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25 Best Things to Do in Jakarta (Indonesia)

Hectic Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and has a rather unfortunate nickname as it is often referred to as the ‘Big Durian’ in reference to the famously pungent Southeast Asian fruit. Many tourists treat Jakarta as an entry and exit point to Indonesia, but if you are passing through the city and have some time to spare then there are a wide range of attractions to enjoy from quirky museums to a variety of national monuments.

Jakarta is also a great place to learn more about Indonesia’s complicated history, and you can visit a variety of culturally and historically significant locations such as the old town and the port which will give you a glimpse of how the city would have looked in past times. As well as harking back to the days of old, Jakarta is one of the most modern cities in Indonesia, and you can spend time embracing this cutting edge side to the city at its famous malls, bars, and restaurants. Jakarta may be crowded, loud, and busy, but it certainly isn’t boring.

Here are the 25 best things to do in Jakarta …

1. Go shopping in Menteng

One of the main pastimes in Jakarta is shopping, and if you want to take advantage of this fully then head to the district of Menteng which is famous for its flea market.

Here you will find a huge range of goods including arts and crafts, miles of textiles, and even food items.

The main market is known as Jalan Surabaya Flea Market which first started operating in the 1970s and is also known for its antiques.

Some of the signature items that you will find here include ornate wood carvings and vinyl records, and the market is over half a kilometer long which means that you will be spoilt for choice whatever you budget.

Bargaining is expected so don’t be afraid to haggle if you spot something you like.

2. Admire Istana Merdeka

Istana Merdeka sits in the center of Jakarta and is the presidential palace located close to Merdeka Square.

As this is the current residence of the sitting president in Indonesia, it is not open to the public, although it is well worth swinging by and admiring the exterior as this is one of the most historically and politically significant buildings in the country.

The building dates from 1879 and it is here that the historic flag changing ceremony happened when the Dutch Colonial period ended and Indonesia declared independence.

3. Take a day trip to the Thousand Islands

Amazingly, the Thousand Islands are considered part of greater Jakarta which means that if you are looking for some beach time in the city you won’t have to venture too far.

Just a few hours outside of the city center finds you at the Thousands which are called Pulau Seribu in Indonesian and you will find gorgeous beaches, coves, and inlets here.

The best way to enjoy the islands is to take a boat tour which will let you hop from one island to another and allow you to take in all the best sights at the same time.

If you are looking for a little luxury then Pulau Macan is home to an upscale resort where you can enjoy some fine dining and delicious cocktails at sunset.

4. Check out Monas Tower

Monas Tower is the most famous monument in Jakarta and stands proud in the city as a symbol of independence in Indonesia which was declared in 1945 after years of Dutch colonial rule.

The monument is located in Merdeka Square which means ‘freedom’ in Indonesian and there is a gallery where you can learn more about Indonesia’s often tumultuous history.

The main draw however is a trip to the observation deck at the top of the tower which affords views in all directions across the city.

5. Visit Ragunan Zoo

Ragunan Zoo sprawls over an impressive 185 hectares of land and you will find an amazing 3,600 species here.

Just some of the Indonesian animals that call the zoo home include Komodo Dragons and graceful orangutans, and there are also a variety of species from other parts of the world.

The zoo is also home to an array of pretty indigenous flowers and plants and is a great place to come to learn more about the Indonesian wildlife.

Note that the zoo is closed every Monday and make sure to wear plenty of insect repellent when you visit to ward off the insects.

6. Explore Indonesia at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

Indonesia is well known for being made up of over 17,000 islands and is split into 26 provinces.

As a result, it is unlikely you will even be able to scratch the surface of this immense country on a trip here, but if you want to get an overview of the highlights then head to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah or Beautiful Mini Indonesia.

This park is arranged according to province and you will find models of traditional homes and can learn about the local traditions, costumes, and diverse ways of life across the archipelago.

This is a great place to come if you are travelling with children and gives you a whistle-stop tour of the country if you don’t have time to actually visit each province in person.

7. Marvel at Istiqlal Mosque

Istiqlal Mosque has the claim to fame of being the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and has a capacity of 120,000 worshippers at any one time.

It is located near to the national monument of Monas so it makes sense to visit both at the same time.

Some things to look out for here include the beautiful Islamic motifs such as stars used to decorate the mosque as well as the water features that are repeated inside.

Non-Muslims are welcome to visit the mosque outside of prayer times providing that they dress modestly.

8. Relax on Ancol Beach

You might not imagine that a big city like Jakarta has a beach but it does in the form of Ancol Beach which is part of the wider Ancol Jakarta Bay City.

The beach here consists of a strip of golden sand that skirts along the sea front and although this is technically a public beach you will have to pay an entry fee to enjoy the facilities.

There are a number of swimming pools along the shore line and you can recline on a rented sun longer and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere outside of the city center.

There are also a range of other attractions in the same complex such as a Sea World and a water park.

9. Enjoy Kota Tua

Kota Tua also goes by the name Old Town Batavia and is one of the most historically significant parts of Jakarta.

As you walk around the area you will find pretty architecture that dates from the Dutch colonial period and you can also visit the cobbled central town square which is the signature feature of the area.

This is seen as the cultural heart of the city and many artists and photographers gravitate here to take in the relaxed atmosphere and old world feel, and the area is also studded with cafes so you can have a drink and enjoy the surroundings.

It also has a high concentration of museums so you can learn some history here at the same time.

Suggested tour : Old Batavia Guided Coach Tour

10. Visit the National Museum

The National Museum goes by the name Museum Nasional in Indonesian and is the place to come if you want to know more about this fascinating country.

The museum tells the story of the history, art, culture, geography, and ethnology of this country, and is separated into different galleries that include collections like early Indonesian ceramics and Hindu art through the ages.

The museum has been in operation since 1868 so it is also a historical gem in its own right.

11. Have fun at Dunia Fantasi

Dunia Fantasi is Jakarta’s answer to Disneyland and fans of the famous theme park from the United States may find many parts of it surprisingly familiar.

There is a Main Street here as well as a Puppet Castle and you will find a range of over 30 rides such as the Niagara Flume and the Halilintar twister.

There is also a Star Wars section and a large Ferris wheel that lets you take in the views all over the park.

This is a great choice if you are looking for something to do with children and there is also a theatre that has a range of shows about Indonesia.

12. Stroll around Taman Anggrek Mall

Jakarta is a city that is famous for its malls but the biggest of these is Taman Anggrek Mall in the west of the city.

Locals claim that some 10,000 people visit the mall every day and you will find a vast array of shops here that are suitable for all tastes and budgets.

As well as retail outlets you will also find cafes and eateries all over the mall and it is well worth a trip to see some of Jakarta’s famous mall culture firsthand.

Other attractions in the mall include a large cinema and it even has an ice skating rink.

13. Admire the National Gallery of Indonesia

Located at Merdeka Square in Gambir is the National Gallery of Indonesia which is one of the best museums in the city and has some 2,000 pieces of Indonesian art work.

For any art lovers or those who don’t know much about Indonesian artists this is definitely not to be missed and it takes you on a colorful journey through different regional pieces.

There is also a separate section dedicated to foreign collections and you will find paintings, ceramics, photographs, and sculptures here.

14. Watch a Music Festival

Indonesia is not very well known abroad for its music which is a real shame as there is an extremely talented music scene here.

This is reflected in the range of music events held here including concerts and festivals and many visitors find that these are the highlight of a trip to Jakarta.

Some of the most famous musical events held in the city include Hammersonic which is a metal music concert that takes place annually in April and the yearly Jakarta International Jazz Festival in March.

15. Visit Jin De Yuan

Located in Glodok is Jin De Yuan which is a spacious Buddhist temple that was built in 1755. It is one of the most important places of worship for the Buddhist community in the city and some signature points to look out for include the roof which is topped with two ornate dragons with pearls in their mouths.

Inside the temple you can take in the aromatic incense as well as ceremonials bells and a collection of ancient calligraphy.

16. Dine at Seribu Rasa Menteng

Jakarta is a food lover’s paradise and you will find restaurants and street food stalls all over the city.

One of the most famous restaurants in the city however is Seribu Rasa which means ‘A Thousand Tastes’ and is set in a beautiful colonial style mansion.

The food served here will give you a snap shot of a range of Indonesian cuisines and you will find classic dishes with an upscale twist.

Conveniently located in the center of town in Menteng, Seribu Rasa also has a variety of draft beers so that you can enjoy a cold drink with the spicy Indonesian food.

17. Walk around Taman Suropati

Jakarta is not known for its parks which is why Taman Suropati is such a welcome delight.

It is less of a large park and more of a strip of greenery in the middle of a square, although it is also in a culturally important part of town and looks out over a plethora of colonial style bungalows from the 1920s many of which were built in the art deco style.

It is a great place to go for a wander in the afternoon when the sun isn’t too fierce and there is an art market held here where you can check out a range of works including pretty Indonesian paintings.

18. Visit Museum Wayang

Wayang is the Indonesian name for traditional puppets and is one of Indonesia most prized cultural traditions.

To learn more about the history and cultural importance of wayang, head to the puppet museum which will take you on a journey through time and explain how these amazing objects are made.

Located in the old town part of Jakarta, this is a quirky museum that is not to be left off the itinerary and collections include fearsome masks, wooden puppets, and a show that is held every Sunday at 10 o’clock in the morning.

19. Check out the sailboats at Sunda Kelapa Port

Many visitors miss a trip to Sunda Kelapa Port but this is actually one of the most important parts of the city.

Famous in the days of old, the port is the main reason that Jakarta grew so prosperous and you can still see the wooden schooners here which are powered by their graceful sails and still look much as they would have done in ancient times.

20. Visit Jakarta War Cemetery

Many people won’t realize that Jakarta was invaded during the Second World War and many servicemen from Indonesia, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands were killed here.

The cemetery in Jakarta now acts as a memorial to all those who lost their lives during the conflict and this makes a moving visit for those who want to understand the history a little better.

The Dutch section is notable as it has a scenic chapel as part of the grounds.

21. Make a splash at Atlantis Water Adventure

Atlantis Water Adventure is another of the attractions on offer at Ancol and is a vast water park complex that is perfect if you want to cool off on a hot day.

The park has eight distinct areas and you will find a large wave pool as well as a variety of fun slides and pools for different age groups.

This is a good family-friendly activity and shows a different side of Jakarta away from the hustle and bustle of the city center.

22. Visit Museum Bank Indonesia

Museum Bank Indonesia is not one of the best known museums in the city but it is certainly one of the most enjoyable.

It sits in the headquarters of a former bank which has been lovingly restored and tells the story of Indonesia’s currency from past times until the present.

There are a range of interactive exhibits as well as some touch screen sections and a special gallery dedicated to the spice trade for which Indonesia is so famous.

There is another section that takes you through the story of the financial crisis that hit in 1997 and another area with a dazzling array of currency from all over the world.

23. Walk around Glodok

Sitting in Taman Sari is the area of Glodok which is also known as Jakarta’s Chinatown.

It has the claim to fame of being the largest Chinatown in the country and is also one of the biggest in the world and would have started out life here during the Dutch Colonial Period.

It is now home to a range of temples, markets, and shops and you can stroll around and admire the traditional Chinese architecture and also visit its famous electronics center which is the one of the largest in all of Jakarta.

Also make sure to look out for the medicine shops that have a range of unusual remedies including dried frogs and other oddities.

24. Take in the views at Awan Lounge

At the top of the Kosenda Hotel is Awan Lounge which can serve as a welcome break in the middle of the hectic city.

This rooftop bar includes a vertical garden with trees studded around the area and the signature feature here is a glass skylight that plunges down over nine floors and is not recommended for those who don’t have a head for heights.

In the evenings you can sip a cocktail here and take in the sparking lights of the city below.

25. Visit Museum Tekstil

The textile museum is one of the less visited museums in Jakarta but it is well worth the trip if you are interested in learning more about traditional Indonesian weaving and fabric painting techniques.

The museum has over 2,000 different pieces on show including famous Indonesian batik items and you can see vintage textiles as well as newcomers to the arts scene.

There are a range of antique looms on display as well as a lovely garden which houses plants used to make dyes for the fabrics.

They even have classes here where you can study how to make Batik art work.

25 Best Things to Do in Jakarta (Indonesia):

• Go shopping in Menteng
• Admire Istana Merdeka
• Take a day trip to the Thousand Islands
• Check out Monas Tower
• Visit Ragunan Zoo
• Explore Indonesia at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
• Marvel at Istiqlal Mosque
• Relax on Ancol Beach
• Enjoy Kota Tua
• Visit the National Museum
• Have fun at Dunia Fantasi
• Stroll around Taman Anggrek Mall
• Admire the National Gallery of Indonesia
• Watch a Music Festival
• Visit Jin De Yuan
• Dine at Seribu Rasa Menteng
• Walk around Taman Suropati
• Visit Museum Wayang
• Check out the sailboats at Sunda Kelapa Port
• Visit Jakarta War Cemetery
• Make a splash at Atlantis Water Adventure
• Visit Museum Bank Indonesia
• Walk around Glodok
• Take in the views at Awan Lounge
• Visit Museum Tekstil

Check out this year's Best in Travel winners

One of the world’s greatest megalopolises, Jakarta is a dynamic and vibrant city. Its chaotic charm and juxtapositions can be found on every street.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Museum Nasional

Merdeka Square & Central Jakarta

The National Museum is the best of its kind in Indonesia and an essential visit. The enormous collection begins around an open courtyard of the 1862…

Merdeka Square

It is here that Jakartans come to take a breather from the traffic. The figurative centre of Jakarta, Merdeka Square (merdeka means independence) is…

Taman Fatahillah

Kota’s central cobblestone square, surrounded by imposing Dutch colonial buildings, is Jakarta's most attractive location and a popular gathering spot for…

Museum Layang-Layang

South Jakarta

Families will love Jakarta's kite museum, located in a quiet backstreet in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta. Inside a traditional Indonesian house, complete…

Galeri Nasional

Over 1700 works of art by foreign and Indonesian artists are part of the National Gallery collection. While only a few works are on display at any time,…

Museum Bank Indonesia

This museum presents an engaging and easily consumed history of Indonesia from a loosely financial perspective, in a grand, expertly restored,…

Museum Macan

Opened in late 2017, Museum Macan is Indonesia's first modern and contemporary art museum and an exciting cultural development for the city. It was built…

Jin De Yuan

This large Chinese Buddhist temple compound dates from 1755 and is one of the most atmospheric and important in the city. The main structure has an…

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17 Things to do in Jakarta. No. 4 is the Best One!

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ouI often receive questions from friends of mine (mostly foreigners or Indonesians who live outside Java) or random travellers asking, is it worth it to go to Jakarta? What is there to do in Jakarta? How chaotic is Jakarta? Is a week enough time to explore Jakarta?  As I run lots of  Jakarta tours , there are obviously a lot more questions that I get related to the city. Anyway, I’ve written about how to get to Jakarta (the city) cheaply from the airport (Soekarno Hatta Airport – CGK)  here .

Ok back to Jakarta, I admit, because of the congestion and the mess, I don’t normally recommend visiting Jakarta to friends. But after a second thought, the reason a place is unique and deserves to be explored is always different. There are a lot of special Jakarta attractions to be discovered! So here are some suggestions about things to do in Jakarta, the best Jakarta tourist attractions, and Jakarta points of interest, which I am sure you’ll find worth exploring.

Let’s get started with the best things to do in Jakarta.

6 Best Things to Do in Jakarta

1. enjoy the best bars with beautiful views.

One of my favorite things about Jakarta is the nightlife. There are great bars and restaurants all over the city. I recommend Skye Bar and Cloud Lounge and Dining. Skye Bar is on the 56th floor of the BCA Building, and Cloud Lounge and Dining is on the 49th floor. Both offer panoramic views of the Jakarta skyline (the best time to visit is for sunset). Make sure to dress nicely, as they have a smart dress code. You can find more ideas for bars to visit here .

2. Experience the luxury hotels

Luxury hotels in Jakarta are like an oasis of tranquility (you can find my guide to the  best 5-star hotels in the city here ). As soon as you arrive at the lobby, you can leave the bustling streets and the endless traffic jams behind you. It can feel like stepping into another world.  The Hermitage Jakarta  (it is a boutique luxury hotel with a great rooftop bar) and  DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Jakarta – Diponegoro  are probably my two favorite hotels of the moment.  The Raffles Jakarta  comes a close third with its Alice in Wonderland-style reading room.

3. Monas – the national monument

As an icon of the city and a symbol of the struggle of Indonesia, Monas is a place worth visiting. In addition to the monument, you can also find The National History Museum (Museum Sejarah Nasional) inside the monument Monas, where you can find many dioramas depicting the history of Indonesia. Besides learning about the history of Indonesia, it is quite interesting to take pictures with Monas as a background. Be creative and make your own unique picture!

The monument and the museum are located in central Jakarta. Monas opening hours: 08.00AM – 04.00PM on Tuesday-Sunday (closed on Monday). Monas Park area or the complex is open from 06.00AM – 04.00PM. The best time to visit Monas is in the evening just before the sunset.

4. Visit the thousand islands

You don’t need to go all the way to Bali to have a beautiful island getaway. Just a few hours boat ride from mainland Jakarta you’ll find the Thousand Islands (they are actually part of the city). These tropical islands offer the perfect weekend escape from Jakarta. You can go diving, admittedly it’s not that great, enjoy the beautiful beaches and relax in the sunshine away from the everyday pollution. There’s a lot of nice places to visit. Top of the list is the luxury resort on Pulau Macan or another alternative (new but lovely) is Desa Laguna . Visit if you get the chance.

5. Enjoy the nightlife

6. go to the malls.

How many malls are there in Jakarta? The answer is “Too many”! Hahaha. Ok, this probably sounds a bit of a weird idea to you, but believe me, if you want to have a relaxing day, find groceries, probably do some shopping or play bowling, why not go to the malls?

There is one store in Grand Indonesia Mall, called Alun-Alun Indonesia where you can easily find some souvenirs for your family or friends back home that are truly Indonesian (I consider Alun-Alun Indonesia quite expensive, but some stuff is ok to buy). If you want something cheaper, you should try ITC, Thamrin City, Tanah Abang (Note: I like to shop for a lot of different fabrics in Tanah Abang. It is cheap), and traditional markets around Jakarta.

Sarinah Department Store is a good spot to visit too. They just got renovated and it is now amazing! You can find plenty of options for Indonesian fabrics such as tenun, batik, songket, and jumputan. They also featured some of the top Indonesian clothes designers and brands in their bazaar space. Some of my favorite tenants are Bukanagara Coffee, Atsiri diSarinah, DEWATA restaurant, and Sari Sari.

Ideas for Things to do in Jakarta

7. visit tmii – taman mini indonesia indah.

TMII (literary translated as Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park) Jakarta is in the east part of the city and is a great place to visit to learn Indonesian culture. This place is practically a miniature of Indonesia. Although I found that riding a cable car in TMII is quite scary, the scenery that can be seen from above is quite rewarding. We could see the pool with a decorative map of Indonesia. Besides the pavilions of each province of Indonesia, there are also many museums in the TMII area worth visiting.

8. Go to the beach – Ancol

Honestly, to this day I do not understand why we have to pay for the beach in Jakarta. Supposedly the beach is a public place that is free for everyone to visit! Well anyway, let’s not focus on that thing. Ancol is a beach park, one area with Dufan, the amusement park. Please, do not imagine a beach with white sand and clear water. Sorry to say, but Ancol is quite a dirty beach.

Ancol Beach could be an option if you want to enjoy the sunset while sitting in a cafe after visiting Dufan. If you love photography, photographing around Ancol is quite exciting as well. The Atlantis Water Adventures is also a nice place to go. If you are thinking of going kayaking, there are Archipelago Kayak Indonesia (in Ancol), Jakarta Paddle Club (in east Ancol) and Laut Luas Adventure (in Pluit).

9. Amusement park – Dufan (Dunia Fantasi)

Dufan or Dunia Fantasi is one big complex with the beach that I talked about earlier. This is the biggest amusement park in Indonesia (probably? There is Trans Studio Bali, Makassar and Bandung too, I have never been there so I am not sure). Playing around for a full day in Dufan is like a short getaway from the busyness of Jakarta. I can tell that going to Dufan for some Indonesians who live on another island than Java is like a dream come true. As for me, spending one day with a bunch of friends in Dufan is definitely going to be a super fun day! Don’t go there on the weekend since it will be ridiculously busy.

10. The Istiqlal mosque and the Catholic cathedral

Istiqlal is the largest mosque in Indonesia and is also claimed to be the largest in Southeast Asia. The Cathedral is located across the road from the Istiqlal Mosque, an amazing building with a neo-gothic style. Both buildings offer beautiful and charming architecture. You could say it’s like the Taj Mahal stands opposite the Sagrada Familia. Many say that these buildings are evidence of the tolerance and harmony is achievable in this life. Pic source:  Flickr .

11. Stroll jalan Surabaya

A big fan of antique stuff? You should spare one evening to walk down  Surabaya Street . You can find a lot of stores that mostly sell antiques, but please be careful when you decide to buy something from here. Not all things that seem antique are antique, some of them are newly produced as antiques. Nevertheless it is a pleasure to walk and browse around the small stores, and end it with a nice cup of coffee. There is a great coffee shop just across the road, Giyanti Coffee Roastery (opens Tuesday-Sunday 08.30 AM-5:30 PM). 

12. Visit the old town, Sunda Kelapa Harbour and Cafe Batavia

Old Town or Old Batavia has a very strong historical value, but, unfortunately, most of the buildings in the Old Town are not well preserved. Around the Old Town, there are several interesting museums to visit. The Jakarta History Museum (Fatahillah Museum), Museum of Fine Art and Ceramics as well as the Puppet Museum are all around Batavia. Usually, local people explore the area of the old town by renting an old-fashioned bike (The cost: Rp20,000 for 20 minutes (around $1.5 for 20 minutes) or Rp70,000 for 2 hours (around $5 for 2 hours)). You can cycle around the area to the Sunda Kelapa harbour. Afterward, you can relax, eat and drink at Cafe Batavia. A restaurant that serves good coffee and has an interesting interior design.

13. Try as many cafes / restaurants as you can

Yup, there are so many cafes, restaurants, bars in Jakarta. If you feel like you don’t want to eat any Indonesian food then you can find a lot of variety in Jakarta. Indian food , Greek food, Italian food, Lebanese food and much more. If you want to eat Indonesian food in a great restaurant with a nice ambiance I would recommend my favorite: Lara Djongrang Restaurant (Cik Di Tiro street No. 4 Menteng). I also like: Silk Bistro in Cikini, Sate Khas Senayan (they have several outlets) and REMBOELAN. Need one calm day to write emails or probably write an article for your own blog? Here are my suggestion for a good, comfortable cafe with free wifi and nice drinks/food.

14. Chill out in a park

Although there are many skyscrapers in Jakarta, the city also has several city parks. Two of my favorites are Lembang Park and Tebet Eco Park. Sometimes, in the early morning or late afternoon, you can find local people jogging around the park. Oh, there is a community that is trying to turn city parks into popular public spaces and create new experiences in interaction with others. At the same time, they aim to make people in the city have a sense of belonging. They have an interesting concept to show people the cities parks and get together. To find out more follow them on twitter: @HiddenParkID.

15. If it is Sunday, do the car free day

If you’re in Jakarta on Sunday, then I suggest you try a bit of exercise (or it could be just a walk) on Car Free Day (CFD) in Sudirman-Thamrin street. It starts at 6 am and lasts till 12 noon. It feels so amazing to experience and see the main road (Sudirman and Thamrin) without any vehicles. Many communities also gather there and you have the opportunity to see almost all the communities in Jakarta on one morning. I want to rollerskate during CFD one day!

16. Visit various museums, including my favourite: the Kite museum

Besides the National History museum, all the museum in TMII area and all the museum in Old Town, Jakarta still has a lot more museums to see! There is the Jakarta Textile museum, Bank Indonesia museum, Proclamation museum, Maritime museum, Museum Macan and my favourite the Kite Museum . So what are you waiting for?

PS: Should consider to visit Ragunan Zoo and the Chinatown (Glodok area) if you have more time in the city.

17. Visit tourism attractions near Jakarta

Can not stand the congestion of Jakarta and want to ‘escape’ for 1-3 days from the city? Here are what locals usually do: we often visit Thousand Islands. The Thousand Islands are a chain of islands to the north of Jakarta’s coast. There are so many islands that you can explore with 1-3 hours journey by boat from Ancol (Marina harbor) or Muara Angke harbor.

If you want a comfortable trip, then Macan Island and Bidadari Island are both options. If you fancy to do more adventurous things and want to travel on a budget then Tidung Island, Pramuka Island or Harapan Island could be good for you. Other than the Thousand islands, I also suggest you consider Puncak (and probably do paragliding or just walk around the tea plantations), Bandung, Bogor (to visit the Kebun Raya), Krakatau , cultural trip to Baduy or take a look the Megalith site, Gunung Padang .

Booked Your Accommodation in Jakarta? Here are the best 3 hotels in the city for every budget:

• Luxury Hotel –  The Hermitage, Menteng Jakarta
• Mid Range Hotel – Kosenda Hotel Jakarta
• Budget Hotel – Ibis Budget, Menteng Jakarta

Whoaaaa, that is a long list! Btw, I am sure that there is a lot more other interesting stuff to do in and around Jakarta that I might have missed or haven’t done. So if you know other cool things to do in Jakarta, please let me know and I can add it here.

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Jakarta Travel Guide: Exploring the Big Durian

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[…] First time to Jakarta? Wondering about Indonesia airport? No idea how to get from Jakarta airport to city without getting scammed? Don’t worry, I will explain (hopefully everything that you need to know). So before we start, you need to know that there are two airports in Jakarta; Soekarno Hatta, which is the commercial airport and Halim Perdana Kusuma, which is an airport that doesn’t have any commercial flights. Oh btw, don’t forget to check my article about things to do in Jakarta. […]

Woww ! Really useful to me . Great info ! .I’m heading to Jakarta next week . I love to be at the Thousand Islands . Can you suggest , where to stay in Jakarta that nearest to Thousand Island & Dufan with backpacker budget ??

Hi Anis, The harbours to go to Thousand Islands are around Pluit area (sorry! Don’t have any recommendation for this place. Dufan is quite easy access with the Trans Jakarta bus. So you can pick any hotels that the location has easy access to Trans Jakarta bus shelter.

hi frista I will bring my family for vacation to bandung and plan to jakarta too. what is the best place i can bring my kids kids at jakarta.

Hi Fadzli. Good question. For places to visit with kids you can visit the theme park in Ancol. Other than this you can try some of the usual attractions listed above.

do not forget to visit fruit garden in cibubur water park in cibubur you want to get good price for your shopping go to PGC mall go to senen shopping mall go to Thamrin City you want to pay more money for items that you can get less any where go to Grand Indonesia be careful what you going to eat in the street make sure when you order food to tell them that you do not want to much Chile you cant get way more cheaper hotel by booking thru local website such as nusatrip.com or do not forget to go to safari in puncak its one the best

i live in Jakarta for 4 years now i love this city i love the people

Hi Ramadan, thanks for some tips. I personally love Grand Indonesia and street food (yes, maybe for foreigner need to be a bit careful)!

Hi! I’m here in Jakarta almost a month now, still didn’t visit much, maybe you can help me which one is the nearest near Pluit area? I’m staying near Baywalk Mall.. Hope you can help. Thank you

Hi Anits, Pluit is pretty close to Ancol, and it is around 8-9 km only to the Old Town area (Kota Tua). Other than that there is The Mangrove Park (Taman Wisata Alam Mangrove Kapuk). Have fun exploring Jakarta 🙂

I’m heading to Jakarta next week, so this was very helpful! We have a limited amount of time there, so I think I will focus on the food. Might try to make it to Surabaya street as well. Great list! 🙂

Hi Katie, Thanks for visiting my blog 🙂 I am glad you found this useful. Have a great time in Jakarta.

hey, can you tell me if I can see a Komodo dragon in any zoo or Mini park in Jakarta?

also, if you know how to go to the Konmodo Islands (arranged tour?) from jakarta.

Hi Ravi, I think you can find it at Taman Safari in Cisarua (probably 1,5-2 hours from Jakarta). No. I don’t know any tours to Komodo island.

When I went to the Reptile Park in Taman Mini they had Komodo Dragons there. The keeper also unlocked the enclosure and let us in to take photos with the Komodo Dragons too – though I suspect that’s not part of the official itinerary. 😀

Hi Firsta!!

Congratulations for your blog. I will be in Jakarta next week and I will definitely do most of the things you mention above. By the way, nice profile picture you have. Park Guell, Barcelona. I know because I am from Barcelona. Good luck with your blog and keep it up!

Best regards!

Hi David, Thanks for dropping by 🙂 Ahh, you should teach me Spanish then 😀 Cheers!

Heading to Jakarta next week, by myself. Very informative blog, thanks.

Thank you for checking my blog! Have a great time in Jakarta!

Cheers, Firsta

number 11! add city tour jakarta bus on the list 😉 I blogged about it on my blog!

Hi Lynn, Terima kasih sudah mampir. Iyaaa.. kayanya seru tuh ya Jakarta City Tour Bus. I’ll continuously update this article for sure.

[…] Jakarta (Btw, if you want to know is it worth it to spend some time in Jakarta, you better check this article). The flight takes about seven hours and usually transits in Makassar (Ujung Pandang) for one hour. […]

[…] – Jakarta, Bromo, Baduy, Bale Kambang and so much […]

Jakarta is a great city. Lot of museums to visit, lot of food to try, but I still hate the traffic jam.

A city that never sleeps!

Any details about Taman Safari? What is the best way to go to Taman Safari from Jakarta?

Hi Clarice, You can rent car with a driver (probably two and a half hour drive away from Jakarta) or by train from any station in Jakarta to Bogor and then you will have to change with small public transportation (angkot) to puncak and stop at Taman Safari Indonesia (situated before Puncak). Don’t go during weekends and holidays because the traffic is going to be so bad. Hope it helps.

Awesome! Great advice Firsta. I’ll be in Jakarta for about three weeks in total, I’m sure I’ll be back to your site several times for the tips.. 😉

Wow three weeks in Jakarta? Great! Thanks for visiting my blog 😉

woot! fifteen!! I just made a shorter version of this and a few of them are the same recommendations with yours 😀 Check it out http://sapijalanjalan.blogspot.com/2014/07/5-ways-to-enjoy-jakarta-indonesia.html

[…] something is in your life until a time comes when you don’t have access to it. Most people in large cities, do often take basic things for granted. I know I shouldn’t, but I unintentionally did that. […]

My friend and I will visit jakarta next month for 2 whole days. Our plan is to try local food and spot, can you suggest where we could stay(area)?

Hi Ailea, I think you should stay around Cikini (Six Degrees hostel is a great place to stay). There are plenty of side street food stalls or nicer restaurants that serve tasty food around Cikini. You should check the Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) too, locals like to watch some theatrical and art performances there. Btw, what kind of local spots are you interested in exploring? Cheers, Firsta

Bertahun2 tinggal di jakarta, tapi aku blm perna naik ke atas monas ataupun ke taman mini. Tragis banget yaa hidup gw iihik ihik ihik

Haha.. Kak Cumi kan liburannya jauh-jauh! Ke Monas yuk hari Sabtu pagi..

I will be in Indonesia next month, so this blog is so helpful. Thanks girl

Hey Ad Dequina, My pleasure! Have a great time in Indonesia!

we’ve been from monas few days ago kak ^^ I want to try the kite museum too. seem interesting XD

Yes! Kite museum is awesome! You should check it out.

I just moved to Jakarta and I’m still trying to figure out where to go and what to see in the city. This list is great! I can’t wait to check out all of these attractions 🙂

Hi Justine, Welcome to Jakarta! I hope you are having a great time here in Jakarta 🙂 So glad to hear that the list is useful!

Hey, useful tips you got there. I’ll be heading down to Jakarta this December. Need your help tho. Can you please suggest where to stay in Jakarta? I mean, which side of town. It’d be great if you could help.

Hi Dewi, Thanks for visiting my blog. I personally think that Cikini or Kuningan area would be a great place to stay.

will come to jakarta for 3 days

Hi Wajdi, Hope you have a great time in Jakarta! Thanks for dropping by here.

Hi Firsta, Thanks so much for the input in this entry. I am traveling to Jakarta next month and this blog of yours has been very helpful! I needed the inside view of the places to visit in Jakarta and you definitely have helped me to narrow them down. I would love to cycle around Sunda Kelapa (^o^)v

Hi Jia, I am glad to hear that this article was helpful. I hope you have a great time in Jakarta. Btw, just a short update. Santa market or Pasar Santa is one of the most happening places to hangout in Jakarta. I am planning to write a post about it soon! 😉

Hi… Where to do skydivIng, bungy jumping, rafting and other activities

Hi Noha, I think you can do skydiving in Pondok Cabe. Never heard any bungy jumping place in Jakarta. As for rafting, you should go to Sukabumi (Citarik). Hope it helps.

what a coincidence! no.6 is my fave too!

He he I haven’t visit Sunda Kelapa yet.

You should visit it 🙂

I am visiting Jakarta for 2 nights as a Solo traveller. After enjoying for 5 Nights in Bali heading to Jakarta to meet one of my friend. Can u suggest what all places to visit considering I am single & enjoy local culture and adventure. Thanks in advance.

Nightclubs perhaps? Or visit the Old Town and cycle around Sunda Kelapa Harbour would be great things to do. Hope you enjoy your time in Jakarta.

[…] Although in that time I have moved backwards and forwards a lot, spending some of my free time in Jakarta (oh well, can I not just have 2 home […]

We will go to jakarta in februari I am dutch and compagnion filipinna.Can i get my tourist visa on the airport?? and how much? Thanks

Hi, Yes, I think you can get a Visa On Arrival in Indonesia. It costs around $25-30.

[…] that I haven’t written a guide on things to do in Yogyakarta (hey I’ve written about things to do in Jakarta, check it out!), here are some suggestions that I give when I do jump into a random conversation with tourists in […]

[…] camping by the beach. The first time was at Semak Daun Island, one of the Thousand islands near Jakarta. The second time was at an island (don’t know the name) in Raja Ampat. My last two beach […]

First off, really appreciate your feedback to help out millions of tourists! Keep it up. Quick question. I have a layover in Jakarta for 10 hours and my wife is eager to see Mini Indonesia, so can you confirm the best way to get there from the ariport ( I suppose one of the taxis you mentioned above) and approx cost?

Oh, and you advise carrying money around or they accept cards at the booking counters?

Keep up the great advice! Cheers, Bhaskar

Hi Bhaskar,

It is possible, but it is a bit risky to go. Jakarta is pretty famous for bad traffic (in almost every part of Jakarta, not so proud of it) 🙁 I personally think that 10 hours wouldn’t be enough for get from the Airport to Taman Mini and back to the Airport again. To be safe, it is 3 hours to get out from the airport and 3 hours back. Btw, renting a car in Jakarta for 12 hours is around 60$ with a driver and gasoline. Probably you should have a talk with a taxi driver to drive you to Taman Mini, tour around Taman Mini and back to the airport. Get a bundle deal. I hope you’ll have a great time in Jakarta! Cheers!

Thanks for the prompt response. Glad I asked as Google maps shows 45 mins. Clearly not realistic about the local traffic. Well, I realized Iwe have 12 hrs in hand between flights so Tasman Mini may just be possible. Any other place you can advice. I’m happy to have quick Skype call if that helps!

With JORR now fully open (Jakarta Outer Ring Road or Lingkar Luar) the trip from the airport to Taman Mini actually isn’t too bad – probably better than heading into the city centre from a traffic point of view as you go around the edge of the city instead.

That being said, it’s always worth having a buffer when headed back to the airport as all it takes is one accident on the tollway for things to go pear shaped traffic wise. 😀

Hi Firsta, I’m visiting Indonesia in Dec to Feb, and this is my second time. I instantly fell in love with the islands and unique cultures, and your suggestions really help me organising my trip! I will be arriving in Jakarta and then move to other islands. I wonder how are the local transportations. I personally love bus and train trip rather than just flying, so I’m thinking about doing from Jakarta to either Sumatra or to Bali(or even shorter distances). Any local bus/train companies you know? Thank you!

Hi Yuri, You can only find trains in Java, the company is PT. Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI). I have never been on a roadtrip in Sumatera, but I heard from some friends that it is interesting, especially from Sumatera Barat up until Aceh (Weh island). As from Java to Bali, it might be easier (to find busses / trains) since Java is the busiest island in Indonesia. I did a roadtrip (with motorbike) from Yogyakarta to Labuan Bajo, Flores and it was super awesome! There are plenty of interesting places along the way. This is a good article about traveling by bus in Indonesia from a friend of mine, but the article is in Indonesian. http://efenerr.com/2014/03/27/tips-traveling-dengan-bis-di-indonesia/ Should give a try to google translate it. Hope it helps!

[…] big fans of Indian food so they constantly ask me to join them to eat out at Indian restaurants in Jakarta or even in Yogyakarta. It was so easy to fall in love with Indian […]

Same like you, the best is the number 6 🙂

Definitely, right? Very enjoyable thing to do.

[…] Google Hangout On Air happened at the Google Indonesia office in Jakarta. That was a great opportunity for me to take a peek in Google’s office, though I only got to […]

Hello there ! 🙂 Very interssting article 🙂 nr 6 is just a spot i might find few cool stuff for House 🙂 Any way i travel to Jkt for a xmas and Ny 🙂

What would be your recomendations what to do in JKT during this times? 🙂

Im flying over from The Netherlands soo i guess its right to say that any idea might be just good 🙂

Great article! Heading to Indonesia in 10 days time, this has really helped with what to do in Jakarta! Thank you!

Hi Harpreet, I hope you have a great time in Jakarta when you get there.. 🙂

Hi Firsta, i might be going to Jakarta end of next months. can u suggest some place near to Tanah Abang? thanks in advance.

There is Tanah Abang market where you can buy fabrics and basically shopping. Old town (Kota Tua), Taman Prasasti Museum, National Museum, Monas, Istiqlal mosque and Cathedral are pretty near as well. 🙂

We’ll are flying to UK on 16th Dec. and have 10hours halt in jakarta. I was just wondering, if we can visit Amusement park or is it be too far from the airport??

Thanks, Param

Hi Param, it is not that far from the airport. During a normal traffic it should be 1 hour to get there, but traffic in Jakarta is unpredictable especially around 4 – 8 pm (after office hour).

[…] an article about things to do in Jakarta and things to do in Yogyakarta, now I want to share with you about things to do in Bali. I hope a […]

Congratulations for your blog. I will be in Jakarta for two week and I will definitely do most of the things you mention above. Terima kasih di atas tips yang diberikan. Amat menarik dan bagus sekali.

Thanks for your kind words. Selamat jalan-jalan di Jakarta! 🙂

[…] special (quiet and cozy) – and pleasurably secret – to me, but since I will be leaving Jakarta pretty soon (really look forward for it) I will share it anyway! You can have it now […]

Even though it’s not really a Jakarta tourist attraction as such it’s worth pointing out that the cinemas in Jakarta are incredibly cheap by Western standards and of international quality from a comfort point of view – especially some of the deluxe offerings available.

In regards to your comments on Alun-Alun Indonesia, I agree, the handicrafts there are scandalously overpriced. I’m personally quite a fan of Pendopo – the branch I usually go to is in Living World at Alam Sutera, though I believe there’s other branches in Kelapa Gading and perhaps Kemang too now. Whilst you could probably find things cheaper elsewhere still the pricing is much more reasonable than at Alun-Alun Indonesia. The quality of the products they sell I’ve found to be of a generally high standard too, much better than the shoddy knick-knacks usually on offer in the vicinity of various tourist attractions

Salam 1Malaysia Firsta,

Trima kasih akan recommendations yang tepat skali. Kami akan ke Jakarta pada 19th to 22nd April dan akan ketempat tempat yang disyorkan. InshaAllah.

University LimKokWing Cyberjaya

Im interested to go to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah during the coming labor day. May i know whether i need to pay only for the entrance fee or there’s any other fee that come along when im in the taman.

It will be much appreciated if you could brief about how much time should i plan to spend on TMII.

Many of the pavilions have their own entrance fees within TMII, but they’re all quite reasonable – see http://www.tamanmini.com/page/tiket for a complete list.

As for how long, it depends on how much the various museums and attractions are of interest to you. I can easily spend all day there and I’ve been a few times. Others may get bored after half a day. Regardless though, it’s a vast destination!

Dear Firsta,

I’m Adruce Azman from Borneo, Malaysia. I will be visiting Jakarta on this 30th April. I will also make time to Bandung.

There are a few questions I want to inquire; 1. Is it possible to visit Monas Monuments, Jalan Sourabaya and Batavia in one day? Provided that I’ll be staying in Kemang Raya.

2. Do you have any recommendation on jazz clubs in Kemang Raya? For this trip, I also want to learn about Jakarta’s Jazz Scene.

3. Do you have any info on the train location in Jakarta? I wanna go from Jakarta to Bandung.

I hope you can help me on this, you may send direct email to [email protected]

Thanks and cheers!

Hi, email sent! Hope you have a great time in Jakarta.

very beautiful photos and very interesting blog . thanks for sharing .

awesome jakarta.. I love Indonesia..

Enjoy watching opera/theater/drama musical/other art performances at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta, Ciputra Artpreneur Theatre, and more.

Ciputra Artpreneur Theatre? That is new for me. Thanks for the knowledge!

Thanks so much for this! I love that this is a blog written by a native Indonesian. I’m here for two months for an internship and I’m staying in the business district, so I’m feeling quite suffocated by the pollution and traffic, and am at a loss for what to do. Looking at some of this, I’m glad I see some greenery and relaxing places to explore. The malls are a biiiit much for me but I’m intrigued by the pedestrian street and appreciate the many suggestions you have!

Hi Christine,

Thank you for visiting my blog and your kind words. 😉

Hmmm..baru kepikir, banyak juga yg bisa dikerjain di Jakarta ya.. hahahha..

Iya Kak Vika, bisa dibikin seru hehehe. Termasuk main ke mall. 😉

Hello Firsta,

I am in Indonesia for last 3 years and after reading your article looks like I still have a lot balance to do in Jakarta. Thanks and very nice writing.

Hi Pramod, Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a great fun exploring Jakarta!

Thanks Firsta for taking the trouble to do the blog.

Whoops – hit enter by mistake!

I am planning a scuba trip in December ( http://www.nad-lembeh.com/ ) and, depending on the airline schedule, will likely have one full day in Jakarta on a Sunday (as it’s quiet then!) plus the day before on Saturday although I am not sure I will have the whole day if I land in the middle of the night as a lot of the potential flights do.

I will be traveling by myself, my wife doesn’t scuba!, and am 68. I enjoy walking, sightseeing, and photography (although I might not bring my primary camera – but my beloved Ricoh ( http://www.dpreview.com/articles/8482216090/ricohgrd2 ).

Any ideas on areas I could stay – need a decent hotel but not 5 star as by myself and a few things to do? BTW while never have visited Indonesia (except Bali in 1982) I am very experienced in the far east.

PS nice G+ page.

Hi Martin, Here are some of my personal favourites: http://bit.ly/1LLLrcU . Join the Car Free Day in Sudirman – Thamrin road on Sunday, it will be a great experience. 😀 Hope you have a great time in Indonesia 🙂

Thanks for the recent helpful email.

Hello Firsta.

I’ll be traveling to Jakarta for 3 days soon, partly work and partly leisure. I’ll be staying at a hotel, Alila Jakarta, near Central Jakarta and based on my research, it’s nearby museums and Monas.

I just read your blog and it’s very interesting! I just wished I had more time to explore more of Jakarta and do some activities there. Because of limited time, what do you reckon I could check out/visit/eat/try out at Central? I don’t mind checking out the nightlife if there are any nearby my hotel. If you’re nearby, we could even meet up for lunch and you can show me around!

Looking forward to hearing suggestions from you!

Harap kamu bisa tolong saya yah! 🙂

You probably don’t want to check out the “nightlife” around the Alila (well unless you’re looking to make a “special” friend, then maybe you should. 😛 ).

As for other locations, going down to Kota and checking out Fatahillah Square and its surrounds gives a good taste of old Jakarta (if a little faded in parts now). It’s easy enough to get to by taxi or the busway.

Hi firsta I will be in jakarta between the 20th and 25th of October. Your blog is pretty informative Swamy

Thank you for this 🙂 I hope you have a great time in Jakarta.

hi I am planning to visit Jakarta in Dec 2015 first week any one interested ? contact

I used this to help me with a project, thank you ^^ It’s a very helpful blog and while reading this i realize that there’s a lot of things i haven’t done in Jakarta. Thank you again.

Hi Icha, Thanks for visiting my blog. Glad to hear that you found this blog helpful! All the best with your project. 🙂

Number 11 Try various public transportation is the best one :D, from bajaj, bemo, transjakarta, KRL Commuter Train, Andong, Perahu Getek, Metromini, Kopaja and dont miss it to try Double decker bus for free to explore jakarta city 😀

Ah right. The Mpok Siti. 😀

I think, stay at home is the best one. Hihihi

Hi Firsta! Thanks for this valuable info.

Kindly to ask you, I’ll travel to Jakarta and stay at Kelapa Gading, is it far to go to the Dufan,Old Town Batavia, TMII and Thousand Island? Nice to hear from you 🙂

Hi Shazlina, Thank you for getting in touch. You need to do 2D1N trip if you would like to visit Thousand island. You can easily go to Dufan, Old Town Batavia with the TransJakarta bus, please be advised about the ridiculous traffic. TMII is a bit far, it is also reachable by TransJakarta bus, but you need one day trip for this. Let me know if you need any additional info.

Thank you for getting in touch. You need to do 2D1N trip if you would like to visit Thousand island. You can easily go to Dufan, Old Town Batavia with the TransJakarta bus. Be advised the traffic can be ridiculous. TMII is a bit far, it is also reachable by TransJakarta bus, but you need one day trip for this.

Thanks for writing this piece. I myself am from Jakarta, but i really have no idea when it comes to places to visit (for tourists). Some friends of mine are visiting soon, and i’m still trying to figure out where to show them around. Now i know, and thanks to you!

And i totally agree with what you’ve written at the beginning (we tend to travel miles away for a vacation and not explore our own backyard). Been doing exactly that for years 😀

Hi Alvin, Thank you for the comment. I am glad to hear that this post is useful. 🙂 Yeah right, we always focus on what is far away from us. Oh, btw also check out @JKTgoodguide on Twitter. Have a nice day!

Thank you for a very informative post. What do you suggest to do in Jakarta for a man (64 yo) and his wife (58 yo) going there for a week in March? Thank you.

Hi Nourie, I can connect you with a tour guide in Jakarta. They can help you to arrange your holiday in Jakarta. 🙂 Will get in touch through email. 🙂

Can I have your correct email address? The one that you submitted here isn’t correct. 🙂 Please email me: [email protected] . Thanks!

Very nice introductary basic level blog you got there. Would hoping for a little ellaboration on the details since you’re the local there.

I have been here for a month now for the Indosat project and still living like a hermit in Puri Casablanca LOL. Maybe we can meet up for a casual coffee.I’m from Malaysia by the way LOL

Hi Billeh. Thanks for the kind feedback. I’m glad you find the blog useful. Jakarta is a nice city to be in, but it can be easy to become a hermit lol. Unfortunately I’m actually based in Bali at the moment, so I won’t be able to meet over coffee in Jakarta. Hope you enjoy your time in Indonesia and have some fun adventures 🙂

I am sivaraman from India

First of all let me place my appreciations in guiding people like us. I am visiting jakarta first time this month end and leaving for Bandung for offical work. back at jakarta and have 2 full days to explore. can u guide on how i can structure my exploring trip of Jakarta or near by places.also i am a pure vegetarian and kindly suggest some good veggie restaurants..

Hi Sivaraman,

Where do you want to visit in Jakarta? For 2 days I would suggest the National Monument and places around the area, and on the second day can check out the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Vegetarian restaurants, ummm.. not too sure. I only know these two: – VMAD – Vegetarian Madness. Address: Sarinah Building Lantai Ground No. 11, Jalan M.H. Thamrin No.11 – Loving Hut, they have several stalls around Jakarta.

Hope it helps and have a great time in Jakarta.

dates 28th and 29th MAY

hello..it is a very usefull info..thank you so much

will do the no. 6 and 7 setelah di review jadi kelihatan menarik, kenapa saya gak pernah ngeh ya.. hehehe..

Do not forget to visit Jakarta’s Ragunan Zoo that have been mention as one of the biggest in Asean. Also U can visit “Setu Babakan” to learn about the Betawi culture & heritage (native jakartan). Both are located in South of Jakarta.

I have another bucket list to visit Monas, not only the park, but also going to the highest floor of Monas. 🙂

Good choice Dee. You get great views from the top 🙂

Wuuuw someone finally writes about the crazy Jakarta city!! A nice one kak 😀 Aku biasanya cuma mall lagi mall lagi sampe eneg hahaha. Ternyata banyak yang lainnya.

Hahahah this is probably the most popular article on my blog actually. Every day 250+ people read it. 😀 Mungkin karena gak ada orang lain yang bikin.

A very interesting and also very complete report on Jakarta. We also stayed a couple of nights in Indonesia´s capital and we are still not sure if we like it or not 😀

It’s an interesting city, but a lot to take in for a first timer 😀

Very cool article and this is going to help me visit the city next year.

Glad you found the article useful Marc. Hope you have a good time in Jakarta next year.

baru nyoba yang nomor 1 dan 15 lol ?

It’s a good start :p

I really love your writing style and Thanks for this amazing information about Jakarta.

Glad you found it interesting Jesse 🙂

Hi! I have found this blog and continue reading it! My flight is next month date 9. Im so excited to go there now! We were also going to puncak too. We take 1 week vacation! Btw im from Philippines!

Hey Kaye. A week in Indonesia should be great. Puncak is a nice place if you are looking for something a bit more relaxed than Jakarta.

Hi Firsta’.. Flyng there are 6 of us including a infant and a kid . staying for 6 nights. We need to visit to boro budur, bandung and sumatra. If there is a chance bali also ok. Please help me to plan my trip. What are the places that we can see. Any flights available from jakartha to sumatra. We need a vehicle with a driver. Please help me

Hi Sama, Yes there are various flights available from Jakarta to various destinations in Sumatra. I would say that 6 nights is ok for Jakarta, Bandung, Borobudur (located in Magelang, but get in through Yogyakarta), and Sumatra. Maybe should get rid 1 destination though. I don’t think you will have time for Bali.

[…] such proper motivation, it’s time for sightseeing. With only a short time in the city I would head first to the National Museum of Indonesia. The […]

Hello, Thank you for this blog its very helpful.. i’m coming to jakarta next week, I will stay there 2 days before going to bali.. seems like i can’t visit all the places u mentioned it here.. can you please help me and tell me what is the best things or places i should visit in this 2 days? thank you

Hi Belen, My suggestions: Jalan Surabaya, the Old Town (Kota Tua), and National Monument areas. Hope you have a great time in Jakarta.

anybody know about rooms near indian embassy in jakarta ?

Hi Saji, you can try to find a hotel in Rasuna Said area and it should be easy to go to Indian Embassy.

Hi Firsta I will be travelling to Jakarta next week INSHALLAH for 4 days with my husband and my 5 year n 2 year old daughters. Do u think it is ok to get my double stroller wid me? And also if u could suggest places to visit and places to eat with my picky eaters.

Hi Sadiqa, It should be fine to take your double stroller with you. Keep in mind that Jakarta is not really a walking city. If you visit the malls you’ll probably do lots of walking, but there aren’t many open air spaces that you can explore. In regards to places to eat Lara Djonggrang is one of my favourite restaurants for Indonesian food in a nice setting. You’ll find plenty of other good recommendations based on your tastes on Google or Zomato. Hope you have a good time in Jakarta. 🙂

Ah, i never go to Jakarta. Only transit at Airport. Sad

Hope you have the chance to explore Jakarta in the future. It is an interesting yet challenging city.

I’m heading to Jakarta next week, so this was very helpful!

Hi Masirwin,

I am glad you found this article useful. Hope you have a great time in Jakarta.

Hi Firsta, I love your posts, there are so many helpful things on it, great work. We’ll be in Jakarta in October for 18 days with my wife and 3 years old daughter and we’re hoping to spend 14 days outside Jakarta and our last 4 in Jakarta. I need your help to where to spend the 2 weeks, we’ve done Bali and lombok, loved lombok and would appreciate it if you can guide us to similar places as lombok be it in java or salawisi. We’re open for suggestions, btw we’re planning on staying at the grand mercure Kemayoran, your thoughts if it’s a good choice thank you.

Dear Azzam, Kemayoran is a great place to stay if you are coming to Jakarta to attend an exhibition/fair that are usually located in Kemayoran. If not, I would recommend Cikini/Menteng or Thamrin area. How about Yogyakarta? It is one of my favourite cities in Indonesia. Check out several things to do in Yogyakarta article here . I also love Flores, you can see the Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park. Check here for things to do in and around Labuan Bajo, Flores.

Hi, I am thinking a 5D or 4D visit to Jakarta alone. Can someone give some ideas on what must do in Jakarta, and how is the transport and expenses there? Roughly how much will be needed as I am on a budget trip.

Dear Vivian, You can find some inspirations from this article. Happy planning!

kak boleh ijin copy beberapa kontenya kak?gak semua ntar saya taro link web kakaknya

Halo Try, terima kasih sudah meminta ijin. Saya tidak mengijinkan, sebaiknya Try tulis sendiri saja untuk konten yang diinginkan. Happy blogging.

can you advise me a shopping mall close to the airport CGK can you advise me a hotel close to the airport CGK where guests can use the swimming pool

Hi Jan, I don’t know any malls near the airport. Maybe Taman Anggrek and Citraland? It is not really close to the airport but close enough. If you want to use swimming pool, maybe go to hotels close to the airport.

Hi, I plan to visit in November with my wife and daughter (13 months old) for 7 days. Would you recommend Jakarta as being a good place for a family to visit? I will surely be using a buggy to get around.

Hi Sayed, Jakarta doesn’t have a lot of public spaces. It depends on what you would like to do and see. If you want to do some shopping (tons of malls) and see some city landmarks, Jakarta is ok. I personally love Yogyakarta. Maybe visit both cities? You can easily fly from Jakarta to Yogyakarta or get a train. Hope you have a great time in Indonesia.

Halo Firsta, I will be visiting Indonesia, staying in Jakarta and Bali. Where can I find good batik for good prices? And, for a larger gal like myself?

Thanks so much

Dear Shevon,

Try to check at Thamrin City when you are in Jakarta. When you are in Bali there are several art markets like in Ubud or Sukawati. Hope you have a great time in Indonesia.

I am going to visit Jakarta next week, i am planing to spare a day for 1000 island’s trip, any other place where i can go if incase if will have 4-5 hours max because i have to reach airport at 09:00 pm

Hi Kaiser, I don’t have any idea for a day trip to 1000 islands. Maybe a trip to Kelor and Onrust. I would recommend to explore the Kota Tua area (old town area).

Hi! Early of february next month i’ll be in jakarta. Im staying in thamrin city. My flight back to Malaysia is at 7.30am. What time is the perfect time to leave the hotel? I hope Im on time to reach soekarno airport.

Hi Melle, with departure time at 7:30 am, this means you have to be at the airport at 5:30. I think around 4-4:30 should be ok. Please consult to the receptionist of your hotel to make sure. Have a great time in Indonesia.

[…] was in South America when I saw several photos from the exhibition in Jakarta. The exhibition of Yayoi Kusama with titled: Life is The Heart of a Rainbow. I realised that I […]

Hi.. I’ll be in Jakarta for 5 days from 14th Feb. As a solo traveller, I have a several questions to ask. ? I’m staying at Mangga Dua area. Is it safe for me? ? I do understand Jakarta weather now is probably raining with thunderstorm. Is it difficult for me to go anywhere? ? Any island that I can visit for a day tour instead of staying overnight at the island? ? Which place I can get the cheapest souvenirs?

Hi Azlina, My favourite is Cikini-Menteng area, but nothing wrong with Mangga Dua area. At the moment it is usually rain in the afternoon, close to sunset time. So I guess it should be ok to explore the city. I have never been gone to an island for a day from Jakarta, but I know that you can find a day trip for Onrust – Cipir / Kayangan Island – Kelor Island. I don’t have any recommendation for the travel company, sorry. For cheapest souvenirs, umm.. it depends what you would like to find. For Batik/fabric/clothes stuff, can try to check out Thamrin City. Hope you have a great time in Indonesia.

Hi firsta, Our flight on jakarta is on may 5-9 2019 which starts the ramadan day. No idea if there still open attractions/tourist area or any recommendations that even ramadan day my family especially the kids will enjoy our vacation in this city. Do’s and don’t during ramadan etc. Thank you!

Dear Celeste, I’m sorry for the late reply. Hope you get in ok and have a great time in Jakarta. The tourist attractions are open as usual. It is better to not eat in public. Restaurants usually have curtains for their window glass.

Hi first, It is my first time travel in Indonesia, I arrive in the 2nd week of October. The purpose of my travel is research and data collection for my university project on the paper industry. For which I need to visit copy paper companies offices and factories. I have the following questions: – is Jakarta city good for my research or would you recommend any other city as well.? – if I am in Jakarta city, which area should I take a hostel accommodation in , where I will have easy access to all the city.? – can I rent a scooter or a motorbike to move around? What will be the rental prices! Awaiting your reply Adnan

Hi Adnan, I’m sorry, I’m not a paper expert so I can’t help you with the first question. For the second question, I think this all depends on where the location of your research. Since Jakarta is a very packed city, it’s a lot better to stay around the area where you will spend most of your time (it’s wise to try to not commute a lot in the city). So I think there is no one area where you can stay to have easy access to all the city. Central of Jakarta (such as Sabang or Menteng) is kind of okay, but still not a comfortable area if your research is around, let’s say, Kelapa Gading or East Jakarta area. The third question, I’m sure you can rent a scooter, but I don’t have any info on that. I would advise reading more about Jakarta conditions to get the idea of the city. Hope this helps. Good luck with your project.

A city that is so busy but offers a beautiful life.

Yes, it is indeed a very busy city.

Beautiful article and nice city to live. Thanks for sharing!

Can you suggest any good beach place for 4D and 3N outing near Jakarta with children and aged person.

Hi Deb, some options that I could think of: (1) SukaSantai Farmstay in Sukabumi, (2) Roemah Pulomanuk in Sawarna, Banten and (2) BSP Farm in Cigombong, Bogor. Not too far from Jakarta and should be a nice escape from the big city.

Very usefull . Surabaya Street would be favorite!

I love Surabaya street too, Harumi.

Dear Firsta Do you know the meaning of your name ? Firsta is a farsi word means angel. So, I think you are really an angel. I visited Batam Island for two times but did not go to Jakata. But I have a plan in my mind about this city. Thank you very much for giving us some pretty ideas regarding Jakarta.

Hi there, Thanks for letting me know. That’s cool. I hope you have a great time in Jakarta in the future.

Hiiii. Have you ever been to Vietnam before?

Yes, I have been to Vietnam several times. A lot of tasty food!

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12 Top-Rated Things to Do in Jakarta

Written by Joni Sweet Updated Mar 24, 2023

Jakarta, the bustling capital of Indonesia, is a cultural melting pot. A diverse mix of traditions, from Javanese and Malay to Arab, Indian, and Dutch swirl together in this megalopolis. The result is a dynamic, lively city with its own intriguing flavor.

You'll discover that Jakarta has the world's best coffee scene , and most socializing in the city takes place at trendy cafés – not lounges. You'll find yourself craving the fried rice found at Jakarta's countless street food stalls – and develop friendships with the chefs. And you'll end up in the city's glitzy, multipurpose shopping malls for retail therapy, along with entertainment, events, and art.

Jakarta's tourist attractions will also show you a deeper side of this cosmopolitan city. Explore models of traditional homes from all over Indonesia's 17,000-plus islands at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Feel the spirit of Indonesian independence at the Monas national monument. See the crumbling architectural from Jakarta's colonial period at the Old Town. Learn about the early humans who lived in Indonesia at the National Museum.

For more ideas on planning your trip to Indonesia, check out our list of the top things to do in Jakarta.

1. Visit the Museum Nasional

2. see kites at museum layang-layang, 3. relax at merdeka square, 4. shop 'til you drop at jakarta's mega malls, 5. experience contemporary art at museum macan, 6. take a day trip to the thousand islands, 7. learn about jakarta's history in the old town, 8. explore kemang, jakarta's trendiest neighborhood, 9. gaze at istiqlal mosque, 10. splash around ancol beach, 11. visit the jakarta cathedral, 12. learn about betawi culture at setu babakan, map of things to do in jakarta, jakarta, indonesia - climate chart.

The Museum Nasional (National Museum) is one of the best places to visit in Jakarta. Located on the western edge of Merdeka Square , this archeological and ethnological attraction boasts a rich collection of around 70,000 artifacts. It's considered to be one of Southeast Asia's best museums.

You don't even need to enter the Museum Nasional to start experiencing its many treasures. The courtyard of the more than 150-year-old building features a peaceful fountain topped by a bronze elephant statue, given by Siam monarch Chulalongkorn to Batavia in 1871. The iconic work inspired the main structure's nickname as the "Elephant Building."

The museum is divided into two distinct wings, each of which boasts its own exhibits. The new wing features four floors of exhibits on culture and human origins in Indonesia. Don't miss the collection of priceless gold jewelry and artifacts from Central Java; the exhibit of stunning rare textiles from around Indonesia; and a model of the "Flores Man," the remains of an early human discovered on the island of Flores in 2013.

A glass-walled bridge connects the new wing to the old wing, where you will find Museum Nasional's renowned collection of classical Hindu-Buddhist statues. One of the highlights is the four-meter-tall carving of Adityawarman, king of Malayapura, standing atop a ring of skulls.

The old wing also contains collections of prehistoric ceramics from around Asia, ancient Indonesian ethnographic tools, relics of the Dutch East India Company, and treasure from royal houses across the archipelago.

Hot tip: There are free English tours of the museum throughout the week, hosted by members of the Indonesian Heritage Society . Check the museum's website for current days and times.

Address: Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.12, Gambir, Kecamatan Gambir, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10110

Official site: https://www.museumnasional.or.id/

Flying kites has been a tradition in this part of the world for more than 2,000 years, and there's no better place in Jakarta to learn about this heritage than at Museum Layang-Layang, an attraction down a serene alley in Pondok Labu.

A short movie screening in the museum explains the origins of kite flying in Indonesia, as well as the many styles of kites – just the right amount of information tourists need to appreciate the attraction's collection of more than 600 colorful kites.

Look up to see a massive flying horse kite with wings that span the length of the entryway. The museum also displays the head of a fire-breathing dragon kite; a sailing ship that flies; traditional kites made from bamboo and banana leaves; and a wow-worthy 3D kite of a horse-drawn carriage, complete with spinning wheels.

If you're feeling inspired after your tour, you can use materials at the museum to construct your own kite that makes for a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

Address: Jl. H. Kamang No.38, RT.8/RW.10, Pd. Labu, Kec. Cilandak, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12450

Merdeka Square, a 75-hectare park surrounded by lush greenery in Central Jakarta, is the Indonesian capital's answer to the plazas around European cities. It's considered one of the world's largest public squares .

Jakartans flock to the grand expanse on leisurely weekend days with their friends and families, making Merdeka Square the place to go for a slice of everyday life in this bustling urban area.

Merdeka Square's defining feature is the National Monument . Also known as Monas , the 132-meter-tall tower topped with a gold foil flame symbolizes Indonesia's struggle for independence. The architectural marvel took 14 years to construct and was opened by Suharto, Indonesia's second president, in 1975.

The base of the monument houses the National History Museum , a small attraction with dioramas that depict the history of the Indonesian independence movement. Tourists can also take a lift to the top of Monas every hour – if they can get their hands on one of the limited tickets before they sell out.

Merdeka Square offers the perfect atmosphere for relaxing on a weekend afternoon. Watch pick-up games of soccer, spread out a picnic on one of the grassy lawns, and visit the adorable spotted deer in an enclosed area near the southeastern corner, and see if you don't leave feeling restored.

Adress: Gambir, Central Jakarta City, Jakarta

You're never more than a stone's throw away from a mega shopping mall in Jakarta. The city has more than 170 shopping malls spread throughout its neighborhoods. Many of them feature impressive architecture with multiple floors of shops, theaters, restaurants, grocery stores, salons, galleries, and other things to do, making them the ideal place to spend time while you avoid the stifling rush hour traffic in the capital.

Which malls are the best places to visit in Jakarta? The answer depends on what you're looking for. Plaza Indonesia in Central Jakarta brims with international luxury brands, like Bulgari, Rolex, Kate Spade, and Christian Louboutin, as well as locally-made batik textiles. Grand Indonesia Shopping Town , a mall in view of the Selamat Datang Monument , features the largest movie theater in Indonesia, a fountain show, and a video game arcade.

In West Jakarta , shoppers can head to Mal Taman Anggrek (also known as MTA) for more than 500 stores, concerts in the central atrium, one of the country's largest indoor ice-skating rinks, and a massive LED display that stretches around the entire building.

Foodies should make a point to have a meal (or two) at the robust food hall inside of Plaza Senayan in Central Jakarta.

Indonesia made international headlines when the country cut the ribbon on its first contemporary art institution, Museum MACAN, in November 2017. The critically acclaimed attraction has since built a reputation as one of the top places to visit in Jakarta.

The 7,100-square-meter space showcases an important 800-piece collection built over 25 years, primarily by art aficionado and businessman Haryanto Adikoesoemo. Inside the cultural icon, tourists can see whimsical fiberglass creations from Yayoi Kusama, Romantic paintings from beloved Indonesian artist Raden Saleh Sjarif Boestaman, and a unique watercolor map of Bali by Mexican painter Miguel Covarrubias.

Check the museum's website for the most up-to-date list of exhibitions and events during your visit to Jakarta.

Address: AKR Tower Level M, Jalan Panjang No. 5 Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat 11530

Official site: https://www.museummacan.org/

Need a break from Jakarta's concrete jungle? Take a day trip to the Thousand Islands, a cluster of 110 exquisite islands scattered in the Java Sea, just north of the city. Ferries and private shuttles whisk tourists to hot spots within this island chain from Marina Ancol every day.

You can reach one of the closest Thousand Islands, Pulau Bidadari , in just 30 minutes from the ferry port. Highlights of the destination include rare trees, sandy beaches , and a 17th-century fort . You can also spend the night in an overwater bungalow .

Picturesque Pulau Tidung is another favorite spot for a day trip. Tourists spend their time on this island bicycling , snorkeling , and snapping photos along the legendary "Love Bridge," which connects the main island with a smaller piece of land.

You'll feel worlds away from the big city the moment you step foot on Pulau Sepa . Located about 90 minutes away from Jakarta, the island is an adventure lover's paradise. Choose from water sports, like banana boat rides , snorkeling , jet skiing , and diving . If you miss the ferry back to the city, you can sleep in a cottage or camp out under the stars.

Indonesia's capital may look shiny and modern, but it still retains relics of its charming historical atmosphere in Kota , Jakarta's Old Town. The area served as the Dutch East India Company's headquarters in the 17th century. It's one of the best places to visit on your first day in Jakarta to get a sense of this city's storied past.

Taman Fatahillah is the center of sightseeing in Kota. Dutch colonial buildings surround the cobblestone plaza, creating a stately atmosphere that stands in stark contrast to the glass-and-concrete skyscrapers found elsewhere in Jakarta.

The nearly 400-year-old whitewashed building on the southern edge of the square has been transformed from a town hall to the Jakarta History Museum . Inside, you'll find more than 20,000 historical objects, including antique maps, ceramics, and Betawi-style furniture, along with prison cells that held Indonesian freedom fighters in the 19th century.

Another worthwhile attraction to explore in Kota is Museum Wayang on the western edge of Taman Fatahillah. It takes travelers through the Javanese tradition of wooden puppetry. The cultural institution occasionally hosts free puppet shows.

For more art and culture in Kota, check out the Museum Seni Rupa Dan Keramik (Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics) , just across the square from Museum Wayang. It displays a remarkable collection of ceramics and handicrafts from Indonesia, as well as pieces from Europe and other parts of Asia.

Don't spend all your time indoors, though. Lined with intriguing wooden-shuttered buildings, Kota's side streets are a treasure trove of photographic sites and rich atmosphere. Explore the area by foot, or rent a bike from Fatahillah Square. When you're ready to refuel, the famous Cafe Batavia is the best spot to escape the heat and sip on classic punch mocktails.

Address: Jl. Lada Dalam No.7, RT.7/RW.7, Pinangsia, Kec. Taman Sari, Kota Jakarta Barat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 11110

Devote an afternoon of your Jakarta itinerary to exploring Kemang. Widely considered to be Jakarta's trendiest neighborhood, the suburban expat area brims with cafés, shops, and sightseeing opportunities.

There are tons of things to do in Kemang. Sip a strong cup of coffee at Say Something Coffee while watching dogs play at the nearby dog park. Browse shelves of novels in the serene Aksara book store. Check out the latest apparel from up-and-coming Indonesian designers at Kemang's ever-changing roster of boutiques. Catch a flick at the Kinosaurus microcinema.

Get in touch with your creative side by seeing an art exhibit at Kemang Gallery 58 . It's also worth indulging in weekend brunch at Kemang's bustling restaurants – if you can score a table. Call ahead to make reservations.

Hot tip: It's tough to get to Kemang on public transportation. Flag a Blue Bird Taxi or hop on the back of an ojek (informal motorcycle taxi) to reach this area.

When you're visiting a country with the world's largest Muslim population, you'll want to make a point to experience Islamic culture and attractions firsthand, starting with a visit to Istiqlal Mosque. The largest mosque in Southeast Asia (and one of the world's largest mosques), this religious site in Jakarta has the capacity to hold a whopping 120,000 visitors at any given time. The five-level dome structure, much of which is made from marble from East Java, spans an impressive nine-hectare area near Monas.

Conservatively dressed tourists are welcome to visit the mosque outside of prayer times. But if you don't have time to go inside, simply stand nearby and listen to the call to prayer delivered from the structure's soaring minaret throughout the day.

Address: Jl. Taman Wijaya Kusuma, Ps. Baru, Kecamatan Sawah Besar, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10710

Looking for a way to beat Jakarta's heat and humidity? Head north to the city's popular beach resort of Ancol. The expansive recreation area features a marina, sandy shore, and swimming pools where you can rent a sun lounger and cool off for the day. There's also a lovely promenade and boardwalk, which make great spots to watch the sunset.

Besides the beach, this area is also home to another popular attraction: Ancol Dreamland. The waterfront attraction offers fun for the whole family, including a massive oceanarium, a water park with a maze of twisting slides, a world-class golf course, botanical gardens, a zoo, and a theme park with more than 40 rides. If you're traveling to Jakarta with kids, you'll definitely want to include a day or two in Ancol on your itinerary.

In the shadows of Istiqlal Mosque stands another one of the city's prominent religious sites: St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral. Better known as the Jakarta Cathedral, the neo-gothic church traces its history back to the mid-19th century. Its proximity to the large mosque is considered a symbol of Indonesia's philosophy of unity and harmony among different faiths.

From a distance, the cathedral appears to be constructed of stone, like European churches. But get up close, and you'll notice that it's actually made of thick bricks coated in plaster that's designed to look like natural stone. Step inside, and you'll see three historic altars, enough pews to accommodate 8,000 worshippers, and a statue of Mary holding Jesus Christ after his crucifixion.

Just next door to the church is the Museum Katedral , a small museum that explains how Catholicism reached Indonesia. It holds the record of Indonesia's first known baptism, which took place in 1808.

Address: Jl. Katedral No.7B, Ps. Baru, Kecamatan Sawah Besar, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10710

Learn about the original inhabitants of the greater Jakarta area at Setu Babakan, an interactive attraction that aims to preserve and celebrate Indigenous Betawi culture. Start at the two-story Betawi Museum, then make your way outside to see Betawi homes and catch a cultural arts performance at the amphitheater.

When you're feeling hungry, swing by Zone E of the attraction to sample traditional Betawi cuisine (like fried bean sprouts and glutinous rice omelets) from the vendors. The multisensory experience will leave you with a deep appreciation for this ancient culture.

Hot tip: Every July, Setu Babakan hosts its annual Betawi Culture Festival, which gives tourists the chance to see a wedding, traditional ceremonies, and special rituals.

Address: Jl. RM. Kahfi II, RT.13/RW.8, Srengseng Sawah, Jagakarsa, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta

Official site: http://www.setubabakanbetawi.com/en/

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Exploring Indonesia: With so much to see, it's best to take a complete look at the top attractions in Indonesia before finalizing your travel plans. Many people head to Bali for a little rest and relaxation, and to spend some time on the beautiful beaches . If it's beaches you're after, be sure to see our guide to the best beaches in Indonesia .

More on Indonesia

• 20 Must Visit Attractions Jakarta

20 Must-Visit Attractions in Jakarta

Indonesia’s capital city , Jakarta, is a fascinating place to visit due to its long history, diverse culture, charming natural beauty, and never-ending development. From historical sites to high-end restaurants, discover these must-visit attractions.

1. national monument (monumen nasional or monas).

Building, Museum, Park

2. Istiqlal Mosque

3. Sunda Kelapa Harbor

5. Kota Tua Jakarta

Museum, Park, Building

6. Fatahillah Museum (Jakarta History Museum)

Building, Museum

7. Kepulauan Seribu

Technically still a part of the Jakarta Province, Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) comprises of hundreds of pristine, idyllic small islands , many of them still inhabited. However, tourism is vibrant in some of the more developed islands, including Bidadari Island, Pramuka Island, and Tidung Island.

Kepulauan Seribu Regency, Jakarta, Indonesia

8. National Museum

9. Lara Djonggrang Restaurant

Restaurant, Indonesian

10. Petak Sembilan

Market, Chinese, Street Food

11. Dunia Fantasi & Ancol Dreamland

Amusement Park

12. Jakarta Cathedral

Cathedral, Museum

13. Pasar Baru

14. Pantai Indah Kapuk Mangrove

15. wayang museum.

16. Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory

17. taman mini indonesia indah.

Amusement Park, Park, Cinema

A part of Jakarta Chinatown, Glodok is known as the center of cheap goods, especially electronics. The area is still alive with some of the city’s oldest stores, restaurants, and temples. Tourists can experience service or taste meals from legendary vendors, such as the famous ice coffee from Waroeng Tak Kie that has been there since 1927 and Jakarta’s oldest barbershop Ko Tang, established in 1936.

Glodok, West Jakarta City, Jakarta, Indonesia

Putu Bagus Susastra Wiguna / © Culture Trip

19. Skye Bar & Restaurant

Bar, Restaurant, Italian, Asian

An excellent epitome of Jakarta’s vibrant city nightlife, Skye is a lively bar and restaurant located on the 56th floor of Menara BCA building. The stylishly decorated lounge features a stunning infinity pool that makes the view of the city much more refreshing. The place also serves impressive cocktails and food.

20. Toko Merah

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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JAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE with Sample Itinerary & Budget + Indonesia Requirements

“Anywhere else, aside from Jakarta?”

This was the reply I would usually get whenever I said I was going to the Indonesian capital. “No, just Jakarta,” was my answer. And it took them a second to realize that they heard my response right.

Jakarta feels strangely familiar. There is so much about it that reminds me of Metro Manila, my home city. Both are capital cities of developing Southeast Asian nations. Both are among the biggest urban hubs in the world, serving as a home and/or workplace for tens of millions of people. And for many international tourists, both are seen mostly as a jump-off point to another destination, a necessary means to a more spectacular end. In Jakarta’s case, this spectacular end can be the beaches of Bali , the temples of Yogyakarta , or the picturesque volcanoes in other parts of Java.

But like Manila, Jakarta can hold its own. It may not be as Instagram-worthy, but it does have a long history and rich culture, making it a great stop for Indonesia first timers. From the numerous museums to the sumptuous street food, the city will give you a taste of what the world’s greatest archipelago has to offer.

WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS GUIDE?

UNDERSTANDING JAKARTA

Jakarta is the capital of and the largest city in Indonesia. Located in the island of Java, the city serves as the economic, political, and cultural center of the country. Jakarta is sprawling. Over the years, as it continues to draw in more people, it also paves way for the development of neighboring areas.

Today, Jakarta may also refer to the Greater Jakarta area or the Jakarta metropolitan area, which is also called locally as Jabodetabek , short for Jakarta–Bogor–Depok–Tangerang–Bekasi, referring to the nearby cities in West Java and Banten. And with an estimated population of 35 million, it is the second largest urban hub in the world, next only to Tokyo.

The history of Jakarta dates back to the 4th century CE, making it one of the oldest inhabited cities in Southeast Asia. It has been known by several names. Under the Sunda Kingdom, it was known as Sunda Kelapa, an important trading port at the time. In 1619, the Dutch took control and founded Batavia which became the capital of the Dutch East Indies. Then in 1942, Batavia fell to the Japanese and was under the Japanese occupation until 1945. It was 1949 when the Indonesian independence was proclaimed and Jakarta became the national capital.

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION

• Language: Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia. But most can understand and speak English.
• Religion: Islam is the dominant religion. A small part of the population practice Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
• Timezone: UTC+7 (Indonesia Western Time). Jakarta is one hour behind Manila, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
• Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR, Rp). USD 1 is around IDR 15,700; EUR 1 = IDR 16,200; PHP 1 = IDR 273 (as of December 2022).
• Modes of Payment: Cash. Some establishments like restaurants also accept credit cards, but most still prefer cash. However, there are some places that only take card payments.

INDONESIA TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

As of our most recent visit (November 2022), these are the requirements required for travelers going to Jakarta as mandated by the government. These must be presented when you check-in for your flight.

• Passport. Must be valid for at least 6 months.
• COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate. Only fully vaccinated individuals are allowed to enter Jakarta. Your vaccination certificate must indicate 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
• PeduliLindungi App. Download the app through google playstore or app store and register.
• E-customs Declaration Form. Fill out the form here . Print or save a digital copy of the generated QR Code.

Depending on your country of citizenship, a visa may also be required. (Filipino citizens may enter Indonesia VISA-FREE.)

WHERE TO STAY IN JAKARTA

Jakarta is huge. Covering 664.01 square kilometers, Jakarta is divided it into its five administrative cities: Central Jakarta, West Jakarta, East Jakarta, North Jakarta, and South Jakarta. Easy to remember, right? But these three areas have the key points of interest for tourists:

• Central Jakarta is home to major landmarks like the National Monument and Istiqlal Mosque. Also situated here is Gambir Station, a major railway station that connects the capital to other cities in Java Island. You’ll also find Grand Indonesia, one of the biggest malls in the country, around the corner. A large concentration of the accommodations in Central Jakarta can be found in Menteng .
• North Jakarta covers the harbor area, the historic port of Sunda Kelapa, and Ancol, a waterfront complex with a theme park, water park, and other various attractions.
• West Jakarta , the closest to the airport, roughly 30 minutes away. Within its territory lie parts of Kota Tua, Jakarta’s Old Town. Glodok , Jakarta’s Chinatown, where you can find a lot of food spots, is also here. A number of different types of accommodations are spread over West Jakarta.
• South Jakarta , which harbors the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD), with plenty of office buildings, condominiums, hotels, and shopping malls. If you’re interested in experiencing the nightlife in Jakarta, this is the place to be. The accommodations in this area varies from high-end hotels to budget hostels so there are a lot to choose from.
• East Jakarta . This is the largest among the five administrative cities of Jakarta. However, there’s not a lot of accommodations available here. It is also the area farthest from the airport.

Best Area to Stay

In our opinion, the best area to stay is the part where Central Jakarta, West Jakarta, and North Jakarta meet. Staying here puts you in a position close to the key attractions and with plenty of dining and lodging options.

This area includes these neighborhoods:

• Glodok (Chinatown) in West Jakarta
• Menteng in Central Jakarta
• Kota Tua in North/West Jakarta

Any of places above are great for first-time Jakarta visitors. However, if you’re the type of traveler who likes to spend their nights going out or partying, South Jakarta might be a great option too. Just keep in mind that this area is a bit farther from other parts of the city, especially if you plan to visit attractions in North Jakarta.

Top Budget Hotels and Hostels in Jakarta

I booked a dorm bed at The Packer Lodge near Kota Tua for only PHP 450 per night . Yep, that’s only USD 8 or 124,000 IDR. But by random streak of good luck, I was upgraded to a private solo room for FREE! (Possibly because they might have overbooked the dorm.)

But there are plenty of other options, too! Here are some of the top reviewed but affordable properties on Agoda:

• ibis Styles Jakarta Tanah Abang. Check Rates & Availability! ✅
• City Biz Residence. Check Rates & Availability! ✅
• Sleepy Raccoon Hostel. Check Rates & Availability! ✅
• Cool Living. Check Rates & Availability! ✅
• Hotel Alia Pasar Baru. Check Rates & Availability! ✅
• Wonderloft Hostel. Check Rates & Availability! ✅

Search for more Jakarta Hotels!

How to get to jakarta.

The primary airport that serves Jakarta is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) , formerly called Jakarta Cengkareng Airport. It is located at Benda, Tangerang, close to West Jakarta. It was expanded in 1991 to replace Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, which now services mostly domestic and private flights—for international flights. CGK is said to be the busiest airport in Southeast Asia and currently has 3 terminals with a fourth terminal being built.

Manila to Jakarta

As Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta is well-connected. If you’re coming from Manila, Cebu Pacific flies directly to Jakarta and vice versa DAILY. The flight departs from Manila at 8:40 PM and takes around four hours. This is perfect for busy bees who cannot afford to file another leave of absence from work or students who can’t miss a school day. This also means you arrive in Jakarta just before midnight, bypassing heavy traffic to the city center.

For your return journey, Cebu Pacific’s Jakarta-Manila flights are scheduled at 12:30 AM, allowing you to make the most of your last day in Jakarta! Just leave your luggage temporarily at your hotel upon checkout, explore the city the entire day, and pick it up before heading to the airport.

Cebu Pacific has three bundle options for your flight booking: GO Basic comes with a free hand-carry baggage allowance (7kg). If you want a checked bag and reserved seats, GO Easy includes a one piece checked baggage (up to 20kg) and a standard seat. For more flexibility, GO Flexi allows you to cancel your flight for free and store the value as a travel fund.

To book, visit: www.cebupacificair.com .

Jakarta Airport to City Center

Travel time from the airport to your hotel depends on which part of Jakarta you choose to stay, but it could take between 30 minutes to an hour. The most convenient way is by taking a taxi or using a ride hailing app. More details about these below.

Countless taxis await potential passengers at the airport. After going through customs and before reaching the exit, you’ll be welcomed by people offering you taxi services. If you want to take a taxi, a recommended taxi service by locals is Blue Bird . You’ll find a Blue Bird booth to your left after you exit, near the SIM card stores.

However, in my experience, their rate was higher than Grab, but this could vary. You can go to the booth to inquire about the fare going to your hotel and compare it to rates on Grab or Gojek.

By Grab or Gojek

These two are the ride hailing apps available in Jakarta. It is easy to use and booking a ride only takes a few minutes. The Grab pick-up point in Terminal 3 is located at the parking of the arrival area. After you pass through customs, turn to your right and head towards the Pick-up zone. You should be exiting through the West Lobby door. At the parking, you will find signage for the Grab Pick-up Point.

It is important to know that the fare that shows on the app is not the final fare. A parking fee and highway fee or toll fee will be added on top of it. This was also clearly communicated by the person at the Grab Pick-up point once I got there and the driver after I entered the car. But the Grab fare still turned out cheaper than the Blue Bird rate even after adding these fees.

• Parking Fee: IDR 5,000
• Highway/toll fee: IDR 18,500

Gojek is also available at the airport. The pick-up point at Terminal 3 is also located at the international parking area. Gojek also adds the parking fee & toll fee plus a location fee on top of the fare that shows on the app when you book your ride.

Internet Connection / Data SIM in Jakarta

The most affordable way of staying connected in Indonesia is by purchasing a data SIM card. However, SIM cards in Jakarta need to be registered first, so you’ll need to present your passport to get one. Two of the most popular internet providers are XL Axiata and Telkomsel.

You can get a SIM card at the airport, but keep in mind that the prices here are significantly higher than prices at a telco branch or SIM card center. Moreover, airport stores are open only from 7:00AM to 3:00AM.

If you’re from any of the countries below, you can have the data SIM card delivered to you via Klook:

• Deliver SIM to INDIA
• Deliver to SINGAPORE
• Deliver SIM to HONG KONG
• Deliver SIM to VIETNAM

If you’re from the Philippines or any other country, you may opt to pick up Indonesia DATA SIM at the Jakarta Airport (Soekarno Hatta International Airport). The pick up location is at the JavaMifi booth at Terminal 3 Departure at the 2nd floor. The staff will also help you set up the sim card on your phone. However, the operating hours is from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM only. You can purchase one here: Indonesia DATA SIM Jakarta Airport Pickup!

If you’re arriving in Jakarta late at night, you won’t be able to avail of this since their registration has a cut-off time. Another option to consider is Grapari , the SIM card center of the telecommunications company Telkomsel . They have multiple locations all over Jakarta. If you want to save and you can manage to go from the airport without data, just look up the Grapari branch closest to your hotel. More info on its website .

HOW TO GET AROUND JAKARTA

Jakarta is a very busy city and there are various transportation options available. There are a lot of taxis all over the city and you can also use ride hailing apps. Commuting is also an option since they have an efficient public bus transportation called Transjakarta . However, because it is a busy city, the traffic gets heavy especially during rush hours.

If you’re visiting attractions, some of them are within walking distance from each other. You can walk from The National Monument to see Merdeka Palace, and then walk to the National Museum. You can also explore Kota Tua or the Old Town on foot. You can choose from the following mode of transportations to explore Indonesia’s capital depending on your budget and preferences.

There are a lot of taxis around the city. In some areas there are cabs lined up by the side of the road so you don’t have to hail a cab on the street anymore. The suggested reliable taxi company in Jakarta is Blue Bird . Their units are easy to spot because they’re, well, blue.

Riding a taxi may pose a challenge because of language barrier since not everyone speaks and understands English. But what you can do is write down the address of your destination or find it on Google Maps, and show it to the driver when you take a taxi. You may also ask your hotel to call a taxi for you and ask them for help to communicate your destination to the driver.

By Grab or GoJek

• Car. If you want a more convenient mode of transportation, book a Grab or Gojek. It is more simple since all you need to do is pin your pick-up location and destination on the app and wait for your car to arrive. You may also pay using credit card or cash when using ride hailing apps.
• Motorcycle. This is the best way to beat the traffic in Jakarta. If you’re traveling solo, Grab and GoJek also have a motorcycle/bike option. The motorcycle is also much cheaper compared to the car option. So if you’re on a budget, this is a great option to get from one place to another quicker and at a less price.

By Transjakarta Bus

Taking public transportation is the cheapest option. Each ride costs only IDR 3,500 no matter where your destination is. The bus is very efficient since there are 13 lines and over 200 stations all over the city. You may use Google maps to know which bus line you should take and where you should get off to reach your destination.

Here’s how you can ride the Transjakarta buses:

• Purchase a Transjakarta Card at a convenience store. These cards are available at any Indomaret, Alfamart, and other convenience stores in Jakarta. Each card costs IDR 27,500.
• Top up your card at the digital kiosk at any station. You may also top-up your card when you purchase it at a convenience store, but their minimum amount is IDR 50,000 while you can top up as low as P10,000 at the station.
• Tap your bus card on the ticket barrier at the station to enter.
• Tap again to exit the station where you’ll get off.

Riding the bus can take much longer compared to the taxi, car service, or motorcycle taxi. You can look up your destination on Google maps and compare the travel time for each and decide from there depending on your time and budget.

THINGS TO DO IN JAKARTA

Also known as Old Batavia , Kota Tua is Jakarta’s Old Town. It was a part of the first walled settlement of the Dutch in Jakarta and also served as the capital of the Dutch East Indies. In this area, you will find Dutch-style structures from the 17th century. Some of them used to be government buildings that has been turned into museums. Here are some of the places you can visit in Kota Tua.

• Jakarta History Museum , also called the Fatahillah Museum or Batavia Museum. It used to be the city hall of Batavia. After Indonesia gained its independence, it became the seat of the West Java governor until 1961 and a museum in 1974. Today it highlights Indonesia’s past from the pre-historic era to the Dutch colonization to independence. – Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; Monday, CLOSED – Entrance Fee: IDR 5,000
• Fatahillah Square , where shophouses used to stand. It is located right at the center of the old town and is surrounded by museums. It serves as a recreational area for locals and tourists alike. Bikes are also available for rent at IDR 20,000 per unit, good for 30 minutes.

• Museum Wayang , putting the spotlight on Indonesia’s traditional puppet theater. Admire various types of wayang like wayang kulit , Javanese leather puppets, and wayang golek , Sundanese three-dimensional wooden puppets. In the museum’s garden, you will find the funeral site of Jan Pieterszoon Con, the Governor-general of the Dutch East Indies. – Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; Monday, CLOSED – Entrance Fee: IDR 5,000
• Museum Bank Indonesia , housed in a heritage building that used to be the De Javasche Bank, the central bank of Dutch East Indies. It was converted into a museum in 2006, presenting the role of Bank Indonesia in Indonesian history as well as the history of currencies and trade in the country. – Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM; Monday, CLOSED – Entrance Fee: IDR 5,000
• Bank Mandiri Museum , the corporate museum of Bank Mandiri. Established in 1998, this museum is home to artifacts that was used in banking activities in the past. – Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; Monday, CLOSED – Entrance Fee: IDR 15,000
• Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics , housed in the former Court of Justice under the Dutch. It showcases traditional Indonesian paintings and ceramics. Join a pottery workshop and make a piece of your choice. The workshop lasts for 30 to 45 minutes. – Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; Monday, CLOSED – Entrance Fee: IDR 5,000 – Pottery Workshop: IDR 50,000
• Cafe Batavia , set in the second oldest building in the square. Constructed in the 19th century, the 2-story building has a bar, performance stage, and lounge area on the ground floor and the “Grand Salon”, which is the main dining hall on the upper floor. This is one of the most recommended restaurants in Jakarta because of its historic location, good food, and great service. They serve Indonesian food from breakfast to dinner plus a few western dishes. Their menu also includes coffee, tea, non-alcoholic, and alcoholic drinks. – Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM; Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 AM; Saturday, 7:00 AM – 1:00 AM; Sunday, 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM

The biggest Chinatown in Indonesia, Glodok was established back in the Dutch colonial period.

Today, Glodok is dotted with stores selling snacks and Chinese medicine. There’s also a market where you can buy seafood, fruits, and vegetables. Foodies will also be delighted by an array of dining options, from street food stalls to food courts.

Merdeka Square & Surrounding Landmarks

Merdeka Square serves as a recreational park for the locals. With an area of around 75 hectares, the square is so vast that they even have a shuttle to take you to the National Monument , its centerpiece.

If you visit at night, you will see the Monas light up and illuminate the square. There’s also a food court area here where you can have snacks or a meal.

Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM Entrance Fee: FREE

Here are some of the structures within and around Jakarta’s Merdeka Square:

• National Monument , also called Monas , the symbol of Indonesian independence. The 132-meter (433-foot) monument was erected under President Sukarno and was opened to the public in 1975. Incorporated in its design is the date of the proclamation of Indonesia’s independence — August 17, 1945. Visitors may enter the National Monument and climb to the top to get a panoramic view of central Jakarta. – Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM – Entrance Fee: IDR 40,000

• National Museum of Indonesia , aka the Elephant Museum or Museum Gajah because of the elephant statue in front of the museum building. It is said to be the most complete in the country. It boasts around 141,000 artifacts including pre-historic, anthropological, and archeological artifacts from Indonesia and other parts of Asia, housed in two main buildings: Gedung Gajah which is the old wing, and Gedung Arca which is a new wing that was added in 2007. – Operating Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Entrance Fee: IDR 25,000
• Jakarta Cathedral , officially named The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption. It serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Jakarta. The current neo-Gothic structure is not the original church, but what was rebuilt after it collapsed in 1890.
• Merdeka Palace , located on the north side of Merdeka Square. It is also known as Istana Merdeka in Indonesian. The construction of the palace started in 1873 and was completed in 1879. It was then called the Palace of the Governor-general. After Indonesia gained its independence in 1949, it became the residence of the president of the Republic of Indonesia. You may see the palace from across the street near Merdeka Square.
• Istiqlal Mosque , the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. Its construction took 17 years, from 1961 to 1978. It was built to mark the independence of Indonesia hence the name Istiqlal , which means independence in Arabic. Visitors may enter the mosque through Gate 5, which is right across the Jakarta Cathedral. They also provide a guided tour of the mosque to tourists. The tour is FREE but you are welcome to give a tip or donation. Tour is held every 30 minutes from 10am to 11:30am, from 1pm to 3pm, and 4pm to 4:30pm.

A 19th century market located in Central Jakarta, Pasar Baru is one of the oldest shopping districts in the city.

The whole street is lined with stores selling mostly textiles, shoes, and clothes. You will definitely not miss this area when you visit because the street is marked by a bridge and a gate that displays its name.

Ancol Beach

Ancol is a waterfront complex located in the coastal area of North Jakarta. Inside Ancol is a theme park called Dunia Fantasi or Dufan. You’ll also find Atlantis Water Adventure which is a waterpark featuring the ancient cities of the Mediterranean.

Also located within he complex are an ecopark, an art market, and Gondola Ancol , which is the first cable car ride in Indonesia. Each of these attractions has a separate entrance fee.

You may purchase tickets online through their website . You may also pay for the ticket at the entrance on-site, but take note that they only accept card payments for now.

Operating Hours: Daily, 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM Entrance Fee: IDR 25,000

Textile Museum

Textiles are a huge part of Indonesia’s culture. Museum Tekstil displays collections from different parts of the country. Located in West Jakarta, the museum was inaugurated in 1976 in honor of Madame Tien Soeharto, who was Indonesia’s first lady at the time.

Aside from the different textiles, traditional weaving instruments and equipment used to make batik also take centerstage inside the museum.

Visitors may also join a workshop where you can get try making batik. From the gate of the museum, turn to your left and follow the sign that says Pendopo Batik . You may also tell the person at the entrance that you want to make batik so they can lead you to the workshop area. Here, the nice ladies who make batik will guide you through the whole process starting from tracing your chosen design and using the tjanting , a traditional tool used to apply the liquid was to the fabric in batik making. The whole process takes around an hour and you get to keep your batik and the tjanting as a souvenir!

Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Entrance Fee: IDR 5,000 Batik Making: IDR 40,000

Jalan Surabaya Flea Market

Along Jalan Surabaya in Menteng District lies a flea market. The street is lined with stores selling tons of various antique items. A visit to Jalan Surabaya is a must — especially if you’re interested in antique items or you just like looking at random unique pieces, from trinkets to collectibles to chandeliers. Also available are old CDs and vinyls, ceramics, and a lot more!

WHERE TO EAT IN JAKARTA

Jakarta’s food scene mirrors Indonesia’s rich culture and long history. The food here is a mix of different cuisines from various parts of Indonesia, with influences from other places. You won’t have a hard time looking for a place to eat in Jakarta because it’s bursting with choices — from street food stalls to hawker centers (food courts) to proper sit-down restaurants. And because Indonesia has a strong coffee culture, you will also find a lot of cafes ranging from traditional establishments to modern ones that give a new spin to everyone’s favorite drink.

• Sabang Street. Found in Central Jakarta, Sabang street food or Kampung Kuliner Sabang is located along Jl. H. Agus Salim. Starting at around 5PM, vendors begin to set up and open up their tents by the side of the road. This is one of the best places to visit in Jakarta if you want to try various Indonesian dishes — including sate , gudeg , nasi goreng , and martabak .
• Glodok. Chinatown’s streets are flanked with establishments selling snacks, fruits, and desserts. Some stalls also sell meals like bakso and nasi goreng that you can eat right there on the kerbside while sitting on a chair.
• Petak Enam. If you prefer to have a meal more comfortably while you’re in Chinatown, head over to Petak Enam, a food court in Glodok. The place is filled to the seams with stalls offering various Indonesian dishes and other cuisines too including soto betawi , which is beef soup with coconut milk broth; and nasi campur , white rice served with different types of meat dishes.

– Rumah Makan Surya Operating Hours: Daily, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Address: Jl. Bendungan Hilir 

• Kopi Es Ta Kie. A breakfast place in Glodok, Kopi Es Ta Kie is one of the oldest cafes in Jakarta. This family-owned institution has been in business since 1927 and has been passed on over generations. They are open from early morning to early afternoon serving food like nasi campur, bakmi ayam, and more along with their coffee. Aside from the restaurant in Glodok, they also now have several branches in Jakarta. – Operating Hours: Daily, 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM. But they might close early once they sell out.
• Kopi Oey Sabang. Kopi Oey has several branches, too, but their most popular branch is probably the one in Sabang. The coffee shop has an Indonesian Chinese design with walls paintings and framed photos of food. Their menu includes a variety of nasi goreng, soto and sop, mie or noodles, pasta, roti, and other Indonesian breakfast food. If you’re a coffee lover, included in their selection are single origin coffee which you can pick your preferred brewing method. – Operating Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM; Friday to Saturday, 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM – Address: Jl. H. Agus Salim 
• Giyanti Coffee Roastery. if you’re after cafes with Instagrammable interiors, consider Giyanti Coffee Roastery in Jalan Surabaya. This is a perfect stop for coffee and pastries for breakfast or after you feast your eyes with antiques and shop at the flea market. It has a vibrant interior and a lot of seating space including an outdoor area with a garden feel. Because it is also a roastery, you can also purchase coffee beans here that you can take home. – Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM; Monday, CLOSED – Address: Jl. Surabaya, Menteng  – Note: Giyanti Coffee Roastery does not accept cash payments. You may pay using debit or credit card.

SAMPLE JAKARTA ITINERARY

Here’s a sample 3-Day Jakarta itinerary with breakdown of expenses. This assumes that you will be flying with Cebu Pacific, staying in Central Jakarta, and taking public transportation to go around. You may use this itinerary and make adjustments based on your schedule and preferences.

• DAY 0: ARRIVAL 11:50 AM – Arrival in Jakarta 1:00 AM – Purchase SIM card, IDR 250,000 1:30 AM – Grab to hotel, IDR 160,000 1:40 AM – Hotel check-in
• DAY 1: CENTRAL JAKARTA 8:00 AM – Wake up call 9:00 AM – Breakfast at Kopi Oey Sabang, IDR 90,000 10:00 AM – Buy Transjakarta Card, IDR 27,500 10:30 AM – Walk to Merdeka Square 10:40 AM – National Monument, IDR 40,000 11:30 AM – Walk to Merdeka Palace 11:40 AM – Merdeka Palace 12:00 PM – Lunch, IDR 100,000 1:00 PM – National Museum, IDR 25,000 2:30 PM – Bus to Istiqlal Mosque, IDR 3500 3:20 PM – Jakarta Cathedral 3:45 PM – Istiqlal Mosque, Tour at 4pm 5:00 PM – Walk to Pasar Baru 5:10 PM – Pasar Baru 6:10 PM – Bus to Padang Street Food, IDR 3,500 6:40 PM – Padang Street Food, IDR 100,000 
9:00 PM – Back to hotel
• DAY 2: KOTA TUA 8:00 AM – Wake up call 9:00 AM – Breakfast at Kopi Es Tak Kie, IDR 85,000 10:00 AM – Bus to Kota Tua, IDR 3,500 10:30 AM – Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramic, IDR 5,000 11:00 AM – Pottery Workshop, IDR 50,000 12:00 PM – Lunch at Cafe Batavia, IDR 200,000 1:00 PM – Jakarta History Museum, IDR 5,000 2:00 PM – Museum Wayang, IDR 5,000 3:00 PM – Museum Bank Indonesia, IDR 5,000 4:00 PM – Bus to Ancol, IDR 3,500 5:00 PM – Ancol, IDR 25,000 7:30 PM – Dinner, IDR 100,000 8:30 PM – Back to hotel 9:00 PM – Lights out
• DAY 3: JALAN SURABAYA & GLODOK 9:00 AM – Wake up call 10:00 AM – Early check-out, leave bags 10:30 AM – Brunch @ Giyanti Coffee Roastery, IDR 100,000 11:30 AM – Jalan Surabaya Flea Market 12:30 PM – Textile Museum, IDR 5,000 1:30 AM – Batik Making, IDR 40,000 2:30 PM – Bus to Glodok, IDR 3,500 3:30 PM – Explore Glodok 7:00 PM – Dinner, IDR 80,000 8:00 PM – Back to hotel, get bags 9:00 PM – Grab to airport, IDR 160,000 9:40 PM – Flight Check-in 12:30 PM – Flight out

This itinerary will set you back around IDR 2,700,000 (USD 172, EUR 165, SGD 235, PHP 9700), excluding airfare and travel tax , but assuming you book a hotel room that costs around IDR 200,000 per night. You may still minimize the cost if you stay in a dorm or book a cheaper hotel like we did. In reality we only paid IDR 124,000 per night.

This also includes a big allowance for incidental expenses.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

When is the best time to visit jakarta.

May to October is the best time to visit since these are the driest months in Jakarta.

Jakarta has a tropical climate. The temperature here doesn’t change so much throughout the year. However, the chance of rain varies significantly making the wet and dry season very apparent. The dry months are from May to October, with the driest month being August, so schedule your trip around this time if you want to avoid the rain ruining your plans.

The wettest months are September to April, with the most rain in January. During these months, some parts of the city are prone to flooding.Public holidays may also affect the traffic and the operating hours of attractions and other establishments. Here’s the list of public holidays in Indonesia:

• New Year’s Day – January 1
• Chinese New Year – February 11
• Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad – February 28
• Hindu New Year – March 3
• Good Friday – March or April
• International Labor Day – May 1
• Eid-al-Fitr
• Ascencion of Jesus Christ – April or May
• Pancasila Day – June 1
• Eid-ul-Adha
• Islamic New Year – July 30
• Independence Day – August 17
• Maulid Nabi – October 8
• Christmas – December 25

Where to exchange currencies in Jakarta?

I’ve only tried a couple of money changers along Gajah Mada near Glodok. They are open until late night and there’s one that is open for 24 hours. DollarIndo and Primatama have the same or very similar rates, which are pretty good.

What is the power plug or socket used in Jakarta?

Electricity Info: 230V, 50Hz frequency. Type C and F plugs and sockets.

More Tips on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️

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• 1.1 Orientation
• 2.1 History
• 2.2 Climate
• 2.3 Tourism information
• 4.1 By plane
• 4.2 By train
• 4.4 By minibus
• 4.5 By boat
• 5.1 By metro/light rail
• 5.2 By commuter train
• 5.3 By busway
• 5.4 By Mikrotrans
• 5.5 By tour bus
• 5.6 By public bus
• 5.8 By taxi
• 5.9 By bajaj
• 5.10 By ojek
• 5.11 By helicopter
• 5.12 By bicycle
• 5.13 By eScooter
• 5.14 On foot
• 7.1 Betawi culture
• 7.3 Performing arts festivals
• 7.4.2 Football
• 7.4.3 Badminton
• 7.5 Karaoke
• 10.1 Shopping malls
• 10.2 Markets
• 11.1 Budget
• 11.2 Mid-range
• 11.3 Splurge
• 14.1 Protests
• 15 Stay healthy
• 16.1 Telephone
• 16.2 Internet
• 16.4 Emergency
• 17.2 Immigration office
• 17.3 Embassies and consulates
• 18.1 Within the metropolitan area:
• 18.2 A bit further off

Jakarta is Indonesia 's capital and largest city, with about 10 million inhabitants, and a total 30 million in Greater Jakarta on the Java island. Dubbed The Big Durian , an equivalent to New York 's Big Apple, its concrete jungle, traffic frenzy, and hot polluted air may tempt you to skip the city as fast as possible, but what awaits inside will change your perspective! One of the most bustling and cosmopolitan cities in Asia, the J-Town has cheerful nightlife, vibrant shopping malls, a variety of foods, refreshing greenery, cultural diversity and a rich history, that caters to all levels of budget and how much fun you want to have.

Districts [ edit ]

Administratively, Jakarta is a province called the Jakarta Special Capital Region ( Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta ). It is administratively divided into 5 municipalities and 1 regency (the Thousand Islands in the Jakarta Bay):

Satellite cities : The Jakarta megalopolis of 30 million inhabitants includes Jakarta and the following satellite cities:

• Bogor - One of the primary destinations to escape from Jakarta, with well-kept natural habitats, world class botany garden, resorts, and multiple golf courses
• Tangerang - The airport, many large commercial centres and clustered homes
• Bekasi - Mostly industrial parks
• Depok - Home to the University of Indonesia

A common abbreviation to describe the megalopolitan area is Jabodetabek ( Ja karta, Bo gor, De pok, Ta ngerang, Bek asi).

Orientation [ edit ]

Finding places in Jakarta, especially smaller buildings not on the main arteries, is easier said than done. Sometimes, the same name is used for different streets in different parts of the city, and it's often difficult to find the correct street or address without the postal code/region. A sign with a street name facing you indicates the name of the street you are about to enter, not that of the cross street. Alleys off a main road are often simply notated by Roman numerals, hence a street address like "Jl. Mangga Besar VIII/21" means house number 21 on alley number 8 (VIII) off the main road of Jl. Mangga Besar.

Fortunately, there is a logic to the name of the street. Outside of the corridors of high rise offices, you basically can find out on what branch of the street you're on by looking at the name of the streets without the Roman numerals. Most often the name of the area is the same as the name of the street, especially if it also bears the phrase Jalan Raya or avenues. Knowing this almost takes you there, but gated clusters of houses have their own main roads that do not follow the convention, even though they are branches of a specific street. In that case, knowing the name of the housing cluster would be the best option in addition to the above rules. Conveniently, most navigation apps such as Google Maps or Waze are useful for finding addresses and places throughout Jakarta due to regular updates from users.

If you don't want to waste time, ask for the description or name of nearby landmarks or buildings, billboards, color of the building or fence, or the postal code. If you still cannot find the address, start asking people on the street, especially ojek (motorcycle taxi drivers).

Understand [ edit ]

Jakarta's nickname among expats is the Big Durian , and like the fruit itself, it's a shock at first sight (and smell): a sweltering, steaming, heaving mass of some 30 million people packed into a vast urban sprawl. The metropolitan area is a magnet for Indonesians, both as a business and a government centre, and the most developed city in the country. But all of this comes at a cost: the city has been struggling very hard to keep up with the urban growth. Major roads are packed up during rush hours and weekends, sometimes all day during rainy season due to motorcyclists sheltering under the fly-over or the tunnel when it's raining heavily, thus causing additional congestion, while the growth of the public transportation system has been unable to keep up.

All that said, while initially a bit overwhelming, if you can withstand the pollution and can afford to indulge in Jakarta's charms, you can discover what is also one of Asia's most exciting, most lively global cities. There is plenty to do in Jakarta, from green parks and historical centres, to cosmopolitan shopping, diverse gourmet choices, and some of the hippest nightlife in Southeast Asia!

History [ edit ]

The port of -6.117944 106.808801 1 Sunda Kelapa dates to the 12th century, when it served the Sundanese kingdom of Pajajaran near present-day Bogor . The first Europeans to arrive were the Portuguese, who were given permission by the Hindu Kingdom of Pakuan Pajajaran to erect a godown (warehouse) in 1522. Control was still firmly in local hands, and in 1527 the city was conquered by Prince Fatahillah , a Muslim prince from Cirebon , who changed the name to Jayakarta .

By the early 17th century, however, the Dutch had pretty much taken over the port city, and the razing of a competing English fort in 1619 secured their hold on the island. Under the name Batavia , the new Dutch town became the capital of the Dutch East Indies and was known as the Queen of the East .

However, the Dutch made the mistake of attempting to replicate Holland by digging canals throughout the malarial swamps in the area, resulting in shockingly high death rates and earning the town the epithet White Man's Graveyard . In the early 1800s most canals were filled in, the town was shifted 4 km inland and the Pearl of the Orient flourished once again.

In 1740, Chinese slaves rebelled against the Dutch. The rebellion was put down harshly with the massacre of thousands of Chinese slaves. The survivors were exiled to Sri Lanka .

In 1795, the Netherlands were invaded and occupied by France, and on March 17, 1798, the Batavian Republic , a satellite state of France, took over the VOC's debts and assets. But on August 26, 1811, a British expedition led by Lord Minto defeated the French/Dutch troops in Jakarta, leading to a brief liberation and subsequent administration of Indonesia by the British (led by Sir Stamford Raffles of Singapore fame) in 1811-1816. In 1815, after the Congress of Vienna, Indonesia was handed over from the British to the Dutch government.

The name Jakarta was adopted as a short form of Jayakarta when the city was conquered by the Japanese in 1942. After the war, the Indonesian war of independence followed, with the capital briefly shifted to Yogyakarta after the Dutch attacked. The war lasted until 1949, four years after Indonesian Independence, when the Dutch accepted the independence and handed back the town, which became Indonesia's capital again.

Since independence, Jakarta's population has skyrocketed, thanks to migrants coming to the city from across the Indonesian archipelago. The entire Jabodetabek (Jakarta- Bogor - Depok - Tangerang - Bekasi ) metropolitan region is estimated to have a population of about 30 million.

Climate [ edit ]

Jakarta, like the rest of Indonesia, is under the tropical climate classification. It has two distinct seasons, rainy and dry. It is hot and usually humid with little fluctuation in temperature throughout the year. The average temperature is about 28°C (82°F), hot compared to other cities across Indonesia, especially because of the absence of trees in many areas.

November to March is the peak of the rainy season, and floods and traffic chaos on many of the streets usually occur. At its worst, floods can result in standstill on the prone spots and takes a few days to subside; canal-widening and cleanings have mitigated the effect substantially and for most major roads, a couple hours is all it takes for the standing water to be wiped out. Even in rainy seasons, the sun usually appears for hours each day. During the transition from rainy to dry season or vice versa (April-May & September-October), there is occasional rain. Sometimes it pours; other times it's not a washout. The good thing is that it cools down the air after a sweltering hot day. The rain is almost always absent from June through August.

Tourism information [ edit ]

• -6.1864 106.82137 1 "Enjoy Jakarta" Tourism Information Centre , Jakarta Theater Building, Jl. MH. Thamrin No. 9 , ☏ +62 21 314 2067 . ( updated Nov 2016 )
• "Enjoy Jakarta" Tourism Information Service , Terminal 2D Arrival, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport , ☏ +62 21 550 7088 . ( updated Nov 2016 )

Talk [ edit ]

As the capital of Indonesia, it is unsurprising that nearly all residents of Jakarta are able to speak Indonesian . However, Jakarta also has its own local language that is known as Betawi , which has a Malay base but incorporates many loan words from Arabic , Portuguese , Dutch and Hokkien .

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

Jakarta ( JKT  IATA ) has two airports with scheduled flights:

-6.1252 106.6597 2 Soekarno-Hatta International Airport ( CGK  IATA ) is 20 km northwest of the city in the neighboring city of Tangerang , and handles most commercial flights. This airport, along with transportation options to and from the airport, is covered in a separate article . An express train runs every half hour to Sudirman station right at downtown in one hour for Rp70,000. The state-owned DAMRI buses take you to various major transportation hubs (trains & other buses) routinely, while the JAConnexion buses serves a number of hotels and shopping malls within the metro area for up to Rp50,000. Many hotels are generous enough to offer shuttles from the airport. There is a dedicated tollway that takes you to the city, which should take 45 to 90 minutes. Avoid taking conventional or online taxi in rush hour as it may charge you more than Rp300.000.

-6.2653 106.8856 3 Halim Perdanakusuma Airport ( HLP  IATA ) is smaller and much closer to the city (in East Jakarta ), is served by a range of domestic scheduled flights, in addition to its use by the military, VIP flights, charter flights, helicopter leasing companies, and private jets. DAMRI also operates bus services to Rawamangun Bus Terminal; to Pulogebang, Gambir Station, and Bekasi ; and to Depok , Bogor 's Botany Square, and Soekarno Hatta Airport. There are also taxi services operating here, but avoid taking them inside the airport area.

Previously, flying into Bandung (130 km away) was occasionally a reasonable alternative, but the relocation of Bandung's airport to distant Kertajati in 2023 makes this quite impractical now.

By train [ edit ]

Jakarta is well-served by trains from all over Java. National operator Kereta Api [dead link] runs multiple daily trains from other cities such as Bandung , Surabaya and Yogyakarta . A newly-built high-speed train called Whoosh serves Jakarta and Bandung, which runs every hour and takes 35-40 minutes. Commuter trains connects with outlying suburbs and cities in Greater Jakarta such as Bekasi , Depok , Tangerang as well as some more remote cities such as Bogor and Rangkasbitung .

There are several major railway stations in Jakarta, with Gambir and Pasar Senen being the main stations for long-distance passenger service. Both are located in Central Jakarta and are well connected with public transport including the TransJakarta system. The historic Jakarta Kota terminus station in heart of old colonial Batavia is now mainly served by local and regional trains. High-speed trains terminate at Halim in East Jakarta from where it's possible to continue by Jabodebek LRT trains to the city centre.

Notice that commuter trains generally don't call at neither Gambir nor Pasar Senen. If travelling from Eastern Java it might be better to get off at Jatinegara in East Jakarta and change to a commuter train to Jakarta Kota railway station.

By bus [ edit ]

When buying tickets for buses out of Jakarta, you're better off buying them at each bus company's booth . Do not buy from anywhere outside the booth as the prices are more expensive and the bus they will take you to is questionable. Jakarta has many bus terminals, but not all of them have inter-city services. Look for the sign AKAP (Antar Kota Antar Provinsi or Inter-city and Inter-Province).

Fortunately these terminals are easy to reach. City bus services, as well as airport shuttles, start and end at bus terminals, and busway services stop there too. Even though the listing says the destination the terminal mainly serves, some services may be available to other parts of Java .

If you are arriving from Sumatra or taking DAMRI buses from the Soekarno-Hatta airport, you will most likely arrive at one of these two terminals:

Besides above if you are taking DAMRI buses from the Soekarno-Hatta airport, you can arrive at terminals:

• Tanjung Priok Bus Terminal and then can use TransJakarta Corridor 10 or 12
• Kampung Rambutan Bus Terminal and then can use TransJakarta Corridor 7
• Lebak Bulus Bus Terminal and then can use TransJakarta Corridor 8

By minibus [ edit ]

Minibus service (vans for about 8-10 passengers, in Indonesia indicated as " travel" ) has taken over the short-distance intercity coach services. Most minibus companies such as CitiTrans , and XTrans will take you to Jakarta from Bandung or to Soekarno-Hatta Airport. One-way fares from Bandung are typically Rp150,000 to Soekarno-Hatta Airport. The buses will most often not drop you at hotels or bus terminals, but at their own offices or drop-off locations instead. You still can bargain the driver to drop at your desired place with additional price.

By boat [ edit ]

The national ferry companies, ASDP Indonesia Ferry and Pelni , operate passenger services from a large number of destinations across the Indonesian archipelago. The main ferry terminal is -6.1041 106.8818 15 Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta . Smaller speedboats, particularly to and from the Thousand Islands ( Pulau Seribu ), depart from Ancol and Muara Angke , also on Jakarta's north shore.

There are no international passenger ferries but Pelni operates a weekly service from Batam , a 45-minute ferry ride across the strait from Singapore .

By car [ edit ]

While travelling by car may not be a good idea, it remains perhaps the most convenient way to enter Jakarta. Congestion can extend well past rush hours and a hesitation at any ring road tollway in Jakarta can have a domino effect on other tolls. There are four tollways that terminate in Jakarta:

• Jakarta-Merak cuts through Tangerang and leads to the western edge of Java, the Merak port for connections to Sumatra Island.
• Jagorawi tollway goes south to Bogor and the Puncak holiday resorts.
• Jakarta-Cikampek goes east via Bekasi and Karawang and continues to Bandung or all the way towards Central Java .
• The short Jakarta-Serpong toll road connects Jakarta to South Tangerang .

An odd-even license plate scheme is in effect for the first three tollways inbound towards Jakarta on weekdays 06:00-10:00, but is enforced only at selected on-ramps. Under the system, only odd-numbered plates may enter the road on odd dates, and even-numbered plates on even dates. Only an electronic payment card is accepted.

Get around [ edit ]

Getting around Jakarta is, more often than not, problematic. The city layout is bewildering with horrendous traffic jams ( macet "MAH-chet"), slowing the city to a crawl during rush hour, and the ever-expanding public transportation is still inadequate enough to relieve the congestion. To make things worse, the traffic jams are worse during the rainy season despite no real flooding, mainly due to motorcyclists sheltering under tunnels.

Various areas of the city have different levels of chaotic traffic. But while the better-organised traffic is mainly in the business districts (MH Thamrin, Jendral Sudirman, and H.R. Rasuna Said), they remain one of the most congested spots in Jakarta! It can even go beyond business hours because of the area's mixed-use as both office and commercial space, as well as the domino effect from other streets' stop-and-go traffic.

By metro/light rail [ edit ]

Jakarta's modern metro/light rail network is quite limited and is confusingly operated by three separate companies. Still, it's a start, and if the train does happen to go your way it will be much faster than battling traffic.

Jakarta MRT connects Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta with Bundaran HI in Central Jakarta . It follows the main business street of MH Thamrin, continuing south along the mixed-use areas of South Jakarta before ending near the southern city limits in Lebak Bulus. It primarily links a number of business centres in the city, as well as being pedestrian-accessible to several malls. It's less convenient to access other parts of the city, and passes through few tourist attractions. A northern extension to Kota is under construction and may open around 2027.

Fares are distance-based, ranging from Rp3,000 to Rp14,000.

There are three ways to pay:

• Single Trip Ticket , with a Rp10,000 deposit that can be refunded at the end of the ride.
• Electronic money or bank-issued prepaid card , such as Bank Mandiri's e-money, BCA's Flazz, BNI's tap-cash, BRI's BRIZZI, or Bank DKI's JakCard. The cards can also be used for purchases at major retailers, convenience stores, toll roads, parking and other public transportation such as the light rail, commuter train, or busway. The cards are obtainable at the respective banks, minimarts such as Alfamart and Indomaret, and Transjakarta stations. The cards cost Rp40,000, all of which is credited toward purchases. The cards are non-refundable and can be topped up at convenience stores and the ATMs of the respective banks.
• Kartu Multi Trip , prepaid card issued by KAI Commuter (See: Commuter Train ).

Ensure you tap in at your origin station and tap out at your destination station to calculate the correct fare.

Trains run between 05:00 and midnight. Trains operate every 5 minutes during rush hour (07:00-09:00 and 17:00–19:00), and every 10 minutes during the rest of the day.

Unlike the more utilitarian and dated design of the city's other transportation services, the MRT contains modern, spacious stations designed for heavier use. North of Senayan, stations are underground and can be accessed through descending passageways on the pedestrian path. Southern stations are elevated and can't be missed. Some of the entrances have upwards escalators, but each station has at least one wheelchair-accessible elevator. Convenience stores and snacks are available outside the paid area of stations, but eating and drinking is forbidden on the platforms or within the train.

Jabodebek LRT connects Dukuh Atas (interchange with MRT) with Jakarta's southern and eastern suburbs. There are two lines, which begin their run together, but split at Cawang:

• The Bekasi (green) line heads east through Halim (interchange with HSR) to Jati Mulya in Bekasi .
• The Cibubur (blue) line heads south through Taman Mini Indonesia Indah to Kg Rambutan and Cibubur.

Jakarta LRT connects nowhere to nowhere in northeastern Pulo Gading, not connected to any other lines. A southern extension to Manggarai is planned and may open around 2026.

By commuter train [ edit ]

KAI Commuter (colloquially known as the Commuter Line ) connects the city centre with the suburbs and satellite cities, namely Tangerang , Bekasi , Depok , Bogor , South Tangerang , and Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta . It's worth trying as it is much faster than most motor vehicles on the road, but the late arrival of trains (usually by 10 to 15 minutes) might be bothersome. The trains can get very crowded, especially during rush hours. Major stations are adjacent to TransJakarta stations, though you often have to walk or use a feeder bus service to transfer.

Fares are distance-based, Rp3,000 for the first 25 km and Rp1,000 for every 10 km thereafter.

There are two ways to pay:

• Kartu Multi Trip , prepaid card issued by KAI Commuter. The card can be purchased and topped up at ticket counters and some ticket vending machines. The card costs Rp30,000, including an initial balance of Rp10,000. The card can also be used to ride other public transportation such as the metro, light rail or busway.
• Electronic money or bank-issued prepaid card , such as Bank Mandiri's e-money, BCA's Flazz, BNI's tap-cash, BRI's BRIZZI, or Bank DKI's JakCard. The cards can also be used for purchases at major retailers, convenience stores, toll roads, parking and other public transportation such as the metro, light rail or busway. The cards are obtainable at the respective banks, minimarts such as Alfamart and Indomaret, and Transjakarta stations. The cards cost Rp40,000, all of which is credited toward purchases. The cards are non-refundable and can be topped up at convenience stores and the ATMs of the respective banks.

Ensure you tap in at your origin station and tap out at your destination station to calculate the correct fare. Transferring between lines is free, but be careful not to exit the network until your journey is completed. If your balance is not high enough to tap out, you can pay the remaining balance at the fare-adjustment vending machine. You will be charged the highest fare for not tapping out and Rp50,000 for losing your card.

Trains run between 04:30 and midnight. Trains operate every 15-30 minutes, depending on the line. It usually takes 20 minutes to get from one end of the city to the other, and another 30 minutes to the suburban terminus. Trains do not stop at Gambir and Pasar Senen stations, the starting stations for long-distance trains in Jakarta; transfer at Jatinegara station in the east instead.

By busway [ edit ]

TransJakarta is a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network that runs on fully dedicated lanes. There are 13 mainlines in operation, in addition to a number of feeder routes that operate between them. Passengers use dedicated stations usually found in the middle of large thoroughfares connected to both sides by overhead bridges. The network is remarkably user-friendly by Jakarta standards, with comfortable amenities at stations and announcements inside the purpose-built vehicles. The buses can get very crowded, especially during rush hours.

Fares cost Rp2,000 from 05:00 to 07:00 and Rp3,500 all other times, regardless of distance.

• Electronic money or bank-issued prepaid card , such as Bank Mandiri's e-money, BCA's Flazz, BNI's tap-cash, BRI's BRIZZI, or Bank DKI's JakCard. The cards can also be used for purchases at major retailers, convenience stores, toll roads, parking and other public transportation such as the metro, light rail or commuter train. The cards are obtainable at the respective banks, minimarts such as Alfamart and Indomaret, and Transjakarta stations. The cards cost Rp40,000, all of which is credited toward purchases. The cards are non-refundable and can be topped up at convenience stores and the ATMs of the respective banks.

There are no single trip tickets, however you may be able to offer a helpful local Rp5,000 to tap you in using their card. Transferring between lines is free, but be careful not to exit the network until your journey is completed. The buses have separate seating for women at the front, an attendant who stands by the door announcing stops and providing security, and CCTV. There are priority seats for the elderly, disabled, and expectant mothers, but the wide gap between the platforms and buses can be a hindrance. Grab onto a handle as soon as you enter the bus, as they move away from the stop suddenly and quickly.

Mainline services run between 05:00 and 23:00, extending to 24:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, with few buses outside these hours.

Transjakarta Pengumpan is a feeder bus service between selected mainline stations and train stations or neighborhoods where the mainline does not run. Wait for them under the blue sign of the same name. If you transfer from the mainline stations, you do not need to pay for the transfer, otherwise pay by cash, electronic money or bank-issued prepaid card.

TransJakarta Cares is a complimentary bus service for disabled people to reach the nearest TransJakarta station, they can be requested by calling 1500 102.

By Mikrotrans [ edit ]

Mikrotrans is a free-charge minibus serving numerous main roads in Jakarta with fixed stops. An electronic money card is required to take this public transport such as Brizzi, E-money, Flazz, JakCard, JakLingko, or TapCash. You may use Moovit to trace the stops. Make sure a code in front of the vans with the prefix JAK e.g. JAK-01, JAK-02, and so on, depending on the routes, so you don't go wrong taking an older minibus with cash payments.

By tour bus [ edit ]

Jakarta may be one of the few cities in the world whose government provides tour buses. Dubbed the City Tour Jakarta , the buses are double-decker and you can ride them for free! There are 4 loop routes that are sorted by the genre of the places of interest: Historical, Modern, Art & Culinary and the Jakarta skyscrapers. The first two routes run Monday-Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00 and Sunday from 12:00 to 20:00, while the latter only operates Saturdays 17:00-23:00.

By public bus [ edit ]

A multitude of bus companies prowl the streets of Jakarta. However, buses do not run on schedule or even have one. Most maps bought outside Indonesia do not show bus routes, so Google Maps would be the best method to figure out what bus you should take. Most bus stops also post what route numbers and destinations stop there, but they do not always stop there ! They make for a good adventure if you're not in a rush and don't mind being the centre of attention.

These are the bus companies, ranked from best to worst:

• Transjabodetabek feeds between the Transjakarta stops and the outskirts of town. Look for the routes that has a letter preceding the line number. In case of no shelter, wait under the blue bus sign.
• Kopaja AC (not to be confused with Kopaja non-AC) has introduced a similar service on selected routes. Some of the lines are reachable from the Transjakarta bus stops. Look for the metallic grey and green colour bus. These buses offer Wi-Fi connectivity.
• Most Mayasari Bakti buses have an air conditioner, but a few routes do not. Air conditioned buses bear the letters AC on the bus number. These buses usually have a light & dark blue body, but some are green and orange. Inquire if in doubt.
• PPD also has a combination of an air conditioned and non-air conditioned fleet. They have fewer buses and noticeably a lower tier of service than Mayasari Bakti. Look for the white & black strip, with the Monas icon; the buses may be branded as "PATAS", which means express.
• Avoid using MetroMini (orange & blue), Kopami (blue & yellow) and non-air conditioned Kopaja (white & green) at all costs as the buses are filthy, do not offer air conditioning and are driven recklessly.

Bus fares are generally less than Rp10,000 with a flat rate system. You usually pay in a box beside the driver but a kenek may reach out to you so you can pay him.

Cheaper still are mikrolet (mini-buses) and angkot (small vans) that ply the smaller streets and whose fares vary from Rp4,000 for the first 2 km to Rp10,000. You pay the fare directly to the driver when you get off.

You may want to have a couple of spare Rp500 coins before boarding the bus since there is on-board "entertainment" and other distractions. On a typical day, you may find street musicians singing unplugged versions of Indonesian and Western pop songs and asking for donations at the end of the performance, and street vendors, one after another, trying to sell almost everything, from ballpoint pens and candies to boxed doughnuts and health goods.

Avoid sitting or standing in the back of the bus, as this is where muggers find their prey. Always keep an eye on your belongings and be alert at all times for pickpockets and do not wear any valuable. The best seat is in the front, next to the driver.

Buses do not run according to any schedule or timetable. Sometimes a bus may take a while to come, other times two buses of the same route may come together and the drivers will steer aggressively to get more passengers. They do not stop at any particular bus stop, but anywhere they like. If you want to get off, simply say "kiri" (to the left) to the "kondektur" or just knock on the ceiling of the bus three times (be sure that the driver hears your thumping, best to use a coin), and the bus driver will find a place to drop you. An additional tip to alight from these buses is to use your left foot first to maintain balance and try to get down as quickly as possible and move the body in line with bus direction, as they do not fully stop the bus.

Also, seats in these buses are built for Indonesians, who are typically shorter and more slender and agile than people with a larger build such as Europeans and Africans. Non-Indonesians might find the seats in these buses confining and uncomfortable. TransJabodetabek, APTB and BKTB are not so crowded and the seats are more comfortable for non-Indonesians.

While most bus routes are from one bus terminal to another, not all of them have connections to long-distance bus services (see Get In section).

Travelling by car, while it just adds up to the congestion itself, remains the most convenient way to travel around the city, especially because of its lacking public transportation.

Rental cars are available, but unless you are familiar with local driving practices or lack thereof, take reputable taxis. Foreigners are recommended not to rent cars and drive on their own, as the chaotic traffic can give you a headache; renting with a driver is more than advisable. That being said, safety and road rules are enforced much more rigorously than in other parts of the country—obey the traffic laws and do not be tempted to disobey like many of the locals do, even when it seems convenient. Police regularly patrol the major roadways, and many rules are poorly marked, such as which lanes exactly are reserved for the TransJakarta service.

Two toll roads circle the city: the Lingkar Dalam ("inner ring road", bisecting the downtown core) and Lingkar Luar ( JORR , Jakarta Outer Ring Road, encircling the outskirts). Using these toll roads is faster when the traffic is good, but are very often jammed themselves, particularly during rush hours. They generally only accept payment using prepaid bank cards.

Outside of the toll roads, road quality differs heavily between the wide downtown avenues and thin alleyways in the residential districts. Road types may be poorly marked in maps. Flooding is common in certain areas during the rainy season, with even large roads being completely inaccessible.

Finding parking places in residential areas can be difficult due to the narrow roads. Paid parking is easy to find in shopping malls, offices and the like for a shockingly cheap rate: Rp4,000-6,000 per hour. Street parking often requires payment of up to Rp3,000-5,000 to an illegal parking 'attendant' for one hour. For 41 areas with street electronic parking posts, the fee is Rp5,000 per hour paid by 7 certain debit cards, and don't pay anything to a formal attendant (monitoring by CCTV) such as you would in Sabang and Kelapa Gading Boulevards. If you park on a street, do so only at the designated areas and in a way that does not block the traffic. Otherwise, your car will be towed and ticketed, in which case you will need some paperwork to get it back!

An odd-even traffic control system is enforced along select main streets Mondays to Fridays from 06:00-10:00 and 16:00-21:00, except public holiday. Under the system, only vehicles with odd license plate numbers are permitted to travel on odd-numbered calendar dates, and even-numbered license plates on even-numbered dates. The fine for violations is Rp500,000, but taxis and public transportation (vehicles with yellow-black plate number) are exempt. Look for the sign above the road that indicates if the rule is enforced at the adjacent street; generally speaking they are valid on roads along the Inner Ring Road south of the Merak toll interchange and along the eastern side, Rasuna Said, and the Sudirman-Thamrin-Medan Merdeka Barat corridor. Starting on September 9, 2019 there are additional 16 new routes of the system. It can be read at: http://www.beritajakarta.id/en/read/31342/city-expands-odd-even-system-in-16-routes#.XXU9R3E3GM8

If you wish to rent a car, consider these companies:

• RentalMobil.com , SCBD Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 52 - 53 , ☏ +62 21 29608390 .  
• TRAC Astra Rent A Car , ☏ +62 21 500 009 .  
• Golden Bird ( A subsidiary service of Blue Bird Group ), ☏ +62 21 794 4444 . ( updated Dec 2017 )

By taxi [ edit ]

Most visitors opt to travel by taxi, which is very cheap by Western standards, abundant and occasionally fast. There is a multitude of taxi companies of varying degrees of dependability.

• Blue Bird Group , ☏ +62 21 7917 1234 , +62 21 794 1234 . The Blue Bird, including the Pusaka & Morante taxis as well as the premium brands Silver Bird and Golden Bird, are well known for their reliability, efficient telephone order service, and orderly meter usage. A special ride for the physically impaired can also be requested. The Silver Bird executive taxi charges a premium rate for a larger car. In addition, Blue Bird Taxi has launched taxis using a low roof MPV which can accommodate up to 7 persons. The fare is the same as for a regular taxi, but if you want one, order it specifically when you call for a taxi.  

The popularity of online taxis (GrabCar and GoCar), due to cheaper fares, safer and more polite drivers, means that nowadays it can be more difficult or time-consuming to get conventional/regular taxis; out of 32 taxi companies that used to operating in Jakarta, there are only 4 now. Besides Blue Bird, these are the remaining companies:

• Express , ☏ +62 21 500 122 . This is typically the second-best option, if Blue Bird taxis are not visible, but hail this taxi if your main concern is price. No minimum payment for hailing in the street, the minimum payment of Rp40,000 is only for ordering by phone.  
• Gamya , ☏ +62 21 8779 5555 , +62 21 840 3838 .  
• Taxiku , ☏ +62 21 4786 2121 .  

You can generally determine a good cabbie by asking " Pakai argo? " ("meter?") - if they say no or "tidak", get another taxi. Taxis parked near train/bus stations, tourist attractions, and hotels often refuse to use the meter and quote silly prices (especially to foreigners) - in this case, it's a good idea to walk away a bit, then hail a passing taxi from the above companies.

Tipping is not necessary, but rounding the meter up to the nearest Rp5,000 is expected, although rounding the meter up to the nearest Rp1,000 is also OK. So prepare some change if you want, or else you may be rounded up to the nearest Rp5,000.

If the taxi takes a toll road, the added cost is not reflected on the meter. The driver will tap their contactless card to the toll booth, receive a receipt, and you can see the cost shown on a large display next to the payment machine. Drivers may run out of their card's credits and require a short stop at a convenience store to top up; this is normal. At the end of the trip, your driver will sum up the meter price with any toll receipts, and you can always pay in cash, while some taxis accept cards. A taxi receipt is available on request and is not standard.

Blue Bird, Gojek and Grab apps can be downloaded for free to help you order taxis via smartphone. Fill in the departure and arrival points and Google Maps will show the map with the taxis and also the estimated cost displayed in a range. Blue Bird Taxi has the same fare regardless of whether you hire them online or by phone (with minimum payment applied). GoCar and GrabCar have prices fixed in advance, regardless of any traffic jams. Choose the taxi that will be used and the taxi will usually come in five minutes. Only qualified taxis and qualified drivers can join the apps, so this is one of the safest ways to get a taxi. Taxis have been abundant since online ride-hailing started operating in Jakarta. Online taxis rate is only about two-thirds that of a conventional taxi, or at most the same as a conventional one during peak hours. Since the price is preset, drivers have no incentive to take an unnecessarily roundabout route, which used to be common with conventional taxis.

By bajaj [ edit ]

The Jakartan equivalent to Thailand 's tuk-tuk is the bajaj (pronounced "bahdge-eye"), orange mutant scooters souped up in India into little three-wheeled vehicles that carry passengers in a small cabin at the back. Besides the usual orange bajaj, there is blue bajaj, which use gas as fuel.

They're a popular way to get around town since they can weave through Jakarta's interminable traffic jams much like motorbikes can. Although slow, boneshaking (they have no suspension), hot and windy (locals joke about the "natural A/C"), and a great way to breathe in more exhaust fumes than you ever thought possible (maybe less if you ride the blue bajaj), riding around in these little motor-bugs can really grow on you. Blue gas-fueled bajaj are quieter than the orange 2-cycle bajaj.

There are no set prices, but a short hop of a few city blocks shouldn't cost much more than Rp5,000. Be sure to agree to (read: haggle ) a price before you set off. Bajaj drivers are happy to overcharge visitors, and often ask double or even more than what you would pay by a meter in a more comfortable Blue Bird taxi. Locals who regularly use the bajaj know what a typical fare should be and are happy to tell you. Also, since bajaj aren't allowed on some of the larger roads in Jakarta, your route may well take you through the bewildering warren of backstreets. Try to keep an eye on what direction you're going, because some unscrupulous bajaj drivers see nothing wrong with taking the "scenic" route and then charging you double or triple the price.

There are also Grab Bajaj that use the Grab application. The tariff is Rp 3,000 per kilometre and minimum payment Rp 9,000. It is intermediate between GrabBike and GrabCar due to Bajaj can accommodate 2 passengers and baggage.

This variant of bajaj has 4 wheels instead of 3. Qute are much quieter than bemo and have air conditioning. These 'new bemo' operate throughout Central Jakarta towards North Jakarta via Mangga Dua to Ancol. The price is quite the same as for ordinary bajaj (about Rp5,000 for a short hop). Make sure to haggle a price before you ride the vehicle.

By ojek [ edit ]

If you're poking around narrow back streets, or in such a hurry that you're willing to lose a limb or more to get there, then Jakarta's motorcycle taxis ( ojek ) might be the ticket for you. Jakarta's ojek services consist of guys with bikes lounging around street corners, who usually shuttle short distances down alleys and roads but will also do longer trips for a price. Agree on the fare before you set off. Insist on a helmet and wear it properly—no need to make it more insanely dangerous than it already is. The ojek drivers will insist you're safe with them and that they'll drive carefully—some are telling the truth, some lying. Before you choose a driver, pay attention to their motorcycle's appearance and their helmet; sometimes it shows their character. Locals normally pay Rp5,000 for a short ride (one kilometre) and Rp7,000-10,000 for a longer (roughly more than a kilometre or a 15-minute walk). Foreigners are likely to be asked for more, but generally, ojek drivers will accept the proper fare if you insist on it, unless they see you really need their service.

On-demand (online) ojek services such as Go-Jek [dead link] and Grab are ubiquitous can be booked through their respective smartphone apps and offer generally cheaper fares which are stated in advance, although for Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi area are more expensive than other area Rp 2,250 to Rp 2,650 per kilometer with minimum payment Rp 9,000 to Rp 10,500. Payments can be made by cash or stored value (akin to prepaid mobile phone service). You may chat or call the driver for help with finding each other, although some knowledge of Indonesian would be helpful. Go-Jek as a pioneer has more widespread availability; those who travel here alongside other Southeast Asian countries may find it useful to keep using Grab. The other more expensive on-demand ojek service is Lady Jek with female drivers. Unlike conventional ojeks, which typically only operate dawn to dusk, they are available at all times and relatively safe for both passengers and drivers as they are monitored by GPS. While it seems cheap, those who travel in groups of at least three may be better off taking a taxi for convenience and the unnoticeable difference in fares.

The aforementioned brands also offer taxi service that are either private cars akin to Uber elsewhere in the world or with taxi companies so that you can hail them from the same app. Other services include food or groceries delivery and shipping between residents or from online businesses.

By helicopter [ edit ]

If you're rich and want to beat the traffic, helicopter transfers are available. They can be chartered as well for excursions outside Jakarta.

• Transwisata , Halim Perdanakusuma Airport Terminal Building, Ground Floor , ☏ +62 21 80889628 , [email protected] . ( updated Sep 2017 )
• Whitesky Aviation , ☏ +62 21 80890066 , [email protected] . ( updated Sep 2017 )

By bicycle [ edit ]

Cycling provisions are almost non-existent in Jakarta, but the first signs of a cycling culture are emerging. Every Sunday from 06:00-11:00 during the Car Free Day (CFD) in Jalan Sudirman and Thamrin (and every month in other places in each city in Jakarta) are emptied of motorised vehicles, except TransJakarta. The atmosphere can be festive, as events are held in some places (especially in Hotel Indonesia Roundabout). As of 2019, 63 km of new bicycle lanes have been opened, besides previous bicycle lanes at Blok M and Kanal Banjir Timur. The Pemuda Pramuka is the most used bicycle lane, mainly to commute between work and home. New rules mention that bicycle lanes can be used by bicycle, electric bicycle, otopet, electric scooter, hoverboard and unicycle. Whoever violates the rule will be penalised up to Rp500,000.

Beyond that, there are dedicated mountain biking paths in Cihuni and along the Jalur Gas Pipa, both in Tangerang . Or you could head to Salak Mountain or other parts of the region beyond Bogor .

By eScooter [ edit ]

Grab (the online transport service provider stated in the 'Ojek' section) offers eScooter services with the 'GrabWheels' brand and a fare of Rp 5,000 per 30 minutes (Nov 2019). There are hundreds of parking lots for GrabWheels in Jakarta, mainly in the Sudirman Street area, so one can depart from a GrabWheels parking lot and deposit their eScooter in another. Despite the service's relative newness, many people rent it.

However, after a car accident involving GrabWheels, in which 2 persons were killed and 4 others were injured, regulations were enacted: eScooters can be used only at bicycle lanes (no usage allowed along pavements, regular streets, or pedestrian overhead bridges).

On foot [ edit ]

Jakarta is hot and humid year-round, discouraging pedestrians, while what sidewalk is left is often quickly occupied by pushcart vendors. Crosswalks are not always available, and not always respected even when present. Many locals will simply walk across a busy street, holding up a palm to request vehicles slow down for them.

Even then, walking can sometimes be faster than using a vehicle, especially when the maze of streets results in a winding, roundabout, and congested route.

Jakarta is rapidly revamping its pedestrian facilities on its main roads, with clean and accessible wide sidewalks already in place along the Sudirman-Thamrin corridor and adjacent districts, with continuous construction work outwards. The paths remain hot and are very quiet during the day, but are more pleasant and busy during the afternoons. Still expect to clamber around mismatched concrete blocks and step on asphalt in the residential areas of the city.

A few other neighbourhoods can be explored on foot:

• Kota Tua ( West Jakarta ): a pedestrian-friendly square, a walk in this area explores the sights of Dutch colonial charm that was once central to the colonial administration.
• Pasar Baru ( Central Jakarta ): a pedestrian-friendly market that has been in existence since the colonial era.
• Rasuna Said, Kuningan District (South Jakarta): another business district along Jl. HR Rasuna Said with many embassies and office buildings.
• Monas and Kebon Sirih area (Central Jakarta): the city square is a pedestrian-friendly zone, and the surrounding area has several attractions such as the presidential palace and old colonial churches.
• Kanal Banjir Timur (Jakarta Timur), a nice river view in the morning with special bicycle and walking/running lane.
• Jatinegara (Jakarta Timur), full of vintage stalls, building, train station, and river view of Ciliwung.
• Kemang (Jakarta Selatan), full of coffee stalls, restaurants and bars. The best place to walk at night.
• Cikini (Jakarta Pusat), for coffee stalls, art spaces, and performances.

On Car-Free Day (CFD), every Sunday from 06:00 to 11:00 in the morning, the Sudirman-Thamrin thoroughfares are closed to motor vehicles, except for the Transjakarta buses. Locals crowd the streets to walk, jog, bike, enjoy performance arts and generally have some fun on the streets. While crowded, this is a good time to get in touch with the locals and see a different side of the city.

See [ edit ]

The heart of tourist attractions is to the north and centre of Jakarta. Visitors typically start exploring Jakarta from this part of the town, called the Kota Tua , where the old buildings of Jakarta are preserved within a dedicated walking area. Jakarta has 47 museums, which are spread across the city.

The Jakarta History Museum , formerly a city hall ( Stadhuis ), covers Jakarta's history from 400 AD to the present day, with photos, replicas, and maps. Do not miss the Jagur cannon in the back yard.

The Bank Indonesia Museum tells about the economy and currency system then and now using modern technology while the Museum Bahari takes you to the old glory of Jakarta's port, and Indonesia's as a whole. If you are into arts & crafts, the Museum Wayang has a collection of different puppets (Wayang) from all across the country and the world, and the Museum Seni Rupa & Keramik allows you to admire Indonesia's art in paintings and sculptures. Museum Prasasti for historical and scripture.

A few kilometres down south, you'll find the legacy of the Dutch and the first years of the Indonesian government, such as the iconic landmark of Jakarta, the National Monument park standing right at the centre of the court, and the Presidential Palace on its north side. And where else in the world could you find the Istiqlal Mosque , Southeast Asia's biggest mosque, and a 113-year-old gothic cathedral standing mightily across from each other? On the western side of the court, the elephant statue welcomes you to the Museum Nasional , one of the better designed museums out there. Or Gallery Nasional for art and sculpture.

Statues and monuments are ubiquitous in Jakarta and many stand prominently in major points across the city. Most of these icons were erected during Soekarno's rule in 1960, and thus still represent the old glory of independence. Start your trip from the Tugu Tani statue in Menteng that has a figure of a farmer going out to war. Across the Monas Park is Arjuna Wijaya , an eight-horse carriage statue near Monas. Going south at Jalan MH Thamrin, the iconic Selamat Datang statue waves at you, with a fountain that signifies its importance as the city centre of Jakarta. Passing through that is the Jenderal Sudirman statue giving a salute, that gives the street its name. Going further until the end of the straight street, is the Pemuda Membangun or Youth Developing statue that looks like a man holding up a burning bowl. The Dirgantara statue is visible in its glory if you are using the inner tollway in South Jakarta.

Parks [ edit ]

Green spaces are often overlooked in Jakarta. While the city has nearly 1,000 public parks big and small, very few are well maintained including even the National Monument Park ( Monas ). Menteng is large and perhaps the best and Taman Suropati hosts regular violin shows. Pantai Indah Kapuk , while inundated by housing projects, still leaves a space for mangrove swamps and monkeys' habitats in the two parks there. For parks with lakes, Pluit Park is one option, and a smaller one is Pulo Mas Park . Ragunan , the official zoo of Jakarta, is the second largest zoo in the world (140 hectares), offering diverse Indonesian and international flora & fauna, including a dedicated centre that houses primates, especially the endemic orangutans. Kalijodo Park is open 24 hours a day with green and child-friendly public space and an international skate park. For community park, look for Ruang Publik Terpadu Ramah Anak (RPTRA). Although smaller, it usually offers a small library with A/C and a futsal field. The newest is Lapangan Banteng Park which is also open 24 hours and has good illumination for playing football.

However metropolitan Jakarta has 3 small forests in the city at Muara Angke, Srengseng and Tebet.

Jakarta also hosts two amusement parks. Taman Impian Jaya Ancol at the North, that is for pure fun plus a sea world aquarium, and Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Indonesia in miniature) in East Jakarta, which celebrates the culture of all 34 provinces of Indonesia, a bird park containing multiple endemic species, and multiple museums. Escape to Kepulauan Seribu to see wild birds and eagles, and island resorts not too far away from the city. The Setu Babakan down south is the centre of the indigenous Betawi culture. If you are looking for lake scene, go to Taman Waduk Pluit or Taman Waduk Ria Rio . For river scene, go to Taman Kanal Banjir Timur or RPTRA Mawar.

Do [ edit ]

Betawi culture [ edit ].

Despite being the melting pot of Indonesia, Jakarta's indigenous tribe called the Betawi still stays proud of its culture. They are actually a unique assimilation of various domestic and international races from the Chinese to the Portuguese, which makes it distinct from other parts of Indonesia. The Lenong theatre performance is accompanied by the Gambang Kromong orchestra that consists of the Sundanese Gendang , the Javanese Gamelan , and the Chinese Kongahyan (its own version of violin). The Tanjidor trumpets are an influence from the Dutch, while the Portuguese bequeathed the Keroncong orchestra. At the anniversary of the city's founding every 22 June, a distinctive piece of culture can be seen in hotels, the infamous pair of Ondel-ondel puppets. The complete experience of the culture can be found at Setu Babakan , the village of Betawi culture (and fishing at its lake).

Cinema [ edit ]

Cinemas are a more affordable escape at around Rp30,000 - 45,000 for a plush seat (Rp40,000 - 70,000 on the weekend, up to Rp150,000 if you watch in Premiere Class at XXI or Velvet Class at CGV Blitz ) in any of the capital's shopping malls. Beware of the heavy hand of the Indonesian censor though. The price of popcorn and drinks are exorbitant so you may wish to bring your own coming in. CGV Blitz cinemas will typically show movies in any foreign language other than English and the lesser ones also exhibit Indonesian B-Movies with erotic themes (still heavily censored). The largest chain of cinemas in Indonesia are the 21 Cineplex (branded as XXI in premium shopping malls) and CGV Blitz . IMAX theaters are only available at Gandaria City's XXI theatre, Mal Kelapa Gading III's theatre and Keong Mas in TMII, although the latter more often shows documentary than blockbuster films.

Performing arts festivals [ edit ]

Jakarta boasts some of the world's largest music events, which may surprise you, and the many young fans have attracted artists all around the world to regularly stop by Jakarta as part of their world tour, from rock concerts to Korean pop. Perhaps the best known event is the annual Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival that takes place each March for 3 days, filled with over 40 international and local artists performing jazz, R&B and reggae songs. The Hammersonic is an annual metal music concert, while We The Fest boasts some of the performances from indie/pop artists in August since its first inception in 2014, Road to Soundrenaline takes you to the popular local indie/major label bands showcases, before it ends up in Bali for the main event with some of international artists performing there and the Djakarta Warehouse Project hosts world famous DJs to jam the start of the year-end holiday. For a street performance, the Sudirman-Thamrin strip is closed at night on 22 June and New Year's Eve , when stages for musical performances are erected and cultural parades set up to usher in Jakarta's founding anniversary and the New Year, respectively.

For some traditional and classical stuff, there are performances at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta , by indie, jazz, dance, and classical music orchestras. Taman Ismail Marzuki hosts mainly theatrical shows, although English shows might be rare. Erasmus Huis Hall by the Dutch embassy also regularly hosts classical music shows and photography exhibitions.

Sport [ edit ]

The sport scene in Jakarta is perhaps one of the most vibrant you'll ever see in Asia. The Senayan sports complex still lives up to its name since the 1962 Asian Games, where archery and indoor shooting range are also publicly available to try. Soemantri-Brodjonegoro in Kuningan district also offers you many kinds of sport activities. If you like skateboarding, Kalijodo Skatepark i s the best place to meet others.

Golf [ edit ]

Jakarta is perhaps the best city to play golf in Asia, thanks to the abundance of courses close to or even in the middle of the city, and relatively cheap prices compared to Western standards. Green fees can go as low as Rp70,000 on weekdays, although the better courses are twice that, and weekend rates are considerably steeper at Rp300,000 and more. Many golf courses are at South and East within the immediate suburbs of the city, much better in quality and quantity at the satellite cities.

Football [ edit ]

Indonesia is one of the few Asian countries where European soccer teams, including from the prestigious British Premier League or the Italian League, play friendlies against the national team when the game itself is at break in Europe. The supporters between the national team and the Europeans at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium are even, yet even though for the most part Indonesia's national team post losses, clashes do not seem to occur. When the European leagues are in season, numerous cafés and bars around town put up gigantic TV screens to let the enthusiasm erupt while having a drink at dawn.

Futsal is the indoor version of football, which has 5 players per team and more lax rules of play. Anytime after work or on the weekends, you can easily find crowds at the many indoor courts across the city. Outdoors, the dirt and grass makeshift fields are abundant in residential areas, crowded with players, spectators and vendors, typically on weekend afternoons. In these casual games, anyone can simply ask to jump in.

Badminton [ edit ]

As a badminton powerhouse, Jakarta has a multitude of badminton courts, ranging from the national venues at the Senayan Complex to the suburban halls which cater to both futsal and badminton. Most of them have wood-panel flooring and are maintained in reasonably good condition. Lighting is strictly functional and is below par in comparison with standard badminton halls. People play almost every evening - so, walk in, strike up a conversation with the group's captain, and expect to blend in with their group for the session. If the captain refuses payment (usually less than Rp20,000), it is polite to buy the players a round of soft-drinks (Teh-botol is a good choice). Be warned that it is common for Indonesians to eat, smoke, drink and nap by the side of the court: so watch your step.

If you want to watch rather than to play, the Istora Senayan is packed in the middle of January for Indonesia Masters Super 500 and early June during the Indonesia Open Super 1000 (a Grand Slam equivalent in badminton), when the world's top badminton players compete. The deafening cheers are chanted even beyond when the players hit the shuttlecock, an enthusiasm unmatched elsewhere in the world. It is advised to buy tickets online (especially for the weekend matches), otherwise you may be relegated to watching it on the big screen outside the venue.

Karaoke [ edit ]

You are in one of Asia's big cities—karaoke is the norm, so sing your heart out! Most chain brands such as Inul Vizta , NAV , or DIVA can be found at the upscale shopping malls where the youngsters play. You'll have your own lavish room with a wide span of libraries containing local, English, and East Asian songs, on a wide-screen TV while you can order a drink or food to be enjoyed while you wait your turn to sing. Rates can start from as low as Rp70,000 per room for a minimum of 6 people.

Learn [ edit ]

There are a few locations for cooking classes along Jalan Kemang ( South Jakarta ) that specifically cater to expats. Most offer pastry cooking classes.

Interestingly, you can learn about cultures from around the world in Jakarta. Many embassies have set up cultural centres where you can take world culture & language classes . Check these cultural centres for information: Korean Culture Centre , Institut Francais , Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Japan Foundation , Goethe Institut .

Work [ edit ]

Casual work in Jakarta is difficult to come by and Indonesian bureaucracy does not readily facilitate foreigners undertaking employment in Indonesia. As in the rest of Asia, teaching English is the best option, although salaries are poor (US$700–3000/month is typical, although accommodation may be provided) and the government only allows citizens of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA to work as teachers. Formal work visas, residency permits and registration with several government offices is necessary. Formal approval from the Department of Manpower and the provision of documentation and guarantees from an employing sponsor is required to engage in any form of employment in Jakarta or elsewhere in Indonesia. Business visas are available for the purposes of conducting business related activities in Jakarta or elsewhere in Indonesia, this class of visa has strict conditions and requires a local business to sponsor the applicant. A business visa does not permit the holder to undertake any form of employment.

Jakarta caters to a growing class of remote workers and visitors on business trips with a large selection of coworking spaces . Mostly spread around Central and South Jakarta, day passes can be as low as Rp100,000, with hourly passes even lower. These spaces typically share buildings with offices and provide internet, drinks, and sometimes extra services like printing and meeting rooms. Some spaces are directly connected to shopping malls or public transit, making them very useful alternatives to spending hours in a cafe for work. Available desks may be limited in popular areas; call ahead to reserve a spot if necessary.

Buy [ edit ]

More than 2.5 million foreign tourists and more than 30 million domestic tourists visit Jakarta every year. It's a paradise for buying international brand-name garments (both genuine and fake).

If you're stopping in Jakarta, consider buying an extra suitcase, because there are lots of good shopping opportunities. Good used suitcases can be bought at Surabaya street and vendors also sell antiques. However, although quality can be excellent, genuine branded goods or quality products are expensive.

Every year, the Provincial Government of Jakarta holds an annual Festival Jakarta Great Sale that takes place from Mid-June to Mid-July. Most markets, shopping malls, and department stores attend it and will give discounts on selected items, although the event itself might be barely noticeable aside from some banners. Some stores also run Midnight Sales, usually in the weekend. And most of the malls are open from 10:00-20:00 every day, except on Ied Day when they're open 13:30-22:00.

Shopping malls [ edit ]

An escape from Jakarta's sweltering heat, hundreds of shopping malls serve as social hotspots and are where the city congregate on weekends to shop, buy groceries, and hang out. They range from grand top-end luxury malls to smaller trade centers and shopping complexes, with new buildings constantly under construction, so you can probably find a suitably stocked mall (or three) for what you're looking for close to you. Genuinely imported goods from official retailers are priced to international standards, but Jakarta also offers local and lesser-known designer alternatives. A vast selection of cafes and social spots are also attached to malls, so if you're planning to meet up with an Indonesian acquaintance, brunch or dinner at a mall is a popular affair.

As a convention, most Jakarta malls will have a supermarket in the basement, alongside utilities such as ATMs, office goods, barber shops, pharmacies, personal health, and budget eating options. Shopping options are on the middle floors, followed by a selection of higher-end restaurants and potentially a movie theater at the top floors. Expect each location to have one or more lobbies at which you can be dropped off, and one of these lobbies will usually include a taxi stand. If calling in your own taxi (or rideshare) be sure to specify which lobby you're waiting at. Most malls open at 10:00, though breakfast dining spaces on the ground floor may open sooner, and lunch options may only fully open at 11:00.

Some of the most well known shopping complexes are at the heart of the city. Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia are massive upper-class malls next to each other on Jakarta's busy Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, easily accessible via MRT. To the south, Plaza Senayan & Senayan City are popular chic hangouts across from each other, also accessible by MRT. Mal Taman Anggrek and Central Park to the west at Jalan Letjen S. Parman are for all rounders.

Jalan Prof.Dr.Satrio is Jakarta's answer to the famed Orchard Road in Singapore , Ginza in Tokyo and Fifth Avenue in New York. Four malls (namely ITC Mal Ambassador, Kuningan City, Ciputra World I, and a bit further off, Kota Kasablanka) and counting, catering to visitors of all budget levels. Kelapa Gading has a street with four malls on its side, and two other giant malls are located elsewhere in the region. Pluit and Pondok Indah hosts three malls located along a single strip.

Every shopping mall has at least one department store, alongside brands that have their own shops. Sogo has the most branches, followed by Metro & Centro. Galeries Lafayette can be found at Pacific Place while Seibu and Central are located at Grand Indonesia. Matahari also provides similar fashion usually for a lower price.

Markets [ edit ]

In addition to malls, there are also numerous extremely large shopping centres , most of them within a complex, so if you are unable to find what you need at one mall, you can try again at the mall next door. Mangga Dua , Tanah Abang , and Pasar Baru are the best places in Jakarta to shop for fashion. In Mangga Dua area there are at least 3 shopping centres connected by bridges: ITC is for middle and upper middle class fashion, while the lower class is served by Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua , and Mangga Dua Mall is for gadget enthuasiasts. Tanah Abang is a wholesale market and the biggest in Southeast Asia , with delivery to Africa and other parts of the world. Tanah Abang is overcrowded, so Thamrin city next to Grand Indonesia (500 m from Tanah Abang) can serve as an alternative, mainly for Muslim wear and batik. Pasar Baru is not a shopping centre, but more like a street with old retail shops; stamp collectors will be able to find Indonesian stamps at the front of many of these shops. Mangga Dua Square , as well as Glodok and Roxy, are places to find gadgets. WTC (Wholesale Trade Centre) Mangga Dua is now specialised in selling used cars, with more than 100 sold per day.

If you are looking for antique products such as local handicrafts, Indonesian traditional batik or wayang golek (Sundanese puppets), you can go to Jalan Surabaya in Central Jakarta. If you are looking for rare maps, prints or paintings, you can go to Kemang Raya, where there are many galleries including Bartele gallery and Hadi Prana. Pasaraya Grande shopping mall at Blok M, South Jakarta has one dedicated floor for Indonesian antiques and handicrafts. Pasar Seni at Ancol is the centre of paintings and sculpture, including portrait pictures you can have done on the spot. Sarinah department store also has a vast section of traditional gifts.

Shopping at traditional markets may also be an exciting experience, where you can find exotic tropical fruits, traditional snacks, cheap fashion and novelty items. While most of them are far from tourist hot spots, Pasar Gondangdia across the namesake train station and the Fresh Market Pantai Indah Kapuk are the places that still offer such experience in a modern building while easily accessible.

Cash is still the most effective payment system for all transactions. A few established shops may accept payment with debit/credit card and electronic money.

Eat [ edit ]

Jakarta has a vast range of food available at hundreds of eating complexes located all over the huge city. In addition to selections from all over the country, you can also find excellent Chinese, Japanese, Western, and many other international foods thanks to the cosmopolitan population.

If you want to go local Jakarta, the indigenous Betawi has its own dishes to offer:

• Asinan Betawi : assorted pickled vegetables, served with peanut sauce (and sometimes chili) and chips.
• Bubur ase/dingin , literally cold porridge with beef sweet soup.
• Gabus pucung , snakehead fish soup.
• Gado-gado is like ketoprak, but all of it is vegetables.
• Kerak telor , omelette cooked with glutinous rice and served with shredded coconut and a dried shrimp topping.
• Ketoprak , lontong (rice cake), tofu, bean sprout, and shrimp crackers in peanut sauce.
• Mie kangkung : noodles with water spinach in savoury thick gravy sauce.
• Nasi kebuli : a Betawi pilaf influenced by Arab culture.
• Nasi uduk , rice cooked in coconut milk similar to nasi lemak, served with choices of various toppings, such as fried chicken, beef, fried shallots, and sambal (chili sauce).
• Nasi ulam , rice cooked in coconut milk served with fried minced beef, sweet fried tempeh, many other toppings, cucumber, and sambal.
• Rujak/Mie juhi : noodles with vegetables and dried squid in peanut sauce.
• Sop iga sapi , beef spare rib soup that takes a simple Dutch dish and piles on Indonesian spices.
• Soto Betawi , coconut milk broth with beef tendons, intestines, tripe.

Food at malls and brick-and-mortar restaurants are by and large of hygiene standards. Street vendors ( kaki lima ) or carts can be questionable, though it is still wise to use discretion as some of the best or well-known food can actually be from them.

The online ride-hailing apps Gojek and Grab also offer food delivery service (such as Gojek's GO-FOOD) to virtually all restaurants, for a small fee. Furthermore, it can increase your convenience when you only want to rest at your hotel.

Though tipping is not customary in restaurants, it has become more common. In fact, a few automatically charge a service fee (typically 5%), which may surprise some patrons. Eating at restaurants are almost always subject to a 10% general tax.

Budget [ edit ]

Food courts at just about every shopping mall in Jakarta offer cheap but filling meals. Prices range from Rp35,000 to Rp60,000. While street vendors ( kaki lima ) are cheap with questionable hygiene standards, some items are unfortunately offered only by street vendors, so use good judgment when shopping around. Look for those that have lines at least a couple people long, as that means it's reputable and indisputably delicious. Steer clear from vendors that offer are pushy or suspiciously cheap, as their hygiene or food quality may be poor.

For cleaner alternatives with decent price, you can look for Lokbin (lokasi binaan), Loksem (Lokasi sementara), or Lenggang Jakarta, which serve same affordable food but with better hygiene standards. Practically the sellers there are relocated street vendors. Price in Lenggang Jakarta and Lokbin will be around Rp10.000 to Rp30.000.

Franchise fast food chains are also a good choice for eating as the hygiene is more likely to be up to standards. American fast food chains such as KFC and McDonald's have ample seating. Local chain Bakmi GM is famous for its noodles and its fried wanton. Hoka-hoka Bento (locally known as HokBen), also a local chain, provides Japanese buffet with a complete meal set for an affordable price. Also consider Es Teler 77 & Solaria . You will find one or all of them at major malls across the city. Department store or mini market food items can be an alternative should you need to eat on the go or at work.

For some exquisite Indonesian snacks, head to the traditional markets or street vendors. The infamous jajanan pasar (lit. market snacks) or bakpao (Chinese meat buns) should cost around Rp10,000 to Rp35,000 per box or piece. Assorted fritters ( gorengan ) are ubiquitous throughout and should cost Rp7,000 to Rp15,000 for up to a dozen pieces of fried tofu, tempeh, cassava, yam, and even banana. Siomay and batagor will be available for around Rp5.000-Rp10.000. Instant ramen noodle for around Rp5.000-Rp10.000, ketoprak Rp5.000-Rp8.000, pecel lele Rp7.000-Rp10.000, or nasi uduk Rp3.000-Rp7.000.

More substantial meals such as martabak , satay , chicken noodle ( mi ayam ) or porridge ( bubur ayam ), and nasi goreng are typically on the upper end of budget dining. The Indonesian soto soup can be enjoyed for Rp45,000 with rice and a drink of your choice and a bowl of meatball ( bakso ) soup with a side of noodles or vermicelli should cost no more than Rp50,000 per bowl. Bakeries also have buns that you can consume for breakfast, starting from Rp10,000. Roti Lauw and Tan Ek Tjoan is the most popular choice in Jakarta.

As some traditional Indonesian cuisine may be too hot and spicy for many foreign tourist, you can usually ask for just a little chili or none at all: "pedas sedikit" and "tidak pedas" , respectively. It also better to know that you can say "bungkus" for take away order, or "makan di sini" for dine in. And be careful as red ketchup usually means hot chilli sauce, not tomato.

Mid-range [ edit ]

Fine dining restaurants offer main courses for a range of prices and can be found at just about every mall in Jakarta or better yet outside the malls.

Some of the restaurants in this category include pizza franchises Pizza Hut and Domino's, or A&W, Wendy's, and Burger King for fast food chain. Mains in shopping mall restaurants typically range between Rp40,000 and Rp75,000; many even provide lunch set menus for just about Rp50,000 that entitles you to rice, one or two main platters and a glass of drink which can be an impressive deal. Seafood restaurants north of the city centre falls on the borderline between mid-range to expensive depending on your preference, with shrimp & fish on the cheaper side, followed by scallop, and lastly crab & lobster.

For middle class traditional cuisine, go to the Menteng area and look for Gado-Gado Boplo, Warung Daun, Bumbu Desa, Saur Kuring, Dapur Sunda, Sate House, Bunga Rampai, Sate Khas Senayan or Aroma Sedap . Or try to look around Sabang area. Garuda, Natrabu , Sederhana, Penang Bistro, or Pagi Sore will offer you the best value over price.

Splurge [ edit ]

The best gourmet splurges in Jakarta are the opulent buffet spreads in the 5-star hotels such as the JW Marriott, Hotel Mulia, Ritz-Carlton and Shangri-La, which offer amazing value by international standards. Expect to pay upwards of Rp150,000 per person.

Chinese roundtable restaurants, such as Din Tai Fung , Imperial Duck , Jun Njan , or Tai Pan , among other small enterprises, offer considerably expensive dishes, but these are mostly meant to be communal rather than for individuals.

Steakhouses also fall into this category, especially if the beef is imported from Australia or a USDA certified. For pizza, look for Pizza Express (formerly Pizza Marzano).

For premium traditional cuisine, Rara Jonggrang , Remboelan and Tugu Koenstring Paleis will serve you the highest standard.

Drink [ edit ]

Jakarta may be the capital of the world's largest Muslim-majority country, but it has an underground life of its own. If you're the clubbing type, its nightlife is arguably among the best in Asia, except during fasting months when some venues are closed or have limited hours. From the upscale Kemang to the seedy Mangga Besar , nightlife is there for all levels of loudness, but bring a friend if you decide to brave the seedier places (though they tend to have the best DJs). Fans of live music, on the other hand, are largely out of luck if they go to budget bars, at least unless they're into Indonesian pop.

Since 2015 alcoholic drinks are no longer available in convenience stores to discourage underage drinking. Malls and supermarkets are exempt from this rule. In addition, there are specialist imported wine and liquor shops.

Jakarta has a fairly large number of prostitutes , known in local parlance as ayam (lit. "chicken"), so much so that much of the female clientele of some respectable bars (operated by five-star hotels, etc.) is on the take.

The Kota area in northern Jakarta is the oldest part of town with numerous colonial buildings still dominating the area. It is also considered to be the seediest part of town after midnight. Most karaoke bars and 'health' clubs there are in fact brothels who mostly cater to local Jakartans. Even regular discos such as Golden Crown have special areas designated for prostitutes. Other notable establishments in this area are Malioboro and Club 36 which should not be missed. This part of town has a large ethnic Chinese population who also dominate the clubbing scene there.

The bulk of the clubbing scene is spread throughout Jakarta but usually found in office buildings or hotels. The help of an experienced local with finding these places is recommended. Nightlife in Jakarta tends to be pricey by local standards.

Due to Jakarta's freedom, there is no specific dress code that should be worn unless you are in a religious area. However, it is best not to dress too openly to avoid awkward stares or giving the impression (especially for women) that you are a prostitute since most of them in Jakarta wear very short dresses or skirts. Sandals are fine to wear if you're heading for North Jakarta since it is near the beach. During the month of Ramadan, most nightlife ends at midnight, while some venues do not open all month.

A nightlife district popular among expats is Blok M in South Jakarta , or more specifically the single lane of Jl. Palatehan 1 just north of the bus terminal, packed with pubs and bars geared squarely towards single male Western visitors. While lacking the bikini-clad go-go dancers of Patpong , the meat market atmosphere is much the same with poor country girls turned prostitute. Blok M is easily accessible as the southern terminus of BRT Line 1. For a more off-the-beaten track experience, head a few blocks south to Jl. Melawai 6 ( opposite Plaza Blok M ), Jakarta's de-facto Little Japan with lots of Japanese restaurants, bars and karaoke bars. If you prefer to mingle with Koreans, go south to Jalan Wijaya.

Plaza Senayan's Arcadia annex attempts to duplicate the concept, but with more of an emphasis on fine dining. The Kemang area in southern Jakarta is popular with expats and locals alike so it has numerous places to eat, drink and dance. Or if you want to keep it sober, bubble tea cafes and coffee shops are popping up sporadically, especially in North and West Jakarta, and most major malls. No jamming music and (mostly) no alcohol, but still a good place to hang out.

Coffee aficionados can rejoice as some of the best beans in the world hail from Indonesia, and they can easily be found from stands on the street to dedicated coffee shops and even the sachets at the supermarket. They are usually priced from Rp30,000 per cup while powdered coffee are sold from Rp15,000. Co-working spaces are also starting to expand their business into making a coffee shop which caters mostly for workers in the city.

Sleep [ edit ]

The travel agencies at Jakarta's airport can have surprisingly good rates for mid-range and above hotels. Star ratings are reserved for midrange and better hotels, while budget places have "Melati" rankings from 1-3 (best). Tax and service charges of 21% are usually added to the bill.

• Budget , hostels ( losmen ) can be found around Jalan Jaksa , which is close to the Gambir station, for as low as Rp30,000 per night! Or Kwitang area offer low cost but filthy hotel for Rp50,000 to Rp150,000. Hotels around Cikini has better room to offer for Rp300,000 to Rp 400,000. Another choice is hotels around Mangga Besar , a street with a wide variety of hotels, clubs, restaurants and low class spas. Elsewhere, look for brands such as favehotel , amaris , and ibis budget .
• Mid-range are easily found at all parts of Jakarta, from independents to chain brands such as all Accor Group hotels but Pullman.
• Splurge , Jakarta has more than its fair share of luxury hotels, and after the prolonged post-crash hangover new ones are now going up again. Many remain good value by world prices, but opulent lobbies do not always correspond to the same quality in the room. Mostly found within the business strips of Sudirman-Thamrin and Rasuna Said .

Jakarta is a business destination, so rates are often lower on the weekends. During the Eid holiday season, Jakarta empties out and there are some great deals to be had.

For stays longer than 2½–3 weeks, monthly rental rooms (called kost ) and apartments are a good alternative to budget and mid-range hotels, respectively. Fully-furnished rooms (with TV, air-con, large bed, hot shower, kitchen outside) can be rented for 1½-4 million rupiah per month. In most cases, the rental fee already includes electricity and water usage, and often there are additional services included like laundry, Internet access, breakfast, etc. There are cheaper rooms as well (starting from Rp500,000-700,000), but those are usually small, windowless, and the furniture includes just a bed or even nothing at all. Also, some cheaper places are exclusively for either men or women (no opposite-sex tenants or visitors allowed); many others allow couples to stay together only if they're legally married.

For apartments (one or more rooms + private kitchen + often balcony), prices are Rp3-4 million and up. Cheaper rates can be obtained in some places which are oriented to the long-term rental (3, 6 months or 1 year minimum); however, there may be same limitations as for cheaper rooms. Short term room rentals services such as Airbnb can be an option for those on the budget.

Stay safe [ edit ]

A number of high-profile terror attacks in 2003, 2004, and 2009 have led to the city beefing up its security presence. An attack in 2016 specifically targeted foreigners, killing four. However, given the scale and population of the city, terror attacks are exceedingly rare and wayward traffic is a much more realistic threat. Security continues to be highly visible in the city, although checks are generally light and act more as a first layer of defense (that actively helped save lives in the 2016 attack). You'll spot many x-ray machines and people waving metal-detection wands in offices, malls and transportation infrastructure.

By and large, your stay in Jakarta should not be problematic as long as you use common sense. While theft and robbery seem common, they are highly unlikely to happen in the crowded Sudirman streets, but much more likely at night in the less economically fortunate areas such as in the East, or in residential areas in the suburbs. It is generally better to use a car, or the Transjakarta and commuter trains if you opt for public transit. Women are even entitled to a dedicated seating area or car on these routes!

Strict gun control laws make Jakarta safer, leaving theft and robbery as day-to-day concerns. Violence is low, and most criminal acts are done by stealth or intimidation rather than lethal force. It is rare for serious injuries to occur during these situations, although there are exceptions. If the theft is done by stealth, simply catching the thief in the act will cause him to run away. For intimidation such as robberies, simply giving them an object of value will usually satisfy the thief, who will leave without further ado. Most Indonesians are also very protective of their neighbors and friends; in many neighborhoods, a thief caught by the local residents will be punished "traditionally" before being taken to police. Shout for help ("Tolong!") or robber ("Maling!") to get yourself away from this.

Be on your guard in crowded places such as markets, because pickpockets often steal wallets and cellular phones. Carry your backpack on your chest when you see others do the same. Business travelers need to keep a close eye on laptops, which have been known to disappear even from within co-working spaces. For all-night party excursions, it may be wise to keep your cab waiting; the extra cost is cheap and it's worth it for the security. Lock your car and keep valuables out of sight. Organised criminals sometimes operate on the streets (especially at traffic lights) without fearing crowds.

Protests [ edit ]

Indonesians are fiercely protective of their right to protest, which proved critical in establishing its democracy in 1998, when citizens (particularly students) descended upon the streets, with significant damage to the city and killing thousands in the process.

Today, as a dense concentration of 30 million citizens in its metro area representing one of the world's largest democracies, Jakarta sees regular protests of all sorts. Most protests are rowdy yet organised events, taking place around government offices. Visitors will see their impact from miles away as they cause congestion in the already congested traffic, but they're also decorated with large banners, flags and posters. Protesters generally don't interact with others around them, although given the tight streets and sidewalks, beware of getting swept away or separated in a march. During larger protests, entire roads or areas may be cordoned off by police.

There is always a police presence of some sort at these events, so follow their directions. Transjakarta, rail and metro services will also know in advance and announcements may be displayed in stations. Taxi companies also broadcast this information to their drivers. When in doubt, do like an Indonesian and simply ask a nearby uniformed person and ask if there's a disruption going on.

Protests tend to take a turn for the chaotic once night falls and the bulk of protesters leave to return to their families. Most protests end right around nightfall (about 18:00), but if a one extends into the night, it would be prudent to give it a wide berth.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

Tap water in Jakarta is not drinkable, unless it's boiled or purified. It is generally fine for a bathing or brushing teeth. Bottled water is cheap, up to Rp5,000, but for safety reasons it is better to buy it from minimarts , rather than from street vendors who may refill empty bottles with tap water. If you're staying for extended periods, you can also obtain gallon-sized water containers. Ensure the tamper-proof seal is intact.

Jakarta's air quality is poor, especially during the dry season. If you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors near the streets (especially in less central areas, where you may be meters from passing cars and motorbikes, without a proper sidewalk) it's wise to do like many Indonesians and wear a mask. You can obtain masks from pharmacies or convenience stores; ask for a "motorbike mask" if necessary. Keep an eye on air quality through weather apps if you're sensitive to air quality, as it may vary depending on where you are in the city.

There is a law against smoking in public places in Jakarta, and the smoker can (in theory) be fined up to US$5,000. You may see the signs threatening a fine ( denda ) of Rp50 million or 6 months jail for smoking, although that law seems not to be enforced, as locals still smoke everywhere on the street and even in local buses, as anywhere in Indonesia. It's generally prohibited to smoke, however, inside shops, offices, hotel, and air-conditioned buildings generally. If in doubt, you can ask locals: Boleh merokok ?

Diarrhea, food poisoning, and typhoid fever is common in Jakarta, so it's wise to prepare yourself with antidiarrheal medication and activated carbon, and always bring hand sanitizer. A visit to general practitioner will roughly cost you Rp50.000 to Rp150.000. Seeing a specialist or going to hospital will cost you around Rp200.000-Rp500.000.

Connect [ edit ]

Telephone [ edit ].

The area code for Jakarta and the metropolitan area is 021 . You do not need to dial the area code if you are calling another number within the same area using a landline. Drop the 0 prefix when calling from elsewhere in Indonesia.

Wartel or telephone shops are ubiquitous on the streets of Jakarta but are gradually disappearing because of the booming of mobile phones. There are lots of shops where you can buy a cheap Indonesian SIM card. Bring your passport. Cellular coverage is generally good.

Public phones can still be commonly seen on the sidewalk. If you see a public telephone, lift the receiver and check the number in the display near the keypad. If the number is not 000, don't insert coins, because the phone is broken, as is often the case. If working, they cost just Rp100 per minute.

Internet [ edit ]

If you have your own laptop you may be able to access wifi networks in shopping malls, park, and government building. Ask at the information desk for access codes, but usually the speed is bad. Free hotspots are also available at restaurants, coffee shops, and convenience stores. Most hotels also provide wifi hotspots in their public area or in their rooms, either free or paid—inquire before booking.

Internet cafes are available in most parts of the city, especially around universities, residential areas, and most shopping malls, for Rp4,000-10,000 per hour. While the cheap ones will have slow dial-up connections, others offer broadband high-speed capabilities, usually used for online gaming. If you need to use the internet for a long time, try to get the "happy hour" deals, where for up to Rp30,000, you can browse the Internet as long as you want.

All providers in Jakarta have 4G LTE, but the signals are only good in business triangle areas (Sudirman, HR Rasuna Said and Gatot Subroto); in other areas, the signal flips between 4G LTE, HSDPA, and 3G, or is mostly 3G. For more general information, see Internet in Indonesia . For alternative, try to find wifi.id for reliable connection in public space or big building. They will charge you Rp5.000 from your mobile phone credit for full day connectivity.

Post [ edit ]

Post is provided by the state-owned Pos Indonesia , open during business hours only. They do not have mailboxes but have mobile counters in vans, or you can just go to the post office. Major freight companies such as FedEx, DHL, and UPS also offer drop by package delivery, albeit through a third-party service. Gojek and Grab also offer door-to-door delivery service within their app if you only need to send something light and quick (maximum 5 kg), for which the price depends on distance rather than weight. TIKI, JNE, or J&T are reliable for bulk or inter-city delivery.

Emergency [ edit ]

Jakarta's emergency services are the best in Indonesia. Many hospitals have 24-hour emergency rooms, but equipment may not be as advanced as their international counterparts. The international emergency number ☏ 112 does work and will channel you to the respective services you need.

• Fire , ☏ 113 .  
• Ambulance , ☏ 118 .  
• Police , ☏ 110 .  
• Search and rescue team , ☏ 115 .  
• Indonesian Police HQ , Jl. Trunojoyo 3, South Jakarta , ☏ +62 21 7218144 .  
• Jakarta Police HQ , Jl. Jendral Sudirman No. 45, South Jakarta , ☏ +62 21 5709261 .  
• Child abuse , ☏ 1-500-771 (in country only) .  
• Hospitals with 24-hour emergency room UGD (ER): see the Jakarta district pages.

Cope [ edit ]

Media [ edit ].

Jakarta is the centre of Indonesia's media. Most news is actually sourced from Jakarta. English-language publications are starting to make their way into newsstands.

• The Jakarta Post . Indonesia's English-language paper of record.
• The Jakarta Globe In a tabloid format. Provides more lifestyle content.
• Tempo English Edition Weekly hard news magazine.
• What's New Jakarta is a lifestyle website full of food and event listings. Suitable for long-term visitors

State-owned TV station TVRI has an English news broadcast every day at 17:00, and MetroTV Tuesday-Saturday at 01:00. MetroTV has Metro XinWen for news in Mandarin Chinese.

Immigration office [ edit ]

The General Directorate of Immigration (Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Kav.X-6 Kuningan-Jakarta Selatan) provides visas, re-entry permits and many other immigration services.

Embassies and consulates [ edit ]

The Kementerian Luar Negeri (Kemlu) or Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains a complete searchable database of diplomatic institutions. The embassies are located in Jakarta; some consulates general and honorary consulates are located in other cities such as Surabaya and Denpasar. This list may not be complete.

Go next [ edit ]

Within the metropolitan area: [ edit ].

The fun does not end in Jakarta, but well beyond its satellite cities!

• Thousand Islands — administratively a part of Jakarta, but it is the complete opposite of the hectic mainland: an island escape with sprawling resorts and nature reserves.
• Bogor — a sense of nature one hour away, where you can tuck yourself away in its botanic gardens or golf courses.
• Puncak — cooler climate, beautiful view of the mountains and tea plantations, restaurants, as well as the Taman Safari Wildlife Park.
• Tangerang — a thriving area for premium residents and opulent malls, especially to its south.
• Depok — a budget style city with adequate facilities because of the nearby University of Indonesia.
• Bekasi — home to Jakarta's big companies and an increasingly bustling city.

A bit further off [ edit ]

• A 3-hour drive using the tollway leads into the Merak Port at the western end of Java, where you can continue your journey by ferry to Sumatra island for 1½ hours.
• Anyer is an upscale resort beach 4 hours away from Jakarta, but if you want a less crowded option, the Carita Beach is just a short drive away from there.
• Pulau Umang, an island resort to itself, is midway between Carita Beach and Ujung Kulon National Park.
• Ujung Kulon National Park — a beautiful national park 5 hours away, featuring the endangered single-horn rhinoceros .
• Bandung — 3 hours away from Jakarta, it's a budget style city famous for both food and bargain fashions.
• For a tropical island hype (without the resorts) and an instant escape from the hectic city, head to Belitung Island, less than 1 hour away by air.

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Your Most Complete Guide to Jakarta Indonesia

Discover what Jakarta has to offer with cost-cutting strategies, insider tips, and the most detailed  information on hotels, transport, attractions and major interests.

JAKARTA TRAVEL RESOURCES

All Transport Guide

Jakarta is a huge metropolis! Learn how to get around the busy streets of Jakarta with our easy-to-follow guide.​

Jakarta MRT Guide

Make use of the Jakarta MRT Network to avoid traffic and enjoy your holiday in this big metropolitan.

Jakarta Airport Guide

So you've arrived in Jakarta, what's next? Learn how to navigate the city's international airport and how to get to your hotel.

Attractions

Getting bored in Jakarta? These attractions are something to look forward to and soon.

Jakarta "How To"

Get to know the must-sees in Jakarta so you will have a more satisfying holiday.

Where to Stay

Get to to know the best neighborhoods in Jakarta. Find out the most convenient hotel and accommodation options.

Pasar Tanah Abang – Want batik? This is Southeast Asia’s Largest Textile Market!

Pasar Raya Blok M – Want to find the largest souvenir store in Jakarta. It’s right here.

Suropati Park – Watch local artists play music for free at this public park.

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COMMUTER TRAIN

You can take the train to this amazing weekly event in Jakarta for super cheap.

POPULAR JAKARTA ATTRACTIONS

Ragunan ZOO

Ragunan Zoo is the largest zoo in Jakarta and a very popular attraction for visitors to the city.  It occupies roughly 147-hectares of land in South Jakarta.  

Kota Tua is one of most popular places to visit in Jakarta. It is  ‘Jakarta’s Old Town’ . This is an area about 4.5 km north of the Monas that mainly consists of Dutch colonial buildings …

MONAS (National Monument)

The Monas, short for  Monumen Nasional  is one the top tourist attractions in Jakarta. Visiting the Monas should definitely be something to consider during your trip to Jakarta.

12 Things to do in Jakarta + Tourist Spots

Jakarta may have a province-level status, but it is a massive mega-city, a melting pot of various cultures, and a charming travel destination. It has lots to offer that will give you a better glimpse of what Indonesia is about, its history and culture, and even food.

Jakarta is the place to be for enlightening museum tours and visiting landmarks of historical significance. The attractions you cannot miss are the National Monument (Monas), the Istiqlal Mosque, the National Museum, the Jakarta Cathedral, and the Fatahilah Museum. To experience an old city vibe, head to Kota Tua and discover the city’s original downtown, complete with 17th Century Dutch buildings and several museums here and there. For some culinary adventures, street food is the best. You can find the best Sate, Nasi Goreng, Gado Gado, Soto Betawi, and Nasi Uduk when you roam around the city streets.

Jakarta is your prime gateway to Indonesia through the Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, 29km west of central Jakarta. The airport serves the largest flight network connecting the city to the world, with daily flights to international cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Bangkok, and Sydney.

1. Monas Tower (National Monument)

Location : Gambir, Central Jakarta City, Jakarta, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

Jakarta Travel Essentials:

Where to stay in Jakarta (click below to see rates and book online) Cheapest Rates | Best Reviews  | Home Rentals/Airbnb

Jakarta Tours & Discounts

Indonesia  WIFI/SIM Card

See also :   Places to visit in Indonesia  |  Bali Itinerary  |  Sights to see in Yogyakarta

More travel tips coming up! In the meantine, enjoy this  quick list  of attractions and tourist spots in Jakarta. To help with your trip planning, I’ve added links to the locations on Google Maps. Feel free to click/tap on the links posted. Then, use the “save” feature on the Google Maps app for easy reference.

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Old Batavia (Jakarta Old Town or Kota Tua)

2. Jakarta History Museum (Fatahilah Museum)

Location : Jalan Taman Fatahillah No.1, Pinangsia, Kec. Taman Sari, Kota Jakarta Barat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 11110, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

3. Puppet Museum (Wayang Museum)

Location : Jalan Pintu Besar Utara No.27 Pinangsia, RT.3/RW.6, Kota Tua, Kec. Taman Sari, Kota Jakarta Barat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 11110, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

4. Jakarta Maritime Museum

Location : Jl. Ps. Ikan No.1, RT.11/RW.4, Penjaringan, Kec. Penjaringan, Kota Jkt Utara, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 14440, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

5. Jakarta Old Town Walking Tour

Location : Jakarta Old Town . Save on Google Maps .

6. National Museum of Indonesia

7. Jakarta Cathedral

Location : Pasar Baru, Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta City, Jakarta, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

8. Istiqlal Mosque

9. Sunda Kelapa Port

Location : Masjid Al-Bahrain Pelabuhan Batavia Sunda Kelapa . Save on Google Maps .

10. Chinatown (Glodok)

Location : Jl. Gajah Mada, RT.2/RW.1, Glodok, Kec. Taman Sari, Kota Jakarta Barat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 11120, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

11. Pasar Baru

12. Jakarta Shopping Malls

Where to go beyond Jakarta

Location : Bandung City, Kanlurang Haba, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

Bandung Travel Essentials

Where to stay Tours + discounts Tours + discounts

Location : Yogyakarta City, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

Yogyakarta Travel Essentials

Where to stay Tours + discounts

Top discounts

Borobudur Sunrise Trip

Yogyakarta Private Car Charter

Borobudur Sunrise & Prambanan Temple Trip

Location : Bali, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

Bali Travel Essentials

Bali Private Car Charter

Nusa Penida Day Tour from Bali

Heart of Bali Tour

Location : Medan City, North Sumatra, Indonesia . Save on Google Maps .

Medan Travel Essentials

What places have you added to your bucketlist? Have you been to beautiful places in Jakarta that should be on this list? Feel free to share your thoughts!

Places to visit in Jakarta

Jakarta tourist spots, things to do in Jakarta, where to go in Jakarta & more.

Note: Destinations featured above are not listed by rank.

Where to Stay in Jakarta

Click below & search recommended Jakarta hotels/hostels/home rentals within your budget. Remember to set your  min/max price , travel dates, and  sort by review ratings . I often book online with these trusted booking sites below for rock-bottom prices & convenient bookings.

Agoda Airbnb Booking.com

Book sooner rather than later if you already have your dates set. Cheaper-priced rooms and hotels with high reviews tend to get fully booked faster, especially during busy days like weekends, holidays & peak tourist seasons.

Jakarta Essentials & Top Discounts

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• 27 Places To Visit In Jakarta In 2024 That Showcase The Other Side Of Indonesia

23 Mar 2023

Think of Indonesia and most of us will talk about Bali. However, the capital city of Indonesia i.e. Jakarta has a lot to offer in terms of modern city life of the country. While Bali is a more laid back city, Jakarta has its own uniqueness and thus you should plan a Jakarta sightseeing tour. If you are in the mood to party hard and make the best of your Indonesia trip, Jakarta is a must-visit place. We have compiled a list of top 27 places to visit in Jakarta that you should not miss enjoying the real essence of the city. All of these places have a lot to offer. From waterparks and art galleries to markets, there is something for everyone, irrespective of their ages. Still confused about  where to go in Jakarta ? Here are the top choices that one has!

27 Best Places To Visit In Jakarta

From history to shopping to art and architecture, Jakarta has a lot on offer when it comes to sightseeing. So choose the places you like and include them in your Jakarta itinerary. Here are the top Jakarta tourist attractions for one to visit that answer all your questions about  where to go in Jakarta. 

• The National Monument – Iconic Landmark
• Istiqlal Mosque –  A Marble Marvel 
• Merdeka Square –  Perfect Respite
• Thousand Islands –  Escape From Fast Running Life
• Taman Mini Indonesia Park –  Cultural Tour
• Ancol Dreamland –  Theme Park For All Ages
• National Museum of Indonesia –  Historic Exhibitions 
• Jakarta Cathedral –  Roman Architectural Wonder
• National Gallery –  Contemporary Artwork
• Jakarta Chinatown –  Cultural Harmony 
• Taman Suropati –  Spot To Unwind
• Menteng Flea Market –  Handicrafts Galore
• Ragunan Zoo –  A Zoo Like No Other
• Setu Babakan –  A Natural Marvel 
• Basuki Abdullah Museum –  The Local Artworks 
• Kidzania Pacific Palace –  First Ever Themed Amusement City
• Ancol Beach City –  Little Bit Of Everything 
• Tanah Abang Market –  The Biggest Textiles Market 
• Dragonfly –  Vibrant Lifestyle 
• Pasar Seni Ancol –  Cute Art Market 
• Glodok Chinatown –  All About Historical Treasures
• Waterbom Jakarta –  Beat The Heat 
• Merdeka Palace –  Official Residence Of The President 
• Grand Indonesia Mall –  Perfect Family Vacay
• Kota Tua –  Dutch-Inspired Architecture 
• Senayan City Shopping Mall – Shopper’s Paradise
• SeaWorld Ancol – Home To Largest Aquarium

1. The National Monument - Iconic Landmark

Let's start with one of the simpler yet elegant Jakarta attractions . It is one of the top Jakarta points of interest. This 132-meter-high structure was built to pay homage to the struggle of Independence. You can either enjoy the view of this amazing piece of architecture from the ground or you can climb all the way to the top and enjoy the stunning view of the city. The national monument holds a special place in the heart of the people of Indonesia. It is not only visited by the tourists, but you will find a lot of local people enjoying the sight of this amazing architectural marvel. It is also one of the best places to visit in Jakarta at night since it is beautifully lit.

Entry fee: INR 80 Timings: Tuesday to Sunday 8 AM to 4 PM and On evening Tuesday to Friday 7 PM to 10 PM. On Saturday and Sunday from 7 PM to 12 AM. Location: Jl. Silang Monas, Jakarta 10110, Indonesia

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2. Istiqlal Mosque - A Marble Marvel 

Constructed in 1978, the Istigal Mosque is the largest Mosque in Southeast Asia and one of the stunning places to go in Jakarta . If you are planning a trip to Indonesia, this is one of the best Jakarta places to visit. The mosque has the capacity of 200,000 people. It has an amazing courtyard with designer marble and decorative minarets. The interiors of the mosque have decorative Islamic designs. The architecture and design of the mosque attract a lot of tourists every year and its sure to blow your mind as well during your trip to Jakarta in Indonesia.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 24 Hours Location: Jalan Taman Wijaya Kusuma, DKI Jakarta 10710, Indonesia

3. Merdeka Square - Perfect Respite

Spread over 1 KM, this is one of the main places to visit in Jakarta . If you have seen Tiananmen Square in Beijing and were in a state of awe with it, put it in this perspective that Merdeka Square is five times bigger in that place. It is covered in wooded areas, footpaths, and some amazing water features. One of the top Jakarta tourist places, this is a place to walk and explore so make sure to wear comfortable shoes while visiting. It's the perfect place to hang out with your special someone or travel buddies after a tiring day of sightseeing around the city.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 24 Hours Location: Gambir, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta, Indonesia

Suggested Read: Traveling To Indonesia In October? Here’s Everything You Need To Know

4. Thousand Islands - Escape From Fast Running Life

Looking for a break from Jakartas fast life- Then a thousand Islands are best suited for you. Located on the north coast of the city these islands will give you an opportunity to feel closer to nature. Though one of the underrated places in Jakarta, here you will come across a number of amazing resorts, restaurants and secluded golden beaches with a breathtaking view. These islands will give you a chance to dip in the Indonesian sunshine and relax for a while and should definitely make it to your list of places to see in Jakarta in one day. Its among the best places in Indonesia for nature lovers, backpackers, and photography enthusiasts.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 24 Hours Location: North of Jakarta’s coast

5. Taman Mini Indonesia Park - Cultural Tour

Want to explore the history and culture of Indonesian people- Then Taman Mini Indonesia Park is a must visit place for you. The park has a spread of 250 acres and is full of heritage and traditions that make Indonesia stand out from the crowd. You will come across a number of themes pavilions. There is a detailed miniature of the archipelago of Indonesia, an IMAX cinema to enjoy some of the best movies running at the time of your visit, a traditional theatre that host regular events and a cable car. This huge park is considered one of the best places to visit in Jakarta in one day not only for the tourists but also for the locals. Traveling to Jakarta with your family and little ones- Make sure you bring them to this wonderful place at least once on your trip.

Entry fee: INR 108 Timings: 7 AM to 10 PM Location: East Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia

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6. Ancol Dreamland - Theme Park For All Ages

Amongst the best places to see in Jakarta, the Ancol Dreamland will you a chance to get away from the sightseeing. It is considered the best theme park in the country. If you are traveling with kids, there is no place better than this theme park to enjoy rides etc. This huge park includes a bowling arena, Fantasy World, Ocean Dream Samudra, Water Adventure Park and a lot of rollercoaster rides, aquarium, and beaches. The city of Jakarta is known for its humid weather and this park will give you a chance to get away from the humidity for a while, which is why it is one of the best places to visit in Jakarta city in summer.

Entry fee: INR 0.13 Timings: 10 AM to 6 PM Location: Jl. R. E. Martadinata, North Jakarta., Indonesia

7. National Museum of Indonesia - Historic Exhibitions

It is located close to Merdeka Square and is amongst the top places to visit in Jakarta Indonesia. The museum has an amazing collection of artifacts which gives a detailed perspective on the history and cultural heritage of Indonesia. If you like to explore the history of the places you visit this is made for you. You will find the Hindu-Buddhist artwork of the building very interesting and the treasure room with amazing gold artifacts will leave you in a state of awe. The collection of ancient ceramics and prehistoric finds will leave you mesmerized. In the end, the weapon collection will give you a glimpse of wars that the country has fought in history and how weapons were developed with time.

Entry fee: INR 0.040 to INR 0.19 Timings: 8 AM to 6 PM, closed on Mondays Location: Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.12, Gambir, Jakarta Pusat 10110, Indonesia

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8. Jakarta Cathedral - Roman Architectural Wonder

Though the Cathedral stands nowhere close to the Istiqlal Mosque in terms of size, it is still one of the finest places to visit in Jakarta city . It was built in 1901 and it serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic establishment since the beginning. The front side of the church has some amazing Roman decorations and stunning white spires. The interiors give a glimpse of European cathedrals and offer a very different view of the religion in the country. The Catholic roots of the country get a fresh breath of air in this cathedral. All in all, the awesome architecture and peaceful aura of this church are sure to calm your souls.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM (Weekdays) and 6 AM to 7 PM (Weekends) Location: Jl. Katedral No.7B Pasar Baru Sawah Besar Jakarta Pusat DKI Jakarta, Indonesia

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9. National Gallery - Contemporary Artwork

Built in 1999, it is one of the best places to showcase the Indonesian talent in form of artwork. The galley has more than 1700 different pieces of artwork made by the famous Indonesian artists such as Basuki Abdullah, Redan Saleh, and Affandi and one of the best places to visit in Jakarta for art aficionados. In case you have never heard of these names, one visit to this art gallery will give you a glimpse of their amazing work and dedication towards different forms of art. There are some artworks from the internationally renowned artists from across the globe such as Victor Vasarely and Hans Harting. If you are an art lover, you will find this gallery entertaining and worth the time.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 9 AM to 4 PM, closed on Mondays Location: Jl. Medan Merdeka Tim. No.14, RT.6/RW.1, Gambir, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10110, Indonesia

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10. Jakarta Chinatown - Cultural Harmony 

If you are looking for the places to visit in Jakarta at night, this is the right spot for you. Better known as Glodak among the locals, this area is known as the Chinatown of Jakarta. The Chinese immigrants have established their roots since they reached Jakarta in the 17th Century. The population of these immigrants is an important part of the citys history and thus you can consider it to be one of the historical places in Jakarta. The amazing traditional Chinese architecture, markets, temples, and amazing food make it one of the best places to visit in Jakarta . In fact, it happens to be among the favorite place of all shopaholics visiting this city.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 7 AM till late night Location: Old Batavia, Jakarta, Indonesia

11. Taman Suropati - Spot To Unwind

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This is a beautiful park located in Menteng, Jakarta. This is one of the most visited Jakarta attractions. The park is the meeting point of three streets in Jakarta, the Teuku Umar Street, Diponegoro Street, and Imam Bonjol Street. Visit this place to enjoy the serenity of Jakarta. You can take a walk along the green parks, relax and unwind, or have a fun picnic here with your family or friends. Theres no end to what you can do once youre in this frivolous park in Jakarta.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 7 AM to 5 PM Location: Jl. Teuku Umar, Jakarta 10350, Indonesia

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12. Menteng Flea Market - Handicrafts Galore

Since shopping is among the main pastimes in Jakarta for tourists as well as locals, youll surely find some great handmade crafts and merchandise to take home from this city. The flea market in Menteng is among the best places to visit in Jakarta in one day where youll be spoilt for choice with an array of products like Indonesian arts and crafts, unique textiles, eye-catching antiques, and delicious snack items. Some o the signature handicrafts youll find here include ornate wood carvings and vinyl records. Also, you can try and get the best price for any item since bargaining is quite common here.

Entry Fee: None Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM Location: Jl. Surabaya No.12, RT.15/RW.5, Menteng, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10310, Indonesia

13. Ragunan Zoo - A Zoo Like No Other

Wildlife and nature lovers must head to the Ragunan Zoo which is spread over a whopping 185 hectares of land and boasts of over 3,600 species unlike other zoos around the world. Some of the fauna that you can spot here include orangutans and Komodo Dragons. Among the best places to visit near Jakarta , the zoo is also home to animals from other parts of the world, as well as some indigenous flowers and plants that are sure to bewitch you with their beauty! Just make sure you put on plenty of insect repellent before you set foot in this zoo!

Entry Fee: INR 20 (adults) | INR 15 (children) Timings: 7 AM to 4 PM Location: Jl. Harsono No.1, Ragunan, Ps. Minggu, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta, Indonesia

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14. Setu Babakan - A Natural Marvel

Setu Babakan or the Babakan Lake is a natural lake in Jakarta. The term Set or Situ means a ‘small lake’. The Lake is located at the center of Betawi Culture Village. The village was constituted to preserve the cultural heritage of the indigenous Betawi culture of Indonesia. Setu Babakan covers an area of 289 acres that consists of two lakes, namely – Setu Babakan and Set Mangga Bolong. The lake draws water from the Ciliwung River and is spread over an area of 32 hectares. Setu Babakan lake is the major water source to the Betawi community settled around it, who use it for fish farming. You can enjoy rafting, boating, and fishing here.

Entry fee: Free Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM Location: Srengseng Sawah, Jagakarsa, Jakarta, Indonesia

15. Basuki Abdullah Museum - The Local Artworks

Basuki Abdullah Museum is an art museum that exhibits the works of the popular Indonesian painter Basuki Abdullah. A major feature of Basuki’s works is that they reflect realism. The museum consists of a collection of his own paintings his private collection of sculptures, puppets, weapons, masks and more. There are around 123 pieces on display. The museum was a residence which was handed over to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in 1998. The two-floor building was later renovated and inaugurated as a museum in 2001. It is one of the bets places to visit in Jakarta with family.

Entry fee: INR 0.011 (adults), INR 0.0054 (children) Timings: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, closed on Saturday & Sunday Location: Jl. Keuangan Raya No.19, RT.7/RW.5, Cilandak Bar., Cilandak, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12430, Indonesia

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16. Kidzania Pacific Palace - First Ever Themed Amusement City

If you are on a holiday in Jakarta with your kids, then Kidzania Pacific Place is one of the best places to visit. It is the first themed amusement city for children in Southeast Asia. The replica city has everything that a real city has like highways, hospitals, factories, etc. The place is based on the concept of edutainment and is for the kids between the age of 2 – 26 years. Kidzania is also very inexpensive, but the activities are conducted by them are interesting. Let your children live their imagination in this one of the fun places in Jakarta.

Entry fee: INR 1,267 (half day pass for children) and INR 1,105 (half day pass for adults) Timings: 10 AM to 7 PM Location: Pacific Place, Jl. Jend. Sudirman No.Kav. 52-53, RT.5/RW.3, Senayan, Kby. Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12190, Indonesia

17. Ancol Beach City - Little Bit Of Everything

Located just 12 Km from the city, Ancol beach is closest to Jakarta. It is also the only beach that you can reach without a boat. Ancol Beach is a popular spot for a weekend getaway. Ancol Beach City is a grand shopping and leisure complex in Jakarta that consists of malls, restaurants, auditoriums and adventure zones. They host various water sports, including jetski, Ancol cruise, and boating, at Ancol Beach. This is a great place to spend some fun time with your family for a wholesome experience. If you are confused about what to see in jakarta in one day, head to Ancol Beach City.

Entry Fee: None Timings: 10 AM to 10 PM Location: Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, Pantai Carnaval, Ancol, Pademangan, Kota Jkt Utara, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 14430, Indonesia

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18. Tanah Abang Market - The Biggest Textiles Market

If you are visiting Jakarta, you would not want to go back without shopping at one of the biggest textile markets in entire South Asia. The Tanah Abang Pasar has a vast collection of textiles and clothing. This one of the oldest markets in Jakarta has thousands of small shops selling clothing of all quality and prices on wholesale. Tanah Abang Market is air-conditioned and is spread across three big blocks. Weekends and holidays are the most crowded days, so it is better to visit here on a weekday and make the most of the time in this one of the amazing places to visit in Jakarta with friends.

Entry Fee: None Timings: 7 AM to 5 PM Location: Jl. Fachrudin 5, Jakarta 10250, Indonesia

19. Dragonfly - Vibrant Lifestyle

What’s the point of being on a holiday in the capital city of a country and not experiencing its nightlife- Dragonfly is one of the best nightclubs in Jakarta where you can witness the Indonesian nightlife. The place has a great ambiance with interiors done in wood and marble. The advanced lighting and sound system add to the overall impact of the place. The lounge and bar of Dragonfly will set in the party mood for you no matter how tired you are. If you are preparing a list of places to go in Jakarta Selatan, do not miss their signature events – DF Fridays and DF Saturdays.

Entry fee:  INR 1,080 Timings: Wed, Fri & Sat: 9 PM to 4 AM Location: Graha BIP Ground Floor Lobby, Jl. Gatot Subroto No.Kav. 23, RT.2/RW.2, Karet Semanggi, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12930, Indonesia

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20. Pasar Seni Ancol - Cute Art Market

Image Courtesy: Pasar Seni Ancol for Facebook

Pasar Seni Ancol, also known as the Ancol Art Market is an arts and crafts center that was created to provide inspiration to the artists and art collectors. Interestingly the art market provides residential facilities for artists including painters, craftsmen and sculptors. If you are an art lover, this is a place you should definitely visit. The variety and intricacy of art pieces are worth seeing.

Entry fee: Applicable Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM Location: Jl. Exit Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, RW.10, Ancol, Pademangan, Kota Jkt Utara, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 14430, Indonesia

21. Glodok Chinatown – All About Historical Treasures

If you are looking for places to see in Jakarta , then you should not miss out on Glodok Chinatown. However, it is not a place for sophisticated. The streets of Glodok may be narrow and muddy but there is a lot of adventure in store for you. It is a great place for food and shopping. Hope your haggling skills are on fleek. You will also stumble upon historical treasures and eateries that serve great culinary delights.

Entry Fee: None Timings: 7 AM to 7 PM Location: Jl. Gajah Mada, RT.2/RW.1, Glodok, Kec. Taman Sari, Kota Jakarta Barat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 11120, Indonesia

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22. Waterbom Jakarta – Beat The Heat 

Waterbom is an interesting tourist attraction in Jakarta that both adults and kids will enjoy alike. The expansive waterpark features exciting water slides and pools. If you are traveling with your family, then you should definitely bring your kids. It is a kind of place where you can spend an entire day and enjoy to the fullest.

Entry Fee: INR 800 onwards Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM Location: Jl. Pantai Indah Barat No.1, RT.7/RW.2, Kamal Muara, Kec. Penjaringan, Kota Jkt Utara, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 14470, Indonesia

23. Merdeka Palace – Official Residence Of The President 

One of the six presidential palaces in Indonesia, Merdeka Palace is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. The lavish palace was built in 1879 and was home to Dutch governors before Indonesia gained independence. Admire the tall columns and intricate facade, the very attributes of neoclassical architecture. It is one of the must-visit Jakarta tourist places that you cannot afford to miss on your trip.

Entry Fee: Free Timings: Open for visitors only on weekends Location: Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara No.3, RT.2/RW.3, Gambir, Kecamatan Gambir, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10110, Indonesia

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24. Grand Indonesia Mall – Perfect Family Vacay

Image Credit: Baqotun0023 for Wikimedia Commons

If we are talking about Jakarta tourist spots , then one of things to see in Jakarta is Grand Indonesia Mall. the mall is spread into eight levels with a variety of stores and outlets. There is a cinema hall on the eighth floor where you can enjoy watching movies. Apart from that, Magic Fountain Show is another iconic attraction in the mall.

Entry Fee: None Timings: 10 AM to 10 PM Location: Mrin No.1, RT.1/RW.5, Kb. Melati, Kec. Menteng, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10310, Indonesia

25. Kota Tua – Dutch-Inspired Architecture 

To enjoy Jakarta sightseeing to the fullest, you must not miss out on Kota Tua from your itinerary. It is a neighborhood that comprises of downtown Jakarta. Admire the Dutch-style architectures that date back to the 17th century. Glodok is also a part of Kota Tua only. So, make sure you visit that too if you are coming down here anyway. If you are a history buff, then you are going to love coming here.

Entry Fee: None Timings: N.A. Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

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26. Senayan City Shopping Mall – Shopper’s Paradise

Image Credit: VulcanSphere for Wikimedia Commons

For the shopaholic souls out there, Senayan City Shopping Mall is one of the popular tourist attractions in Jakarta that is home to all the exclusive luxury brands. This is one of the oldest malls that can be found in Jakarta and is a major part of the list of all the iconic landmarks in this destination. Appealing to both locals and tourists alike, this complex in which the seven floors tall shopping mall can be visited is actually also an apartment tower, an office, and a five star hotel property. The extensive number of restaurants and eateries along with other services and facilities simply add to an already extraordinary experience.

Entry Fee: Free entry Timings: 10 AM to 10 PM Location: Jl. Asia Afrika No.19, RW.3, Gelora, Kecamatan Tanah Abang, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10270, Indonesia

27. SeaWorld Ancol – Home To Largest Aquarium

Image Credits: Linnaea Mallette For NeedPix

One of the interesting tourist attractions in Jakarta , SeaWorld Ancol aka Sea World Jakarta is a marine aquarium that appeals to every kind of traveler, be it someone who’s traveling with family or with their partners. This marine aquarium aims at offering a perfect blend of conservation, education, and entertainment to tourists. SeaWorld is home to the largest aquarium in the entire South East Asia that is named as Main Tank. Apart from the main tank, one can also observe various small tanks that acts as a residence for many marine animals including crabs, jellyfish, and more as well as a shark tank.

Entry Fee: INR 0.43 onwards Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM Location: Jl. Lodan Timur No.7, RW.10, Ancol, Kec. Pademangan, Kota Jkt Utara, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 14430, Indonesia

Further Read: Indonesia In July: Exploring The Incredible Asian Hub Of Tourism

There are a lot of places to visit in Jakarta . The above-mentioned list will give you an idea of the city so that you can start planning your a Jakarta holiday in the best possible way. Know of any more places to go near Jakarta or inside the city other than the ones mentioned above? Pop them in the comments below.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Places To Visit In Jakarta

What is Jakarta famous for?

Jakarta is the huge capital city of Indonesia. The city is a melange of multiple ethnicities including Javanese, Malay, Chinese, Indian. This melting pot of cultures has influenced the architectural styles, food and lifestyle in Jakarta.

What can you shop in Jakarta?

Being the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta is highly developed and when it comes to shopping, it is a true shopaholics paradise. Here are a few places for shopping in Jakarta: 1. Pasar Seni Ancol 2. Pasar Baru 3. Glodok Chinatown 4. Pasar Santa

What are some of the popular attractions in Jakarta?

Some of the famous Jakarta attractions are: 1. The National Monument 2. Merdeka Square 3. Taman Mini Indonesia Park 4. Jakarta Chinatown

What are some of the things to do for couples in Jakarta?

Jakarta can turn out to be a pretty interesting place for couples. Even though it may seem like more of a financial hub of Indonesia, there are a lot of activities that a couple can enjoy in the capital city. So, here are some of the romantic things to do in Jakarta: 1. Dinner at Henshin restaurant 2. Fun times at Fantasy World 3. Quality time at Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory 4. Jakarta Monas tourism at night 5. Visit the Indonesian Mini Park

What are the fun things to do inside Ancol Dreamland?

The top things to do inside Ancol Dreamland are: 1. Enjoy a glimpse of the Underwater at SeaWorld 2. Have fun at Atlantis Water Adventure 3. Admire the nature at Ecopark 4. Enjoy a thrilling Gondola ride 5. Chill at Ancol beach city

Is there a beach in Jakarta?

The only beach in Jakarta located within the city limits is the Ancol beach. However, if you’re willing to travel a little further looking for sun, sea, and sand you’ll find quite a few beaches near Jakarta.

Where can you stay in Jakarta?

Jakarta is a huge city and there are a lot of places that you can choose from when it comes to accommodation options. Starting from budget places to stay till the high-end luxury resorts & hotels, the place will leave you spoilt for choice. Here are a few places to stay in Jakarta: 1. Aryaduta Jakarta 2. Ibis Jakarta Tamarin 3. JW Marriott Jakarta 4. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Jakarta

What is there to do in Jakarta for families?

If you are traveling with your family, here are the best options: 1. Museum Wayang or the Puppet Museum 2. National Monument 3. Kidzania Jakarta 4. Winter Wonderland at Pondok Indah Mall 2

What is the best time to visit Jakarta?

It is better to pay a visit to Jakarta when the season is dry. The best months in which one can plan a trip to Jakarta is anytime between June to September.

What are some top places to eat in Jakarta?

Top restaurants and eateries in Jakarta include Bandar Djakarta, Le Quartier, Lara Djonggrang, Altitude Grill, GIA, and many more.

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Home » Southeast Asia » Indonesia » Jakarta

JAKARTA Itinerary • MUST READ! (2024)

Jakarta is a city of ten million people making the largest in all of Southeast Asia. With such a vast city, it stands to reason that there’s no shortage of things to do in Jakarta. It is a cultural melting pot of Indonesian, Indian, Chinese, Dutch and English histories, and an emerging destination for nightlife and shopping.

As one might expect from a city with such a rich history, you’re likely to find unique clashes of culture here. The city carries a strong sense of history, evidenced by its buildings and people.

But you won’t be stuck for what to do in Jakarta. It is also a modern city, embracing burgeoning entertainment and retail sectors, and driving new travel to Jakarta with resorts, theme parks, and commercial development.

With this in mind, our Jakarta itinerary looks to take in the best of many worlds within Jakarta. We get to explore the historical and cultural sides of the city, but also the fun and modern aspects that make it popular with new tourists.

We also enjoy a little bit of shopping and even some rock n’roll Jakarta-style. Here’s what you can do in Jakarta!

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Best Time To Visit Jakarta

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If you are visiting Indonesia then there is a strong chance you’ll be passing through it’s capital, Jakarta. Unless perhaps you are purely here to visit Bali in which case you may not. There are two things to consider when planning an itinerary for Jakarta:

If you’re looking for long, sunny days and as little rainfall as possible, come between June and September. This is probably the best time to plan a Jakarta itinerary, as you’ll be able to enjoy all Jakarta’s offerings in their full capacities.

The rainy season can sometimes bring flooding in the lower-lying parts of the city. But even if you visit during the ‘wet season’ between October and May, you’re unlikely to ever be cold. Do bring a water proof jacket though.

The daily temperature will seldom drop below the high 60s Fahrenheit (15c), and rain is mostly intermittent, even in the rainy season. On many days the rain will actually be a welcome relief from the soaring subtropical temperatures.

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The second consideration is whether you’d prefer a slightly less busy time of year. In the month of Ramadan, the city slows down as people observe the holy month. Many businesses may close during prayer time, and some locals may leave the city to visit family for Eid.

On the other hand, some hotels have been known to offer discounted rates over this time, as tourism tends to slow down accordingly. Before visiting Jakarta, you may want to check when Ramadan will be observed.

Here is a month-by-month breakdown of average conditions you can expect in Jakarta through the year, not taking into account the month of Ramadan, which follows the Muslim lunar calendar and changes every year. It should give some idea of When to visit Jakarta/

Where to stay in Jakarta ? The expats in Jakarta have nicknamed the city ‘Big Durian’, after a local fruit. Apparently, this is because they think of the city as being the New York of Indonesia.

Both cities are notorious for traffic, but Jakarta does not have the advantage of a subway system. With this firmly in mind, planning where to stay can help you save lots of time getting to where you’d like to go. Buses and taxis are plentiful, though walking can be a faster option for close-by activities at peak times.

The Sudirman Central Business District – SCBD for short – is basically the CBD of Jakarta. As such, it’s the most visited tourist area for entertainment, clubs, malls, hotels, and shopping.

Ancol is a popular seaside area and has several attractions in that area. The Sea World aquarium and water, eco and adventure parks make it a popular Jakarta itinerary item with families.

Kemang is a good option if you’re partial to nightlife spots. There are also lots of expats here, so you’re likely to find a good mix of entertainment, food and drink options. Ultimately, where to stay when planning a trip to Jakarta depends on your budget.

New apartment in complex | Best Airbnb in Jakarta

Completely renovated, modern and luxurious – this Airbnb is perfect for your first time in Jakarta if you want to stay close to Mangga Dua. The shopping mall is just moments away, and you’re also close to public transport options. Since the apartment is part of a complex, you can use the on-site pool and gym for free.

YELLO Hotel Harmoni | Best Budget Hotel in Jakarta

Starting at a little under $40 USD, you’d be hard-pressed to find a budget hotel at a better location. It offers direct access to the HXC mall, good food, and modern amenities like free Wi-Fi and very comfy beds. Of the hundreds of hotels in Jakarta, the Harmoni consistently rates in the top 20 for single and business travelers, despite being a budget hotel.

The Hermitage, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel | Best Luxury Hotel in Jakarta

The 1920s touches at this art-deco boutique hotel in the Menteng district make it one of the most beautiful in all of Jakarta. Spacious rooms and a rooftop bar for those wonderful warm sunsets. If the on-site glass-top cafe or gastronomic bistro isn’t for you, the area is known for a vibrant live music scene, restaurants and cocktail bars to add to your to-do list.

Six Degrees Hostel | Best Hostel in Jakarta

It’s hard to find someone who’s had a bad experience at Six Degrees. Besides its convenient location, the key attraction is its rooftop garden and bar. Sunsets from here are quite an experience. The ultra-friendly staff will also arrange walking tours of the city and free use of the hostel’s bicycles. The mini-cinema, gym and free breakfast are the clinchers – making Six degrees the best value hostel in Jakarta.

The key to a great 2-day itinerary in Jakarta is balance. A little bit of everything on each of your 2 days in Jakarta is better than a one-day overload of one particular type of activity. Fortunately, Jakarta is big enough to try this approach, with similar but different options to satisfy all ages and interests.

Getting around a city as crowded as Jakarta can be challenging. As a rule of thumb: if it’s close enough to walk, that’s probably the best option anyway. But there are public and private transport options, like taxi cabs, which operate much like any other major city.

Motorcycle taxis or ojeks can be hailed like any conventional taxi. The upside is that you can negotiate a rate before you take the ride. In recent years, ojek co-ops have started using apps similar to Uber as well. Note that many Insurance companies do not cover you for any accidents that happen on motorbike taxi’s.

Slightly upgraded from that are trikes – a lot like the famous tuk-tuk from Thailand . These tend to be pretty efficient if your party is small enough to use them. For the most part, ojeks and trikes are good for short distances within the city.

Here’s a tip: If you can avoid taking the bus, do so. They’re generally a lot slower, and sometimes quite irregular. This might therefore interfere with any plans on your Jakarta itinerary.

Istiqlal Mosque | Jakarta Catholic Cathedral | Monas Tower | Atlantis Water Adventure | Taman Anggrek Mall

We’ll start the Jakarta itinerary with some fascinating history and culture, and then onto some fun relief from the heat. We’ll end the day with a theme park excursion the whole family can enjoy, and we’ll even do some shopping on the way.

Day 1 / Stop 1 – Istiqlal Mosque

• Why it’s awesome: It is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.
• Cost: Free, but a $1 USD – $2 USD gratuity for your guide is expected
• Food nearby: Kantin Koperasi Istiqlal is ideal for a quick snack with a local flavor.

It’s only fitting to start our Jakarta itinerary here, as no Jakarta trip is complete without it. Istiqlal means ‘independence’, and the mosque was built to commemorate Jakarta’s independence.

This mosque is one of the most beautiful places in Indonesia . The huge white dome of the Istiqlal Mosque that rises above the nearby treetops is impossible to miss. The mosque is an active house of worship, as well as school, but allows tourists to visit its second floor.

There are five floors in all. Four of them form balconies from which to observe the main area. A guide will offer to take you around to the areas in which you are allowed. Bear in mind that Islamic rules regarding footwear and clothing are observed which means dress respectfully. But a coverall gown will be provided if needed.

The mosque (or masjid) can host up to 120, 000 people, which is an incredible sight to witness. It is likely to be fuller on Fridays. Many dignitaries have visited the mosque, including US Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Prince Charles.

The Istiqlal Mosque and adjacent Catholic Cathedral are two major Jakarta points of interest.

Day 1 / Stop 2 – The Jakarta Catholic Cathedral

• Why it’s awesome: A unique piece of European cultural history within Asia
• Food nearby: Miyama Japanese and Teratai Chinese restaurants

Here’s a piece of trivia worth knowing: The official name of the Catholic cathedral in Jakarta is Gereja Santa Perawan Maria Diangkat ke Surga . Its official English name is St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral.

The Cathedral with its distinctive gothic spires is the perfect second stop for our day one itinerary, as it is directly opposite from the Istiqlal Mosque. The proximity of the two buildings symbolizes the nation’s desire to celebrate both its diversity and unity.

The beautiful building was opened in 1901, but is still a very active church, as crowds attend masses – sometimes to overflowing. At other times, visitors are invited to take a look at the museum or the bookshop.

The museum is especially interesting, as it contains various artifacts and records that detail the legacy of Christian faith in the region. Most fascinating of all are the various old clerical robes and hats, documents, paintings, goblets, and other trinkets. They truly offer a glimpse into an important past for Indonesia.

In the catholic tradition, the church is adorned with various statues and symbols. Most notable are the key statues of Mary and a depiction of The Pietà.

Day 1 / Stop 3 – Monas Tower

• Why it’s awesome: Monas offers visitors a sense of what independence meant to the Indonesian people
• Cost: $1 USD
• Food nearby: Nasi Goreng Pak Kumis is great for a local-flavored snack.

We’re a short walk away from another one of the major Jakarta landmarks, so let’s stop by Monas National Monument to pay our respects to this nation. The monument project was initiated by Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, as a symbol of the nation’s independence. It was completed after his death in 1975.

This beautiful building stands an impressive 137 meters in Merdeka Square, and offers several points of visual and experiential interest. Start in the yard, where the walls bear relief sculptures of Indonesia’s most important historical events. Here you can trace the Majapahit Empire’s rise and fall, the arrival of the Dutch, the road to independence and beyond.

Push on into the Indonesian National History Museum and the Meditation Hall. The most impressive of the exhibits here are the copy of the original proclamation of independence and the gilded map of Indonesia.

For an additional thrill, you can access a viewing platform near the top of the tower. At 117 meters, it provides a breathtaking view of the city.

Day 1 / Stop 4 – Atlantis Water Adventure

• Why it’s awesome: It’s a welcome and cooling distraction on a hot day for all ages
• Cost: Weekdays $7 USD; Weekends $10 USD
• Food nearby: A variety of food stalls within the park

Time to add some fun and games to our Jakarta itinerary. Hop on a taxi and head north towards Danau Ancol, where we can enjoy the Atlantis Water Adventure water park. Remember to pack your swimming costume (naked swimming is not permitted), and take note that the park makes a point of saying it’s not just for kids.

The jewel in the water park’s crown is the Multistructure, a new eight-slide monster. But there’s also Crazy, the highest and longest slides in the park. Reckon you can do a 22 meter-high, 150 meter-long glide?

Our favorite is the Skybox. It’s a glass enclosure that flushes you down an 80-degree tube at 56km/h! It doesn’t last long, but the sensation will stay with you for a while.

Nine separate rides or pool areas can be found within the park, making it a great place in Jakarta to go waste a couple of hours or even an entire day.

Insider Tip: Be aware that the park does get crowded on weekends, so be sure to show up early or simply choose a weekday that suits you better.

Day 1 / Stop 5 – Taman Anggrek Mall

• Why it’s awesome: It’s the biggest mall in Jakarta, and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia!
• Food nearby: Food court and many options

Let’s head back into the city, to the biggest mall in Jakarta to satisfy our shopping bug. The Mall Taman Anggrek (or “Orchid Garden Mall”) is a spectacular seven-floor experience that plays host to nearly 18 million shoppers per year – Definitely one of the major Jakarta attractions.

The mall itself is quite a sight. Sitting above the seven lower floors are seven residential towers, which can be seen from miles around. The mall itself contains around 400 stores, covering an impressive 360 000 square meters.

As with any modern mall, there’s a grand variety of shops to explore, from fashion to jewelry, electronics and more. There are 20 exhibition areas so something will always be happening at one of them.

Of special note is the mall’s ice rink! Yes, this mall has its very own ice rink attraction – ideal for when you need a break from exploring the 400 retail outlets.

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Jalan Surabaya Flea Market | Museum Wayang | Pasar Baru | Ancol Dreamland

Welcome to day two. We’ve got more shopping and unique cultural aspects of Jakarta to explore today. But there’s also a ton of fun to be had with a visit to an amusement park, and we will end your 2 day itinerary in Jakarta with some live music to rock to!

Day 2 / Stop 1 – Jalan Surabaya Flea Market

• Why it’s awesome: It’s like a fascinating walk through time
• Cost: Free, but you might buy a few things
• Food nearby: Local stalls for snacks and food

Let’s start the second day of our Jakarta itinerary by checking out the old-time goods at the most famous flea market in Jakarta. The Menteng flea market also goes by the names Jalan Surabaya, or Pusat Barang Antik.

Though it’s defined as a flea market, it’s actually a collection of stalls and shops that specialize in items that appeal to the antique collector. That said, you don’t really need to understand antiques to shop here – you can simply look for something you like.

The most important factor is your bargaining skills. Most market vendors will expect you to haggle (so make sure you know how to barter ), and that’s fair because sometimes you’re taking their word for it that the item in question is indeed antique.

It’s all part of the fun, really. You can find items of furniture, curios, jewelry, trinkets, and even pottery. There may be several items from Indonesian and even Dutch history here. Whatever you might be seeking from a bygone age, there’s a good chance you’ll find it here.

There are a couple of stalls offering food if you’re on a break. You can lose a good couple of hours of your Jakarta itinerary just talking to the vendors and browsing through the goodies on offer. If you spend one day in Jakarta, be sure to spend it here.

Day 2 / Stop 2 – Museum Wayang

• Why it’s awesome: Explores a unique aspect of Indonesian culture
• Food nearby: Cafe Batavia is a popular and highly-rated eatery nearby

The Museum Wayang – or puppet museum – may not be top of mind when thinking about places to visit in the city. But this guided tour is fascinating and dives deep into the culture of puppetry tradition in Indonesia.

UNESCO proclaimed Indonesian puppets as “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”, which gives you some idea of the cultural importance of these fascinating items. The guides are exceptionally informative, as they are puppeteers themselves.

Interestingly, the museum also displays Indian puppets. The traditional Wayang performances are based on Ramayana and Mahabharata of Indian mythology. If you’re lucky, there might be a performance or a puppet-making workshop taking place when you arrive.

The walk among life-size models is intriguing. The puppets are usually made of wood and buffalo hide and take months to make. If you’re totally in love by the end of the tour, stop by the souvenir shop and consider buying a puppet of your own. (Remember to bargain!)

Day 2 / Stop 3 – Pasar Baru

• Why it’s awesome: If you’re looking for the widest range of market goods to browse and buy, this is your place.
• Food nearby: Goku restaurant (vegetarian Indian) and Tropik (ice cream!) are highlights.

If you’re able to hold off eating up to now, you’ll be rewarded as you visit Pasar Baru, in Jakarta’s busiest locale. Some call Pasar Baru “Little India”, though it has several major cultural influences including Dutch and Chinese.

The main attraction is, of course, its market. Here you can find almost anything and everything, from materials (silk and satin) to clothes to electronics (cameras and radios).

But what makes it worth doing around lunchtime is the choice of street food you can try. Pop down alleyways and side streets, and you’ll find small eateries that serve fish, meat, noodles, and almost any locally-flavored snack you can think of.

An interesting side-note is that there are a few religious locations in the area that you can visit. One popular site is the Sin Tek Bio temple, built by Chinese farmers in the mid-1600s.

You’ll spend a few hours here, as the area is pretty big and there is lots to see and try.

Day 2 / Stop 4 – Ancol Dreamland

• Why it’s awesome: A broad selection of activities all in one area
• Cost: $2 USD per adult and per car at the main gate. Add Fantasy World from $15 USD, Sea World from $6 USD, and Atlantis from $9 USD per person. Some rides may cost extra.
• Food nearby: There are plenty of eateries and restaurants in the resort.

Time for a fully-designed tourist experience – we need at least one on this Jakarta itinerary. Taman Impian Jaya Ancol (or Ancol Dreamland) is a resort that is specifically designed as a tourist attraction complete with shops, beaches, parks, and other recreational facilities.

You can enjoy a marina, more than 70 eateries, an art market, a gondola ride, a theme park, two beaches and more.

The Gondola ride is a cable car experience that is definitely a highlight, as you can see the surrounding area from above – a gorgeous sight, especially in the evening. Attached is a theme park, Dufan, which has more than forty rides including the roller coaster named Hallintar!

If you’re feeling really courageous, try the most notorious of the rides, the Tornado and Hysteria!

The kids will also enjoy the aquatic park SeaWorld, which includes alligator and shark pools. Beyond the aquatic theme, there’s also an eco-park to explore, offering green-themed edu-tours around Eco-Energy, Eco Care, Eco Nature, and Eco-Art.

A bonus is that some of the restaurants here are open 24 hours, so if you’re a late-night reveler, you’re good to go in Ancol.

Six Degrees Hostel

It’s hard to find someone who’s had a bad experience at Six Degrees. Besides its convenient location, the key attraction is its rooftop garden and bar.

• Free Breakfast

Thousand islands | Gedung Kesenian | Museum Layang-Layang | War Cemetery | Kidzania

You lucky fish! If you’re wondering what to do in Jakarta for 3 days or more, there a few other offerings to consider. Here are a few more places to consider for a 3 day itinerary in Jakarta and beyond.

The Thousand islands

• Get out of the city hustle and bustle
• Tropical beaches to replenish the soul and the body
• It’s best to do over a weekend in Jakarta

If you do have more time beyond your 2-day itinerary in Jakarta, consider a boat ride out to explore a few of the literal thousand islands to visit in the Indonesian archipelago . A full weekend to sit on a beach and relax is ideal, but the boat ride only takes an hour or two.

Some say a classy beach resort is the best place to stay in Jakarta. Of the best are Pulau Bidadari, which is the closest, and Pulau Macan, which is popular with honeymooners and eco-tourists.

You can get to most of the islands by speedboat from the Marina Ancol resort for around $15 USD. Here’s a tip: If you want to opt for a slightly cheaper way to get to the islands try Kali Adem harbor in MuaraAngke. This is a fishing jetty, but you could score a cheap trip to an island from here, where privately or via ferry for $3-5 USD.

If you want to go from island to island once you’re there, several resorts will let you rent boats to island-hop. This would be another enviable addition to your Jakarta itinerary.

Gedung Kesenian Jakarta

• A feel of an old Euro-style theater
• Shakespeare’s Othello was the first-ever performance here
• The premiere concert hall in Jakarta

Take an evening out to attend a performance of an opera, play or symphony at this amazing old colonial-era theater.

This beautiful old theater was commissioned in 1821. Over the years, it has served many functions. For example, during World War II, the occupying Japanese army used it as a military headquarters for the region.

The building also served as a headquarters for groups during the Indonesian push for Independence. It has even been a university building. Today it serves as one of the city’s main opera houses and theaters. Hosting regular performances of classics and modern works.

Museum Layang-Layang

• Another most unusual museum to marvel in
• Kite making, ceramics and batik workshops on offer
• The founder and owner still works here as the main guide

By now you’ve realized that Indonesia has a fondness for puppets. It also has a special place reserved for kites, of all things. In the unusual but quaint Museum Layang-Layang, it is the latter that is celebrated.

In a traditional-looking house in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta, Endang Ernawati opened this monument to a passion that seems unequaled. There are over 600 kites on display here, and some of them are incredibly unique.

Visitors usually marvel at the smallest (2 cm) and the largest (26 meters). But you’ll also find the strange, like a duo of kites that need to be flown together to produce a sound, not unlike a flute! You may also be intrigued to find the kite that is flown at a traditional wedding.

Among the other highlights is a giant 3D horse and cart, and bamboo and banana-tree leave constructed flyers. The museum  hosts workshops specially for children where kids can make their own, and adults can paint theirs. All the while, the guide will offer interesting bits and pieces on the history of kites in Indonesian culture.

Jakarta War Cemetery

• A serene and respectful monument to War heroes
• Commissioned by the Commonwealth and Dutch authorities after World War II
• Gates opened upon request on weekdays

If you’re a cultural or historical tourist, the War Cemetery in the suburb of Menteng Pulo is a somber reminder of the devastation of World War II on the region and its people. It’s a definite item on any history buff’s Jakarta itinerary.

The cemetery contains the graves of Indonesian, Dutch and commonwealth (English, Indian, Pakistani and other) forces. It commemorates the soldiers lost during the Japanese invasion in 1942 and the subsequent re-taking of the region.

At the center of the cemetery stands the Cross of Sacrifice, which can be found in many Commonwealth war cemeteries around the world. The Dutch section of the cemetery contains a small chapel.

What makes a visit here so enriching is the many stories that can be learned from the plaques and stones, especially in the British section of the graveyard. There are around 1200 graves in all, including those belonging to POWs who died during the war, and even a few given to heroes of the Indonesian Revolution.

• A cutting-edge approach to edutainment and fun in a Kids Park is indeed possible
• Kids can learn about professions and how money works
• Adults can take a break at the food court

Kidzania in the CBD is a kids’ play park with a difference. It is designed to look and feel like a real city, and lets kids take on roles in real occupations. It taps into that children’ desire to roleplay, while simultaneously giving them basic life lessons as they navigate the ‘city’.

The park is divided into a number of scenes, themed by activity. There’s even a flight simulator! Each of the activities or scenarios – whether it be a car dealership, fire department, city parade or disco lounge – is designed to impart life skills.

Each kid is given ‘KidZos’ on entry, which they treat as money in Kidzania. On a smaller scale, the kids will also learn about a number of professions along the way.

Sadly, no over 16s can participate, but there is a food court and pizzeria to enjoy. Don’t worry about the kids as there is plenty of high-end security to make sure everyone remains safe within the enclosed park. If you bring kids, this is a MUST on your extended Jakarta trip itinerary.

It’s a good idea to check with travel authorities when traveling anywhere, and Jakarta is no different. The region is prone to volcanic activity and other natural threats, so it will reassure you to know if any such warnings are in effect.

Like in any major city, it’s best to err on the side of personal caution in Jakarta. Take care not to be too casual with valuables like cameras, wallets, and jewelry. If using crowded public transport, be aware of the threat of pickpockets.

Ask advice from your hotel or a trusted local desk about things like reputable taxi companies and fair rates. There are several unlicensed operators out there who are looking to overcharge you if they can. It’s not a good idea to ask for an unmetered quote from a taxi operator. Better to make sure the meter is running, and even then to make sure it’s a legit operator.

With so much traffic in the city, you’ll want to be extra vigilant when walking around on your vacation in Jakarta. Drivers aren’t always alert, and different ideas might apply to pedestrian safety.

Drinking tap water is not safe. Fortunately, bottled water is available almost everywhere. Keep in mind to ask about the ice in your establishment as well. If the ice is made directly from tap water, it’s best to avoid it.

For the most part Jakarta and Indonesia are safe destinations if you are sensible and heed local advice.

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance for Jakarta

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SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

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If you have between two and eight hours to spare on your itinerary for Jakarta, a day trip is the perfect way to see a part of the city that interests you. This is also because most day trips from Jakarta are guided. You’ll get to experience the attraction as its intended. Here are five of the most fascinating on offer.

Jakarta: Like a Local Customized Guided Tour

What better way to explore a city than with a knowledgeable local? Take a walking tour through Jakarta’s coolest neighborhoods  someone who can show you all the best-kept secret. The little things matter, like where to get the best food or knick-knacks, or how much to pay for what.

And the best part is that you can customize your tour according to what you want to see. The guide will meet you at your hotel, and you can specify where you’d like to go within the time you have. It’s a very personal approach to exploring the city that can leave a unique, lasting impression.

Jakarta: Bogor Cultural Tour with Botanical Gardens Visit

This is one of the longer day trips from Jakarta and will require one whole day to do. It’s a ten-hour excursion to the countryside and towards the city of Bogor. Among the stops will be the glorious botanical gardens, an authentic local gongsmith’s, and a puppet maker’s workshop.

The gongsmith visit is a notable highlight. It’s unusual, and shows visitors gong manufacturing techniques that have been used for hundreds of years.

Jakarta: 3-Hour Chinatown Guided Walking Tour

The biggest Chinatown in Indonesia offers a wealth of colorful sights, sounds, stories and food to experience first hand.

The expert guide starts the walking tour at a 19th-century house and takes you through the streets towards the traditional market. On the way, you’ll pass by and learn about Chinese art and calligraphy, religion and traditions at the temple, and even get your fortune told.

Jakarta: Old Batavia Guided Walking Tour

Jakarta’s fascinating Dutch Colonial history is explored in this three-hour walking and biking tour of what was then called Batavia. See how the Dutch East India Company’s presence here influenced the architecture and the culture.

For example, The Old Railway Station and The Jakarta History Museum are just two of the fascinating stops on this essential tour of Old Town Jakarta. Traditional Indonesian street food at the market stop will replenish the body. The bike is also included in the price of the tour.

Jakarta: Indonesia in Miniature Park Tour

Arrange for a pick up from your hotel for this one – it’s included in the service. The gorgeous representation of Indonesia is a beautifully designed walk-through of small islands and pavilions.

Each of these represents a province, complete with fascinating miniature artifacts that depict important aspects of the district. Best of all, you then get to take a breathtaking cable ride to see the whole park from above. The day finishes with a visit to the Museum of Indonesia, exploring the extraordinary culture and history of the region.

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Find out what people want to know when planning their Jakarta itinerary.

What should you include on a Jakarta city tour itinerary?

Don’t miss out on these top Jakarta highlights: – Istiqlal Mosque – Jakarta Catholic Cathedral – Jalan Surabaya Flea Market – Pasar Baru

Where should you stay if you have a 3 day Jakarta itinerary?

If you’re only in Jakarta for a few days, it’s best to base yourself somewhere central like Mangga Dua or Sudirman Central Business District.

What is the best month to visit Jakarta?

June-September are the most popular months, as they offer the best weather for exploring Jakarta.

Is Jakarta worth visiting?

Most people overlook Jakarta in favour of Bali, but we highly recommend it. As the largest city in Southeast Asia, it’s packed with things to see and do.

If touring Jakarta forms part of a larger Indonesia itinerary, we hope this article has offered a little taste of everything the region has to offer. Jakarta is an eclectic combination of Southeast Asian and European colonial culture, history, and food; a melting pot ready for exploration and enjoyment.

Remember also that observing local values and customs will go a long way to helping you enjoy all the city’s many offerings. Here’s hoping that this itinerary is a great help to you on your trip to Jakarta.

Rose Wilson

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Excellent guide and tells a lot about Jakarta and how someone can use time to see the wonder of the city within a short time. It helps a lot and thank you.

Just now discovered your website while preparing to spend a couple of weeks in Java, starting at Jakarta. Brilliant site. So much useful information. I’m signing up right now. Best wishes, Will

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Where to Stay in Jakarta: 8 Best Areas

Home to millions of people from around the world, Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is a vibrant and dynamic city that is like no other. This city has an allure that rivals other major cities in Southeast Asia and whatever you are looking for, you can find it here. You will never have to worry about where to stay in Jakarta since there is a place for everyone regardless of your budget.

As the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta is located on the island of Java in the northwest coast. It is the center of culture, economics, and politics of Indonesia and has a population of over 10 million people.

By 2030 , it is predicted to become the world’s biggest mega city with a population that is expected to reach 35.6 million people.

The city is massive and there are several areas in Jakarta that include a historic mix of different cultures to include Javanese, Malay, Indian, Arab, Chinese, and European.

As a result, there are many neighborhoods in Jakarta that you can visit where you will see how these cultures have influenced language, cuisine, and architecture.

Famous neighborhoods in Jakarta that are well-known among tourists include:

• Sunda Kelapa: This is a historical port where traditional wooden schooners dock
• Kota Tua: An old town that is famous for its Dutch colonial buildings
• Glodok: The most famous Chinatown neighborhood in the city

These are just a few examples of the long list of famous areas in Jakarta that are awaiting you when you visit there. As a traveler, you should not only get an idea beforehand of where you will stay in Jakarta, but also take the time to learn about the best areas in the city .

Many visitors often get confused about where to stay in Jakarta. The following list contains the best areas in the city and hopefully, you can determine which one is for you:

Table of Contents

Where to stay in Jakarta : Best Areas

1. Menteng , where to stay in Jakarta for first timers

This neighborhood is situated in the heart of Jakarta and there are lots to explore here. Menteng is popular for its tree-lined streets, the massive fountain, and banking institutions.

Whether you plan to stay in Jakarta for a night or longer, this charming area is for everyone , especially those who want to experience the local dining and entertainment selections.

Menteng is home to various attractions, including museums, art galleries, and historical sites. Some main landmarks are the National Museum of Indonesia, the National Monument, the National Gallery, the beautiful Cut Meutia Mosque, and the Kunstrung Art Gallery.

This area is known for its park. For many people, Menteng is one of the best areas in Jakarta for walking. On a Sunday morning, Taman Suropati is a great place to start your day where you can find yoga classes for free.

If yoga is not your thing, Taman Menteng is right around the corner where you can stroll around and watch other people go home from work.

While in Menteng, you may want to visit the Besuki Public School , which is a famous institution. It was where Barack Obama studied here when he was younger and you can find his statue right in the courtyard.

As with the other areas in the city, you can simply walk around Menteng since traveling to and from this neighborhood is time-consuming.

Menteng is a great place to stay because you will be in the center of Jakarta. The only downside is that you will have to pay extra compared to other places in the city. Almost everything is expensive from food to accommodation.

Additionally, you will have to endure the rush hour traffic, which is one of the things that frustrate visitors and locals alike.

When it is time to sleep, there are n umerous accommodations in Menteng  that will suit your budget. There are hotels for those who do not mind shelling out some money, but there are also  backpacking hostels .

Budget hotels  are also around Menteng, and of course, you can find  luxury hotels  in this neighborhood that are still affordable in many cases.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN JAKARTA IN MENTENG

• ($$$) Mandarin Oriental Jakarta
• ($$) Ashley Tang Menteng Jakarta
• ($) Choska Residence

2. Jalan Jaksa , where to stay in Jakarta for backpackers

Also spelled Jl. Jaksa, this street is one of the shortest in the city, spanning only 400 meters long. Jalan Jaksa is nearby Monas , which is the national museum. To the west of this neighborhood, you will find the Gondangdia railway station .

Jalan Jaksa is designed for domestic and foreign backpackers . It is one of the preferred areas to stay in Jakarta because of the cheap accommodation and vibrant nightlife . Even though this street is touristy, it is still peaceful and has a small village vibe.

Backpackers like this area and they choose to spend their time here for several reasons. Jalan Jaksa lets them come in contact with the local culture while still feeling the downtown scene of the city.

It is comfortable and convenient to stay here because of the affordable facilities , such as secondhand bookstores, Laundromat, pubs, money changers, and travel agencies among others.

Jalan Jaksa is a part of Menteng in which it is a subdistrict. Therefore, it is also situated in the city center . You can travel to different places in Jakarta and discover several tourist attractions.

Another great thing about Jl. Jaksa is that it is also where expats mostly gather, especially those who live nearby.

This neighborhood offers plenty of things to do, including the following:

• Awan Lounge: You will find this attraction at the top of Kosenda Hotel. It is a garden bar that is comfortable and thrilling at the same time.
• Waha Kitchen: For a fashionable bistro, head to Waha Kitchen, which is in the Kosenda Hotel as well. It is a bar that operates 24 hours a day and delivers a modern Asian menu.
• Warung Ngalam: This food stall showcases an open-sided café that has single seating. It is one of the best places to try local Indonesian dishes.

At night, the street comes alive, particularly at Cocktail and Friends, Melly’s Garden, and Equal Park. These places are popular among tourists and expats. Equal Park has live music with rock and reggae bands each night but all three will give you an open-air space and some affordable beer.

As mentioned, Jalan Jaksa is budget-friendly , which is why accommodation here will not hurt your pocket. Most of the hotels and inns are inexpensive. You can also find amazing deals if you know where to look.

Hostels for backpackers are available, along with other types. Surely, you will find a space here because it is known as t he backpacker street in the city.

This area is wonderful for most travelers but you should not expect lavish hotels (although you will find many near thist street in Menteng) if you are looking for accommodation that matches your budget. Most are two-star hotels and rooms that are around $20 per night.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN JALAN JAKSA

• ($$$) Park Hyatt Jakarta
• ($$) Morrissey Hotel Residences
• ($) Erian Hotel

3. Tanah Abang , central location, shopping and affordable accommodation

This neighborhood is quite known for its namesake market but Tanah Abang has other offers for backpackers and visitors. The district covers other areas, such as Sudirman, Thamrin, and Senayan.

It is located strategically from the center of Jakarta , which is why you can easily reach this place through different kinds of transportation .

Shopping malls, museums, and hotels are accessible from Tanah Abang. If your goal is to purchase clothes that are known worldwide, head to Grand Indonesia, Senayan City, and Plaza Senayan, which are all shopping malls.

In Tanah Abang you can visit  the Textile Museum, and Stadium of Gelora Bung Karno .  Meanwhile, if you want to buy fabrics and local souvenirs, go to the Tanah Abang Market .

It is impossible to visit Tanah Abang without going to the oldest and biggest textile shopping center in the whole city. The market, which is locally called Pasar Tanah Abang has more than 13,000 kiosks and shoppers that amount to 80,000 per day.

It is indeed the largest wholesale center for textile and garment all over Southeast Asia .

If you will shop here m ake sure you plan what you buy before heading to the market. There are numerous kiosks and floors in Pasar Tanah Abang, which is why you do not want to waste your time trying to find what you wish to purchase.

The best time to visit is during weekdays to avoid crowds . It becomes very during the weekends, holidays, and before Lebaran. Wear comfy clothes even though the market is air-conditioned.

When you are done shopping, you will find numerous accommodation choices in the area. Many hotels here are close to the market and they offer good prices. In fact, you could spot cheap hotels that charge $10 to $15 per night.

A common remark of the people who have stayed in this area is that the inns and hostels may be affordable but they are clean .

Budget hotels here are everywhere. Of course, you will not miss the expensive hotels here but you will surely find accommodation that suits your budget.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN JAKARTA IN TANAH ABANG

• ($$$) Raffles Jakarta
• ($$) Somerset Sudirman Jakarta
• ($) ibis Styles Jakarta Tanah Abang

4. CBD Business District , where to stay in Jakarta for nightlife

The Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) is located in South Jakarta. It is a business district yet has a mixed-use concept. Plenty of condos are in the area, along with shopping malls, office buildings, hotels, and centers for entertainment.

This neighborhood has some of the tallest buildings in the whole country, such as the  Treasury Tower . Aside from the mentioned one, other buildings in the area are CBD Business District, The Energy, Equity Tower, Pacific Place Jakarta, and District 8.

Some of the best things to do in Sudirman CBD include visiting the Moja Museum, the JPO Bridge, the Al-Bina Mosque , and shopping in its big shopping malls.

If you are searching for expats, CBD may not be where you will find them, even though you will still see some. Nevertheless, it is one of the neighborhoods in Jakarta with a lively nightlife .

If you have a business meeting in Senayan or Jalan Sudirman, CBD is a great place for you to hunt for accommodation. Unfortunately, most of the hotels here are quite expensive.

While the accommodation in the Central Business District is not for those on a budget, it is still a favorite of many travelers. The nightclubs here are the biggest reason why backpackers love to visit and stay in the neighborhood.

You also have a few options for eating out and shopping but most of the malls and hotspots branch out to the other areas in the city.

There are some cheap backpacking hostels in CBD, and y ou will also find midrange hotels in this part of Jakarta. However, be prepared with some cash because many selections charge more than the other areas in Jakarta.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN CBD BUSINESS DISTRICT

• ($$$) Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta
• ($$) Citadines Sudirman Jakarta
• ($) Bobobox ITC Kuningan

5. Old Town/Kota Tua , where to stay in Jakarta on a budget

Kota Tua, which is Indonesian for Old Town , is an area that surrounds the Taman Fatahillah Square , which is situated in North Jakarta. It is an infamous area because it is known all over the city as the red-light district .

Head here for nightclubs, strip clubs, and massage parlors . Hotels are not packed because they are typically utilized for a short period. However, you can expect that the streets are quite busy until the end of the day.

Staying in this area may not be what most people want but it still has several advantages. If you are searching for a place where you can stay in Jakarta that will not eat away your budget, you should look for accommodation here.

Hotels in this place are guaranteed to be much cheaper than anywhere else in the city. Plus, you will find several tourist attractions nearby, such as museums, Chinese temples, and Sunda Kelapa.

This neighborhood also offers real street life where you can discover the best street foods in and around Jakarta. If you plan to visit the city center or Plaza Indonesia to be specific, it can take you an hour in the typical traffic condition.

At night, it is much faster to reach the city center, which may take 30 minutes. The airport is also easy and convenient to reach with several public transportation options. You can get there from 45 minutes to over an hour on normal traffic conditions.

Old Town is a favorite place for many backpackers because of the tourist attractions nearby, along with the massage parlors and nightclubs. It is also cheaper to eat here with several food stalls that stay open until the early morning.

Unfortunately, many people complain about safety in the area and most of the streets are dirty .

However, if you plan to stay here, several budget-friendly hotels are in this neighborhood. Most of them are situated near Fatahillah Museum and other hotspots. Hostels are a favorite of those who travel alone as well as people looking for a space for socializing.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN OLD TOWN / KOTA TUA

• ($$) Holiday Inn & Suites Jakarta Gajah Mada, an IHG Hotel
• ($) Zuri Express Mangga Dua
• ($) Wonderloft Hostel

6. Setiabudi , residential area in a central location

Setiabudi is full of different attractions , which is why many tourists and even the locals adore this area. The subdistrict is located in South Jakarta and one of the places that make up the Jakarta Capital Region.

This area is quite popular because of its location, which is within the Segitiga Emas Jakarta or the Golden Triangle of Jakarta . It is comprised of businesses and commercial organizations in the city.

This famed subdistrict is named after the Indo and Sudanese national heroes of the country. Setiabudi has an important part in the history of the city.

It was one of the primary housing neighborhoods in Jakarta and this area was developed before the others. The buildings in the Setiabudi administrative village are among the oldest in the entire subdistrict.

Along with Bendungan Hilir, Setiabudi was one of the first neighborhoods that gained direct access to Sudirman Road.

If you plan to visit this place, you should list down the s ites to go to and you should not forget the following:

Mega Kunigan: This area is where you can find numerous high-rise buildings, which are popular in the Golden Triangle of Jakarta. It is the same site where bombings of the JW Marriott hotel in 2003, the Australian embassy in 2004, and the JW Marriott Ritz-Carlton bombing in 2009 took place.

Pasar Rumput Market: In English, its name means Grass Market. Pasar Rumput Market is known all over the city because it is dubbed as the place where the locals shop. Pasar Rumput gained its name because it was where the Indonesian grass merchants established their shops. During that period, the Menteng elites would rely on the market so they can feed their horses. Today, tourists and locals go to the market to buy veggies, fish, meat, and fruits among others.

Rasuna Epicentrum: This mega superblock has an area of more than 53 hectares. You will find offices, hotels, sports centers, residential developments, and shopping malls in this area.

When it comes to accommodation in this neighborhood, there are various choices available from affordable hostels to mid-priced condo hotels to luxury ones .

You will also see a few apartments that are within your budget, along with hotel suites that offer comfort without being too pricey.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN JAKARTA IN SETIABUDI

• ($$$) The St Regis Jakarta
• ($$) Habitare Apart Hotel Rasuna Jakarta
• ($) La Boheme, Rooms and Coffee

7. Kemang , one of the most charming neighborhoods in Jakarta

In the southeastern portion of Padang in Mampang Prapatan district, Kemang exists and it is considered one of the most charming neighborhoods in Jakarta .

It may not be as popular as the other areas in the city but is still a good travel destination. Kemang offers brunch locations, family-friendly spots , and a boisterous nightlife .

Park Regis Arion is just one of the best sites here, especially for travelers. If you want to explore the area, particularly its attractions and popular activities, the park is an excellent choice.

Additionally, you should visit the following hotspots while in the neighborhood:

• Ragunan Zoo
• Ancol Waterpark
• Dunai Fantasi Theme Park
• Central Park Jakarta
• Blok M Shopping Mall

The Mall of Indonesia is also in this area, further cementing Kemang as one of the top places for shopping. It is ideal for families and those who want to try the coffee and some snacks.

The streets are quite narrow and you may find yourself in heavy traffic most of the time. However, if those situations are fine with you, Kemang has different accommodation types to choose from, including hostels, expensive hotels, and lodges.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN KEMANG

• ($$$) The Dharmawangsa Jakarta
• ($$) THE 1O1 Jakarta Sedayu Darmawangsa
• ($) White Tree Residence

8. Kemayoran , an interesting neighborhood to stay in Jakarta

Kemayoran is a district located in the upper part of Central Jakarta. It lies right at the boundary of North Jakarta district. It is an energetic area with lots to offer for tourists , including music festivals.

At the heart of this neighborhood lies the Kemayoran complex , which was once the old airport of the city. It was converted into an exhibition area, which is now known as the Jakarta International Expo.

Kemayoran has business offices surrounding it and Mangga Dua and Pasar Baroe, which are among the city’s oldest shopping centers can be found here.

This area also consists of the Sophilia Art Center and the Art 1 New Museum . These two are some of the newest buildings in the neighborhood where you can witness modern art, classical music, and paintings.

While there are a few restaurants in this part of the city, backpackers love Lenggang Jakarta Kemayoran because of the culinary treats here. The area alone has over a hundred kiosks presenting you with street food and favorite beverages.

You should certainly try deep-fried catfish with sambal, fried tempeh, tofu, and Pecel Ikan among others. Soto Betawi is a must-try as well, which is a local beef soup drenched in coconut milk.

Kemayoran has several hotel s to choose from but there are also other types of accommodation available, such as apartments, condo units, and townhouses. A few luxury hotels are also in the subdistrict but you may want to check other nearby neighborhoods for more options.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN JAKARTA IN KEMAYORAN

• ($$) Hotel Borobudur Jakarta
• ($) Amaris Hotel Pasar Baru
• ($) Orchardz Hotel Industri Jakarta Kemayoran

From budget rooms to favorite hotels to inns, the top neighborhoods in Jakarta have numerous selections. Use the list above to help you determine where to stay in Jakarta when you visit.

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1 thought on “Where to Stay in Jakarta: 8 Best Areas”

This website is really helpful and on point. Surely will assisting on my visit to Jakarta this coming Aug 2022

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