German and Spanish titles (and probably a few other languages!). The proprietor, Mas Rudin, is one of the best and most trustworthy guides in town.
8Information
8Getting There & Away
Pangandaran can be a frustratingly slow and complicated place to get to. The nearest train station, Sidareja, is 41km away. Speak to Mas Rudin about organising train tickets. You’ll need to pay a 6000Rp tourist levy upon entering town.
AIR
Susi Air (%0800 122 7874; www.susiair.com; Jl Merdeka 312; h8am-7pm Mon-Fri) flies daily to Pangandaran airstrip (20km west of town) from Jakarta’s Halim Perdana Kusuma airport (824,000Rp, one hour). Double-check your bookings before departure.
BUS
Most patas (express) buses to Jakarta and Bandung leave from the main bus terminal, 1.5km north from the beach and tourist centre. The Budiman (%0265-339854; www.budimanbus.com) bus depot, about 2km west of Pangandaran along Jl Merdeka, also has regular departures, but most swing by the main terminal too.
Buses run to Bandung roughly every hour (65,000Rp to 78,000Rp, six hours) and to Jakarta’s Kampung Rambutan terminal (85,000Rp to 95,000Rp, eight to nine hours). To Bandung, there are also two daily Sari Harum (%0265-639 513, 0265-607 7065) door-to-door travel minibuses (100,000Rp, six hours).
To Yogyakarta, Budiman runs five or so minibus services daily (90,000Rp, nine hours), while Estu Travel (%0812 2679 2456; http://estu-best.com) has minibuses (130,000Rp, nine hours) leaving at 9am and 8pm. Both leave from the main bus terminal.
From the main bus terminal there are hourly buses to both Banjar (30,000Rp, 2½ hours) and Sidareja (25,000Rp, two hours) for train connections.
CAR
Travel agencies rent minibuses with drivers for about 900,000Rp per day including driver and petrol. The most popular trip is a three-day tour to Yogyakarta, usually via Wonosobo for the first night, Dieng for sunrise, then on to Borobudur. You’ll reach Yogyakarta via Prambanan on the final day.
TRAIN
The nearest stations are Sidareja and Banjar. As the overland trip by bus to Yogyakarta takes a punishing eight or nine hours, train travel, which is normally faster and certainly more comfortable, makes a lot of sense. From Sidareja there are two daily trains (140,000Rp to 320,000Rp, 3½ hours). Agents in Pangandaran organise combined minibus to Sidareja station and economy/business/exclusive train tickets for 250,000/375,000/475,000Rp; minimum two people. Or you could save some rupiah by catching a local bus to Sidareja (25,000Rp), and another bus to the station (10,000Rp; though you’ll have to wait until the bus is full until it leaves) and buying a train ticket there (avoiding commission), but there’s a risk of not getting a seat on the train once you arrive in Sidareja.
Banjar station, 65km away, is a better bet if you’re heading to Jakarta (68,000Rp, nine hours) and Bandung (140,000Rp to 320,000Rp, three to four hours).
Travel agents and hotels can help with travel arrangements and tickets on all routes.
8Getting AroundPangandaran
Pangandaran’s brightly painted becak start at around 10,000Rp and require heavy negotiation; expect to pay around 20,000Rp from the bus terminal to the main beach area. Bicycles can be rented for 20,000Rp per day, and motorcycles cost around 70,000Rp per day.
BACKWATER BOATING TO CILACAP
For an off-beat ‘make your own’ kind of adventure, it’s possible to travel along jungle-fringed backwaters by boat eastwards from Pangandaran, via Majingklak harbour to Cilacap on the Citandui River, but there are no scheduled connections, so you’ll have to charter your own compreng (wooden boat). Boatmen in Majingklak will do the three-hour trip for a minimum of 600,000Rp (depending on boat type). Alternatively, you can call ahead through a tour agent in Pangandaran to Kalipucang harbour and organise a boat from there for the same price.
Wherever you begin, you will motor up a lazy green river, with low-rise jungled hills on both sides, passing through estuaries and meandering around islands thick with scrub. You will pass a series of riverside villages and wooden-boat harbours, slip through narrow channels into the mangroves where troops of monkeys maraud and solitary cranes meditate beneath a powder-blue sky. Toward the end you’ll even pass Nusakambangan Prison Island where some of the so-called Bali 9 were executed by firing squad in the surrounding jungle. As you approach, the prison has the spooky isolated setting of a horror movie, then you round a bend and enter Cilacap’s major industrial port, with fiery smokestacks coming from Indonesia’s largest petrol refinery. Just like that, you’re back in ‘civilisation’.
From Cilacap there are direct buses to Yogyakarta (60,000Rp, five hours).
Around Pangandaran
The scenic coastline around Pangandaran has some terrific surf beaches, forests, lagoons, fishing villages and a recreational park or two. It’s a joy to explore by motorbike. Hotels and travel agencies can set up guided trips.
West of Pangandaran
CiokotoVILLAGE
(%0823 1909 8199; Jl Raya, Km12; h8am-4pm)
Surrounded by other small villages and roads lined with palm trees and paddy fields, the tiny village of Ciokoto is the site of a large wayang golek workshop, where high-quality puppets are for sale (from 600,000Rp). It’s fascinating watching the carvers bring the wood to life, and while they’re working, they will probably tell stories about each puppet.
Karang TirtaLAGOON
Karang Tirta is a lagoon set back from the beach with bagang (fishing platforms). It’s 16km from Pangandaran and 2km south of the highway.
2Activities
Green CanyonBOAT TOUR, SWIMMING
(Cujang Taneuh; per boat from 200,000Rp; h7.30am-4pm Mon-Thu, 1-4pm Fri, 7am-4pm Sat & Sun)
The number-one tour from Pangandaran (or Batu Karas) is to Green Canyon where, as the name suggests, green comes in fifty shades. Boats buzz up the jungle-fringed, emerald river from a small marina to a waterfall and a beautiful canyon where there’s fun swimming (though the current is often strong here). Locals take good care of the river and you won’t see any plastic rubbish; keep an eye out to spot monitor lizards en route.
Boatmen work on a return-trip schedule of just 45 minutes, which only gives you about 15 minutes to swim and explore the narrowest and most beautiful part of the canyon. If you want to motor further upstream or stay longer you’ll have to pay an extra 100,000Rp for each additional 30 minutes.
Many tour operators in Pangandaran run trips here for around 300,000Rp and include ‘countryside’ excursions to make a full-day tour.
To get here yourself, arrange transport to the Green Canyon river harbour (where you can hire a boat) on the highway, 1km before the turn-off to Batu Karas. The entrance is clearly signposted at several points along the highway.
Green ValleySWIMMING
(Sungai Citumang; entrance 15,000Rp, body rafting from 125,000Rp; h8am-5pm)
Reached by a rough inland road from the village of Cipinda (8km from Pangandaran; look out for the sign Citumang), this attraction involves an easy riverside walk from a dam to a small but beautiful gorge called Green Valley. You can swim in the gorge and there are cliff jumps for the brave (or foolhardy).
Batu Karas
%0265 / Pop 3000
The idyllic fishing village and surfing hot spot of Batu Karas, 32km west of Pangandaran, is one of the most enjoyable places to kick back in West Java. It’s as pretty as a picture – a tiny one-lane fishing settlement, with two beaches that are separated by a wooded promontory.
The main surfing beach is the smaller one, and it’s a sweet bay tucked between two rocky headlands. The other is a long arcing black-sand number packed with pontoon fishing boats that shove off each night looking for fresh catch in the tides. There’s good swimming, with sheltered sections that are calm enough for a dip, but many visitors are here for the breaks, and there’s a lot of surf talk.
On weekends, however, it can become inundated with domestic tourists. The best time to surf and relax here is midweek.
2Activities
Batu Karas is one of the best places in Indonesia to learn how to surf. It’s also a classic longboard spot. The Point (at the end of the main surf beach) is perfect for beginners and longboarders with paddle-in access from the beach, and has slow, peeling waves over a sandy bottom. Its sheltered position means it needs a fairly decent-sized swell to even start showing. Other waves include the Reef, a faster, more consistent and slightly more hollow righthander a 10-minute walk up the beach from the Point; and Bulak Bender, a more challenging righthander in the open ocean that’s a 40-minute ride away by bike or boat.
4Sleeping
In recent years Batu Karas’s popularity has taken off as more guesthouses have opened, but the village still retains a low-key, relaxed charm. You can take your pick between rustic homestays and more upmarket resort-style hotels.
Bonsai BungalowGUESTHOUSE$
(%0812 2197 8950; Jl Pantai Indah; r with fan/air-con 200,000/250,000Rp; i)
An upgrade from the other beach bungalows is this laid-back choice across the road from the beach, with spartan rooms with attached bathroom, a porch to hang out on and an option of air-con. There’s no food here, but beer can be arranged.
Pondok CowetGUESTHOUSE$
(%0821 4167 5977; www.pondokcowet.com; Jl Jumleng; r Mon-Fri from 200,000Rp, Sat & Sun from 250,000, villa from 750,000Rp; aW)
Tucked down a dirt road 50m from the main fishing beach and in a garden filled with tropical flowers and fruit trees (guests can pick their own fruit), this attractive option offers cool brick-house cabins and rather creative modern rooms with a mosaic of floor-to-ceiling glass, exposed brick walls, pebbled bathroom floors and cow-print blankets.
BK HomestayHOMESTAY$
(%0265-7015 708, 0822 6023 7802; www.batukarashomestay.com; Jl Pantai Indah; r incl breakfast 200,000Rp; pW)
Terrific-value, fan-cooled rooms, all with floor-to-ceiling glass on one side (some with beach and surf views), high ceilings, hardwood floors and furnishings, and wi-fi in the restaurant below. No hot water, but that won’t matter much here. It’s set off the main beach parking lot, right in the centre of things.
TreehouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0821 3087 6531, 0822 2000 9155; Jl Pantai Indah; r 150,000-250,000Rp)
Well, it’s certainly unusual… This double-storey matchbox house with colourfully painted Mediterranean-style shutters is named after the gigantic tree that grows within the building. Its two floors are managed by separate owners, but both have a rustic, vibrant feel and comfy beds. The upper floor has an additional loft space and can sleep six – making it good value.
Wooden HouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0813 6919 4405, 0852 9471 4137; woodenhouse@yahoo.com; Jl Pantai Indah; r from 150,000Rp)
Going for the log-cabin look, these three rustic rooms with high ceilings are kept tidy and access a shared balcony with sea views. Downstairs there’s a good warung for local food, toasted sandwiches, salads and pancakes.
oErmaja’s PavilionBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(%0811 235 003; r from 400,000Rp; W)
Not your average backpackers’ beach shack, Ermaja’s Pavilion is a stunningly converted colonial building set in landscaped gardens, where the rooms feature delicate Indonesian artworks and antiques, freestanding semi-open-air bathtubs, iron beds and teak furnishings, and each room has a tiled terrace replete with embroidered cushions and elegant vases bulging with foliage. It’s a short walk from the beach.
oVilla MonyetBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(%0822 600 00079; www.villamonyetjava.com; r from 350,000Rp; W)
Topped with domed, thatched roofs, the seven imaginatively designed rooms at this well-run hotel are scattered through leafy grounds. Each room has wooden furnishings and marine-inspired decor, and some have terraces with strategically positioned hammocks. The friendly owners throw frequent seafood barbecue nights and there’s always a fun-loving crew staying.
Java CoveBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(%0265-708 2020; www.javacovebeachhotel.com; r 561,250-1,798,750Rp; ais)
It’s not gleaming new any longer, but this modernist beach hotel still delivers serenity and has the prime beachfront location. Tasteful rooms feature reclaimed wood floors, floating dressers, private terraces and wonderful service. The hip yet laid-back pool area is dotted with bean bags and blessed with ocean views. Book through the hotel website for considerable discounts on quoted prices.
5Eating
L-PariINTERNATIONAL$
(%0822 6023 7802; BK Homestay; mains 20,000-50,000Rp; h7am-10pm; W)
A tourist-driven kitchen serving international and local favourites. It does a tasty fish curry and reasonable pasta and fish and chips, and even mixes guacamole in season. All served in a stylish open-faced dining room dotted with sumptuous booths and decorated with photos printed on wood depicting the local groms (young surfers). Prices are reasonable.
Beach CornerINDONESIAN$
(mains 15,000-40,000Rp; h6am-10pm)
Plonked directly on the sand at the edge of the surf beach is this aptly named warung, serving Indonesian and Western mains, cold beer and strong Javanese coffee.
Bayview SeafoodSEAFOOD$$
(mains 50,000-80,000Rp; h11am-late Fri-Sun)
On the main junction as you enter the village, and open only on weekends, this Indo-German ikan bakar (grilled fish) joint offers a range of seafood dishes. Choose your protein from the cooler, and it’ll be grilled, sautéed or fried up. Pair yours with the karedok (cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing).
8Getting There & Away
There’s no public transport to Batu Karas, but it can be reached from Pangandaran by taking a bus to Cijulang (10,000Rp) then an ojek for 30,000Rp to 40,000Rp. Or you can hire a motorbike in Pangandaran (per day 50,000Rp) and drive yourself, or book a pricey private car transfer (300,000Rp, an outrageous rate given the distances involved, but that’s the going rate in high season; bargain for low-season discounts).