#FidaWrites

Firzi and I are two young (ngarep boleh ya) couple who are still thriving for financial stability, whereas we mostly leave it up to Allah to give us the rizq, we also try to enjoy what we have by doing something fun yet simple and inexpensive. Then there comes our Bandung getaway for our honeymoon on April 17-20.

Some friends and family would ask us where we would go on our honeymoon and they expected us to say somewhere abroad or adventurous or challenging (considering what my instagram usually showed through #FidaTravels). But all I would answer was, "Bandung!" with pure genuine excitement. Because it's true, why would we spend shedload of money just for something we'd later be spending hours in bed anyway? LOL. I mean, we could go on a hot air balloon ride in Turkey sure, or a safari in Africa, but only to look forward to spending the rest of the night cuddling with each other. After all, it's a honeymoon, am I right?

So Bandung was the most affordable, distanced, perfect honeymoon getaway that we've planned. And yet, we were still able to make memories out of it! Here are the list of places and what we did during our Bandung honeymoon getaway:

1. Post Wedding Photography at Stone Garden, Padalarang

I was looking forward to this day for months before the wedding! I've always wanted to do a post-wedding photography instead of pre-wedding for many good reasons. And what a perfect timing that I've found a Bandung-based photographer that does perfect sessions on relationships photography. Anorumi Photo was chosen and they had the best location scouts for us to choose from. They allow us to do 2 locations for this post wedding photography and we chose Stone Garden as our first location and our hotel as the second.
I've been to Stone Garden in 2015, funnily with my later-wedding organizer friend, Andrika. And we enjoyed that time so much. I thought this time, Stone Garden is the most closest location from the city where we stayed and it hasn't been as popular as Tahura (Taman Hutan Raya) or Ranca Upas for Prewedding or Post Wedding photography.
Our photographer shown us some really unique places to pose on and what perfect location to dwell our eyes on nature as we could also breathe clean air up there during that chill morning session.
$$ Details $$:
Post Wedding with Anorumi: Rp. 4.250.000
Stone Garden Entrance Fee (for photography session): Rp. 300.000 (as a group)

2. Utara Cafe

What is a Bandung getaway without going to the latest hip and Instagrammable cafes? So I've been eyeing on some cute cafes to go to on Instagram and we manage to squeeze one for the book. Utara Cafe is located on the uphill Dago atas at Jl. Dago Pakar Utara, on the way to Tebing Keraton. The place is quite enjoyable and cool, especially when you went before the sunset, you could almost see the sun setting across the lowest horizon of the city. I suppose it would be magical hour, but when we were there, it was quite cloudy, so we just spent our time enjoying the shabu-shabu meal and snacking our face away. There was quite a long queue of waiting list when we were there at about 4pm, and to be honest, if it wasn't our honeymoon, we'd probably hate it there. LOL. The food was basic, the toilet was not as tamed, there was cats hanging out around our tables and the grassy setting you'd see on their Instagram page was not as beautiful anymore.
Overall we enjoyed our time anyway!
$$ Details $$: Approx. Rp. 200.000 for two people

3. Dasa Rooftop

Not far from Utara Cafe, we continue to enjoy our time in the upper Dago area after the sun sets, this time at Dasa Rooftop. I managed to change into a simple dress, just to try to go with the "mood" of the restaurant and we had a nice meal and dessert. We got a table just by the look out window, so we were actually pleased by the cool night air looking at the pearly light up Bandung city below. It was quite memorable.
$$ Details $$: Approx. Rp. 250.000 for two people

4. Se'i Sapi Lamalera 

Whoaa, one of the best meat-ful meal I've ever had in Bandung! And the queueing does not lie! It is actually really good, and very affordable. Found this on Instagram from several friends that had been there before, and Firzi and I really enjoyed every menu we picked. Se'i sapi sambal luat and se'i lidah rica rica, anyone? Firzi even told me he wanted to open a franchise in Jakarta or make one just as nice one day! Pray for us? :)
$$ Details $$: Approx. Rp. 150.000 for two people

Credit: Instagram/seisapilamalera

5. Art Deco Luxury Hotel & Residence

One of the best well-maintained Airbnb experience in a beautiful hotel setting I've ever found in Bandung! And very affordable for a two-night stay. We stayed in a jacuzzi suite at Art Deco Hotel, which was the most expensive room rate there, and we only got it for about Rp. 3.200.000 for two nights! Where as in other booking platforms, you can spend at least Rp. 2mio for 1 night. Not a bad deal, isn't it? And perfect for us honeymooners because look at these facilities in one place! Also, what a great spot to do a jacuzzi right? (Although Firzi freaked a lot of times, afraid people would see us :P)
Firzi and I also brought some groceries in the nearby supermarket and ended up making dinner and breakfast. We continue to enjoy our time, wondering what home with only the two of us would feel like. Netflix and wifi provided with a smart tv, we ended up just spending a lot of times in the hotel instead. Here is also where we took the rest of our post wedding pictures, and it did not disappoint!

Credit: Airbnb

Here is the hotel link where you can book at reasonable price through Airbnb, or sign up using my LINK to get extra $$$ and more discount!
$$ Details $$: Approx. Rp. 3.200.000 for two nights

Tips to staying alive:

1. Wake up early

2. Have a destination in mind

3. Grab your wildest most random partner

4. Explore!

On Friday, June 5th 2015 my friend and I decided to have a random day trip to Padalarang, West Bandung, West Java 3 hours away from Jakarta to one of the most interesting secluded place I’ve ever been to called Stone Garden & Goa Pawon Padalarang

To make a long story short, our adventure started in the morning where we met at Citos and took the public bus to the nearest Bus Terminal, Kampung Rambutan. At the terminal, we took an intercity bus to Bandung that pass through Cipularang highway and exited Padalarang toll exit. We were dropped off at the edge of the toll exit and found that we could go to Stone Garden and Goa Pawon by Ojek (motorbike taxi). After haggling and agreed on paying 60 thousand Rupiah for a return tour from Padalarang toll exit, Stone Garden, Goa Pawon and back to the nearest city bus terminal, we were off for our adventure.

Stone Garden was such an eye pleasing sight! It was as if I was somewhere in Europe in a whole different era. People called it like we were in The Flinstones movie set. Same goes to Goa Pawon or Pawon Cave. It was known that the fossils of early human beings was found here. The cave has such an exceptional sights and amazing topography. We are so glad to still have found adventure just nearby our home ❤️