Bandung, capital of Indonesia’s West Java province, is a large city set amid volcanoes and tea plantations. It's known for colonial and art deco architecture, a lively, university-town feel and – thanks to its 768m elevation – relatively cool tropical weather. Bandung is also a shopping destination, with fashion outlets clustered along Jalan Setiabudi and Jalan Riau in the Dago district.

Nicknamed the ‘Paris of Java’ during the Dutch colonial period, Bandung retains 1920s and ’30s landmarks like the Neoclassical Gedung Sate (‘Satay Building’). Now the office of the provincial governor, it has a rooftop resembling the Indonesian skewered meat dish. There’s also the art deco mansion Villa Isola and the Sundanese-roofed Ceremonial Hall at the acclaimed Institut Teknologi Bandung. Nearby natural sites include Tangkuban Perahu (‘upside-down boat’) volcano, with trekking and horseback riding above active craters. There's also the light-turquoise crater lake, Kawah Putih, and Patenggang Lake, surrounded by tea plantations.

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