8 Random Things to Know Before Traveling to Jakarta
Let’s be honest, Jakarta isn’t exactly a huge travel destination. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be included in your Indonesia travel itinerary (because in my opinion Jakarta is worth a visit) but the reality is that most travelers simply don’t venture here. And if they do it’s for a brief 24 hours. A side effect of this is that there’s not all that much information out there for travelers who want to visit Jakarta. That’s the situation I was in when I first visited Indonesia in February 2014. Like a lot of budget travelers, the cheapest way to fly into the country was through Jakarta.
I found myself in Jakarta, a city I literally knew nothing about. I was utterly overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city and after spending an uneventful few days here, I left without doing much of anything. I’m ashamed to say I learned virtually nothing about this diverse and complicated city when I first visited. Now that I’ve had the chance to live here for the past five months I realized what a mistake I’d made. The city might not be for everybody, but there’s no denying that it’s a fascinating place.
So, for anyone who’s headed here, I thought I’d compile a few fun factoids about a city I’m just beginning to understand. Hopefully, this will shed some light on what to expect when traveling here…even if it is only for 24 hours!
8 things to know before traveling to Jakarta:
1. This city is massive:
With over 30 million people (in the greater Jakarta area), Jakarta is the 2nd largest city in the world, right behind Tokyo. When I moved here, I was aware that the city was huge but I had no idea it was that big.
2. Indonesia was a Dutch colony:
I’m not sure if this is common knowledge among travelers or not, but Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch from 1800 to 1942. Most tourists who visit the country might never know about this side of Indonesia’s history, but if you look closely it’s pretty easy to see little reminders left behind by Indonesia’s former colonizers.
After reading all about Dutch cuisine, I realized that the Dutch did leave a small mark on Indonesia’s food scene. I’ve ranted about the serious lack of cheese in Jakarta but the cheeses that are widely available here are Edam and Gouda, both Dutch varietals. Plus, at grocery and convenience stores there is a wide selection of chocolate sprinkles, used to make the hagelslag, a distinctly Dutch creation of buttered bread and chocolate sprinkles.
In Jakarta it’s not uncommon to meet women named Helga or hear Indonesians speak English with a thick Dutch accent. The country’s former rulers also left their mark on the city’s architecture. The neighborhood of Kota was formerly inhabited by the Dutch and still houses prime examples of Dutch-colonial architecture.
3. The traffic in Jakarta is really, really bad:
If you travel to Jakarta you’ll likely be introduced to Jakarta’s infamous macet (pronounced “ma-chet”) – which translates to “traffic jam” – on the ride from the airport to your hotel. Everyone who lives in Jakarta complains about macet constantly, including me. Because of the abundance of big SUVs and motorbikes on the roads, it can literally take hours to go a few measly kilometers in this city. Anyone who’s traveling here will just have to exercise a lot of patience!
4. Cheap petrol:
Lucky for us budget travelers, petrol is really cheap throughout Indonesia. This means taxis are super affordable in Jakarta.
When I travel I typically prefer to walk everywhere but in Jakarta it is nearly impossible to walk from place to place. Crossing the street is a hazardous feat and there is a bizarre lack of sidewalks throughout the city. Now that I live here, I take taxis constantly and the rates are very reasonable for those who are on a budget. I always take Blue Bird taxis. Despite my slightly terrifying taxi experience a few months ago, this is still the most reputable company. The rate starts at RP 7,500 ($0.59 USD) and ticks up RP 3,600 every kilometer. Even when I’m caught in traffic for an hour, I never pay more than $5-8 for a ride.
5. Mall culture:
Ask any local what they suggest you do for fun and they will almost always suggest going to a mall. And if you visit Jakarta I can almost guarantee you will spend at least one afternoon exploring one of the city’s glitzy malls and basking in the flow of the air conditioning.
Jakarta really is a city of malls, which is something I still can’t get used to even after living here for five months. On nights and weekends, the city’s malls are jam packed with Indonesian families and young couples. It’s honestly worth going to a mall while visiting Jakarta just to people watch (one of my favorite pastimes!). Also, malls in Jakarta can be very glamorous affairs. Plaza Indonesia is absolutely crazy. With luxury stores like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Jimmy Choo it’s kind of like shopping on Rodeo Drive in California. Clearly, I cannot afford to shop there…
6. Wealth gap:
Jakarta is a city of contrasts, especially when it comes to wealth. On the one hand, there are luxury megamalls peppered around the city. But drive five minutes down the road and you’ll find sprawling shantytowns. It’s an intense reality…and honestly it’s something I still haven’t quite wrapped my mind around.
7. Modest attire:
Indonesia is a primarily Muslim country and it shows in Jakarta. Travelers will hear the call to prayer fill the air from the wee hours of the morning until well after dark. And dressing modestly is just a way of life here. When I’m traveling in countries with different customs I always try my best to be respectful. In Jakarta that means that women should be mindful about what they wear.
You don’t have to be too concerned about how to dress. But skimpy sundresses are probably not the most appropriate choice for walking around the city. How you dress definitely depends on where you’re headed but for everyday walking around I usually wear long pants and a t-shirt (or anything that covers my shoulders and knees). That being said, I’ve seen some Indonesian women wear shorts, tank tops and even skimpy dresses – but that is not the norm.
8. Jalan Jaksa is not what you think:
If you’re a budget-minded traveler like me, then you’re probably planning on staying somewhere near Jalan Jaksa. It seems as if every guidebook describes Jalan Jaksa as some sort of super crazy backpacker hot spot – at least that’s the impression I was under when I first visited Jakarta. So, of course, I booked a hotel within walking distance of the street. Maybe it’s because I was traveling during the low season, but I was baffled when I arrived.
Jalan Jaksa is not some backpacker mecca. What I found was a short, one-lane road with a few budget hostels and some decent inexpensive eateries. There was one bar that was typically filled with tourists but it was nothing to write home about. In the future I’ll write a post all about where to stay in Jakarta…but, in my opinion, it is not necessary to stay near here.
Have you been to Jakarta? If not, would you ever consider visiting the city during your trip to Indonesia?
Jakarta sounds like a big city in India. To be honest, a city that has crazy traffic sounds uninviting to me! But yes, things like ‘malls’ and a bit of ‘history’ sound promising. I think it’s a valuable post for anyone planning to visit Jakarta.
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Ha, the traffic is really awful. I can’t tell you how much I loathe sitting in traffic for hours on end!
Hmm, can’t say Jakarta really appeals to me. It’s funny you say it’s all mall, because that’s exactly how I felt about Kuala Lumpur. I didn’t mind it so much there, but I also think KL is a much smaller and more easily navigable city. There were occasional parks and things as well so you could escape the malls if you really wanted to.
Interesting facts though, it’s fantastic that taxis are so cheap if you’re forced to sit in traffic so much of the time! And I knew about the Dutch colonisation from my time in Bali but I wouldn’t have guessed there are tons of women named Helga, that’s pretty funny 🙂
Leah recently posted…Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone: Planning for the Future
Jakarta didn’t appeal to me at first either and I still have mixed feelings about it. I think living there for a bit has allowed me to have more of an appreciation of it.
The mall thing is really similar to KL and every city in the Philippines. I cannot say that I love the mall culture. I’m not really a fan of hanging out at malls, but I will say that it is fun to observe the madness in the malls on the weekends! If taxis weren’t affordable I don’t know what I would do. I take taxis all the time so I’m very grateful I can actually afford to do so!
I always think of Jakarta primarily as a gateway city to Indonesia, so it’s interesting to learn a little more about it!
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When I was traveling to Indonesia I only viewed Jakarta as a gateway too. I think a lot of travelers go there for a day or two without learning a thing about it…obviously I was guilty of that! But now that I’ve had the chance to live there and learn more about the city, I realize that it’s a really fascinating place. It might not be for everybody, but I do think it’s worth exploring a little deeper!
Lump us into the group of people who were only in Jakarta for 24 hours… we were catching a flight to Nepal, so we literally only spent one evening in the city. Part of why we spent so little time there is because everything we had heard about Jakarta made it sound fairly awful so we didn’t think there would be much reason to hang out there. In the end, we didn’t think there was anything wrong with the part of Jakarta we saw—it seemed not unlike Kuala Lumpur, albeit much much bigger—but I cannot say that anything we saw made us intensely excited to return and investigate more thoroughly at a later date. That said, we barely scratched the surface, so I don’t doubt there is far more to it than what we saw!
Steph (@ 20 Years Hence) recently posted…Confessions of a Foodie in Rome
I’ve been thinking about Jakarta a lot, obviously. And I think part of the reason it doesn’t appeal to travelers is because 1) it’s not the most attractive city, 2) it’s tough to navigate and 3) there’s really not much information about it. I’ve been there for five months and it’s even hard for me to figure out new and fun things to do. I think it’s a city you have to work really hard to figure out and to like, but I’m starting to like it more and more. Like it or not, it really is a fascinating city (at least it is to me!).
Hey Justine. Enjoyed your post. I’m a California native myself and Indonesian by blood. Moved to Jakarta to explore my roots and build my resume for grad school with the plan of staying only for 2 years. I’m now in my third year and can say that it was a great decision to extend. I’ve concluded that if you know someone who lives in Jtown (goes for any city/country), you would really have a different experience. Starting off an adventure in the South, particularly Kemang would lead you to wonderful art galleries and decent bars.
Wow I had no idea Jakarta was that huge. Interesting stuff about the Dutch as well. I didn’t know about that either. Lots of chocolate sprinkles and people named Helga in the middle of Indonesia, who would’ve thought? (I’m excited to hear even more about the food in Jakarta as you keep exploring!)
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The Dutch thing is really interesting. I only wish they would have had a bigger influence on the cuisine. It would be fun if there was more of a Dutch-Indonesian fusion, but I don’t think that’s the case.
I plan to put together a post on Indonesian food at some point. Indonesian food is so amazing and it varies so much from island to island. Even though I’m a vegetarian and I can’t eat a lot of it, I’m interested in learning more about the food here and I’ll definitely be writing about my findings 🙂
The Dutch did influence Indonesian cuisine more than just hagelslag and some cheese. Semur is Indonesian interpertation of Dutch braised beef. Kroket is the local version of croqutte also risoles (risolle), usually filled with ragut (ragout). Klappertaart is another dutch influence, a tart, which is dutch for cake, made from coconut that’s readily available locally. There are many more Indonesian foods that are influenced by the Dutch.
Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the info 🙂
I had heard Jakarta was massive but I never had an idea of how big it was. Just wondering, what is the public transportation like there?
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Jakarta is massive and public transport is sadly very bad here. There is a bus line, TransJakarta, which has been slightly successful but has done very little to better the traffic situation. And there were major plans in place for a Metro but they completely fell though. Now there’s talk of an MRT (but I’m not holding my breath for that one). It’s pretty unbelievable that a city of this size has no proper means for getting around the city. And it show in these notorious traffic jams that are slowly driving me nuts!!
Oh, I wouldn’t recommend Jalan Jaksa. Those guidebooks need to update their recommendations if they still write about Jalan Jaksa. There are better places to stay now. If you do not want to stay in a hotel and prefer to stay closer to the locals, try google “kost harian” (harian=daily) these are rooms for rent daily (or longer) in boarding houses (kost) or semi apartment units. They boards mostly students and office workers. I used to stay there when I was single, some are really nice. Try Setiabudi or Karet
Pedurenan area, start from US$20/night you could have a bedroom with aircon, cable tv, hot shower. Also, try Kemang and Kebayoran Baru, where the expats live. There are lively places to hang out there. These are closed to CBD area and we’ve seen lots of foreigners around and I’d say it’s safe. Of course you still need to exercise cautions wherever you are when traveling 🙂
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Jalan Jaksa seriously baffled me. It was not as advertised in all those guidebooks. After going there, I would not recommend it to fellow travelers. I think those boarding houses sound like a great budget and even backpacker option. I first heard of them a couple of months ago, but I didn’t realize tourists could actually stay short term. I’m currently trying to compile a list of good hotels in Jakarta (for a future post) so I will look into this! Thanks!!
found your blog through themochileradiaries 🙂 my husband’s family lives in jakarta, so we’ve traveled there almost every year. It’s definitely not one of my favorite destinations. The traffic is SO awful.. i feel like I spend 90% of my time either in a car or at a mall.
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Ha, I can’t say that Jakarta is my favorite destinations either! Did I just say that out loud? Oops! It’s such a tough place to get to know. After living here for six months I feel like I’m JUST starting to peel back the layers and really discover this place. For me personally, the traffic, the mall culture and the sheer size of it have made this place difficult to love. I also find it tough to get information about what’s going on in the city, mainly because I don’t speak the language. Ugh, I spent an hour and a half getting from the airport to my apartment today (it usually takes 30 min). The traffic kills me! That’s amazing that you come here every year though. Are there any things you can recommend I do while living here? Aside from going to Plaza Indonesia, of course 😉
I never go to the mall for fun in America but in China its definitely considered a reasonable activity. I walked around a lot of them in Shanghai just because they were so glitzy. I’ve definitely never heard of Jakarta being a top destination but its interesting to live in places like that and really get to know them
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Ha, me neither! It’s so odd to me that people go to malls for fun. I mean I guess I did the same thing when I was 12…but even still. Jakarta is a really difficult place to get to know in a few day’s time. But now that I’ve lived here for six months I’m very slowly starting to understand this crazy city!
Jakarta sounds quite interesting if you ask me. I didn’t know it was the second largest city in the world though, 24 hours there would probably not be enough then 🙂
I remember that in other Asian countries and cities like Kuala Lumpur for instance, the mall culture is quite popular too. I’m personally not a huge fan of shopping centers and malls, but in KL was so hot and the humidity was o high, that I happily stopped in them to get a little rest from it and to enjoy the refreshing air.
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I’ve been here almost six months and I’m just beginning to understand it! I think it’s a really tough place to figure out as a traveler because there just isn’t that much information out there about what to do. Unlike other major Southeast Asian cities, Jakarta’s just not set up for tourism (that’s my opinion).
The mall thing really isn’t for me. Ha, when I was in Cebu City in the Philippines I hung out at malls A LOT. They are super into malls in the Philippines and I totally used them to mooch off of their AC 🙂
Hi justine. Found your blog when i am blogwalking at some travel blog. It’s very surprising to know that there is a digital nomad live in jakarta. I am indonesian, live in jakarta. I am agree with what you write above. I am one of the jakartans who don’t like malls. I like some adventures. Anyway from jakarta you can take the cheap travel operator to island / surrounding like thousand island, ujung kulon, lampung, etc. It’s so relaxing yet cheap. Maybe we can travel together next time! Have fun in jakarta. I
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Hi Cuni! I’ve heard about the thousand islands but I didn’t know you could book tours out there. That is a great idea and I’ll definitely look into it! I’ve heard they are really beautiful 🙂
This is one of the cheap tour: facebook.com/ranijourney
I will join trip to ujung kulon on 13-15 mar with this tour. Do you wanna join? If not maybe you can just take a look that fb page. They provide various trip from jakarta, one of them is thousand island (harapan island). But they are in indonesian language. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions :).
Cuni Candrika recently posted…Pulau Harapan (Palsu)
Thanks Cuni. I will check it out 🙂
Oh Justine!!! Thanks again!! Your articles about Jakarta are so helpful! We never made it here but will go there soon. The article actually helped as a starting kit, thanks!!!
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I’m glad you’re finding them so helpful 🙂