Rangkasbitung

Rangkasbitung is a city in Banten province, in the Western Java region of Indonesia.

Understand

Rangkasbitung is the capital of the regency of Lebak. While most of the regency consists of jungle and very small villages, the area in the north (including Rangkasbitung) is more urbanised, being only about 20 km west of the edge of the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area (although Rangkasbitung is about 80 km from Central Jakarta).

Get in

By train

Rangkasbitung Station

1 Rangkasbitung Railway Station is on the railway between Jakarta and the port of Merak in the west. The station is served by the green line of Jakarta's commuter train network (KA Commuter Jabodetabek), which runs from Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta, via South Tangerang. There are also six trains in the other direction, to Serang, Old Banten, Cilegon, and Merak.

By car

Rangkasbitung is not connected to the toll road network. The easiest way to get to the city from Jakarta is by taking the Jakarta-Merak toll road until exit Balaraja Barat (West Balaraja). From there, take the trunk road south to the town of Cikuya, and from there west to Rangkasbitung. Without traffic, the drive from Jakarta takes less than two hours. However, due to traffic congestion this is usually up to 3 hours.

From the port of Merak in the west, take the toll road towards Jakarta and exit at Serang Timur (East Serang). From there, follow the trunk road south to Pandeglang and then east to Rangkasbitung.

By bus

Rangkasbitung is served by the 2 Mandala bus terminal on the western side of the city. Buses connect Rangkasbitung to other cities in the province (including Serang, Merak, Pandeglang, Labuan and Tangerang), several bus terminals in Jakarta, as well as Bekasi and Bandung.

See

• 1 Alun-Alun Rangkasbitung. The town square of Rangkasbitung. You can relax at tree-covered areas of the square or buy snacks from street vendors. (updated Feb 2022)
• 2 Museum Multatuli, Jl. Alun-Alun Timur No.8, Rangkasbitung Barat, Kec. Rangkasbitung, Kabupaten Lebak 42312. This museum is dedicated to Eduard Douwes Dekker, known by his pen name Multatuli, a Dutch civil servant who became the assistant resident of Lebak and later wrote his satirical novel Max Havelaar in 1860, which denounced the abuses of colonialism in the Dutch East Indies. The museum displays the history of colonialism in Indonesia, Multatuli's influence to the Indonesian independence movement, the opposition to Dutch colonial rule by the people of Banten and the history of Lebak Regency. (updated Feb 2022)
• The area south of Rangkasbitung consists mainly of jungle with small villages. In this area also the Baduy people live. The Baduy are a traditional Sundanese community, that has not had much contact with the outside world, and does not use modern technology (although this may be starting to change). The villages in the centre of the Baduy area (Baduy Dalam or Inner Baduy) are off limits for outsiders (especially foreigners), but the surrounding area (Baduy Luar or Outer Baduy) can be visited. This however requires several hours of trekking. To get to the entrance of the Baduy area, take an elf (minibus) from the Mandala bus terminal or the railway station to the village of Ciboleger (about 2 hours, Rp20,000). It is also possible to visit the Baduy area by organised tour (this is usually a three-day tour), which includes pickup from your hotel in Rangkasbitung (or even from a hotel in Jakarta).

Buy

• 1 Rangkasbitung Indah Plaza (Rabinza), Jl. Rt Hardiwinangun. Daily 08:00-22:00. Shopping centre with a large supermarket and several other shops, banks, and cafés. (updated Sep 2016)

Eat

• 1 Rumah Makan Aqaba, Jl. Raya Pandeglang KM. 4, ☏ +62 252 209 899. Daily 08:00-21:00. Sundanese-style restaurant a bit out of town, with a beautiful garden. (updated Oct 2016)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Kharisma (Kharisma Jujuluk), Jl. Otista Raya, No. 58, ☏ +62 252 201 125. Simple hotel just outside of the city centre. Double rooms from Rp200,000 per night. (updated Sep 2016)

Go next

• Ujung Kulon — national park on the southwestern tip of Java, known for the Javan rhinoceros.
• Labuan — the nearest town on the western coast, with a fish market.