Bandung

Bandung is the capital of West Java and one of Indonesia's most distinctive highland cities, known for its cool climate, colonial-era architecture and creative energy. Once called the 'Paris of Java', the city mixes Art Deco landmarks, university life and a lively café and fashion scene.

The city's Dutch colonial past is visible along Braga Street and in buildings such as Gedung Sate, Villa Isola and the Savoy Homann hotel. Bandung also hosted the 1955 Asian-African Conference, commemorated at the Museum of the Asian-African Conference in Gedung Merdeka.

Neighbourhoods such as Dago, Cihampelas and Braga offer shopping, heritage walks and cafés, while Lembang on the northern edge provides cooler mountain scenery, tea plantations and volcanic attractions like Tangkuban Perahu. Visitors also head to Saung Angklung Udjo for Sundanese music and the Geological Museum.

Bandung is a centre for education, textiles, creative industries and technology startups, anchored by institutions such as the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). Its food culture features Sundanese dishes like nasi timbel and batagor, alongside a strong café and factory-outlet scene that draws weekend visitors from Jakarta.

For leisure travellers, Bandung offers a compact mix of history, nature and shopping, while business visitors value its universities, creative economy and growing role as a conference and innovation hub in West Java.