Decent Barrack

Those folks who are looking for cheap accommodation stay, Backpackers style trip might be highly desire-able. Typically such accommodation offers room as well as bathroom to share with other Backpackers in a rather slightly large room known as Barrack.

The best way to find out a suitable room to stay is via close friend or relative's references. Acceptable guidance might not be sufficient, but you also need "Tips To Carry Along" to ensure a well planned trip. Warm clothes or possibly lighter wear for warmer climate destination.

Bandung Leisure may provide just that for those seeking a rather adventure trip. It could be not as popular as other destinations such as Bali or Yogja, yet Bandung has enjoyed consistent high rank of Tourist Visit.

Evidently every long weekend ends up huge flock of Tourists crowding the cool weather city, local or foreigner. Nature attraction either at Northern or Eastern part of greater Bandung or perhaps culinary and shopping destinations within the city itself.

Ready for memorable Bandung Trip, let's find out a Decent Barrack stay!

Bandung Holyday Inn

Thrashing in at Bandung Holyday Inn for the coming New Year’s Eve Vacation will definitely enhance your trip, particularly for the thrilling shopping experiences at the surrounding Dago St...Like many retailers around the Globe shoppers will be lured with the deepest and attractive discount end of the year sales.

If you insist on knowing what sort of shopping paradise the Dago has, perhaps the link could enlighten your shopping’s quest. And this outlet lists is suggested by a dedicated shopper from the neighbouring country.

This 150 rooms modern Hotel is located amidst those attractive Factory Outlets, though it is not the only Hotel along Dago St, it offers great convenient access to some interesting places. But most definitely the Hotel’s strategic location has met my best guidance toward the Tips to Avoid Stand Still Traffic Jams along the busy and crowded Dago’s shopping paradise.

The street is one of the busiest with traffic jams along the whole of its length during every weekend night and in particular on long public holiday. As such that taking a stroll along instead of driving is the best way to explore considering its interesting night life vividly “bling-bling” activities.

The Dago area in my recollection is one of the best district shall we say offering classy complete attraction places with Jalan Riau Bandung as the second best. Furthermore getting closer to the down town at lower part is as busy as interesting as well as driving up North, though the Northern part as nicknamed the upper Dago provides a number of Look Out Points.

Along this upper section as the name indicates higher elevation is predominantly consisted of mid to higher class restaurants, with the remaining locations are popular amongst the younger generation for a bit of "Hanky panky". Whichever places interest you at the end of the day as your muscles are aching the Hotel also offers one of the best there is of Bandung Spa Treatment.

Jalan Riau Bandung

Riau Street or Jalan Riau Bandung is one of many popular shopping Streets out of yet a number of tourist attraction locations within North Bandung. This Northern part section had been developed by the Dutch Indies prior to 1930s period and was designed and allocated for its government offices as well as their respective housing areas.

The development was the natural evolvement from the year 1812 where large Java Cities connecting main road was established and roughly around a century later that railway was constructed, the train station and the great post road as it was called were both located right at the center of Bandung.

By extending the city to its Northern direction all government buildings could get the Tangkuban Perahu Mountain view as such that most building is indeed facing the then fantastic mountain scenery, if the building has had not received alteration at all. And by sheer coincident should you Travel to Bandung Inroad via Cipularang Toll road and exits through Pasteur gate you would end up from the fly over bridge at the Northern side of the former Dutch Indies main government building the Gedung Sate.

The Riau Street extends from Dago Street another shopping area to the great post road now A Yani Boulevard, for more info on both street whereabouts within North Bandung area including some Outlet and Hotel Lists; see Bandung Trip Map Guide.

Being one of local tourist attraction is always busy particularly during the long public holiday; getting caught in a traffic jam during this period on either Dago or Riau Street is like being stranded in the middle of a huge parade of carnival, you might as well be taking a leisure stroll while carefully selecting out which Factory Outlet that fancy to drop by.

Therefore for those who fancy dropping by to each Outlet, getting accommodation within the area would be a sensible and convenient choice as there are dozens of Hotels available. Many people are travelling in a group whose members are having different shopping interest; the group could disperse and regroup later back in the nearby Hotel. Group coordination hurdle and hassles is cut to the minimum!

Culinary Cooking

Culinary art is the art of cooking. The word "culinary" is defined as something related to, or connected with, cooking or kitchens. A culinarian is a person working in the culinary arts. A culinarian working in restaurants is commonly known as a cook or a chef. Culinary artists are responsible for skillfully preparing meals that are as pleasing to the palate as to the eye. Increasingly they are required to have a knowledge of the science of food and an understanding of diet and nutrition. They work primarily in restaurants, fast food chain store franchises, delicatessens, hospitals and other institutions. Kitchen conditions vary depending on the type of business, restaurant, nursing home etc. [answers.com]

Bandung Culinary Cooking

This dish has excelled in both to the palate as well as pleasing to the eyes; therefore such particular dish could be regarded as such. A culinary art cooking skill requires a great deal of passion and patient through years of experiences, and greater skill is demanded for highly competitive eating out industry. Regardless of its class segment whether you opt for expensive chic or open air restaurants, competition always yield the best culinary cooking from their own experienced cook. This holds true for any kind of dish preparation: European, Japanese, Indonesian or even traditional Bandung’s own dishes.

Likewise culinary cooking of pizza dish, it requires a good knowledge of bakery expertise. Those places belong to certain franchise brands are quite obvious, uniform baking standard practice is adhered strictly. For having a pizza on similar franchised restaurants anywhere in a particular region would end up with similar taste; as the cook prepares on similar kitchenware, ingredients, training and baking standard practice. One way or the other the knowledge has spread over elsewhere, and increasingly preparation variety has also been added accordingly to enhance further its tastes and looks.

Some may have gone further by preparing on a slow wood baking, in order to have unique scent of Pizza. Yet this Pizza culinary cooking was done in usual manner by baking in an enclosed chamber and fuelled by LPG, nothing fancy on this kitchenware except an isolated flue stack and being displayed deliberately in front of the customer.

There is a slight chance for us to encounter such display in an outlet within any Bandung’s shopping mall. In fact this Pizza culinary cooking is being prepared from an old premise, an Old Dutch Indies building. Read more on my review on Roemah Nenek!

Technorati Tags: culinary cooking,roemah nenek,bandung leisure

Shopping Mall Paradise

Shopping Mall in Bandung

Every big city in Indonesia are all seemed to race each other, they are racing neck to neck for building the most super complex and huge shopping centers. Whilst elsewhere around Asia is suffering with many new property developments on hold or simply being postponed, the property sector here resumes a booming period.

Surely enough it would be our capital city, Jakarta that enjoys the most. Since the Jakartans are shopping maniac, there are now dozens of new projects on shopping centres. One of the biggest is a 30 Ha super blocks in Western Jakarta. The evidences of shopping popularity is quite obvious, every mall in the city is fully packed at week-end. And getting a park space is also a struggle. What’s more similar evidences also occur to the neighbouring cities including Bandung itself.

Electronic, Gadgets and Games

Our Kid was looking for PSP games a few weeks ago while we were in Bandung. And after a few inquiries as well as a few miss-directions, we finally found what he was looking for at Bandung Electronic Centre (BEC). It turned out it was in very close proximity to our “Old European District” area, the old Dutch Indies housing complex within the Northern part of Bandung. Indeed we could save our time for other important outlet hunting instead of going to the biggest shopping centre over here the Bandung Super Mall, which is inconveniently located to the other direction in the Southern part of the town.

We were hunting for new outlet at Sumatra street, the kind of Branded outlets. In fact if you could notice there are more than three new commercial buildings around Dago or Djuanda St. alone. They are; the recently shifted Uptown outlet, Kartika Sari a restaurant and a small mall as well as just across the street a new Boutique Hotel. Does it all its new property development booming still justify Bandung’s own nickname of Paris Van Java? Each new property along Dago St. has its own unique architectural style, for me personally the Art Deco style is still prevailing in heavy concentration. You would be the judge yourself, visit Bandung in the coming week-end!

What hot in Bandung this week-end?

Do you still need more convincing tell-tale story what’s to do there? For a start the food is more affordable than that in Jakarta, so is the temperature. At some part of the city you do not need the air conditioner, particularly during the night! So strolling the downtown in the evening is a joy. What’s a foreigner thinks of the best leisure activities she enjoy the most in Bandung? And what is highly recommended things to do by the local?

Incidentally for those who remember my recommended cappuccino at “Sam’s place”, they resume the business already as of the beginning of this March. They were closed for a period due to….new building construction… for a new shoes or footwear outlets.

Arriving on Bandung : Accommodation

Finish your breakfast @Cisangkuy st? And your children need bargain clothing as the one that they are wearing get dirty due to the horse riding? A few hundred meter away at Supratman st. you will find an outlet "Cargo".

Now it is the time to check on accommodation. There is a nice and lush colonial style hotel nearby "Bumi Asih" at Banda st. in the other direction next to Gedung Sate. Banda st. is parallel to Cisangkuy st. Bumi Asih website is just recently refurbished.

Further away heading for Riau st. by taking the first right turn from Banda is another budget, clean and quiet hotel "Progo" at Progo st. Along the Riau st. there are further hotels, both budget and 3 stars. Among others; Santika and recently Grand Serella (opened in 2007) etc.

By following this direction, I have made up my promise in offering you the second less congested route to Riau st. And directly driving from Pasteur toll gateway.

Driving further from Cisangkuy, following the main road as you pass the lush park as entering Cilaki st.; To your left is Wisma Cilaki, a cheaper home stay alternative. On the other direction following Supratman st., Hotel Mitra, Corsica, Barito and so on. Both Supratman and Cilaki meets and merging at another park "Supratman", formerly Ciujung. During the Dutch Indies era known as Houtman Plein.

The whole encompassing area mentioned above was once known as part of the "Old European District" in 1930s.

Every year there are hundred additional rooms being built, in 2009 alone it is estimated to be 1,200 rooms. This figures are officially from the relevant municipality as they announce 7 new hotel establishments plan. It is unknown though the recent effect of Global downturn crisis to this plan!

Customer wise expect fierce competitive pricing of room rates. Either way room rates is getting more and more affordable especially during low season, that is week-days. However during long national holiday rate is hike up markedly as it is difficult to get a booking. Home stay option is quite abound, one family may rent a whole house. You may search them through Internet, some are being advertised in English.

It is worthwhile to mention that there are certain nieches of hotel type suitable for nostalgic stay. For example; Art deco style Grand Preanger (Charlie chaplin was here), Savoy Homann. Smaller and thus more of homely type of stay; Sawunggaling, De Tropis guest house and recently on trial running Saskava guest house.

There are further list of hotel available if you click any of the hotal above a few will take you there. For hotel reviews you could consult tripadvisor. Here many visitors are gladly sharing their experiences of staying, click on either Sawunggaling or De Tropis.

*Relevant articles in the past :

• Bandung map guide @ "Old Indische European District"
• why-paris-van-java
• Adventurous leisure
• shopping
• gifts
• mighty-detroit-succumbs-to-dc

Perceived values offer by Bandung-Leisures

What does Bandung offer to International or domectic tourists alike ? How could Bandung put a unique package that other similar regions do not have? Certainly Bali, Lombok and Yogja have their own merits in comparison. They have greater magnetic pulses attracting millions of visitors.

For one thing, Bandung is only at least 2 hours drive away from Jakarta. Those traveling by air, Jakarta also poses as a hub center. During long public holiday or week-end, Bandung is practically swarmed by the Jakartans. Vehicles with B plate numbers are evidently everywhere in Bandung through out the week-end.

What do these Jakartans look for in Bandung ? There was a definite answer for that a few years back : Shopping at Factory Outlets. We then notice new outlets are emerged ; Heritage, Rumah Mode, Uptown and so on and on.. See "Leisure Guide Map" for further info.

Fairly recent, there is great upsurge of interest coming from our neighbour the Malaysian. Mostly are family with small children, they after the same things. Branded clothing, bags etc. at a friendly nonbranded prices.

Also there is a small niche travellers who has emotional attachments to Bandung. During the WW 2 under the Japanese occupation there were estimated more than 10,000 westerners held in the nearby Tjimahi, Tjihapit internment camps and other 3 camps outside Bandung.

Apart of those frequent visitors who purposely visiting their own relatives at regular frequency, these 3 (three) segments are distinctively loyal visitiors. At least for another short future time

We'll look at the remaining parts of visitors on the next article (in a leisurely manner). That is as Bandung-leisure postings builds up eventually.....

Another leisure story

There is a great urge to write another story on Bandung-leisure, all on very personal experiences. Alas writing skill is not apparently on my talent yet. Worse being local and having visited Bandung Paris Van Java at least once a year for the last decades, I have no collection of any written data nor info on hands for those fabulous places. All have been taken for granted. Mount tangkuban perahu, ciater hot springs, Lembang, Maribaya, The Valley, Kampung daun, The strawberry Farm, The little Farm, Factory outlet (fo) at Riau street, more fo at Dago, more fo at setiabudi, the list goes on and on...

I do have digital documentation on The Little Farm though..... see my other post!

Staying at a hotel in Bandung was not a choice until my grandma passed away in 2003, since then my family has choices to stay at : Mitra, Sheraton, Bumi Asih, Papandayan, and some other places that I can't recall now. Yet, I could recommend Progo for its thrifty rate and cleanliness. Bumi santika for convenience to Riau street as well as Grand Serella. They all offer great discount during week-days, and expect a lot more expensive during week-end. Also do expect traffic jams in popular areas during those week-ends.

more on secret route avoiding traffic jam... on next posting!

Having said that, fortunately the internet sources provide plenty of vivid info on these subjects. I have spent hours trying to get recent info and in my opinion good descriptions. It will save you time and effort rather than searching by yourself. This address provide just that! Browse to ; http://www.leslieho.com/category/fitnest-test-at-tangkuban-perahu/..that is posted on 10th of January 2008

Bandung Paris van Java

We used to spend an hour or so at Cisangkuy Park, whenever we’re on a trip to Bandung. Our kids love riding the horses, one lap around the park costs about Rp. 3,500. That was way back then in early 2000. For them a trip to Bandung is nothing without horse riding. The same goes for the Moms, as their main target are to spend at Factory Outlets (FO).

As for the Dads (and the rest of family; grandma, grandad etc.),Bandung offers a pleasant change with its cool breeze air. Less humid air provides more ease for the oxygen getting into our breathing cycle. Well, you get the idea. And, the foods variety; from the freshly pick and process fruit as well as vegetable to those well known uniquely bandung culinary dishes.

Bandung apparently has been designed for leisure since the inception of Dutch Indies government’s itention moving the capital from Batavia in early 1920s. Even today we’re still able to recognise some landmarks such as city parks, colonial style buildings, art deco hotel and villa (savoy homan and formerly villa isola) as well as other natural tourist attractions, FO and recently agro-tourism.

Located amidst the surrounding mountains at an elevated of 700 mtr above sea, it’s indeed provide one of comprehensive leisure attractions. Other places which have equal magnet attracting thousands are among others Ancol (Northern Jakarta) and Puncak (90 kms or two hours drive from Jakarta). None however could beat such beauty and charm as Bandung has to offer. Hence, regarless of its chaotic city planning these days nor pathetic traffic (particularly at weekend) ; “Paris van Java” charm and beauty has maintained

Bandung as city of leisure

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