The Northern part of Bandung, which is known as Dago, is situated in a mountainous area that makes for a refreshing cool climate and luscious green views. It is easily accessible by both car and angkot. The mid-point is the lower Simpang Dago , a busy crossroad, where a Mc Donald's and innumerable street side warungs can be found.

Following the road downtown, one will bump into many factory outlets, big sized clothing stores that stock Western as well as Indonesian brands for low prices. They form a huge point of attraction for day-trippers, and especially at weekends, the area is buzzing with shopaholics from Jakarta and elsewhere. For shoes Edward Forrer is the place to go, whereas for other clothes Blossom family outlet and Victoria or further downtown Rumah Mode should satisfy fabric fans of all sorts.

Following the road that leads up into the hills, the 5-star Sheraton and 4-star Jayakarta resort hotels provide strategically located albeit slightly expensive accommodation. After the Jayakarta, the Dago tea house is the first establishment that offers paronamic views of the city and has a cheap and tasty Sundanese menu.
Further upwards, the angkots final point before heading down again is the Terminal Dago , and from there ojeks (motorcycles with drivers) can be rented to explore the region's upper parts.

The road splits into two, one fork descending into Dago Bengkok , while the other fork leads further upwards to Dago Pakar or Atas , passing many high-class restaurants that offer magnificent views of the city, especially at night. Examples are: The Stone café , The View , The Valley , and Sierra . Prices are steep, but the al-fresco options are top-notch, and the city lights by night will provide a mesmerizing bird's eye view of Bandung.

Taking the left turn off will lead you to a forest park called Taman Ir. Juanda that has a waterfall and a Dutch, as well as a Japanese cave that can be visited. The outdated information center has some charts that explain the varieties of flora and fauna that one can stumble upon in the forest, so birdwatchers and cavemen should feel right at home.

The upper Dago roads all lead through winding green hills that are a welcome contrast to inner city fumes. Several galleries and cafes are scattered around the area such as Kopi Selasar , or Sanggar Luhur on the same road called Jalan Bukit Timur .

A trip to Dago on a sunny day can be the ultimate oppurtunity to get some fresh air, enjoy panoramic views of the city as well as the surrounding hills and taste some of the best cuisine around Bandung after shopping in one of the countless factory outlets in lower Dago.