Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 183

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bemo The main bemo stop is behind the bus terminal,
but the best place to pick up bemos is by the train station.
Bemo #2 runs between the station and the Botanical
Gardens; #3 runs between the station and bus terminal.
By bus The Bogor bus terminal is about 500m southeast
of the gardens.
Destinations Bandung (every 20min; 3-4hr); Jakarta
(every 20min; 1-2hr).
By train The train station is about 500m northwest of
the Botanical Gardens, with connections to Jakarta (every
20min; 1hr 30min).

views and cheap beer. A great evening hangout and there's
a good selection of pizzas (try the veg pizza; Rp45,000),
as well as expensive Indonesian food. Daily from 4pm.

BANDUNG AND AROUND
Set 750m above sea level, and protected
by a fortress of watchful volcanoes
190km southeast of Jakarta, BANDUNG is
a centre of industry and traditional
Sundanese arts. Sundanese culture has
remained intact here since the fifth
century when the first Hindu Sundanese
settled in this part of West Java. Modern
Bandung, although teeming with noise
and tra c and certainly far removed from
its quaint colonial days, remains one of
the nation's cultural and intellectual hubs,
bubbling with life in its myriad cafés,
restaurants, bars, open markets and flashy
new malls. Still, the top attraction for
most visitors to the area is the nearby
Tangkuban Prahu volcano , from where
there's a pleasant two-hour forest walk
that winds down to the city.

INFORMATION
Tourist o ce A useful tourist information centre lies
about 50m to the right on Jl Kapten Muslihat 51 when
exiting the train station at Taman Topi (daily 8am-5pm;
T 0251 836 3433). Eco-tours to Mount Halimun Salak
National Park can be arranged here.

ACCOMMODATION
★

Abu Pensione Jl Mayor Oking 15 T 0251 832 2893 or
T 0815 862 65324. With friendly staff, spotless rooms,
river views and excellent breakfasts (Rp35,000), this is
the best budget place in Bogor. The pricier rooms have
hot water and a/c (Rp300,000), and the staff can help with
travel bookings. Manager Selfi leads interesting 3-4hr
walking tours along the river (Rp250,000). To get here,
turn right out of the station then take your first right down
Jl Mayor Oking. Rp150,000
Mirah Sartika Jl Dewi Sartika 6A T 0251 831 2343.
Conveniently situated just one block east of the train
station, this unremarkable hotel lacks charm but has
clean, basic room s, simple breakfasts and wi-fi in the
lobby. Rp268,000
Pensione Firman Jl Paledang 48 T 0251 832 3246.
Popular with backpackers, Firman has simple and rather
grotty rooms, the better ones with inside mandi (Rp120,000).
However, there is free wi-fi, tea and coffee, a helpful owner
and great views over the river. Walk 1km from the station
along Jl Paledang or catch #2 and jump out b y the McDo nald's
at the junction of Jl Juanda and Jl Paledang. Rp90,000

4

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
On Jalan Asia-Afrika, northeast of the
alun-alun (town square), is the Gedung
Merdeka building, host of the first
Asia-Afrika Conference in 1955 and
known as the Asia-Afrika or Liberty
Building. Inside, a small museum (daily
8am-3pm; free) commemorates the
conference. Running north from here is
Jalan Braga , the chic shopping boulevard
of 1920s Bandung. he side streets that
run off Jalan Braga were notorious for
their raucous bars and brothels. he
seediness remains today, as this historic
district comes alive each night with its
slew of lively bars and pubs.
A twenty-minute walk to the northeast
takes you to the impressive 1920s
Gedung Sate Building at Jalan
Diponegoro 22, which gets its name from
the regular globules on its gold-leaf spire,
resembling meat on a skewer. he
excellent Geographical Museum
(Mon-hurs 9am-2pm, Fri 9-11am, Sat
9am-1pm; donation) is nearby at Jalan
Diponegoro 57, and displays mountains
of fossils, as well as the skeletons of
dinosaurs and a 4m mammoth.

EATING
Night stalls along Jl Pengadillan set up after 6pm. There
are also busy daytime stalls along Jl Kaptan Muslihat.
Kembang Desa Jl Pangrango 30 W kembangdesaresto
.com. Set in an old colonial residence, this stylish
restaurant specializes in Sundanese fare, but serves dishes
from throughout the archipelago. Try the tahu gapit (tofu
stuffed with chicken and shrimp chops; Rp25,000). Daily
10am-10pm.
Salak Sunset Café Jl Paledang 38. 50m down to the left
from Pensione Firman on Jl Paledang, with wonderful