Most travellers seem to consider Jakarta as only worthy of a quick stop to catch an international flight but I think it’s worthy of much more than that. On our recent trip to Indonesia we spent 3 full days in Jakarta and I feel that was the perfect amount of time.
Read on to learn about Jakarta, Indonesia – getting there, getting around, where to stay, where to eat, and what to expect.
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What to Expect
If this is your first stop in Indonesia, read my 10 tips for planning a trip to Indonesia.
Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia, located on the island of Java. It is a huge dense city with all sorts of upscale mall and hotel projects, as well as ridiculous amounts of traffic and pollution. We found the people of Jakarta to be sincerely friendly.
There are a couple pockets worth exploring as a tourist. Kota is where the remnants of the old colonial Dutch city of Batavia can found. It is filled with colonial Dutch buildings and museums. Just south of here is Gladok, the old Chinatown, overflowing with markets.
Central Jakarta, on the other hand is home to Merdeka Square, the National Monument, a number of museums, Istiqlal Mosque, the government center, and a number of malls and luxury hotels.
One thing that makes Jakarta different from most anywhere else I’ve ever been is how much security is a priority. We had to pass through metal detectors and have bags scanned and/or searched in every hotel, museum, mall, and park we entered. Additionally, there were rolls of razor wire all over the city, ready to be dispatched to block access to parks, roads, and driveways.
Getting to Jakarta
The Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) has connections to other airports in Indonesia as well as numerous international destinations.
Train is also a popular option for travel across Java and there is a train-ferry-bus connection to Bali as well. Check schedules and buy tickets via tiket.com or traveloka.com.
Getting Around Jakarta
From the airport, you’ll most likely want to take the train to the city center. After exiting the airport, simply follow the signs to the train station. You will purchase your ticket at the station. It costs less than $2 USD and takes about 45 minutes to get to BNI City (Sudirman Baru) Station which is located near the city center. If your hotel isn’t super close, you can get a taxi to take you the rest of the way.
Alternatively, you could take a taxi from the airport, but expect it take more than twice as much time as the train.
The most common options for getting around once you’ve made it into town are going to be:
- Walking. Most of the major sights are clustered in two areas.
- The Jakarta Explorer is a free double decker tourist bus that operates along a number of themed routes.
- Taxis – Bluebird Taxis have a reputation of being honest compared to others.
- Rideshare services (Grab, or Gojek.) – Make sure to verify if they’ll be coming on a motorbike or car if you have a preference.
- TransJakarta buses and MRT are also a good option for getting across town.
- The Commuterline train is your best bet for getting to Bogor or other surrounding areas.
- You can always hire a driver with a car for the day,
Where to Stay in Jakarta
We stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta. It was extremely luxurious to the point that we didn’t really want to leave. It is easy walking distance to a number of malls. Aside from that, the area is mostly filled with other luxury hotels, banks, and embassies. We were able to walk to Merdeka Square and surrounding attractions but it wasn’t the most pleasant walk.
So my advice is that if you want to be able to explore the city on foot, try staying somewhere near Merdeka Square or Kota. Find a hotel that’s in your price range and has the amenities you want.
Where to Eat in Jakarta
- Warung Ngalam has fantastic Mie Goreng and other noodle dishes. Don’t skip this one!
- Gado-Gado Cemara is reported to be a great restaurant for gado-gado.
- Acaraki is a good place to try jamu.
- Sari Minang offers Padang-style food served cafeteria style.
- Ragusa Es Italia is an ice cream shop that’s been in business since 1932. It doesn’t seem to have made any updates since then but is a worthwhile stop after visiting Merdeka Square or Istiqlal Mosque.
- Cafe Batavia is in a Dutch Colonial building in Kota Tua serving Indonesian food along with a few Dutch options. This is a great stop to relax with a coffee or cocktail.
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