Best Jakarta Day Trip: Subang & Bandung

Our first stop was a rice field in Subang a city two hours drive outside of Jakarta. Subang is a high producer of rice in Indonesia, and there are huge fields all around the city. Our guide took us to this small field and explained to us how these fields are used to make rice year long due to the tropical climate. There was nobody there except us, so it really felt like a local experience as it was off of the beaten path. Luckily for us the fields were full of grown rice making the area even more green and lush.

Continuing on our journey, we stopped at a local fruit stand to try some Indonesian fruits. The first fruit we tried was salak, also known as snakeskin fruit. In order to eat this fruit you have to peel the skin. The texture was crunchy and the taste was between an apple and a pear. Our tour guide also brought us some mangos. For me, most mangos have a similar taste with slightly different flavor notes between fruits. But no matter which mango it is, I love them all.

Tangkuban Perahu is an active volcano located in Bandung. This stratovolcano is very active, and has and erupted over twenty times, last erupting in 2019. It’s about 2,084 meters above sea level, making it the tallest peak around. As you walk towards the view point of the volcano, the smell of rotten eggs fills the air. I had never experienced the smell of sulfur before, but it’s not an attractive smell to be honest. It was fascinating to see the pale, ashy gray color and the pockets of smoke come through the volcano. 

Near the volcano there is a village of souvenir shops that sell drinks, local artisan goods, and more. Usually we are minimalists and don’t buy things in these kinds of places, but there was a tea that piqued our interest. This is a traditional Indonesian tea made with ginger, palm sugar, cinnamon, and dried chili. Thinking about the spicy warm flavor still makes me smile from ear to ear, it was exactly our taste. We saw a man cutting a unique kind of wood from the batik tree, native to Java. When shaving the outer layer of the tree, you can see a unique design inside. It was fascinating as the wood seemed like an art piece just by shaving the outer layer.

After visiting the volcano, it was finally time for lunch. Our tour guide took us to try local Indonesian cuisine at Sindang Reret Banduang. What makes this restaurant special is the interior, there are tables and chairs but we sat in a boat shaped booth with cushions. It was very interesting as we were covered by the roof of the restaurant and surrounded by water with koi fish. We had a family style meal with huge plates that came out with various dishes that we could share and try.

I was so hungry that I ate before figuring out the names of some of the cuisine. We had chicken satay, rice, tofu, vegetable dishes, and more. As this was our first full day in Indonesia, it was an excellent introduction to Indonesian food. It’s not as spicy compared to some of the nearby countries like Cambodia or Malaysia. The spices here are usually on the side, and you have to combine things to make a stronger flavor.

My favorite dish was dessert because it really hit the spot after all the savory-ness of the dishes: fried bananas with sugar on top. This style of dish really reminds me of my mom’s country Trinidad so it resonated with me. Overall, Indonesian food is very mild and wholesome, with lots of veggies and simple meat. We love strong punchy flavors like Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese, so it doesn’t make our top tier, but we’re glad we got to try such a variety.

Ciater Cagak Tea Plantaion is a massive 3,000 hectare farm of entirely tea leaves. This tea plantaion was originally installed by the Dutch, but now it is cultivated by the Indonesian government. We felt immersed walking through the tea fields as there are bushes in every corner. The slopes not as high like Daehan Dawon Tea Plantation in South Korea, but are more maze-like as there are a variety of paths through the fields.

We roamed in the tea fields for about an hour since we went in the afternoon. There are so many angles and divots as you go through the fields, and it felt like it stretched on forever. Our first green tea field we ever visited was Osulloc in Jeju. It has flat fields in straight lines, so it was refreshing to see the organized curved paths that are very pleasing to look at. I didn’t see any shops or cafes nearby, but we were excited just to enjoy another aspect of nature. As we just ate lunch we didn’t need to try the tea, and our tour schedule only allowed for us to visit the fields, so we moved right along.

Curug Jodo Sariater is a hot spring located in Subang. The water comes from volcanic activity nearby. The pools are filled with sulfurous water and minerals that are good for your skin, although thankfully the water smells very clean. We haven’t been to many hot springs before so being here was a new experience for us. There are several small pools and regions where you can dip your legs or immerse your whole body. We decided to just sit and not fully get it.

I also made a little friend here, his name is Jerry. I had lots of fun playing with Jerry at the hot springs. He managed to go to the other side of the springs not thinking of the way to get back without going in the water. I walked over and carried Jerry to the other side. He was a very chill kitten and I wish I could have taken him home.

To end our wonderful long day, our tour guide surprised us by taking us to another fruit stand. When visiting Java, one of the most popular foods to try is honey pineapple, as Java has the perfect climate for these plants to flourish. This fruit stand has the most delicious and juiciest honey pineapple. At every bite, we were attacked by the sweet juice was gushing from the pineapple. The pineapple was sweet like honey, had a nice soft texture, and wasn’t sour at all. It was a perfect snack after relaxing in the hot springs. I really wish I knew where this stand was exactly located, but I guess its more magical as a local hidden gem.