"The Paris of Java" as the city is affectionately known, is located 187 km southeast of Jakarta in the Priangan highlands where it enjoys a mild climate. It is located on a high plateau at an altitude of 768 meters surrounded on all sides by volcanoes and mountain ridges. This city boasts many universities including the prestigious Institut Teknology Bandung. In the late 1800's Bandung became an important stop on the trans-Java rail route. Bandung in the early 1900's developed into one of the most sophisticated cities on Java and hence captured the title "Parijs van Java" because of it's tree lined boulevards and fashionable shops and houses.

Bandung like most Javanese cities has been faced with a massive influx of people resulting in crowded streets with traffic congestion and crime. This has resulted in a strain on the infrastructure and created pollution for this once beautiful city. You can still catch glimpses of this history by visiting the famous Savoy Homann Hotel and BPD Jawa Barta Building which reflect classic art deco architecture. Also visit the Gedung Sate building which is one of the most striking buildings in Indonesian and is now the headquarters of the West Java provincial government.

Shown above are some photos , is the monument in Merdeka Park, bamboo angklung performance by local Sudanese children at Saung Udjo, intricately designed coconut leaf decorations for special occasions found in a flower shop on a Bandung street, gamelan instruments, ox-driven Sultan Carriage, ox-driven traditional cart, and Baduy house in the West Java Provincial Museum (Jl. Lingkar Selatan), prehistoric bones in the Geological Museum (Jl. Diponegoro), and the colorful jean shops on the famous Jl. Cihampelas.