Indonesia’s New Hot Spot

by Josh Lew on

No. It’s not Bali or Jakarta. It’s Bandung.

Jakarta’s little sister has a rapidly growing tourism industry. Though most of the visitors are from the nearby mega-city, regional and international travelers have been arriving in ever increasing numbers.

Why?

There’s no surf in Bandung, but…

It’s cool (temperature-wise). Located in the highlands above Jakarta, it is the place to take a break from the tropical, sea-level heat. A two hour drive (that’s not taking Jakarta’s famed traffic into account) means it’s within striking distance for residents and tourists.

Also on Bandung’s plus side: an insanely diverse street food scene and a healthy number of shopping malls. Because of the high concentration of universities, there are some youthful and energetic nightlife venues.

Is there anything wrong with Bandung? If you consider a lack of public transit and an abundance of untrustworthy taxi drivers a problem, then yes, it is lacking in some areas. Popular shopping and eating spots get elbow-to-elbow on the weekend, a by-product of the city’s growing vacation reputation.

The increasing number of visitors to the city shows that, for now anyway, the good is outweighing the bad. Tourists with their mind set on a Southeast Asian vacation will be hearing more about Bandung in the near future.

Living and working in Beijing

by Jerry Guo on

I spent a chunk last year living and working in Beijing, something that I’ve always wanted to do. I grew up in Tianjin, which is an hour’s train-ride outside the capital, and so I have fond memories of the place.

There’s been so much press–and no doubt it’ll consume us completely by this summer–on Beijjing’s rampant growth and construction, leading up to the Summer Olympics this August.

But what tourists this summer will be drastically different than what goes on the other 50 weeks of the year. Here’s a gallery of life for ordinary Beijing-ers, as well as shots from Beijing’s famous snack street (there are actually two near the Wangfujing subway stop) and general nightlife.

Hope I’ll see you in Beijing come August.

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GADLING TAKE FIVE: Week of October 13-19

by Jamie Rhein on

If you missed that big things happened at Gadling this week, then all I have to say is, “Where have you been?” Gadling has a brand new look and we’re enjoying it. It’s kind of like a shiny new toy. Wow! What does this drop down menu do on the left? The information we used to have is all here, it’s just relocated and gussied up. Also, perhaps you’ve noticed the slight name change. Instead of the heading “Gadling: The traveler’s blog,” we’re “Gadling: go there.”

Here our some of the offerings we’ve dished up this week that hopefully will help you go there where ever that may be. Hey, and if you’re not going off on some huge whirlwind mega trip, that’s fine by us. Sometimes, it’s the close to home treasures that are worth writing home about.

Abha Malpani, who just joined our Gadling forces this week, has some ideas for the best places to hook up with someone if you are so inclined, while Catherine’s got you covered when it comes to avoiding tourist traps. Grant knows just where you can get your hands on some of the best street food in Europe, and if you have a sweet tooth craving, check out Martha’s top places in the U.S. for a sugar fix ideas. To help you gather a bunch of facts that might come in handy at a party, or on a bus, or on an airplane –or just to amuse yourself in the privacy of your own bathroom, pick up a copy of Take Me to Your Leader. Kelly’s always dishing up good finds with her One for the Road Series.

Okay, that’s five and I still haven’t mentioned Matthew’s wealth of Japan know-how this week. Lastly, don’t miss Neil’s post “Visiting an American embassy, Simpson’s style.” Perhaps, you can relate.

Street Food: Better than Your Hotel Dining Room

by Catherine Bodry on

In any country, street food is usually fresh, cheap, and authentic, especially if you get away from touristy areas. While your pristine hotel dining room may seem cleaner, busy food stalls where there’s a high turnover are actually a better bet than a kitchen where food might sit around for hours.

The folks at Frommer’s describe their top 10 food stall choices, and offer the following suggestions when choosing a vendor:

  • Make sure the same person isn’t handling both food and money
  • Check to see that the food is covered
  • Most importantly, follow the locals. If they’re queued up at one stall, they’re probably on to something good.

My favorites? Sugar cookies hot off the griddle in New Delhi, pho in Vietnam, and fish tacos in Mexico. Oh, and reindeer sausage dogs in Alaska.

Thanks to jascha on flickr for bringing back memories of street-side dining in Saigon.

The Dangers of Street Food: Cardboard Pork Rolls Discovered in Beijing

by Neil Woodburn on

We have all commented, at one time or another, that a particularly bad pizza we might have ordered tastes like cardboard.

This is always an exaggeration, of course. But if you’ve ever been to China, there is a good chance that you might actually be speaking the truth.

Authorities in Beijing recently arrested “bakers” who were making a popular roll-baozi-out of cardboard.

An undercover TV crew infiltrated the bakery where a worker explained how ordinary cardboard was soaked in caustic soda and then chopped up with a meat cleaver. Bits of fatty pork and seasonings were then folded into the mixture before the rolls were steamed and sent out to the Beijing marketplace. Before being arrested, the baker mentioned to the undercover reporter that 60% of the roll was reprocessed cardboard. Mmmmm….

Normally, it is the meat I am suspicious about while eating on the street in China. I never imagined that the meat might actually be what it claims to be, but everything else isn’t.

Related:
Montezuma’s Revenge
Eatin’ Dog
Avoiding the Side Effects of Bad Street Food
Chinese Shish-ka-bobs