Since I’ve been going to Bandung a lot lately, I started to realise that this city (also known as the City of Students) is chock full of independent libraries and book cafés. When I first visited the city in 7 years, I made a stop at one of them called The Room 19…and I was hooked! It was super quaint and absolutely cozy, and to be able to finish a book in one sitting? Yes, please!
Another one I visited was an indie (and progressive) bookstore called Toko Buku Pelagia. The place actually serves coffee and people do hang out there a lot, but the vibe is very underground—totally different from the one mentioned above. That shows me the many faces of Bandung all right.
Ever since then, I’ve been pretty much on the lookout for indie libraries and bookstores. But, for one reason or another, I never had the chance to actually explore all the libraries in Bandung. So, when I planned this recent trip, I made it my mission to actually do a library tour while I was there. Let me show you!
Since I’ve been going to Bandung a lot lately, I started to realise that this city (also known as the City of Students) is chock full of independent libraries and book cafés. When I first visited the city in 7 years, I made a stop at one of them called The Room 19…and I was hooked! It was super quaint and absolutely cozy, and to be able to finish a book in one sitting? Yes, please!
Another one I visited was an indie (and progressive) bookstore called Toko Buku Pelagia. The place actually serves coffee and people do hang out there a lot, but the vibe is very underground—totally different from the one mentioned above. That shows me the many faces of Bandung all right.
Ever since then, I’ve been pretty much on the lookout for indie libraries and bookstores. But, for one reason or another, I never had the chance to actually explore all the libraries in Bandung. So, when I planned this recent trip, I made it my mission to actually do a library tour while I was there. Let me show you!
📷 DJI Osmo Pocket 3 + ASUS ZenFone 10 50 MP f/1.9, (23.8 mm lens)
Library 1: Reading among the Greens
Kineruku
This is probably the most well-known independent library/book café in Bandung. If you’re a book lover and you’ve been to Bandung, you’ve surely heard of this one. Personally, I’ve wanted to visit here since I found out about it on my first trip in recent years. For some reason, I’d never got a chance to visit here until just now. Kineruku is located in Hegarmanah, inside this really luscious and—dare I say—affluent neighbourhood. The place looks just like a regular house, its signage being located inside the gate—makes it pretty easy to miss as you pass by. But even from the façade alone, you can tell that it’s pretty cozy and rejuvenating.
Once we walked in, we were greeted by the owners (I presume), who told us all the ground rules of the library. We were instructed to put our bags in the lockers—but since they were full at the time, we were asked to leave our bags at the receptionist/cashier. We were only allowed to take “sufficient photos and videos” with our phone camera—the standard for what’s “sufficient” is unclear, to be honest, but I guess so long as you’re bothering no one, you should be fine. There are no plugs, charging station or wi-fi, so you are not encouraged to camp out here to work for hours on end. You’re encouraged to truly tune into the available books.
Kineruku
This is probably the most well-known independent library/book café in Bandung. If you’re a book lover and you’ve been to Bandung, you’ve surely heard of this one. Personally, I’ve wanted to visit here since I found out about it on my first trip in recent years. For some reason, I’d never got a chance to visit here until just now. Kineruku is located in Hegarmanah, inside this really luscious and—dare I say—affluent neighbourhood. The place looks just like a regular house, its signage being located inside the gate—makes it pretty easy to miss as you pass by. But even from the façade alone, you can tell that it’s pretty cozy and rejuvenating.
Once we walked in, we were greeted by the owners (I presume), who told us all the ground rules of the library. We were instructed to put our bags in the lockers—but since they were full at the time, we were asked to leave our bags at the receptionist/cashier. We were only allowed to take “sufficient photos and videos” with our phone camera—the standard for what’s “sufficient” is unclear, to be honest, but I guess so long as you’re bothering no one, you should be fine. There are no plugs, charging station or wi-fi, so you are not encouraged to camp out here to work for hours on end. You’re encouraged to truly tune into the available books.
Now, since this place is mainly a library—with a selection of beverages and snacks you can choose from, mind you—the atmosphere feels really nice. Everyone is locked into their book and speaking in hushed tones, being mindful of each other. Plus, all the greens the backyard has to offer is just so refreshing. Since the place is pretty famous, it was also rather packed when we were there, so I’d suggest coming early if you’re planning to go.
They have a wide range of books available in the library—and, additionally, also in the store that you can bring home. From lighthearted fiction, books on art and culture, politics, scientific topics, classical literature—you name it. Unfortunately, some books aren’t allowed to be borrowed, including the book I picked out called Don’t Read This! which talks about the melodic punk scene in Bandung over the years. And I got so hooked on it too! 😭 Obviously, I haven’t finished it.
Now, since this place is mainly a library—with a selection of beverages and snacks you can choose from, mind you—the atmosphere feels really nice. Everyone is locked into their book and speaking in hushed tones, being mindful of each other. Plus, all the greens the backyard has to offer is just so refreshing. Since the place is pretty famous, it was also rather packed when we were there, so I’d suggest coming early if you’re planning to go.
They have a wide range of books available in the library—and, additionally, also in the store that you can bring home. From lighthearted fiction, books on art and culture, politics, scientific topics, classical literature—you name it. Unfortunately, some books aren’t allowed to be borrowed, including the book I picked out called Don’t Read This! which talks about the melodic punk scene in Bandung over the years. And I got so hooked on it too! 😭 Obviously, I haven’t finished it.
Library 2: Children's Book Paradise
First of all, if you’re not a member, the visitor fee is IDR 20K per person—which is, honestly, pretty cheap for an indie library. Then you can browse the collection freely. The shelves, by the way, are divided based on age groups. Not only books of all kinds, the library also has some board and card games children and adults can play together—a lot of which they created themselves.
Another library that I’ve been meaning to visit for a while—and I would say this one’s my and my sister’s favourite. Welcome to Pustakalana! A quaint, little library special for children of all ages, located on the second floor of Selaras Guest House in Cihapit. As soon as we walked in, we could quickly see how magical the place was. The librarian was kind enough to walk us through the ground rules of the place.
Another library that I’ve been meaning to visit for a while—and I would say this one’s my and my sister’s favourite. Welcome to Pustakalana! A quaint, little library special for children of all ages, located on the second floor of Selaras Guest House in Cihapit. As soon as we walked in, we could quickly see how magical the place was. The librarian was kind enough to walk us through the ground rules of the place.
First of all, if you’re not a member, the visitor fee is IDR 20K per person—which is, honestly, pretty cheap for an indie library. Then you can browse the collection freely. The shelves, by the way, are divided based on age groups. Not only books of all kinds, the library also has some board and card games children and adults can play together—a lot of which they created themselves.
My sister is a school teacher, so when we were there, she asked the librarian a lot of questions about arranging a group tour with her students. She also comb through the shelves to see which title would be most suitable to recommend to her children, frantically rummaging through row after row. Meanwhile, as a free agent myself, I picked one book that caught my attention early on—a beautiful picture book called Heroes that explore the many inspirational people (and professions) in the world—and studied the illustrations and layout while flipping through story after story. It’s so funny to see this contrast in video format (which I posted in my story weeks ago).
Not long after we settled down, a family of four—with two little girls—came in to read as well. The smaller girl was pretty loud, of course, since she’s probably 3 years old or younger. It was a little hard for me to concentrate, since I was worried I got in their way. But it was nice to have a children-friendly library like this that allows children to behave any way they naturally do, without subjecting them to adult rules—like “be quiet.” My sister also said that the little girl’s screaming masked the incessant whispering I do when I read, and that helped her a lot. Gee, thanks, sis! 😂
Hand-me-down shirt + skirt | ASICS GEL-NYC™ | photos of me by Akita
My sister is a school teacher, so when we were there, she asked the librarian a lot of questions about arranging a group tour with her students. She also comb through the shelves to see which title would be most suitable to recommend to her children, frantically rummaging through row after row. Meanwhile, as a free agent myself, I picked one book that caught my attention early on—a beautiful picture book called Heroes that explore the many inspirational people (and professions) in the world—and studied the illustrations and layout while flipping through story after story. It’s so funny to see this contrast in video format (which I posted in my story weeks ago).
Not long after we settled down, a family of four—with two little girls—came in to read as well. The smaller girl was pretty loud, of course, since she’s probably 3 years old or younger. It was a little hard for me to concentrate, since I was worried I got in their way. But it was nice to have a children-friendly library like this that allows children to behave any way they naturally do, without subjecting them to adult rules—like “be quiet.” My sister also said that the little girl’s screaming masked the incessant whispering I do when I read, and that helped her a lot. Gee, thanks, sis! 😂
Hand-me-down shirt + skirt | ASICS GEL-NYC™ | photos of me by Akita
Library 3: Slow Reading Experience
Okay, this one is kind of a cheat, since it’s not officially a library. But, with that vast collection of books, it’s got to be an honorary place of reading, no? I found this place through my friend Ulfa, a local who suggested this place for our meetup. Not going to lie, when I arrived there early, I felt a little awkward, so I decided to just tour the place on my own. That’s when I found the bookshelves—pictured above are only one of them, mind you. They have books of many kinds here, but mostly they are really old books and classical reads that you may have heard about before but never read. I picked out Yukio Mishima’s The Sound of Waves, which was coincidentally also the author I was reading at the time. Unfortunately, I never got to read that book though.
Okay, this one is kind of a cheat, since it’s not officially a library. But, with that vast collection of books, it’s got to be an honorary place of reading, no? I found this place through my friend Ulfa, a local who suggested this place for our meetup. Not going to lie, when I arrived there early, I felt a little awkward, so I decided to just tour the place on my own. That’s when I found the bookshelves—pictured above are only one of them, mind you. They have books of many kinds here, but mostly they are really old books and classical reads that you may have heard about before but never read. I picked out Yukio Mishima’s The Sound of Waves, which was coincidentally also the author I was reading at the time. Unfortunately, I never got to read that book though.
Suji is actually a slow experience bar with a specialty on tea, located at Sumur Bandung. Much like a lot of places in Bandung, this bar operates out of a repurposed old house. The place has several rooms—I can only imagine the kind of family that used to live here—that seem to stretch endlessly from the entrance. As you walk in, you’ll find the slow bar room on the right, opposite the counter where you order. Then you walk in further and you find all these tables separated into each room—not assigned in any particular way. There was also a mixology room, the reading room and the roastery at the back. It’s like walking through the rabbit hole.
Funnily enough, when I went there, their tea menu wasn’t available—I mean, it’s supposed to be their specialty, no?—so I ordered their Orange Coffee. I love citrusy drinks and the mixture between orange and coffee has always been my favourite. My friends came not too long after, so I never got to read a single book, but I had enough time to look through their collection. There’s a raw, DIY quality to the place. The crowd that went there was also very casual—nobody looked like they dressed up. According to my friends, that’s how you know a place is truly locals’ favourite or a tourist trap, like the crowded coffee shop across the street.
Suji is actually a slow experience bar with a specialty on tea, located at Sumur Bandung. Much like a lot of places in Bandung, this bar operates out of a repurposed old house. The place has several rooms—I can only imagine the kind of family that used to live here—that seem to stretch endlessly from the entrance. As you walk in, you’ll find the slow bar room on the right, opposite the counter where you order. Then you walk in further and you find all these tables separated into each room—not assigned in any particular way. There was also a mixology room, the reading room and the roastery at the back. It’s like walking through the rabbit hole.
Funnily enough, when I went there, their tea menu wasn’t available—I mean, it’s supposed to be their specialty, no?—so I ordered their Orange Coffee. I love citrusy drinks and the mixture between orange and coffee has always been my favourite. My friends came not too long after, so I never got to read a single book, but I had enough time to look through their collection. There’s a raw, DIY quality to the place. The crowd that went there was also very casual—nobody looked like they dressed up. According to my friends, that’s how you know a place is truly locals’ favourite or a tourist trap, like the crowded coffee shop across the street.
Library 4: Fantasy Literary World
Here is a library I visited in my lonesome while my sister had a prior work engagement. Located in Ciumbuleuit, this library simply transports you to a fantasy world filled with lush greeneries, fresh air and quaint interior. The building—again, a repurposed house—offers the feeling of a mountain villa. As you walk in, you will be greeted by dormant lockers, where you are asked to take off your footwear and put away your bag(s). You are then provided with a transparent bag to bring only your important belongings and slippers as an indoor footwear. That alone sounds pretty quaint, no? Well, there’s more.
When you proceed into the library, you will be greeted by a counter where you pay your visitor’s fee (IDR 35K)—which includes a free tea set—and get to order additional food or drinks, if you want. Opposite the counter, there are a number of cute paraphernalia (such as stickers, prints, keychains, etc.) created by local illustrators. The reading area itself has a very peculiar layout. Once you walk up the stairs, you’ll find the sole bookshelf, with seats in front of it. Then you walk up a few steps, and you’ll find the beanbag areas, the productive area with triangular windows, the communal room. Walk up up the next stairs and you’ll find the attic. They also have a creative room, where you can create content and journal and craft and whathaveyou.
Here is a library I visited in my lonesome while my sister had a prior work engagement. Located in Ciumbuleuit, this library simply transports you to a fantasy world filled with lush greeneries, fresh air and quaint interior. The building—again, a repurposed house—offers the feeling of a mountain villa. As you walk in, you will be greeted by dormant lockers, where you are asked to take off your footwear and put away your bag(s). You are then provided with a transparent bag to bring only your important belongings and slippers as an indoor footwear. That alone sounds pretty quaint, no? Well, there’s more.
When you proceed into the library, you will be greeted by a counter where you pay your visitor’s fee (IDR 35K)—which includes a free tea set—and get to order additional food or drinks, if you want. Opposite the counter, there are a number of cute paraphernalia (such as stickers, prints, keychains, etc.) created by local illustrators. The reading area itself has a very peculiar layout. Once you walk up the stairs, you’ll find the sole bookshelf, with seats in front of it. Then you walk up a few steps, and you’ll find the beanbag areas, the productive area with triangular windows, the communal room. Walk up up the next stairs and you’ll find the attic. They also have a creative room, where you can create content and journal and craft and whathaveyou.
I do believe that this library is targetting a very specific demographic, though. I feel like the selection of books aren’t very vasst, consisting mostly of books that you’ve heard of before because they tend to be popular ones. There are some unknown titles here and there, sure, but they are mostly books you’ve seen people read a thousand times before. Aside from books, they also supply a number of zines—again, with a very clear demographic in mind. I feel like if this library were located somewhere in South Jakarta, it’d fit right in. It’s the kind of library that offers vibe and aesthetics on purpose, encouraging their visitors to take photos and videos and sharing it on their social media.
While I was there, I picked up Imaginary City by Rain Chudori. I was almost done too! But, alas, I had to go meet my sister for lunch. I’d definitely go back to this place next time I’m in town, though.
I do believe that this library is targetting a very specific demographic, though. I feel like the selection of books aren’t very vasst, consisting mostly of books that you’ve heard of before because they tend to be popular ones. There are some unknown titles here and there, sure, but they are mostly books you’ve seen people read a thousand times before. Aside from books, they also supply a number of zines—again, with a very clear demographic in mind. I feel like if this library were located somewhere in South Jakarta, it’d fit right in. It’s the kind of library that offers vibe and aesthetics on purpose, encouraging their visitors to take photos and videos and sharing it on their social media.
While I was there, I picked up Imaginary City by Rain Chudori. I was almost done too! But, alas, I had to go meet my sister for lunch. I’d definitely go back to this place next time I’m in town, though.
Library 5: Have Your Books & Eat Them Too
The library is located on the second floor, clearly the centrepiece of the entire floor layout. It’s the first thing you see as you walk up the stairs, you can’t miss it. Unfortunately, the library was only accessible from Monday to Friday—and we were there on a Saturday, so we couldn’t even flip through a single book. From what I saw, however, there were so many interesting titles being displayed on the bookshelf.
Now, this last library is actually a restaurant in Lengkong—and not just any restaurant, but one serving Asian fusion cuisines. The place is pretty spacious, consisting of two stories and a semi-outdoor area inside. They have a unique selection of menu, filled with out-of-the-box dishes you’ve never thought of before. The eclectic interior of this entire place really reflects the quirkyness of the menu, pretty showy and extravagant.
Now, this last library is actually a restaurant in Lengkong—and not just any restaurant, but one serving Asian fusion cuisines. The place is pretty spacious, consisting of two stories and a semi-outdoor area inside. They have a unique selection of menu, filled with out-of-the-box dishes you’ve never thought of before. The eclectic interior of this entire place really reflects the quirkyness of the menu, pretty showy and extravagant.
The library is located on the second floor, clearly the centrepiece of the entire floor layout. It’s the first thing you see as you walk up the stairs, you can’t miss it. Unfortunately, the library was only accessible from Monday to Friday—and we were there on a Saturday, so we couldn’t even flip through a single book. From what I saw, however, there were so many interesting titles being displayed on the bookshelf.
When we came there, we were seated at this red room—not The Shining kind, mind you—where there was a smaller bookshelf there. Now, this shelf is technically accessible for all, but mostly consisted of cookbooks, so that wasn’t really interesting, to be honest. Who would read a cookbook while eating at a restaurant? Also, if you’re not seated right next to the shelf, it’s pretty hard to skim through the books—and, ironically enough, the girls seated by the bookshelf weren’t interested in the books at all 🥲 So this trip was a literary flop.
I’m not sure about the other areas in the restaurant, but this room in particular was very poorly lit—plus, with the glossy red tables and moss-coloured carpet (if I remember correctly), it makes the room look even darker. For me, personally, that made the place a little less enjoyable, especially since we expected to be able to read books. But who can read in such dim light? At least we’ve got the food, which is surely very unique. My sister ordered the Yatiau Sapi, which is this fried kwetiau with beef and crackers, while I opted for the Congee and Bone Marrow Set. When my congee arrived, the bone marrow was super huge—you can see down below. At least it was an interesting dining experience.
Hand-me-down shirt | thrifted pants | ASICS GT-2160™ | photos of me by Akita
When we came there, we were seated at this red room—not The Shining kind, mind you—where there was a smaller bookshelf there. Now, this shelf is technically accessible for all, but mostly consisted of cookbooks, so that wasn’t really interesting, to be honest. Who would read a cookbook while eating at a restaurant? Also, if you’re not seated right next to the shelf, it’s pretty hard to skim through the books—and, ironically enough, the girls seated by the bookshelf weren’t interested in the books at all 🥲 So this trip was a literary flop.
I’m not sure about the other areas in the restaurant, but this room in particular was very poorly lit—plus, with the glossy red tables and moss-coloured carpet (if I remember correctly), it makes the room look even darker. For me, personally, that made the place a little less enjoyable, especially since we expected to be able to read books. But who can read in such dim light? At least we’ve got the food, which is surely very unique. My sister ordered the Yatiau Sapi, which is this fried kwetiau with beef and crackers, while I opted for the Congee and Bone Marrow Set. When my congee arrived, the bone marrow was super huge—you can see down below. At least it was an interesting dining experience.
Hand-me-down shirt | thrifted pants | ASICS GT-2160™ | photos of me by Akita
Bonus: Thai at the Market
From the entrance, we could easily spot the eatery with its gigantic signage. The place looks pretty quaint, with its market stall quality. The waiters asked if we would like to sit upstairs for the non-smoking area, but since there was nobody when we arrived and I like the interior, we took our seats on the ground floor. Later on, I found out that the second floor was much more beautiful and Thai-coded. Oh well.
I think another place worth mentioning is this Thai restaurant where we had our lunch on the first day—although, no, it doesn’t have books. Nam Sai is located in Setrasari Mall, which is actually more like a modern market in the form of a building complex of various food tenants and small shops. We went here at the recommendation of one of my office friends—thank you, Rifa! And I’m so glad she did.
I think another place worth mentioning is this Thai restaurant where we had our lunch on the first day—although, no, it doesn’t have books. Nam Sai is located in Setrasari Mall, which is actually more like a modern market in the form of a building complex of various food tenants and small shops. We went here at the recommendation of one of my office friends—thank you, Rifa! And I’m so glad she did.
From the entrance, we could easily spot the eatery with its gigantic signage. The place looks pretty quaint, with its market stall quality. The waiters asked if we would like to sit upstairs for the non-smoking area, but since there was nobody when we arrived and I like the interior, we took our seats on the ground floor. Later on, I found out that the second floor was much more beautiful and Thai-coded. Oh well.
My sister and I aren’t really all that well-versed in Thai cuisines, but to me, this place serves a pretty wide selection of menu. My sister opted for the Beef Pad Kra Pao, while I got myself the Seafood Pad Kra Pao. You can select the level of spicyness that you want—my sister asked for zero, while I asked for 2 or 3, I forgot. The spice level is pretty intense, though, which I really like. We also ordered Salmon Yum to share. It’s a new experience for me, since I never really got raw salmon in Thai style before. The cilantro taste, mixed with the nuts topping, is just so refreshing. I also love their Thai tea, so good with just the perfect level of sweetness. They actually also serve Bingsu and other kinds of desserts, but we were pretty stuffed after our meal, so we didn’t get to try any. Hopefully, we’ll be back sometime to try those desserts!
Weirdo in Pink t-shirt | thrifted pants | Psych Shrooms scarf (gifted) | Buku Kobam tote bag | photos of me by Akita
That wraps up my recent trip to Bandung! Feel free to read about my friend’s art exhibition that I visited early on during this trip. Maybe next time I’m in Bandung, I will continue with other libraries we hadn’t had the chance to visit—trust me, there are still a lot! I just really love being in a city that appreciates literature. Is it because Bandung is the City of Students? We also went to a couple other restaurants that also have books you can flip through, although they go undocumented. What a book-loving city!
Feel free to watch the vlog down below to see what else we were up to!
My sister and I aren’t really all that well-versed in Thai cuisines, but to me, this place serves a pretty wide selection of menu. My sister opted for the Beef Pad Kra Pao, while I got myself the Seafood Pad Kra Pao. You can select the level of spicyness that you want—my sister asked for zero, while I asked for 2 or 3, I forgot. The spice level is pretty intense, though, which I really like. We also ordered Salmon Yum to share. It’s a new experience for me, since I never really got raw salmon in Thai style before. The cilantro taste, mixed with the nuts topping, is just so refreshing. I also love their Thai tea, so good with just the perfect level of sweetness. They actually also serve Bingsu and other kinds of desserts, but we were pretty stuffed after our meal, so we didn’t get to try any. Hopefully, we’ll be back sometime to try those desserts!
Weirdo in Pink t-shirt | thrifted pants | Psych Shrooms scarf (gifted) | Buku Kobam tote bag | photos of me by Akita
That wraps up my recent trip to Bandung! Feel free to read about my friend’s art exhibition that I visited early on during this trip. Maybe next time I’m in Bandung, I will continue with other libraries we hadn’t had the chance to visit—trust me, there are still a lot! I just really love being in a city that appreciates literature. Is it because Bandung is the City of Students? We also went to a couple other restaurants that also have books you can flip through, although they go undocumented. What a book-loving city!
Feel free to watch the vlog down below to see what else we were up to!