Vibrant Vietnam in Outlook Money magazine

September 2017 issue

Bandung - Of Floating Markets & Hot Springs

Navigating our way through Gambir railway station, Jakarta was a breeze. We took a print out of our tickets at the electronic kiosks there, showed our tickets at the entrance and walked towards the platform where our train was waiting. We were off to Bandung, known as Paris of Java; also a popular weekend getaway for Jakartans. Set amidst volcanoes and picturesque tea plantations, the city offers a cooler climate. It is also a popular shopping destination because of its many factory outlets.

We reached our hotel Gino Feruci Kebon Jati Bandung fairly early. As the check in time was 2 pm, we decided to leave our baggage at the reception and set out to explore the city. Bandung is a bustling city with a few pockets that are clean and well preserved. It certainly does not look or feel like Paris anymore, as it may have back in the day. We booked a car for the day; the driver had a limited English vocabulary so we communicated in monosyllables, mostly.

Lembang Floating Market

He drove us to Lembang, a neighbouring town known for its hot springs, orchards and tea plantations. Our first stop was the floating market, recommended by our driver. Although we were hesitant to first go in, we were glad that he took us there. It was the best attraction we went to, all day. There were ducks, rabbits to play with, a school of red fish amidst nicely landscaped gardens, a variety of street food to choose from as well as some adventure activities. I was quite surprised to see a lot of Iguanas up for sale there. Some of them were up to 5 ft in length which really freaked me out!

Pet Iguanas for sale!

De Ranch

Our next stop was De Ranch, a good attraction for those interested in horse riding. We didn’t spend much time there. As I had read good reviews about the Maribaya waterfall and hot springs, we decided to go there next. We paid around 40.000 IDR each as the entry fee. The waterfall itself was quite a disappointment and I would recommend avoiding this sight altogether. As we had gone all the way, we decided to take a dip in the VIP hot springs at 125.000 IDR each. Besides access to the private hot springs, we were also given some spicy chicken and rice along with white tea as part of the package. 

Maribaya Waterfall

On our way back to Bandung, our driver Mus asked us if we would like to go to Farmhouse. It was a delightful attraction with a variety of birds, sheep that you could feed as well as my favourites - rabbits. I fed various rabbits there, the brown ones were the cutest. As I wanted to hold one of them, one of the helpers took me to the area where the baby rabbits had been kept. I fed them carrots and posed for a few photographs, this was one of the best experiences on the trip. Strangely enough, I had expressed an interest to hold one of these adorable, furry creatures just five minutes before Mus recommended this attraction! Outside Farmhouse, the road was full of shops selling rabbits. They seemed well behaved as they were not in cages, in spite of constant oncoming traffic.

At Braga Permai, Bandung

At night, we headed to Braga Street and had dinner at Braga Permai, a boulangerie and patisserie since 1918. Their pepperoni pizza coupled with the lively band made for a nice evening. As we were not ready to call it a night just yet, we went to Romepoet next. A college band was performing English numbers, I even sang one along with them! North Sea Bar was our last stop, it reminded me of the pubs in England. 

The next day, we went shopping to Cihampelas Walk. It is a great place to relax, shop and bum around. Unfortunately, we couldn't spend a lot of time there as we had to catch our flight to Bali. And that was another adventure!

Skyscrapers Galore in Jakarta

Selamat Datang Monument, Central Jakarta

We arrived in Jakarta after a 9-hour-long flight from New Delhi over the weekend. After getting our visas on arrival, we walked over to the immigration counter. Upon enquiring about the purpose and duration of our trip, the immigration officer informed us that we did not require a visa for up to 30 days. Unfortunately, we could not get a refund on the $35 visa fee per person that had already been paid. With a reluctant smile, we bid him goodbye. I felt stupid for not having conducted enough research on the visas. Note to self for the next time!

Inside the museum

The unexpected free entry at the National Museum that we visited later that afternoon offered some form of respite. The new Museum building is a synthesis of colonial style coupled with modern architectural design offering an extensive collection of relics from the past; giving visitors an insight into the country’s history, people, and their lives. There was another exhibition about human evolution which was interesting. On our way out, I posed with an abstract piece of art outside the building. The National Memorial stood tall from across the road, inside a massive park. I took some pictures from outside as we were too tired to walk all the way inside. In fact, we were lucky to catch a glimpse of this lovely monument draped in the national flag colours, while on our way to the railway station early next morning.

National Memorial Monument

This was all the sightseeing that we had the energy for, on day one. As I like to visit rooftop restaurants for a fantastic city view in large cities, we decided to visit one of them. While Skye lounge located on the 56^th floor of BCA Tower seemed to be the most recommended one on travel websites, we opted for another popular rooftop garden bar - Lucy in the Sky instead. It was a great choice without the panoramic skyline views that I had been hoping for, as it was located on the second floor of the Fairgrounds complex in South Jakarta. We sat there for hours gazing at the gigantic skyscrapers around us, through the glass ceiling. At night, they fairy lights lit up the ceiling. The candles on tables added a magical feel. Their Loosey Goosey burger was by far the best burger I had in Indonesia. The California Motherfucker cocktail as part of their Hippie Sundown menu is amazing.

Loosey Goosey burger with curly fries

Lucy in the Sky at night

On our way back to the hotel, I took a few pictures of the multi coloured high rise buildings around. Each building was lit up in a different hue, giving them their own unique personality.

We went to sleep fairly early as we had a 5 am train the next morning

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