Seriously, after my trip to Bandung early this year, I still cannot come to terms on the prices of the items being sold there. Factory outlet after factory outlet, 4 full days was not enough for my group. There were only 5 of us, 4 women and me. We had only covered 50% of the factory outlets there. Not only that, we did not even make it to any sightseeing at all. The 4 full days were just spent on Factory outlets. Talk about shopping crazy, Bandung IS the place. Of course not comparing Hong Kong or Singapore.

I had a ton of friends and even strangers asking me details on Bandung which made me do a blog about it, that way I need not reply with long emails. To my surprise, I started to get Singaporeans emailing me since the Sg-Bandung route opened in April/May. Anyhow, if you have not been to Bandung, I would advise you to go soon before the prices start to increase. When the Malaysians and Singaporeans start to crowd that place, things will start to change.

With this, I share with the Bandung fans a semi long story of my trip. I visited almost all the Factory Outlets and got quite a number of guy/men items there. They even have XXXL sizes called Jumbo or Big Size there. There is even one outlet called ForMen. But guys, just be warned, your wives or girlfriends will go crazy there!!! That I can be sure unless your partner shops in Hong Kong only.

They even have a super mall called Paris Van Java or PVJ. It is similar to our 1Utama/MidValley/Curve but I find it a little better there. So if you're a mall-kaki, this is where you should be headed to.

For food, the famous food there is Sundanese Food, similar to Malay food. But I was introduced by my driver to a super food court called Paskal Food Market which has over 50 different types of stalls there. A clean concept and they have a band performing too. Outdoor area and nice landscaping. This place serves all kinds of Indonesian food, from Sundanese to even Chinese food! Good place to explore. Then again, there are about a million hawker stalls throughout Bandung selling Bakso and the local food if you like to try.

For the women, you cannot go to Bandung and NOT try the layer cakes or Kek Lapis. Famous bakery is called Kartikasari and they are apparently #1 there. There are many other bakeries like Holland Bakery and also Mayasari and all of these are located throughout town.

Finally for places to stay, they have low budget guesthouses right up to 5 star hotels. This is the most popular question most people will be asking, which hotel near factory outlets and cheap. Well, I sort of made a list of all the Popular Hotels and guesthomes even apartments with general information like address, near which outlet, contact number, fax, email and website so it would be easier to go through. I think you would find something or have a better idea. There are also Car/Van/Bus Rental and taxi contacts in this list.

With that said, I hope you have a fantastic time in Bandung as I did. I have already planned my next trip there and this time I need to book at least 5 or 6 days, just so I would not be rushing the holiday.

Regards,
David

Ps. By the way, I am not a company of any sort. I just travel and blog my experiences and bring it to other interested travelers.

This post has been edited by malaysia-asia: Sep 8 2009, 12:59 PM

Hi there,

Sorry for the late reply. Was away in Sg for some research.

Anyway, Regarding Bandung. You need not rent a car there cause the driving there is 10x worst than here in KL or in Png. I swear that sitting in the van with driver was a scary experience seeing how the motorist there ride and drive. The driver (supir) fees are only about Rp.350,000 per day and they drive you where ever you want to go. Out of the city may be a little more charge.

So, if you are going here for shopping and some sightseeing, there are a few places out of Bandung to visit and can be done in a day trip.

For AA, I just Booked the package for 4N/5D and it only costed about RM750.00 for 2 pax! No need to worry about looking for hotels and such. But then again, there are some travelers who want the cheapest possible deal they can get their hands on, so it's up to you. If you can afford it, just book once. If not, check my bandung hotel/factory blog.

Other than that, have a great time there. Remember, 2N/3D aint gonna get you much. Best option is minimum 3N/4D in Bandung.

Hi Mugenz,

As usual, I was away on assignment and just got back. You are right about the dates, I should put them down.

Actually for the clothings in Bandung, if you see any 5-star brands, they are most likely from China. Just stay away from the LV, Gucci, Channel. For from what I was told, the factories that produce stuff like Nike, Adidas, Timberland and other notable brands are genuine. Then again, Bandung is now the center of shopping ,you will never know which is real and which is fake. Anyway, I don't shop for 5-star brands, I go for the 2-3 star brands.

As for the Redang Marine Park, I went there on a weekday which was not holiday season or school holidays. Usually when I travel, I like to book the off season times. This is where you can really enjoy the peace and quiet. But then again, if you go alone, it is alright, but if you are going with friends, it may be hard for everyone to take leave for these times.

Rushmode - Sorry I didnt stay there but from the reviews I have read, the place is more on the homely side. Dont expect a boutique resort. Just that is it quite popular because it is clean well taken care of.

Regards,

Honestly, from what I was told....

Most of the items there work like this. If DKNY contracts one of the factories to produce lets say 100,000 shorts, the factories will produce 150,000. 100k goes to DKNY and the 50k goes to the syndicates which are then distributed around. So to say they are fake, no. But illegal, maybe.

But for sure, anything in LV, Gucci and top brands are fakes. That is for sure. Even Timberland there, I think they are fakes. Anyhow, Bandung is a great place to shop for some mid-range brands. I posted a detailed summary of this on my blog if you wish to read on.

So, 9 out of 10 people I know just don't bother with the super brands. They just go to Dago and Jalan Riau to do most of the shopping. Forget Cihampelas if you want mid-name brands.

Hasyerin - Actually I made a major list of hotels, guest houses and apartments on my travel site with prices, ratings and even which factory outlets they are near. I would love to link it here but it is not right. See my sig if you need help with the bandung apartments.

Regards,
David