Trivia: Bogor is a city on west Java, and was the capital of Indonesia during the British occupation under Stamford Raffles, and was also used by the Dutch as the capital during the dry season. It is surrounded by extinct volcanoes such as the Gunung Gede and Gunung Salak and is recorded to be have more lightning storms per year than any other place on earth.

Transport I Car Hire I Hotels I Entertainment I Food & Drink I Nightlife I Tourist Tips

Transport:

The easiest and the most popular means of transportation in Bogor is the public vans (the locals call it "Angkot", the acronym of angkutan kota). They serve certain routes indicated by the combination of their numbers and their colours, which come in green and blue. These angkots are run by private owners and the prices are fixed.

Buses and taxis are not present in particularly large numbers, especially taxis because they are relatively expensive. Minibuses are more commonly seen in the city. Meanwhile, the railroads connect Bogor to other big cities in Java, such as Jakarta (to the north) and Sukabumi (to the south).

Eksekutif-class trains depart Jakarta's Kota station, with a stop in Gambir, roughly hourly. Ekonomi-class trains depart Jakarta's Kota station every 20 minutes or so, but can be crowded beyond belief and do not stop in Gambir.

For leisure means, the traditional horse carriages are available. These are called delman, and they have only two wheels, different from the four-wheeled andong existing only in the province of Yogyakarta. Delman in Bogor are not delicately decorated like their fellows in Jakarta, Bandung, or Yogyakarta. There are also becak, a type of man-pedaled carriages in which the driver pedals at the back and the passengers' seat facing front with a roof above. A becak can only carries two or three people at a time. Becak can also be used to deliver heavy loads such as fruits and vegetables around pasar (traditional public markets).

Getting There:

Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), is just 45 minutes away, and is served by direct daily flights with British Airways and Garuda (the national carrier).  There are two main terminal buildings: Terminal I is for all domestic services apart from Garuda Indonesia, and Terminal II serves all international flights as well as all domestic flights by Garuda.  The airport is named after the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soekarno, and the first vice-president, Mohammad Hatta.

Hotels:

Bogor:

There is not the quality and choice that is is on offer in the Capital, however the Novotel is widely accepted as being the best local hotel.

4 Star Options:

• Novotel Coralia
• Novus Resort & Spa
• Hotel Jayakarta Cisarua Mountain Resort
• Hotel Pangrango
• Wisma Hijau Bina Swadaya
• Hotel Salak The Heritage

Jakarta:

5 Star Options:

• Mandarin Oriental Jakarta
• Grand Hyatt Jakarta
• Dharmawangsa Hotel Jakarta
• Park Lane Hotel Jakarta
• Sheraton Media Hotel & Towers
• Le Meridien Jakarta
• JW Marriott
• Sheraton Bandara
• Shangri-La
• Kempinski

Car Hire:

Whatever size or type of vehicle you require, Travel Places can assist you. You can email a request to Leanne or Issie, or call on 01903 832888.  

Entertainment:

Presidential Palace:

Appropriately named by the Dutch as a town "without worries", they chose Bogor to be the site for constructing the first palace of the Dutch Governor General way back in 1745. Later restored in 1832, the palace still stands solid and elegant today with its stretched out gardens where deer roam freely on the green grass under majesticly tall old trees.

In colonial days, deer were raised in the parklands to provide meat for banquets, and through the gates you can still see herds of white-spotted deer roaming on the immaculate lawns. The Dutch elite would come up from the pesthole of Batavia and many huge, glamorous parties were held there. Following independence, the palace was a much-favoured retreat for Soekarno, although Soeharto has ignored it.

Today the building contains Soekarno's huge art collection of 219 paintings and 156 sculptures (which is reputed to lay great emphasis on the female figure), but the palace is only open to the public by prior arrangement. The tourist information centre can arrange tours for groups or you can write directly to the Head of Protocol at the Istana Negara, Jalan Veteran - Jakarta. You need to give at least five days notice. If a tour is going the tourist information centre will try to include interested individuals.

Botanical Gardens:

Bogor is famous because of its Botanical Garden which borders the Palace Grounds, covering an area of 87 hectares with thousands of species of plant life from all over the world, including towering age old trees and the rarest kinds of orchids.

See the original "Havea Brazilliensis" rubber tree formerly imported from Barzil, and world's largest flower, the Rafflesia a foul smelling and stemless as well as leafless plant. When visiting this Garden, arrange for a permit to visit the neighbouring Presidential Palace which belonged to the Dutch Governor General before Indonesia's independence.

Orchid Garden:

The orchid garden (Rumah Anggrek), is located in the northeast corner of the Botanical Gardens. You will find a large greenhouse housing orchids of all shapes and sizes, with two separate halls so there's always something blooming.

Entry Rp 2000, separately charged.

Puncak Highland:

If you travel from Jakarta to Bandung you can pass through the scenic Puncak pass, about 90 minutes by car from the capital. The Puncak area is a very popular escape from the hot and hectic city, and along the road there is an abundance of bungalows, cottages, hotels, villas, restaurants and recreation places, starting about 10 km from Bogor at Ciawi and continuing up through the villages of Cibogo, Cipayung and Cisarua to the Puncak pass and down on the other side to Cipanas.

The top of the pass reaches an altitude of 1500 metres, where it is cool and misty, except for the mornings when the view can be more far-reaching. The road passes some lovely scenery of tea fields and dramatic landscapes, forests and mountains.

Unfortunately this is one of the most dangerous roads in Indonesia with frequent traffic accidents, try to avoid the weekends when the roads are jammed with vehicles and drivers of dubious quality. Buses are not allowed to pass through the Puncak pass on weekends, and therefore must travel via Sukabumi.

The most famous attraction here is the Taman Safari Garden, where tourists can enjoy driving a car and experiencing in and out from one animal section. Among the animals kept here are some comparatively rare species such as anoas, rhinos, giraffes, white tigers and European, American and Asian bears. The tiger, lion and bear sections are also popular. Buses are also available. Within the park there is a hiking trail, a waterfall and a wonderland.

Other places of interest are not in the main part of Bogor, but in Sukabumi, a sub region of Bogor.

For those who enjoy rafting, there is the Citarik River. One of the tour operators there has created a village, which is really back to nature. The village is without electricity, without cell phones, but it’s beautiful, because the village is located in the delta of the river. If you book and spend the night there, snacks and meals are included in the package. The place is also often used as an outbound training or team-building facility.

Lido Water Recreational Centre:

It lies 21 km south of Bogor or 81 km from Jakarta. The lake is conveniently located along the route from Bogor to Sukabumi, surrounded by scenic panoramas. Water sport facilities, a restaurant and accommodation are available. 

Culture:

Art forms in Indonesia have been influenced by several cultures. The famous Javanese and Balinese dances, for example, contain aspects of Hindu culture and mythology.

Also well-known are the Javanese and Balinese wayang kulit shadow theatre shows, displaying several mythological events. Several islands are famous for their batik and ikat cloth. Silat is a unique martial art originating from the archipelago

Food & Drink:

Cheap food stalls appear at night along Jalan Dewi Sartika and during the day you'll find plenty of food stalls and good fruit at Pasar Bogor, the market close to the garden gates. In the late afternoon along Jalan Nyi Raja Permas next to the railway station, street vendors cook up delicious snacks such as deep-fried tahu (tofu) and pisang goreng (fried banana).

The Pujasera is an air-conditioned hawkers' centre on the top floor of the Bogor Plaza shopping centre opposite the entrance to the botanical gardens. One of the better little eateries here is the Es Teler KK, serving inexpensive lunches and good fruit juices.

Bogor also has a KFC south of the gardens near the bus station, and a Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Hoka Hoka Bento and Dunkin' Donuts on Jalan Raya Pajajaran about 200 metres from the bus station. Hanamasa and Olala Cafe near Hotel Pangrango on Jalan Raya Pajajaran.

Some suggested Restaurants:

Merdeka Coffee
Shop 88, Plaza Niaga 2
Bukit Sentul
Tel: 62 21 87962386
Website: www.merdekacoffee.com
Well established coffee specialists who sell coffee all over Indonesia, show casing the glorious array of wonderful Arabica coffees available in the Indonesian archipelago. 

Star Deli
Plaza Amsterdam- Bukit Sentul
Star Deli, Bukit Sentul, is an off-shoot of Star Deli Kemang. Owned and opperated by Scott Gregory and his very able team. The Star Deli in Bukit Sentul is smaller than its Jakarta counterpart, but the staff are just as friendly and attentive. Food is mainly European...huge burgers, Pizza, Nachos and from 5-7 the only happy hour in Sentul.

Asinan Gedung Dalam
Surya Kencana street, Sukasari
Tel:
Asinan (plate of sliced fruits or vegetables soaked in vinegar, sweet and chilly sauce) Taste is quite unique. Spicy, sour, sweet, all blended. Apart of Asinan, this place also packed with other snacks seller that sell such as spring rolls, sliced nutmeg ice, durian ice, friend snacks and also fresh tropical fruit.

Ayam Goreng
Pajajaran 137- 138
Tel: 320983

Rumah Makan Si Kabayan
Jalan Bina Marga I No.2
Tel: (62-251) 311849
This is one of Bogor's most pleasant Sundanese restaurants. You dine on mats in individual bamboo huts arranged around an attractive garden. You'll need to order a number of dishes to get your fill, but this restaurant is reasonably priced.

The Bogor Permai Restaurant & Bakery
Jalan Jenderal Sudirman 23A
Beside the Presidential Palace same side of the street
Tel: 360717
This establishment is a large, semi-modern restaurant and bakery complex offering Chinese and Western fare, including steaks.

Lautan Restaurant
Jalan Bina Marga I at No.15
Tel: 0251-325859
The Lautan restaurant is a large, no-frills eating house serving Chinese cuisine at moderate prices.

Citra Sari Restaurant
Raya Baru Kemang I
Tel: 0251-318530

Koffie-Pot (The Colonial)
Nice and cosy spot for meeting up with friends. Has a few comfy sofas and the Coffee is quite good. 

Rindu Alam
Besides dine, you can also enjoy the venue from high on the hill. Watching the tea plantation and roadway from above. Really good scenery. The food is available in any cuisine. Indonesian, Eroupean and Chinese Cuisines.

Sunda Kelapa
Komplek Evergreen Tugu Cisarua
Tel: 0251-252821

Pizza Hut
Pajajaran No. 146-148
Tel: 0251-346876  

Jakarta:

As this is a city of twelve million people and a melting pot for over 200 ethnic groups, Jakarta really does boast some of the most diverse cuisines in the whole of Asia and this is reflected in the variety of restaurants and meeting places. All the major hotels have Western and Indonesian restaurants and many also offer Chinese food.

Elsewhere, dining options range from formal restaurants with fine cuisine to Western fast-food outlets and inexpensive street stalls where you can find interesting and delicious dishes.

The main strip of restaurants can be found at Jalan Agus Salim (Jalan Sabong), where you will find Indonesian, Chinese and Western cuisine.

Some Restaurant Suggestions:

Ambiente
Aryaduta Hotel
Jalan Prapatan 44-48
Tel: 62 21 2352 1234
An Italian speciality restaurant with authentic Italian cuisine.

Nadaman
Shangri-La Hotel
Jendral Sudirman Kav 1
Tel: 021 570-7440
The restaurant serves a variety of traditional and newer Japanese dishes. The 56-seat main dining room has rice-paper lanterns and black-lacquer tables; there are also private rooms, some with tatami mats and one with tables and a sushi bar.

Brasserie
Plaza Bisnis, Jl. Kemang Raya 2
Tel: 021 718-3422
This cosy restaurant is in a trendy neighbourhood south of the city where many expats live. The dining areas are casual, and the food - traditional French dishes made with fresh local ingredients - is good. The wine list has an extensive selection of French varieties.

Natrabu Restoran Minang
Jalan H. Agus Salim 29A
Tel: 62 21 335 668
Natrub Restaurant is the most famous and prestigious eaterie in the city. This popular restaurant specialises in the spicy cuisine of the Minangkabau people in the Padang area of West Sumatra. Red Sumatran banners hang from the ceiling, and a model of a Minangkabau house sits in a corner. Waiters wearing head scarves from the region deliver bowls of food from the moment you sit down.

Oasis
Jalan Raden Saleh 47
Tel: 021 315-0646
Oasis is an elegant mansion serving Indonesia's classic but affordable rice-table with Sumatran Minstrels playing requests.

Stix
The Park Lane Hotel
Casablanca At Kuningan Jakarta 12870
Tel: 62 21 828 2000
A combination of a high energy pub and entertainment lounge, Stix features dynamic live music and serves delicious, hearty food – including Jakarta’s best steaks – and exotic cocktails.

Cafe Batavia
Taman Fatahillah, Kota,
Tel: 62-21 691-5531
Cafe Batavia is housed in a restored 19th-century Dutch colonial building just opposite the old Dutch city hall (now Jakarta Museum). The place is a living reminder of Jakarta's luxurious (as well as oppressive) colonial past, when Dutch officials would wine and dine their nights away in luxury while the local residents barely scratched out a living. Now full of tourists and expats, Cafe Batavia is both gaudy and sophisticated at the same time. The food is fairly decent and the wait staff are very enthusiastic.

Empire Grill
Jalan H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 1,
Menara Imperium 35th floor, Kuningan
Tel: 62 21 835 3978
Empire Grill boasts a casually elegant setting for those interested in a meal to remember. It is also Jakarta's only revolving restaurant and, being located on the 35th floor, commands a picturesque view of Jakarta's cityscape. With superb international cuisine and the best T-bone and tenderloin steak in town, it makes a perfect spot to wine and dine.

Nightlife:

Bogor Pubs/Karaoke scene:

• Baracuda - Ahmad Yani
• Laguna Danau - Raya Bogor
• Pangrango II - Pajajaran No.35
• Raja Inn - Pajajaran No.9
• Spectrum Cafe - Pajajaran No.35
• Sukasari Karaoke - Siliwangi No.25

Jakarta:

For a Muslim country, nightlife in Jakarta is fairly lively. There are a number of cinemas, theatres, nightclubs and casinos throughout the city, though do not expect to be overwhelmed by the quality of any of these establishments. One highly recommended bar is The Jaya Pub. Situated behind the Jaya Building, it attracts an interesting crowd of artists, musicians and expats. Drinking establishments close during Ramadhan.

Planet Hollywood has a volcano that erupts in the bar and live bands. Green Pub features local Indonesian bands and Mexican cuisine. Jazz-enthusiasts enoy Jamz. Cafe Zanzibar specialises in cocktails. Club Zone is a midnight-to-dawn techno party.

Tanamur:

The most popular late night disco of them all in Jakarta. Because there are not may, this place has a certain notoriety. But good clean fun can always be guaranteed. Besides the place can sometimes be so smoky that nobody will recognise you desperately approximating the Lambada on the dance floor with a recent lady of your acquaintance. Beware of this place as nights before often turns into days after. Always guaranteed to be lively, and to provide a short taste of decadence Indonesian style.

Tourist Tips:

Indonesia is a melting pot of culture, history and physical terrain with stunning islands, rainforests and volcanoes. 200 million Indonesians originated from 336 ethnic groups and have been influenced by an influx of peoples from China, Arabia, Indochina and Europe.
 
West Java effectively surrounds the nation's capital of Jakarta on three sides and enjoyable roads provide good links to most of the province passing through spectacular panoramas of rugged mountains, sparkling paddy fields and intimate holiday resorts. There are a number of resorts on the western and southern coasts which have modern hotels and are popular during the weekends, especially for people living in Jakarta.

West Java provides visitors with a great number of fascinating and wonderful things to see and do; venture to the reminders of the explosive and awesome power of Krakatau; explore the undisturbed wildlife reserve of Ujung Kulon on the south- western tip of Java; admire the Pulau Dua Bird Sanctuary off the coast of Banten and visit the isolated communities of the mysterious Baduy in the remote Halimun Mountain Reserve; discover unspoiled beaches at Pangandaran; treasure the royal palaces of Cirebon and the world renowned botanical gardens of Bogor.

The region is primarily mountainous, with rich green valleys hugging lofty volcanic peaks, many of which surround the capital of the province, Bandung. The Sundanese people of this region, the Sundanese, are soft-spoken and colorful, with a rich and fascinating history.

Pelabuhan Ratu Beach:

Formerly just a plain fishing village it has now grown into a lovely holiday resort, more and more visited by holiday makers from Jakarta and Bandung, a mere three-hour drive from either city through cool mountain villages with picturesque scenerie Gradually but surely this area will catch up with the pace of development as is the case with Carita on the extreme West coast of Java. Pelabuhan Ratu Cisolok is a 15 km stretch of breathtaking beauty with hills, mountains and very wide sandy beaches everywhere around you, set againts the deep blue Indian Ocean.

There is one four-star hotel, the Samudera beach, about 6 km from Pelabuhan Ratu, but several other smaller hotels and cottages are available at moderate rates. At this virgin stage, this area represents unspoiled beauty in a typically tropical setting with hospitable inhabitants.

Because of its proximity to Jakarta this area is visited by more tourists from the capital than those from Bandung. Moreover, the highways to and from Pelabuhan Ratu have recently been greatly improved to assure you of a smooth ride to enjoy the sceneries you pass even better.

Jatiluhur Dam

Situated just about halfway between Jakarta and Bandung, this dam was originally built with French technical assistance back in the Fifties, mainly for the purpose of generating electrical power for the region. Since then the dam developed into a multi-purpose designated area as it now serves irrigation to the surrounding arable land and fishery as well. Somewhat later, tourism saw a potential area for development as it now provides convenient facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, a camping ground, speedboats for water skiing and cottages. The water surface is enormously vast, the scenery tropical, the air crisp and cool.

Jakarta:

Home to over 10 million people, Jakarta is always bustling, from the sound of the wheel of government turning to the sight of the economy churning. Skyscrapers, single story residential houses, modern apartment complexes, survivalists shanties - all coexist in this city.

Jakarta, on the island of Java in Indonesia, sprawls over 25km (15mi) from the docks to the suburbs of South Jakarta. The city centre fans out from around Merdeka Square, a grand, barren field, which contains the central gold-tipped landmark of the National Monument (Monas).

Jakarta doesn't really have a centre: rather there are a number of centres all separated by vast traffic jams, incredible pollution and heat. For most visitors, the area south of the monument holds most interest. Jl Thamrin is the main shopping and deluxe hotel thoroughfare, while just to the east is the main restaurant and cheap hotel area.

Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta international airport is 35km (21mi) west of the city centre, and there are bus stations around the outskirts of town.

Suggested Attractions:

• Plaza Indonesia - adjacent
• Jalan Surabaya (antique market) - 2 km
• Taman Ismail Marzuki - 2.5 km
• National Monument - 3 km
• National Museum - 3 km
• Presidential Palace - 3 km
• Istiqlal Mosque - 3.5 km
• Catholic Cathedral - 4.5 km
• Gambir Railway Station - 4.5 km
• Immanuel Church - 4.5 km

Only a short flight away are the delights of Bali with it's more western feel and top class international resorts.

 Bali is one of the 17,508 islands which make up of the archipelagic Republic of Indonesia. It is easily one of Indonesia's most popular tourist destinations known throughout the world as a paradise isle set in the southern seas with its story-book setting of sun-drenched beaches, rolling surf, rustic villages, fertile plains and sculptured rice terraces.

Bali is also graced by colourful temple festivals accompanied by spritely music and dance watched by the local populace, tourists, and the unseen gods from their dwelling places perched on majestic mountains. Located near the eastern-most tip of Java island across the narrow Straits of Bali, this 'Isle of the Gods' is peopled by the friendly Balinese who are more exposed to international tourists than many people in other parts of Indonesia.

• See Our Far East Stopover section 

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