“Bandung is always alive — a city of cool charm, vibrant nights, spicy food, and endless shopping. Even a long weekend isn’t enough to truly explore its beauty.”
Long weekends like this — don’t even ask about the toll roads to Bandung, Bogor, or Puncak. They are definitely crowded. This was a true long weekend: four days off between May 17–20. Almost all offices in Jakarta were closed, and employees from surrounding areas went home or took vacations. As a result, there were long traffic jams on the Jagorawi toll road to Bogor and the Cipularang toll road to Bandung.
Still, we forced ourselves to go to Bandung for a sightseeing holiday and to visit friends. We ended up stuck in traffic among hundreds, even thousands, of cars on Cipularang. God!
Bandung Atmosphere
Bandung is always alive. The city is cool and full of charm. The night atmosphere, with its haunts and hangouts, adds to the splendor of the city. Bandung is also a paradise for shopping lovers, and the girls are gorgeous. One day is simply not enough to enjoy the atmosphere of this city.
We arrived before sunset, picked up a friend, and stopped to pray. Afterward, we went to Ciwalk (Cihampelas Walk), a lively spot in the city center. We traveled, took photos, and enjoyed the youthful vibe. Ciwalk is the place for young people in Bandung to hang out. There are many cafes with artistic designs that create a relaxed atmosphere, making visitors feel comfortable. In addition to cafes, there are plenty of sellers offering typical Bandung accessories. During the day, along Cihampelas Walk road, many clothing vendors line the street.
If you visit, my suggestion is to make a shopping list first — it helps you decide what to buy and what not to. After strolling, we stopped at a cafe to wait for our friends to gather, deliberately delaying dinner.
Punclut Food Stalls
By evening, all our friends had gathered, and we headed to Punclut, a central area serving typical Bandung dishes. Many food stalls line the way, all with similar concepts: sitting cross‑legged. From here, you can enjoy views of Bandung from above. In the distance, the city lights illuminate the streets. Perhaps because of this atmosphere, Punclut food stalls are always crowded at night. Unfortunately, when we arrived, rain suddenly poured down.
Dinner at Punclut doesn’t require much money. The average food price is affordable, even cheap by Bandung standards. The presentation is typical, and the spicy sambal sensation is unforgettable — so spicy it warmed me in the cold, rainy Bandung night and made my stomach burn inside. After dinner, we returned to Cimahi to stay overnight at a friend’s house.
Riau Street & Pasar Baru
The next destination was Riau Street, one of Bandung’s shopping areas. To get there, we passed under a long overpass bridge, which our friend said was built for the Asian‑African Conference held in Bandung.
Riau Street is not as busy as Cihampelas Walk, but if you’re not careful, this place can drain your wallet. From Riau Street, we headed to Pasar Baru, another shopping center in Bandung. Prices here are very cheap, and you can find all kinds of clothing and convection products. This place is truly a paradise for shoppers.
Reflections on Bandung
Bandung is a comfortable city — cool, full of charm, and home to friendly locals. There are still many places I haven’t visited. My vacation this time, and even my previous visits, are not enough to fully explore this city as one of Indonesia’s top tourism destinations.
