Last week I went on a girls’ trip to Bandung with my dear friend Iva who came to visit from Germany. Initially, the plan was just for us two to hang out and spend quality time together—it would be our first trip together in 11 years! But, since my sister Akita currently lives in Bandung, I thought I’d go there earlier to hang out with her first and then ask her to join us for the rest of the weekend.
My sister moved to Bandung 2 years ago when she got a full-time gig as an English teacher at a primary school there. However, I had never once visited her once. She’s always gone back to Jakarta during school holidays, but never vice versa. Oops! Well, what can I say? Bandung has always been a nearby getaway destination for Jakartans and my last experience in the city wasn’t particularly pleasant—traffic jams everywhere!—so I’d always had my reservation about the city. This time, though, I changed my mind.
Last week I went on a girls’ trip to Bandung with my dear friend Iva who came to visit from Germany. Initially, the plan was just for us two to hang out and spend quality time together—it would be our first trip together in 11 years! But, since my sister Akita currently lives in Bandung, I thought I’d go there earlier to hang out with her first and then ask her to join us for the rest of the weekend.
My sister moved to Bandung 2 years ago when she got a full-time gig as an English teacher at a primary school there. However, I had never once visited her once. She’s always gone back to Jakarta during school holidays, but never vice versa. Oops! Well, what can I say? Bandung has always been a nearby getaway destination for Jakartans and my last experience in the city wasn’t particularly pleasant—traffic jams everywhere!—so I’d always had my reservation about the city. This time, though, I changed my mind.
📷 Fujifilm X-T100 with Fujinon Aspherical Superb EBC XC 15-45mm lens + ASUS ZenFone 10 50 MP f/1.9, 23.8 mm
Bandung is only about 3 hours away from The Greater Jakarta area, so I decided to take a coach there—since the pool is closer from home. I left pretty early in the morning, to arrive in Bandung just before lunch time, and quickly made my way to my sister’s place. Before coming here, I’ve already prepared a thorough 4-day itinerary to avoid confusion and wasting time—but I promptly forgot everything I’d written down (lol). Apparently, our first agenda of the trip was lunch at a nearby eatery.
Dendeng Batokok
This eatery was recommended to me by a work friend and, since it’s located less than 1 km from my sister’s place, I thought we’d make it our first visit. This is apparently a Padangnese restaurant, but unlike the regular Nasi Padang place. Their hero menu, I assume, is the Dendeng Batokok—which both my sister and I ordered. It was really good, especially the sambal. Too bad the portion feels a little on the smaller side. More on the pricey side for Bandung, according to my sister’s friends.
Bandung is only about 3 hours away from The Greater Jakarta area, so I decided to take a coach there—since the pool is closer from home. I left pretty early in the morning, to arrive in Bandung just before lunch time, and quickly made my way to my sister’s place. Before coming here, I’ve already prepared a thorough 4-day itinerary to avoid confusion and wasting time—but I promptly forgot everything I’d written down (lol). Apparently, our first agenda of the trip was lunch at a nearby eatery.
Dendeng Batokok
This eatery was recommended to me by a work friend and, since it’s located less than 1 km from my sister’s place, I thought we’d make it our first visit. This is apparently a Padangnese restaurant, but unlike the regular Nasi Padang place. Their hero menu, I assume, is the Dendeng Batokok—which both my sister and I ordered. It was really good, especially the sambal. Too bad the portion feels a little on the smaller side. More on the pricey side for Bandung, according to my sister’s friends.
Stop 1: Contemporary Art
Afterwards, we made our way further up towards Dago Atas to visit Selasar Sunaryo Artspace. I feel like I’ve heard so much about this place but had never visited before, so I was so curious. Unfortunately, nothing particularly interesting was exhibited at the time of our visit. Nevertheless, we took a stroll around and it was all pretty interesting to look at. We were greeted by a warm lady at the ticket counter who told us everything we needed to know about the place. There are a total of 4 exhibition spaces—some show permanent collections, while the rest show temporary exhibitions. There is also a coffee shop where you can relax afterwards. You’ll get your ticket signed every time you’ve visited an area.
It was a Thursday, so the place was considerably empty. The first space (Bale Paragon) showcased Bandung Photography Triennale 2025: Synthetic Vision – Aeviternity, featuring works from 14 domestic and international artists. However, the works aren’t strictly photos—in fact, a lot of them use varying media (including audio) and even encourage interaction. The works really showed me new perspectives of looking at mundane things. I think we stayed the longest in this space. I personally like this one the best.
Bobo Tokyo jacket (defect sale) | thrifted button-down shirt + pants | Roti eneng tote bag | ASICS Unisex Gel-NYC | photos of me by Akita
Afterwards, we made our way further up towards Dago Atas to visit Selasar Sunaryo Artspace. I feel like I’ve heard so much about this place but had never visited before, so I was so curious. Unfortunately, nothing particularly interesting was exhibited at the time of our visit. Nevertheless, we took a stroll around and it was all pretty interesting to look at. We were greeted by a warm lady at the ticket counter who told us everything we needed to know about the place. There are a total of 4 exhibition spaces—some show permanent collections, while the rest show temporary exhibitions. There is also a coffee shop where you can relax afterwards. You’ll get your ticket signed every time you’ve visited an area.
It was a Thursday, so the place was considerably empty. The first space (Bale Paragon) showcased Bandung Photography Triennale 2025: Synthetic Vision – Aeviternity, featuring works from 14 domestic and international artists. However, the works aren’t strictly photos—in fact, a lot of them use varying media (including audio) and even encourage interaction. The works really showed me new perspectives of looking at mundane things. I think we stayed the longest in this space. I personally like this one the best.
Bobo Tokyo jacket (defect sale) | thrifted button-down shirt + pants | Roti eneng tote bag | ASICS Unisex Gel-NYC | photos of me by Akita
The second space (Ruang A) showcased the Tentang Ada exhibition, a solo presentation by Mr. Sunaryo himself. It featured his abstract paintings and installations, blurring the boundary between 2D and 3D art. While most of his works are painted on canvases, he added objects that allow the paintings to seem to jump out at the audience. My favourite work in this space is his infinity room—a small space you can step into made entirely of mirrors, resulting in infinite reflections of the audience. It was created as a critique on our obsession with social media today—ironically, the art is so instagrammable.
The third space (Ruang B) displays Pejal, a sculpture exhibition by Selasar Sunaryo, while the fourth space (Ruang Sayap) showcases Jenama Selasar (Selasar’s Branding) exhibition—both are the permanent collections. We kind of breezily walked through them, as they were really more something to look at, not interact with. Pejal was entirely odd to me. I can appreciate the featured works, sure, but I don’t understand them. Meanwhile, Jenama Selasar was still pretty much up my alley. Particularly love the collaterals for the Le Corbusier exhibition, held previously at the place.
The second space (Ruang A) showcased the Tentang Ada exhibition, a solo presentation by Mr. Sunaryo himself. It featured his abstract paintings and installations, blurring the boundary between 2D and 3D art. While most of his works are painted on canvases, he added objects that allow the paintings to seem to jump out at the audience. My favourite work in this space is his infinity room—a small space you can step into made entirely of mirrors, resulting in infinite reflections of the audience. It was created as a critique on our obsession with social media today—ironically, the art is so instagrammable.
The third space (Ruang B) displays Pejal, a sculpture exhibition by Selasar Sunaryo, while the fourth space (Ruang Sayap) showcases Jenama Selasar (Selasar’s Branding) exhibition—both are the permanent collections. We kind of breezily walked through them, as they were really more something to look at, not interact with. Pejal was entirely odd to me. I can appreciate the featured works, sure, but I don’t understand them. Meanwhile, Jenama Selasar was still pretty much up my alley. Particularly love the collaterals for the Le Corbusier exhibition, held previously at the place.
Stop 2: Japanese Coffee
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by a friendly barista who invited us to take our seat. My sister ordered the Es Kopi Susu (lit. Iced Café Latte) and I opted for the Pandan Wangi (it looks like a macchiato topped with Pandan-flavoured cream). We also got Potato Cheese Stick—I was hungry, remember? And, without further ado, we dove right into conversation. It’s honestly the part I most looked forward to. We hadn’t seen each other since Eid after all.
By the time we’d explored the entire place, I was getting hungry again (lol), so we decided to head to our next destination—Kyomi Space. I’ve been vying to visit this coffee shop since the pandemic times, but for some reason, just never even made plans to visit the town. What drew me to this place was initially the exterior and interior design of the place. It just seems to offer this really homey and zen Japanese vibe that I adore.
By the time we’d explored the entire place, I was getting hungry again (lol), so we decided to head to our next destination—Kyomi Space. I’ve been vying to visit this coffee shop since the pandemic times, but for some reason, just never even made plans to visit the town. What drew me to this place was initially the exterior and interior design of the place. It just seems to offer this really homey and zen Japanese vibe that I adore.
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by a friendly barista who invited us to take our seat. My sister ordered the Es Kopi Susu (lit. Iced Café Latte) and I opted for the Pandan Wangi (it looks like a macchiato topped with Pandan-flavoured cream). We also got Potato Cheese Stick—I was hungry, remember? And, without further ado, we dove right into conversation. It’s honestly the part I most looked forward to. We hadn’t seen each other since Eid after all.
Let me tell you a little bit about the place. This coffee shop is located in a pretty secluded corner, actually. It’s not just smack dab on the side of the road—it is tucked inside a little roundabout alley that leads to a pretty wide, open space. For you to get here at all, you’d have to know where you’re going. Apparently, according to my sister, a lot of cool and sought-after places in Bandung is like that. It’s a wonder how I managed to find out about this place at all!
While the place is essentially a coffee shop, it is apparently the building version of a jack-of-all-trade. From the façade, you’d see the coffee shop, but only a few steps in and you’ll realise this is also a pottery studio. Many, many ceramics adorn the walls here—in fact, you can see some behind my sister in the photo down below. You can apparently buy these ceramics, by the way. Now, move further inside and you’ll see that it is also a co-working/office space for (what I assume to be) an architecture studio or other small businesses. Of course, I wouldn’t dare to venture deeper, but as you leave through the front door, turn to the right and you’ll find a small florist. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found a weaver somewhere inside too.
The vibe was super nice. We could tell that everyone was comfortable here—so were we! We spent hours and hours inside, trying to sip our drinks sparingly to stay here longer. Wood dominated the space and the rooms lend a vast feel with all the open windows and doors. Love how they retain the antique flooring as well—it adds the homey feel to the whole interior. If I lived in Bandung, I’d permanently set myself up here.
Let me tell you a little bit about the place. This coffee shop is located in a pretty secluded corner, actually. It’s not just smack dab on the side of the road—it is tucked inside a little roundabout alley that leads to a pretty wide, open space. For you to get here at all, you’d have to know where you’re going. Apparently, according to my sister, a lot of cool and sought-after places in Bandung is like that. It’s a wonder how I managed to find out about this place at all!
While the place is essentially a coffee shop, it is apparently the building version of a jack-of-all-trade. From the façade, you’d see the coffee shop, but only a few steps in and you’ll realise this is also a pottery studio. Many, many ceramics adorn the walls here—in fact, you can see some behind my sister in the photo down below. You can apparently buy these ceramics, by the way. Now, move further inside and you’ll see that it is also a co-working/office space for (what I assume to be) an architecture studio or other small businesses. Of course, I wouldn’t dare to venture deeper, but as you leave through the front door, turn to the right and you’ll find a small florist. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found a weaver somewhere inside too.
The vibe was super nice. We could tell that everyone was comfortable here—so were we! We spent hours and hours inside, trying to sip our drinks sparingly to stay here longer. Wood dominated the space and the rooms lend a vast feel with all the open windows and doors. Love how they retain the antique flooring as well—it adds the homey feel to the whole interior. If I lived in Bandung, I’d permanently set myself up here.
Stop 3: Independent Library
Our next destination was an independent library located 1 km from the coffee shop—so we decided to just walk there. Yes, yes, the road situation wasn’t exactly pedestrian-friendly. And yes, there were a lot of vicious vehicles zooming past—we almost got hit by a motorbike, mind you. Thankfully, there were two of us, so it felt a lot less painful to walk. It was only after looking at the map did I realise that the library is located right across the street from the coach terminal—I could’ve gone there as soon as I arrived!
From the photos, I assumed the library was pretty spacious, but apparently it was located only on the second floor to a makeshift shop building. We had to climb a pretty steep metal staircase to reach it—not unlike a New York-style fire escape, but in a much smaller space. At the door, we were asked to take off our shoes and wear slippers available in the lockers. A librarian greeted us on our way in and asked us to leave our bags with them. There were a few house rules I hadn’t previously known, as I’ll go through down below.
Our next destination was an independent library located 1 km from the coffee shop—so we decided to just walk there. Yes, yes, the road situation wasn’t exactly pedestrian-friendly. And yes, there were a lot of vicious vehicles zooming past—we almost got hit by a motorbike, mind you. Thankfully, there were two of us, so it felt a lot less painful to walk. It was only after looking at the map did I realise that the library is located right across the street from the coach terminal—I could’ve gone there as soon as I arrived!
From the photos, I assumed the library was pretty spacious, but apparently it was located only on the second floor to a makeshift shop building. We had to climb a pretty steep metal staircase to reach it—not unlike a New York-style fire escape, but in a much smaller space. At the door, we were asked to take off our shoes and wear slippers available in the lockers. A librarian greeted us on our way in and asked us to leave our bags with them. There were a few house rules I hadn’t previously known, as I’ll go through down below.
The Room 19 Library House Rules:
- Take shoes off before entering and wear the available slippers in the locker
(also, return slippers to locker upon leaving) - Put bags inside the locker by the counter
(you can have access to it at anytime, no worries) - Book the free-flow package to reserve/take a seat
(incl. 4-hour stay, free-flow seasonal tea of choice, on-site book access, board games, art supplies) - When finished with a book, please return it to the turquoise trolley
(placed in front of the big bookshelf, do not return straight to the shelf!) - Upon leaving, return the table number, mug and plates (if any) to the white trolley
(placed in front of the counter) - Visitors may still speak and converse
(but keep the volume low to not bother the others) - Obviously, keep the place clean and do not bring outside food/drinks
(you can buy cakes and snacks here too, FYI)
My sister and I were pretty lucky, to be honest, as we were supposed to reserve our seats ahead of time—but there were still slots available when we got there, so we booked our seats right away. We browsed the shelves for different purposes—I did it for my own pleasure, my sister considered books for her students. One book caught my attention straight away—Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter. I’ve been intrigued by this book for the longest time, so I instantly got cracking. The place was so cozy and comfortable—although freezing cold, bring your jacket! We didn’t leave until I finished my book around 2 hours later. Initially, I planned for us to grab dinner a little further out, but we were so tired from the day’s previous adventures that we decided to call it a night and just have dinner at my sister’s place. And so off we went!
See you on Day 2 of this Bandung Girls’ Trip!
The Room 19 Library House Rules:
- Take shoes off before entering and wear the available slippers in the locker
(also, return slippers to locker upon leaving) - Put bags inside the locker by the counter
(you can have access to it at anytime, no worries) - Book the free-flow package to reserve/take a seat
(incl. 4-hour stay, free-flow seasonal tea of choice, on-site book access, board games, art supplies) - When finished with a book, please return it to the turquoise trolley
(placed in front of the big bookshelf, do not return straight to the shelf!) - Upon leaving, return the table number, mug and plates (if any) to the white trolley
(placed in front of the counter) - Visitors may still speak and converse
(but keep the volume low to not bother the others) - Obviously, keep the place clean and do not bring outside food/drinks
(you can buy cakes and snacks here too, FYI)
My sister and I were pretty lucky, to be honest, as we were supposed to reserve our seats ahead of time—but there were still slots available when we got there, so we booked our seats right away. We browsed the shelves for different purposes—I did it for my own pleasure, my sister considered books for her students. One book caught my attention straight away—Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter. I’ve been intrigued by this book for the longest time, so I instantly got cracking. The place was so cozy and comfortable—although freezing cold, bring your jacket! We didn’t leave until I finished my book around 2 hours later. Initially, I planned for us to grab dinner a little further out, but we were so tired from the day’s previous adventures that we decided to call it a night and just have dinner at my sister’s place. And so off we went!
See you on Day 2 of this Bandung Girls’ Trip!