I’m writing this after 14 days in Indonesia and one thing is certain—I’ve been bitten by a bug: the travel bug and maybe some bed bugs too. Just something about Indonesia makes me itch for more. I love how each destination we visited held such a unique experience. From soaking up art in Bandung, seeing the sunrise in one of the world’s seven wonders in Yogyakarta, taking it slow in Lombok beaches, and to hiking up the most jaw-dropping landscapes in Komodo Islands. All so beautiful, yet different from each other. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Backtracking.

I was invited on this trip by Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism along with 39 other bloggers/ instagrammers to explore four different destinations for two weeks: Bandung, Yogyakarta, Lombok, and finally, Labuan Bajo/ Komodo Island. Our journey started on a train from Jakarta to Bandung.

Our first taste of Indonesian sceneries aboard the Argo Parahyangan train. It costs IDR 120,000/ P443 for a one way trip to Bandung.

Jalan Setra Duta Raya No. L 6 | 9am-5pm, Sun-Th; 9am-9pm, Fri & Sat

Our first stop, NuArt Sculpture Park. Bandung is also known as the Paris of Java because of the many restaurants, hotels, boutiques, and cafes. It also has a thriving creative scene with its numerous modern galleries. NuArt is one of the must-visit galleries, especially if you’re an art geek. It’s a place where art, culture, and nature intertwines. It was founded by Nyoman Nuarta, a very prominent metal sculptor with works all over Indonesia. Fun fact: His current and most ambitious one is the Garuda Wisnu statue in Bali, which is designed to be the world’s tallest monument.

After seeing all of Nyoman Nuarta’s works, we got to talk to him in person and he even showed us his “office” with all his ongoing projects. That office just happened to included a small waterfall tucked away in a corner.

The next day, we headed up towards higher grounds for our morning cup. The slightly cooler weather was just perfect as we had coffee and some snacks outdoors at Armor Kopi. You can’t visit Bandung without at least visiting one cafe.

Kolonel Masturi KM 11, Cisarua | 8am-9pm, Mon-Sun | IDR15,000/ P55 per person

Next, we headed to Dusun Bambu—my favourite part of our Bandung itinerary. Dusun Bambu is actually a family leisure park peppered with restaurants, cafes, and lots of beautiful sceneries. We had our lunch there and took our time while enjoying a bird’s eye view of the park and people-watching.

You can actually rent one of those little floating cottages for the night and waste the hours away.

Our home for the two nights in Bandung—Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers. Full of wide open spaces and lush greenery. The perfect oasis after a long day of exploring.

RUMAH MODE FACTORY OUTLET

Jl. Setiabudhi, Pasteur, Sukajadi | 9am-11pm

For our last day, we did what everyone else should do when visiting Bandung—shop! The city is actually a haven for outlet shopping. We headed to Rumah Mode, the largest one in Bandung, to do some last minute shopping before our flight to our next destination. Surprisingly, I actually didn’t buy anything here, but I did take lots of photos! Probably the prettiest factory outlet I’ve been to! They also have some restaurants and cafes if you get hungry after. The clothing selection is not so much for young people though. Some of the people from our group jump started their shopping the day before and visited other nearby outlet shops and bought a ton! I heard Heritage factory outlet has a better selection of clothes.

We rushed off to the airport with luggages a little heavier and hearts a little fuller for our flight to our next destination, and one of my personal favourites, Yogyakarta!

Next stop, Yogyakarta!

In collaboration with Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.