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HOME TO A POPULATION of more than 700,000, the sprawling Bandar Lampung in South Sumatra, Indonesia, is the capital city of Lampung province.
But these days, the city is attracting more than just travelers of convenience. In fact, it is often likened to Malaysia’s Ipoh city or Indonesia’s Pekanbaru.
In recent years, Bandar Lampung has seen a significant rise in international visitor numbers.
Indonesia Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said 245,000 visitors were recorded in 2017, a 58 percent increase from 155,000 visitors in 2016.
“The number surpasses the national average of 22 percent growth,” tempo.co quoted Yahya as saying.
Lampung Tourism Agency head Budiharto said high tides may have attracted surfers to the area.
“Most surfers come from Australia and the Netherlands to surf on Banana Island,” he said.
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Surfers and thrillseekers may want to visit during high tides, but that is not all Bandar Lampung has to offer.
Geographically, Lampung province is located on the southern tip of Sumatra, with rolling hills on one end and the wide sea and shore on the other.
Bandar Lampung is the result of a merge of two conjoined cities: Tanjungkarang (which lies on the foot of the hills) and Telukbetung (the coastal part of the city).
It was initially called Tanjungkarang-Telukbetung during the Japanese occupation in World War II and ruled under a shicho (mayor) and fukushicho (vice mayor).
In 1983, it was renamed into Bandar Lampung, which sealed both cities together until today.
Source: Shutterstock.
Travelers love Tanjungkarang, filled with a dizzying amount of malls and traditional markets, for its modern commercial core.
Telukbetung, on the other hand, is a busy trade post and a residential area, but also where historic monuments and temples are located.
From marine tourism to national parks, tourist attractions are an abundance, such as the Way Kambas National Park, the Son of Krakatoa, or Cape Setia.
Cape Setia is a surfer’s paradise that offers challenging but beautiful waves and plenty of fun to be had.
Way Kambas National Park is a 1,300-square-kilometer rhinoceros and elephant habitat while the Son of Krakatoa volcano is one of the most iconic tourist spots in Lampung.
Source: Shutterstock.
It is easy to see how it not-so-quietly became one of the main destinations for both Indonesians and international visitors alike.
Take a look at what the destination has to offer:
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To reach Bandar Lampung, you can either take a 30-minute plane ride from Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International Airport) to Bandar Lampung’s Radin Inten II Airport.
Alternatively, you could also take a land route via Merak Port. The drive will take you nearly six hours.
The post In pictures: Twin city Bandar Lampung appeared first on Travel Wire Asia.
Source: travelwireasia.com