Sukabumi is a region in Western Java, Indonesia consisted of City of Sukabumi and Sukabumi Regency. It has a plethora of tourist locations, from mountainous national parks to waterfalls, beaches, viewing hills and a UNESCO Geopark].
Understand
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The city of Sukabumi is located in the southwest of the province of West Java, about 100 km south of national capital Jakarta and 75 km west of provincial capital Bandung, as the crow flies. The independent city (kota) of Sukabumi is surrounded by the regency (kabupaten) of Sukabumi. The capital of the regency is Pelabuhan Ratu on the southwestern coast.
The history of the city of Sukabumi and the surrounding region is closely related to the development of plantations for coffee, tea, and rubber during the colonial time. The city is located south of Mount Gede volcano and the Mount Gede Pangrango National Park.
Sukabumi Regency is the second largest regency in Java, after Banyuwangi Regency.
Get in
[edit]The nearest airports to Sukabumi City are in Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport) and Bandung (Husein Sastranegara Airport). From both these cities, travelling to Sukabumi usually takes more than 3 hours.
By car
[edit]Sukabumi is along National Road 3, also known as the Southern Java Route, between Pelabuhan Ratu to the west and Cianjur to the east. To get to Sukabumi from Jakarta, you can take the Jagorawi-Bocimi toll road to Parungkuda and then trunk the road further south to the district of Cibadak, where this road connects to the aforementioned National Road 3. Driving from Jakarta to Sukabumi takes 2 hr 30 min if traffic conditions are good, but often much longer because of major traffic congestion, especially in the Greater Jakarta area and Cibadak district. From Bandung, the drive (via Cianjur) takes at least 3 hours, but usually takes about 4 to 5 hours during working hours.
By bus
[edit]1 Sukabumi bus terminal serves a range of buses from various destinations. There are frequent buses to and from various terminals in Jakarta, including Kampung Rambutan terminal in East Jakarta, or Kali Deres terminal in West Jakarta. A one-way ticket is commonly Rp25,000 for an economy class bus with air conditioning. The journey will take 3-5 hours, depending on traffic conditions. During weekends and holidays, there is usually significant traffic congestion, and the journey may take longer.
If you travel from Bogor, the most common and practical transport is a Colt (refer to a Mitsubishi L300/Colt minibus). These minibuses exclusively serve the Bogor-Sukabumi route. You can hop on to a Colt either at Baranangsiang Terminal or at the Botani Square shopping mall (which is where the DAMRI buses from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport arrive). A one-way ticket Bogor-Sukabumi with a Colt is Rp45,000 (Jan 2026). The journey will take about 3 hours.
From Bandung, there are highly frequent buses from several bus companies from Bandung's Leuwi Panjang bus terminal (usually with a stop in Cianjur). The bus will cost you about Rp45,000 (Jan 2026). The journey will take about 3-4 hours.
There are also frequent buses to and from Pelabuhan Ratu at the Indian Ocean coast (Rp25,000). From other cities the buses are not as frequent. However, there are at least two buses per day from major cities in Central Java such as Semarang, Solo, and Yogyakarta. One-way tickets on these long-distance services are about Rp150,000. Travel times are commonly in the range of 10 to 15 hours (depending on traffic and number of stops on the way).
By train
[edit]In the middle of the city is 2 Sukabumi railway station. The station is served by four daily Pangrango trains to and from Bogor Paledang railway station (about 1 hr 45 min, economy and executive class), and three daily Siliwangi trains to and from Cianjur (about 1 hr 15 min, economy class only). In Bogor, trains to Sukabumi depart from Bogor Paledang railway station, which is about 200 metres south of central Bogor railway station (where trains from Jakarta arrive).
Get around
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Mostly points of interest are either natural or urban, but several locations can only be accessed easily by car. The rest may be accessed by motorcycle or on foot.
A common way to get around in Sukabumi is by angkot (public minivan). Angkots follow a trayek or fixed route (there are various routes throughout the city and surrounding areas), but there is no fixed schedule and there are no fixed stops. To get on, simply raise your hand. To get off, simply shout "Kiri!" to the driver, so he will pull over on the left (Indonesian: kiri) side of the road. The price of an angkot ride within the city usually costs Rp4,000-7,000 to (Jan 2026). It is best to ask a local which angkot route to take, and how to recognise the location you want to get off.
Other options to get around include ojek (motorcycle taxi) and delman (horse carriage) mostly located around Merdeka Square.
See
[edit]- 1 Pondok Halimun (plantations area), Mount Gede Pangrango National Park (about 10 km north of Sukabumi). At the mountainside of Mount Pangrango, you can find panoramic views of tea farms, with Sukabumi city as the background. You may stop at a local traditional coffee or tea cafe to enjoy the fresh and natural mountain breeze, or do jogging around the tea plantations. There are also several other plantations in the area, such as for tomatoes and chilli peppers.
- 2 Sawer Waterfall (Curug Sawer). 08:00-17:00. Rp2,500.
- 3 Situ Gunung Suspension Bridge (Jembatan Gantung Situ Gunung) (in the conservation area of Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park). Situ Gunung Resort. About 240 m long, this suspension bridge is claimed to be the longest in Asia.
Do
[edit]1 Merdeka Square (Lapang Merdeka), Perintis Kemerdekaan road. The main square of Sukabumi where people all around Sukabumi gather to conduct sport and fun activities. It is the best place to blend with and get informations from locals. Usually crowded during saturday and sunday morning. Free.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Citimall Sukabumi, Jl. Ahmad Yani No.121-127. Daily 10:00 – 22:00. Basically the only mall in Sukabumi. Hence it's always crowded.
Eat
[edit]Sukabumi culinary culture is not that different from other cities in West Java. It is mostly of a Sundanese style, but there are several typical traditional dishes in Sukabumi which are very famous, such as Mochi, Bangket, Pavinder cake, Martabak Bandung and nutmeg candy. Sukabumi Chinese food such as Mie goreng is also worth a taste.
- 1 Mochi Lampion, Jalan Bhayangkara No. 19, ☏ +62 266 221 850. M-F 09:00-20:00. Sukabumi-style 'mochi', Japanese rice cake. There are several variants including Kitkat Greentea, Nutella, and Ovaltine.
Drink
[edit]You can't find alcoholic drink easily in this area, and you are not allowed to drink in public, otherwise you'll get arrested by Police. You can get drink in some modern hotels, bars, and cafes in the city.
Sleep
[edit]In Sukabumi City
[edit]If you need to stop overnight in Sukabumi town, there are some cheap places available not far from the bus terminal, just ask the people around, or ojek drivers near the bus station who will be happy to transport you there for Rp5,000-10,000. Expect to pay around Rp50,000 for room with a basic fan (air conditioning is not needed anyway, as nights in Sukabumi may be quite cold).
- 1 Horison Hotel Sukabumi, Jalan Siliwangi No. 68, ☏ +62 266 223 311. Hotel with outdoor swimming pool and spa. Double rooms from Rp600,000 per night.
In the surrounding mountains
[edit]- 2 Kampoeng Padi Boutique Villa, Desa Pawenang, Nagrak, ☏ +62 815 9104 286. Covering three hectares of land, including lush paddy fields, Kampoeng Padi Resort overlooks Mount Gede. Private villa accommodations with resort-like ambience complemented by traditional Sundanese and Balinese decor.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Nearby beaches along the Indian Ocean coast: Pelabuhan Ratu, Cimaja, and Sawarna.
- Or into the mountains to Mount Gede Pangrango National Park.