Cruising Bandung on the city's new tour bus
Seven-year-old Kinza Lazulfa Adham stood next to his uncle and cousins at Taman Pusaka Bunga Kandaga Puspa on Jl. Citarum 23A in Bandung. Excitement lit up his and the other little boys' faces as a vintage-style flaming red bus approached the park.
"We came here yesterday, Sunday, but apparently the bus service was off because of the Idul Adha holiday. So we came today at around 11 a.m. and got tickets for the 3 p.m. slot," explained Kinza's uncle.
Despite the slightly chaotic transition between the alighting passengers and those boarding, the boys managed to get on the bus as scheduled.
Almost all passengers onboard were Bandung residents who, like Kinza, were excited to try out the city's new tour bus, named Bandros. The bus has been popularized by Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil's posts on his social media channels.
Bandros – short for Bandung tour on bus –is not only a catchy name but also represents the Sundanese people, the local ethnicity of West Java, perfectly. Bandros is the name of a traditional regional coconut cake.
The double decker bus was officially launched by Mayor Ridwan during this year's New Year's Eve celebrations, but it did not become accessible to passengers until last month.
Onboard Bandros, passengers can opt to sit on the top deck, which is convertible and has more sitting spaces, or on the first floor, which has fewer seats available.
The interior of the bus is lovely, adorned with some great details including wooden flooring, metal railings and colorful mosaic windows.
A friendly and endearing tour guide greeted us aboard and, as Bandros moved forward on its route, she gave fun facts about the city's landmarks and brief histories of the streets and places we passed through.
"Dago used to be a meeting point for local farmers. They usually waited for each other before returning to their farms in the hills. They needed to go in groups for fear of robbery. Hence the name of the area, Dago, which means waiting," the guide's voice blared from the sound system as the tour bus slowed into congestion on Jl. Dago.
One Bandros tour takes about half an hour depending on traffic. Bandros passes West Javan landmark Gedung Sate, the famous Jl. Ir. H. Juanda -- also known as Dago -- City Hall, Jl. Braga, the Banceuy area and Jl. Sunda before heading back to Taman Pusaka Bunga Kandaga Puspa.
Being onboard such a stylish tour bus was a really fun experience. For only Rp 10,000 (less than US$1) per person above 5 years old, the tour is also very affordable.
Kinza, who got to sit on the back balcony of Bandros, got off the tour bus with a big grin on his face, saying the experience was "Awesome!"
However, despite the overwhelming delight of cruising Bandung with Bandros, some improvements, such as more definitive queuing spaces, ticket counters and bus stops, would make the overall experience safer and more pleasant in the future.
Tips
- Bandros operates daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. except Friday. There are five to six slots available daily within the operating hours.
- Pack up ponchos or a raincoat for rainy days so you will still be able to sit on the upper deck. Using an umbrella might not be suitable for safety reasons.
- Allow at least two hours prior to the designated riding time to secure your tickets. According to staff, Bandros can only take about 40 passengers per trip. Fortunately the city already has plans to add two more Bandros units to cruise Bandung in style.
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