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Explore
“Paris Van Java”
If you visit only one downtown in all
of Indonesia, make this the one. The
nerve center of Bandung is a delightful
mix of colonial charm and good old
Asian bustle, thanks to its previous life
as a hill station for the region’s Dutch
overseers. During its heyday in the
early 1900s, the city was known as
Paris Van Java (that’s Dutch for “Paris
of Java”), a name that reflects the art
deco buildings that lined its streets.
These structures have luckily
survived the decades and are now bona
fide tourist attractions. Check out Jalan
Braga and its surrounding avenues
for a good dose of the twinkling ‘20s.
Here, streetside artists paint period
scenes on canvas alongside would-
be architects who ponder “tropical
art deco” lines. You can explore this
storied neighborhood on foot or via
a three-wheeled, leg-powered
becak
(it comes with a smiling Sundanese
chauffeur), passing by such landmarks
as the beautifully restored
Savoy-Homann Hotel and the
Gedung Merdeka Building.
Continue onwards toward
the busy
alun alun
city
square, the ideal spot to
watch locals at work in
this sprawling space.
Later on, sample
delectable Sundanese
food at one of the
numerous pit stops around.
We recommend starting with
the
batagor
— a tasty pile of
crunchy dumplings and tofu smothered
in a thick, peanut-based
satay
sauce —
served from a nearby
gerobak
food cart.
You can follow that with a delectable
fried duck/rice combo dish — a
specialty at Bebek Garang restaurant
on Braga Street. Last but not least,
finish off with a sweet, buttery
pisang
bollen
banana pastry at the Kartika Sari
Bakery along Kebun Jukut Street.
J A K A R T A E X T R A
Jalan Braga’s art
deco buildings
have earned it the
nickname “Paris of
Java”; (inset) the
batagor,
a Bandung
delicacy; one of
the many art shops
along Jalan Braga
PHOTOS
LESTER LEDESMA, MARGARETHA HARTANTO (BATAGOR)