You’ve landed in the Big Durian! Loads you wanna do but not sure if you can fit it all in? Have no fear! Here’s a handy 3-day guide for your big city needs so you can travel in style.
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Day 1: Sight-see
Museum Fatahillah
Credit: Wonderful Indonesia
Start your day in Old Town or Kota Tua and be transported into pre-colonial Jakarta where the Dutch and British ruled Indonesia for 450 years. With a border canal and old refurbished buildings, the grand Jakarta History Museum sits where the former City Hall of Batavia used to. A history buff’s dream, there are a number of museums scattered around it displaying a collection of puppets, fine art and ceramic, maritime and treasured from their national bank. A big tourist pull, the main square is always vibrant with fire eaters, colourful bikes, souvenir stalls, buskers, living statues and more.
Take a spin around Fatahillah on some vintage bikes!
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Once the dust has settled and you’re hungry for some culture, I always recommend taking a break from the sweltering heat at the iconic Café Batavia for traditional drinks and desserts. But despite their assurance of halal meat and utensil separation, the do serve pork and alcohol. And it is quite bizarre to pray the Dzuhur in their modest musholla and later find photos of men and women in various state of undress when you go for a tinkle in the loo.
Swanky old European charm
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So skip the mediocre and expensive food choices at Café Batavia (but not before you steal some good pictures!) for favour of lunch at the hidden gem of Kota Tua, the hipster and 100% halal Historia Food and Bar.
Kitschy and contemporary interior of the Historia
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A specialist café in traditional Indonesian fare, you’ll find a range of local treats on their starter menu including lumpia (spring rolls), empek (fish cakes), tauhu (tofu) and tempe (fermented bean cake) giving you a taste of what every day Indonesians eat at home. For mains, you’ll find more Indonesian favourites with at least three types of Nasi Goreng, the evergreen steamed vegetable salad gado-gado with flavorful and rich peanut sauce and Soto Betawi – a Betawi-style beef soup made with coconut milk.
A selection of local dishes.
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They also present a pretty impressive drinks menu. Partnering with local coffee joint Tanamera coffee, you’ll get a taste of the local fare. And if you like mocktails, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Think mango, passion fruit and lemon; a lychee and apple mix with a slice of lime; and rootbeer with aloe vera. For something stronger, try the Wedang Jahe – a warm ginger drink with black sesame seeds and black pepper.
Historia’s Es Palu is cooling and refreshing on hot, sunny afternoons.
Credit: Historia Jakarta
Address: Jl Pintu Besar Utara No. 11, Kota Tua, Jakarta, Indonesia 1110
Directions:
Ask the taxi to take you to Kota Tua. Then find Historia on the map below:
Opening Hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm Monday to Friday; 8.00am – 10.00pm Saturday and Sunday
Price: ($) Rp 100-150k/person for a three course meal
After lunch, hop into a taxi (or take a tuk tuk if you’re braver) and head towards Bundaran HI – be sure to pronounce it ‘Ha-Ey’ – a part of the city known as the heart of Jakarta. Ask the driver to take the scenic route and drive by Monas, the short form for Monumen Nasional, for a quick selfie.
You will pass by the stunning Arjuna Wijaya statue depicting the Mahabhrata epic.
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#HHWT Fun Fact: You’ll see a number of statues and monuments scattered across the city. Wondered where the Sukarno and Hatta statues were pointing at when you drove out of the airport? A number of Indonesian national heroes are commemorated in monuments and apparently they all face or point to Bundaran, where legend says was the meeting point of hundreds and thousands of Indonesian revolutionists before they marched to Kota Tua to drive out the Dutch towards their Independence!
The Selamat Datang Monument
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Do a lap around the Bundaran and then head on to Plaza Thamrin for some souvenir shopping! Here’s where you find clothes being sold for wholesale so be ready for a good hunt. They’ve got a great collection of affordable abayas and hand-crafted kebaya nyonyas but you should also be able to pick up some of those ‘My kids went to Jakarta and all I got was this lousy’ t-shirts for your parents.
Indonesian batik is truly one of a kind!
Credit: Emma in Indonesia
It should be evening by the time you’re done, so take a 15-minute walk to up-scale shopping centre Plaza Indonesia for dinner. Nasi Padang is a must-have while you’re in town and if you had the luxury of time, the best is most definitely Nasi Padang Pagi Sore. But the closest branch is a while away so pop down to Sari Ratu which is equally as good and in a much more convenient location.
Ayam bakar, ayam pop and ayam goreng.
Credit: Bangsar Babe
Food is served hidang style which means that plates are laid out in front of you to allow a wide sample of their scrumptious selection. So don’t be shocked if you find a few dozen plates served on your table with waiters coming by to bring you more kitchen specials. Keep a note of what you eat and only pick out what you like because you’ll be charged according to the plates you eat from, even if it’s a small piece to taste.
My favourites are the telor gulai (boiled egg in gravy), paru goreng (fried beef lung) and ayam pop (steamed chicken) with white rice but you can generally never go wrong with one gravy dish paired with any sambal (chilli paste).
Address: Plaza Indonesia Lt. B No. 14-15, Jl Mh Thamrin Kav 28-30, Menteng, Jl. M.H. Thamrin No 28-30, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10350, Indonesia
Directions:
If you’re coming from Thamrin City, exit at the main entrance, turn right and walk for 15 minute.
Opening Hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm every day
Price: ($$) Expect to pay between Rp 15-30k per dish
The affluent Indonesians really know how to live well. So if shopping malls are your thing, Plaza Indonesia itself will be a little slice of terrible indulgence. As a luxury shopping mall, you’ll find a huge Dior store with its timepiece collection attached; a Zara home with a wide range of custom door handles; a Diane von Furstenburg and her gorgeous wrap dresses and Giuseppe Zanotti’s brave and bold luxury footwear.
The stunning atrium to Plaza Indonesia
Credit: JKTGo
For mid-scale high street, Grand Indonesia is just across the Plaza and you can get lost for hours in one of South East Asia’s largest shopping centres.
The Dancing Fountain show at the Grand Indonesia West Mall is a replica of the Rockefeller Plaza fountain which comes on twice daily for an impressive demonstration of light and sound.
Credit: YouTube
After all that window-shopping, end your day at Jakarta’s SKYE Bar and Restaurant at Menara BCA attached to Grand Indonesia for a stunning view of the Jakarta skyline. The highest sky dining point in Jakarta, the Skye deck features an infinity pool on its terrace but the restaurant itself offers equally breath-taking views with a decent desserts menu. The restaurant is halal-friendly (meaning they serve pork and alcohol) but if you’re coming for the view, then a spot of tea at the terrace on a windy night really does the trick to wind down after a long day.
Jakarta’s sky dining scene is one-of-a-kind.
Day 2: Shop
Jakarta is famous for its textile trade so whether you’re looking to tailor dresses for your family’s next big celebration, buying fabric for your half a dozen bridesmaids or needing a good suit, this part of the trip will be a big highlight. Lots of people recommend Tanabang, which is the largest textile market in Southeast Asia. But skip the multi-complex madness for the more organized and trendier Mayestik.
The newly renovated Mayestik Market is comfortable and cleaner than the one before.
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Start bright and early and begin with the outer fringes of the actual market where most of the textile traders have multi-story independent shops. You can easily spend a couple of hours in a single shop so best to pick one you like the most and settle in for a parade of fabric.
You will love the jasmine-flavoured Teh Botol Sosro
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If you’re planning to be a big spender, the shop owners are always happy to offer you a drink – bottled water or their popularly fragrant Teh Botol. Here’s another tip: if you purchase in bulk, you can negotiate with the store to get the goods delivered to your doorstep so you won’t have to lug things around.
Along the street, you get a proper market experience with a number of sellers along the street selling fruit, china, local delicacies and magazines. At the centre of the square, you’ll find a store called Toko Maju which is a crafts shop of sorts selling hooks, buttons, zips, ribbons, lace borders, pendants, decorative feathers, loose earrings and much more.
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All that haggling will have built up an appetite so stop for some eats at this amazing Turkish kebab store in the Mayestik complex that has succulent and tender beef strips and veg wrapped in flatbread then pan-griddled to make it crisp and crunchy on the outside.
You won’t miss the AB Fresh stall, just follow your nose!
Credit: Foody
The refurbished complex has smaller independent vendors selling cheap ladies’ praying attire, hand-drawn batik and bedding so it’s a good spot for some exploring and souvenir shopping. There’s a wet market on the ground floor and some shops selling nuts in bulk. They’re cheaper than what it usually would be retailing at the supermarkets so it’s good deal to stock up if you snack on nuts! A bag of sunflower seeds would typically go for Rp 200-300k per kilo.
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Address: Jl Kyai Maja, Kebayoran Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12120
Directions:
Take a taxi to Pasar Mayestik in Kebayoran Baru
Go from common market to upscale dining in Senopati, a neighbourhood that is fast growing in popularity as one of the top culinary spots in town. A 15 minute taxi ride from Mayestik, you’ll pass by loads of restaurants on Jl Gunawarman and Jl Senopati Raya that will have you making mental notes of coming again. If you’re still full from the late morning munch, then opt for a light high tea at the French-styled tea room Cacaoté.
The grand exterior of the Patisserie and Brasserie.
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As you enter through the gorgeous French doors, you’ll be thoroughly impressed by the elegant interior. From the white wicker sofas and the grand chandeliers to the gold-gilded mirrors and laid out silverware, the waiting room entrance open up to an elegant patisserie bar with an assortment of delicate pastries, cakes and macarons.
You start with selecting your cakes and then settle into your seats for the drinks menu. You’re truly spoilt for choice here but my absolute favourite is the Intense Dark, a layered cake of vanilla sablé, dark chocolate cremeux, chocolate glaze, dark chocolate chantilly and chocolate velvet. Otherwise, the salted caramel éclair, the hazelnut mille-fuille or the dark chocolate and hazelnut are just as sinful.
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Depending on your mood, go for the French vanilla tea if you fancy something hot but for something chilled, the Sunny Breeze is a cool blend of orange, pineapple juice, passion fruit, blended peach and passion fruit syrup. The high tea is served in the classic collection of Royal Albert china which is simply grand.
Address: Jl Senopati Raya No. 80, Kebayoran Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12110, Indonesia
Directions:
Get in a cab and ask the driver to head to Senopati. From there, look out the window on your right and spot the striking pink building along the street.
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 11.00pm Sunday to Friday; 11.00am – 1am on Saturday
Price: ($$$) Each cake is priced at Rp 30-50k and the drinks go for Rp 40-50k each
When you’ve filled up, flag another taxi and head out for some more shopping – this time in trendy Kemang. Hip and vibrant, you’ll get a feel like you’re in Seminyak, Bali, an upscale shopping district in everyone’s favourite Indonesian island.
Rare maps, prints and antiques and Bartele Kemang.
Credit: Bartele Gallery
Kemang is home to some top Indonesian designers, whether they make clothes or furniture, you’ll get to see some of the country’s top talents on display, with goodies you wish you could take home.
The Clea Flower Boutique is also a tea bar and lounge.
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A popular area for expats, Jl Kemang Raya is a nice street to walk down, with nooks and crannies to explore and generally soak in the feel of the locality. From indie brands to high end barbers, it’s a neighbourhood where you get the feel that this is where artists meet to have coffee or where the yuppies come to hang out after work.
Marista Santividya is a shoe designer with classy kicks that start from Rp 1.5 million.
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You’ll find loads of fancy places that you’ll want to stop to eat at like the Huize van Wely in the gorgeous glass Papilion building, or Gourmet Kemang in the large warehouse-looking building. But for a meal and a little something extra, look out for KOI Kemang which offers dining and a furniture and art gallery within its premises.
The Swiss burger at KOI Kemang – raclette cheese with dry-aged beef.
Credit: JKTGo
It’s more popular as a brunch place but dinner here is great too. Always look out for the monthly special. I’ve had a memorable Angus Roast Beef with Truffled Pudding with the latter being absolutely superb. Otherwise, the house special is the Rotisserie Chicken which is really more European than Indonesian.
When you’ve finished with your meal, take the stairs up to the KOI Gallery and take a look at some of the art, furniture, fabric and jewelry on display. Most of the products are locally sourced and manufactured but marketed abroad.
Eco-friendly furniture made out of reclaimed boats.
Credit: Culinary Bonanza
And finally, if you have space for a pick-me-up, then Anomali Coffee a few shops next door will be a real treat. As you enter, you’ll notice a huge roaster in the front of the shop. That’s right! They roast their own beans right there! That’s not the only thing that makes this café special, all their beans are sourced from different parts of the Indonesian archipelago and there’s a map on the wall that will tell you where it’s from and how its type influences the coffee flavour.
On some days, they offer free coffee appreciation classes, just ask at the counter!
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Address: Jl Kemang Raya No 72, Kemang, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12730, Indonesia
Directions:
The cab driver should know where Kemang is but ask to be dropped at Jalan Kemang Raya if you’re starting your walk from one end to arrive at Koi which is somewhere nearer to the upper part of the street.
Opening Hours: 8.00am – 12.00am every day
Price: ($$) Expect to pay between Rp 150k-300k per person for a two course meal plus drinks
Day 3: Rest and Relax
After two full days, you are absolutely ready to just take it slow on your last day in the city. Start your day by taking a stroll down Jalan Surabaya, the city’s antique market. With over 180 shops selling batik, old coins and copperware, it’s a great place for having a looksee if there might be anything to add to your growing collection of knickknacks you’ve picked up while on the road.
Fine antiques on Jalan Surabaya
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From gramophones, ancient Chinese ceramic plates, old diving helmets, tribal masks and creepy golek puppets, there’s a plenty to see at this particular flea market. Chat with the store owner and you might find an interesting fact or two that could really an interesting-looking item to life.
Address: Jl Surabaya, Menteng, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibokota Jakarta 10310, Indonesia
For lunch, you simply must try Dapur Sunda, which is a Sundanese restaurant with a few locations to choose from. The closer one is along the Embassy Row on Jalan Rasuna Said in the Setiabudi complex. But the one in Pancoran on the busier Gatot Subroto highway, is in its own wooden building which feels more styled and authentic.
The Gurame goreng as pictured on the left is a national treasure!
The Gurame goreng is fried to such perfection that you can eat every bit of the fish from the tail to the head and then ask for more. The garam asam which is lemon, brown sugar and herb sauce is the best between the available options.
Jus alpukat is always served with chocolate sauce in Indonesia.
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There are at least 7 different types of sambal (chilli paste) on the menu which varies greatly in flavour so have a go at least 2 at a time. Be sure to order the lalap which is steamed vegetables to balance out all the protein. And do not miss out on jus alpukat which is avocado juice but it’s usually served with an external coat of chocolate to taste which really is an Indonesian special.
Address: Kawasan Hanggar Teras MBAU, Jalan Jendral Gatot Subroto Kav 72, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12780, Indonesia
Directions:
The traffic in Jakarta is a little crazy and it’s likely you’ll be coming in from Rasuna Said. If you can brave the traffic, ask the taxi driver to head to Pancoran or Hotel Bidakara and as you approach Tugu Pancoran (you won’t miss the statue of the fellow in loincloth), do a U-turn on the right and immediately keep left. Enter into the first left and take another left into the parking compound where the restaurant is. To beat the traffic, sometimes it would be easier to hop off on the other side of the highway and take the overhead bridge and walk to the restaurant. Find it here on the map.
Opening Hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm every day
Price: ($) Great value for money. You would pay Rp 300k for two people and be absolutely stuffed.
You cannot come to Jakarta and not get a massage. It isn’t just cheap but unlike any other spa places you’re used to, you can get an absolute head to toe pampering in a one-stop drop. Sure there are the posh chains like Martha Tilaar Salon Day Spa or bare-bones massage parlors like Bersih Sehat. But if you’re already on Gatot Subroto, there’s a secret spa nearby called K-Link House of Beauty which I absolutely love.
It’s clean and bright, they put on wonderful classical music and the staff are super nice. Don’t expect any fancy chemical treatments like peels or dyes but you can get massages, facials, hair spa (another only-in-Indonesia special where your hair is put up in a mask and you get a head, neck, upper back and arms massage) and mani-pedis all in one place.
Nothing quite as pampering than having three people work on you at the same time!
They also do a mean blow-out for the ladies that like big, bouncy curls. And as for our head-scarfed sisters, Tuesdays and Thursday are only for ladies and if you call ahead and tell them you’re coming, they can be sure to block that time out to keep the men out. Here’s another tip: start with a basic facial and then to speed things up, ask to get a hair spa and mani-pedi at the same time and finish with a blowout. This would total to about 3 hours at least.
Address: K-Link Tower. Lantai 7, Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav 59 A, Jakarta Selatan 12950, Indonesia
Directions:
From Dapur Sunda, cross the highway at the nearest flyover along the flow of traffic, then walk against the traffic for about 15 minutes to arrive at K-Link Tower.
Opening Hours: 8.00am – 7.00pm Monday to Friday and 8.00am – 4.00pm on Saturday
Contact: 021 290 27 000 (call ahead to book an appointment especially if going in larger groups)
Price: ($) Very affordable. Rp 300k would get you a 3-hour pampering session with the works
Now that you’re all gussied up, spend your last night blowing the rest of your cash on a nice dinner to enjoy some of Jakarta’s upscale fine dining. From Harum Manis, Bunga Rampai or Dapur Babah Elite, each of these fine establishments provide that gastronomic delight that will make you feel like there are so much more culinary secrets in this city that you still have yet to discover.
Tugu Kunstring’s gorgeous interior.
Credit: FRV Bali
But one of the more impressive ones of the lot will easily be Tugu Kunstring Paleis You’ll order from an elaborate set menu that’s carefully thought out to balance textures and flavours but a waiter is always at hand to walk you through what you might like, how large your party is and what you’re in the mood for. And of course if you cannot collectively decide, there is always the a la carte menu that will let you pick and choose.
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And when the food is ready, it’s brought out in the Betawi yoke or pikul-pikulan which translates as baskets strung on two ends of a long stick carried over the shoulders and then laid out Grandrijsttafel style – a Dutch word to mean rice table.
Address: Kunstring Art Gallery. Jl Teuku Umar No. 1, Menteng, Central Jakarta City 10350 Indonesia
Directions:
Find it here on the map:
Opening Hours: 10.00am – 11.00pm everyday
Contact: 021 390 0899 (always call ahead for reservations as they sometimes close the restaurant for events and weddings)
Price: ($$$$) Expect to pay Rp 500k for 2 people
Finally, end the night in style and book a movie at Jakarta’s premiere cinema nearest to your location. Why the cinema, you ask? Because it’s just yet another experience that tells you that the Indonesians really know how to live well. Both Cinema XXI and Blitzmegaplex will have their own premiere theatres but XXI has more branches and are better furbished than the latter.
XXI Premiere
Credit: 21 Cineplex
Premiere movies have a separate ticket counter, seated and sealed in envelopes, access to its lounge and the best part: the seats. The seats are plush leather sofas you absolutely sink in and completely recline, with a little drawer in between the two seats with vacuum-packed blankets and a place to put your things. You also get a butler service which means you can order food before you come in and have them delivered to you at whichever point of the movie you choose. Service like this could easily cost 10 or 20 times more anywhere else in the world.
Price: $$ Prices are as low as Rp 50k Mondays to Thursdays and Rp 100k on weekends. Prices vary depending on the cinema.
Quick Tips:
The public transport is unreliable. Only take the Bluebird taxi as they’re always metered, are well-governed and rarely cheat. Say if you accidentally left something in a cab, you can call the hotline and tell them where you were at which general time and they should be able to track your cab for you.
Get a SIM card when you land at the airport and get a data pack. Always use waze on your phone so you know where you driver is going. Indonesia has a culture of not wanting to disappoint you so cabbies will sometimes agree to take you even if they don’t know the way.
The water in Indonesia is untreated. Only drink bottled water with a sealed cap.
Be wary of street food. See above.
Stock up on meds just in case because it’s very easy to fall sick in Indonesia and the healthcare is generally poor. Bring something for fever, nausea, food poisoning and oral rehydration salts (ORS)
Skip big attractions like the zoo, aquarium, amusement parks and taman mini. They tend to attract large crowds no matter the day or time. Between the congestion, poorly-maintained infrastructure, inadequate facilities and availability of better equivalents elsewhere, they’re rarely worth the hassle.
There’s a tip culture. Don’t feel pressured to accept help but if you do, tip proportionately.
Always research prices beforehand, especially if you’re planning to haggle.
Be ready to sit in a lot of traffic. Like a lot. Of traffic.
Have fun! <img src="http://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f601.png" alt="