Things to do in Bogor
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Café de Daunen
Inside the Bogor botanical gardens, this is the nicest setting in town for a meal, with sweeping views down across a meadow to the water lily ponds. It’s a little pricey, but the revamped menu has tasty food including fish and chips, pasta and good Indonesian dishes. For a refreshing drink try the bandrek (tea made with ginger and herbs).
reviewed
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Sop Buah Pak Ewok
This is a great, very casual place popular with students for its inexpensive, delicious and refreshing bowls of fruit punch, which are tropical fruits of the season served up with ice. Other snacks including noodles and rice dishes are available.
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Simpang Raya Bogor
A huge Pandang restaurant serving up Sumatra’s finest and spiciest. Heaves with customers by early evening; stroll on in and find a seat wherever there’s room.
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Kebun Raya
At the heart of Bogor are the fabulous botanical gardens, known as the Kebun Raya, the city’s green lung of around 87 hectares. Governor General Raffles first developed a garden here, but the spacious grounds of the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace) were expanded by Dutch botanist Professor Reinwardt, with assistance from London’s Kew Gardens, and officially opened in 1817. It was from these gardens that various colonial cash crops, such as tea, cassava, tobacco and cinchona, were developed by Dutch botanists including Johannes Teysmann, during the infamous Cultivation Period in the 19th century. The park is still a major centre for botanical research in Indonesia. This …
reviewed
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Gong Factory
One of the few remaining gongsmiths in West Java is located in Bogor. Visitors are welcome to drop by the gong factory, where gamelan instruments are smelted over a charcoal fire. As it takes two weeks to beat a copper gong into shape you may want to tip the workers here a note or two. A few pricey gongs and wayang golek puppets are on sale.
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Gumati
An imposing restaurant with wonderful vistas over Bogor’s red-tiled rooftops to Gunung Salak from its two huge terraces – there’s even a small pool here. You’ll find an extensive menu, with tapas-style snacks and specials (try the paket timbal komplit, which gives you a selection of dishes); no booze though.
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Pia
A stylish little eatery with low tables facing a narrow courtyard/car park, this place is renowned throughout West Java for its apple pie (though other fruit flavours including strawberry are available, and there are plenty of savoury options including chicken). It’s also good for a bowl of soup, coffee or juice.
reviewed
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Bukul Bukul
Sleek and stylish restaurant with a Zen-like garden that makes a great setting for a meal, Bukul Bukul is surprisingly affordable. It specialises in Indonesian and Sundanese cuisine. No alcohol is served, but there’s a mocktail list, or you’re welcome to BYO for no charge.
reviewed
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Wayang Golek Workshop
Pak Dase makes quality puppets at his wayang golek workshop, down by the river, just north of the botanical gardens. Take the footbridge to Wisma Karunia from Jl Jenderal Sudirman and ask for Pak Dase in the labyrinthine kampung (village).
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Salak Sunset Café
For a beer, your best bet is this low-key place, geared to travellers, with cool Bintang and Western food such as pizzas and spaghetti.
reviewed
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Kebun Raya
At the heart of Bogor are the fabulous botanical gardens, known as the Kebun Raya, the city’s green lung of around 87 hectares. Governor General Raffles first developed a garden here, but the spacious grounds of the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace) were expanded by Dutch botanist Professor Reinwardt, with assistance from London’s Kew Gardens, and officially opened in 1817. It was from these gardens that various colonial cash crops, such as tea, cassava, tobacco and cinchona, were developed by Dutch botanists including Johannes Teysmann, during the infamous Cultivation Period in the 19th century. The park is still a major centre for botanical research in Indonesia. This …
reviewed
