Must-see attractions in West Java

  • Ujung Kulon National Park

    West Java

    On the remote southwestern tip of Java, this Unesco World Heritage–listed national park has remained an outpost of prime rainforest and untouched…

  • Indonesia, Java, Bogor, Kebun Raya (Great Garden), vegetation

    Kebun Raya

    West Java

    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…

  • Selasar Sunaryo Art Space

    Bandung

    Just outside town in the pretty rural district of Ciburial is this sleek contemporary art gallery. It exhibits both Indonesian and international artists…

  • Gunung Halimun National Park

    West Java

    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…

  • Pangandaran National Park

    West Java

    This national park, which takes up the entire southern end of Pangandaran, is a wild expanse of dense forest. Within its boundaries live porcupines,…

  • Kebun Raya Cibodas

    West Java

    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…

  • Gong Workshop

    West Java

    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…

  • Kawah Rengganis

    West Java

    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…

  • Kawah Putih

    West Java

    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…

  • Pasar Baru

    West Java

    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…

  • Situ Patengan

    West Java

    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…

  • Ciokoto

    West Java

    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…

  • Kawah Papandayan

    West Java

    The impressive bubbling yellow crater is just below the peak and clearly visible from the Garut valley on clear mornings. From the car park it is an easy…

  • Istana Bogor

    West Java

    In the northwestern corner of the botanical gardens, the summer palace of the president was formerly the opulent official residence of the Dutch governors…

  • Tangkuban Prahu

    West Java

    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…

  • Bandung Institute of Technology

    Bandung

    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…

  • Batutulis

    West Java

    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…

  • Villa Isola

    Bandung

    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…

  • Museum Konperensi

    Bandung

    The Museum Konperensi inside the Gedung Merdeka (Freedom Building) is dedicated to the Asia-Africa conference of 1955, which Bandung hosted and the echoes…

  • Pantai Karang Hawu

    West Java

    Pantai Karang Hawu, 4km west of Cimaja, is a towering cliff with caves, rocks and pools created by a large lava flow. According to legend, it was here…

  • Mesjid Agung

    West Java

    The chief landmark of Banten is the 16th-century mosque Mesjid Agung, which was once a good example of early Islamic architecture; its great white…

  • Malabar Tea Estate

    West Java

    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…

  • Picnic Dodol Factory

    West Java

    The Garut region is famed for its dodol – a confectionery of coconut milk, palm sugar and sticky rice. The Picnic brand (from 30,000Rp) is the best…

  • Tahu Sumedang

    West Java

    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…

  • Karang Tirta

    West Java

    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.

  • Sarongge Valley

    West Java

    A green-tea plantation and processing factory 20km north of Cianjur. The site also includes a silkworm farm and flower farms.

  • Alun-Alun

    Bandung

    Overlooked by the Grand Mosque, the city's main square is a grassy expanse and a hub of bustling activity at almost anytime.

  • Governor's Residence

    Bandung

    One of Bandung's most beautifully restored period buildings, though you can only gaze at it from behind the railings.

  • Entrance

    West Java

    East entrance to Kebun Raya botanical gardens.

  • Entrance

    West Java

    West entrance to Kebun Raya botanical gardens.

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