25 Best Traditional Markets to Visit in Jakarta
By
Tibs
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Apart from the ubiquitous malls, Jakarta is filled with traditional markets and shopping streets. This review covers all the shopping areas to visit as a tourist. Some of them are very famous and some completely off-the-beaten track. I've listed them in 4 different categories: Traditional markets used by Indonesians for their daily household needs Interesting shopping streets for the tourist or the urban explorer Low-cost / wholesale shopping centers and malls with fake goods and great bargains Specialty markets (Precious stones, birds, flowers, fish, etc...)
Important Notice: Since November 2017, all nude dancing has temporarily ceased in Jakarta. Therefore, in all the venues listed below, there will be sexy dancers, but they will be wearing lingerie. Yes, even in self-righteous Indonesia you will find more strip clubs and sexy dancers than in most other Asian countries. Sure Bangkok has its fair share of gogo bars, but women there rarely go full nude in public. In Jakarta, you have dozens of places with daily naked shows for a male public, obviously, to enjoy. Remember that you are in Jakarta, not in Hollywood. Don't expect a spectacular striptease show with pole dancing, synchronized choreographies, and splits, it is usually pretty basic. In all those places, the dancers usually try to get customers to buy them ladies' drinks after they've finished their routine. The price for a drink is between 50k and 100k. If you buy one, you will just get a thank you. If you buy at least 3, you will get a short lap dance. If
COVID-19 is (hopefully) behind us and Jakarta nightlife is as vibrant as ever. Dozens of exciting new clubs and bars have opened this year, including H SCBD , the largest nightclub in Asia. I wrote this article to give you a concise overview of Jakarta nightlife. I'll answer all the questions you may have about the best areas for partying, the most recommended hotels, the best venues, as well as plenty of tips to help you have a great time. If you still have some questions, don't hesitate to leave me a comment below. Want to know more about Jakarta nightlife? Read Jakarta's Best Bars and Jakarta's Best Nightclubs . If you are a first-time visitor, you might also be interested in my Jakarta Travel Guide . Nightlife Areas There are so many nightlife areas in Jakarta that it can be confusing even for residents.
Update June 2019: Classes by Damaris are held every Tuesday at 6.30 PM in Up in Smoke Restaurant in RDTX building (Mega Kuningan), every Saturday at 6 PM in Grand Kemang Hotel, and every Sunday at 5PM in Al-Jazeerah Signature Menteng. The cost is IDR100,000 for group classes, and IDR600,000 per private classes. More info on Facebook: Cuban Salsa Indonesia . Salsa has been popular in Jakarta since the early 2000s. You can actually dance and listen to Latin music any single night of the week in selected bars, clubs and restaurants in the city (see the lastest schedule below). The best Salsa nights in Jakarta are run by two teachers who have lived in Indonesia for many years now, Luisa and Damaris. They have contributed to the building of a passionate Salsa community, which is made of both locals and expats. Luisa Damaris - Please note the woman wearing a jilbab next to her
Nightlife in Batam - Overview: Batam is a small island in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) located about 45 minutes from Singapore by ferry. With a population of 800,000 souls, it is the home to a small community of expatriates , most of them working in the Oil & Gas or in the High Tech manufacturing. Unlike in other parts of Indonesia, you'll find that Batam is rather well organized and clean. Close to Singapore and very little traffic. NEW REVIEW October 2016: 18 Best Hotels Near Batam Nightlife and Spas The Indonesian island of Batam has long been one the best kept secrets as a low cost getaway for Singaporean local and expats. The island has seven golf courses, several resorts and the costs are a fraction compared to Singapore and Bali. There is also an expat entertainment area like Blok M / Kemang.
Kemang is one of the best neighborhoods to live in Jakarta, especially for foreign families. Contrary to SCBD or Sudirman, it is mostly low rise and it retains a certain village vibe. It also has a vibrant nightlife that caters mainly to two distinct crowds: - Young Indonesian in their late teens and early 20s - Foreigners living in South Jakarta The nightlife in Kemang is always changing. The typical lifespan of new bars, clubs and restaurants rarely exceeds more than 2-3 years, which means you shouldn't be surprised if some of the venues listed below have closed already. Warning: Kemang is known for its horrible traffic jams. Avoid going there after office hours, especially on Fridays between 5 PM and 8 PM. During heavy rain, the traffic will be even worse as some areas often get flooded. Kemang nightlife: Where to Party + Hotels nearby Most of Kemang nightlife happens in Jalan Kemang Raya, especially near the intersection with Jalan Taman Kemang. There are several popular venues
Clubbing in Jakarta is almost always expensive, especially if you drink alcohol (thanks to a 150% tax in imported liquor). If you are a backpacker, a visitor on a budget, or a student, you may be wondering how you can party in the city without emptying your bank account. In this article, I will give you tips to spend less when you go out, as well as a list of the cheapest bars/clubs in Jakarta (including those with free entrance).
The following is a ranking of the most happening nightclubs in Jakarta at the moment. Note: I updated this review of Jakarta's best nightclubs in January 2024. The line between a club and a bar can be thin. Some places are great for dancing and drinking but I didn't include them here because I considered them to be bars. Check my guide of the Best Bars in Jakarta for more party recommendations. If you think I forgot to mention a venue, please leave me a comment! Tips About Clubbing in Jakarta: Here are a few things you should know before heading for a night out: - If you are new to the city and you don't know where to start , I recommend going to the SCBD neighborhood where you can find several nightclubs and bars that are all within walking-distance from each other (H Club, Lucy in the Sky, Swillhouse, Embassy, Billions, etc). 5 minutes from there, you can also check all the venues in Senopati/Suryo street. - Clubbing in Jakarta is rather expensive. Expec
A common mistake of foreigners visiting Indonesia is to limit their knowledge of Indonesian cuisine to Nasi Goreng and Nasi Padang. Few will taste one of the dozens delicious soups that you can try everywhere, from classy Indonesian restaurants to popular food courts. Indonesian soups are typically made from some of these ingredients: turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, onions, potatoes, coriander, ginger, galangal, tomatoes and of course, coconut milk. Chicken is the most common type of meat, followed by beef, mutton and fish. Pork soups are very rare outside of Bali. Sop or Soto? It seems that even Indonesians are not so sure about the difference between "soto" and "sop". Some friends told me that "sop" are clear soups while "soto" are mixed with coconut milk. Wikipedia tells a different story: It says that traditional soups are called "soto" while modern, western-inspired ones are called "soup". If you know the differ
If you are wondering where you can party in Jakarta, this review will guide you through all the most famous nightlife areas in the city. You can also read Jakarta Nightlife and Where to Stay in Jakarta for more detailed information. I've circled in blue two main areas: South Jakarta and North Jakarta. Each has its own characteristics: • South Jakarta is the most modern part of the city, with plenty of skyscrapers, luxury malls, and upmarket houses. Naturally, this is where you will find the most high-end nightclubs and bars in Jakarta. Expats and rich Indonesians will normally party there.
I previously wrote about the best areas to stay in Jakarta for tourists . You may want to read this article as well to get a first introduction to the city's neighborhoods. I wouldn't say that there isn't one best place to live in Jakarta, as the criteria for each person will be different. The most important factor when deciding where to stay should be the distance between your home and your work or, if you have children, between your home and their school.
If you visit Jakarta as a tourist, you are probably wondering about the best areas to stay in the city . Due to the horrible traffic and the lack of public transportation, I advise you to choose your location carefully. 1 kilometer in Jakarta is like 10 kilometer in normal cities. Just going to the opposite side of a street by car can sometimes take up to 30 minutes! If you don't have time to read my entire review , the following paragraph is a short summary: The best place to stay in Jakarta, either you are a tourist or a businessman, is around Plaza Indonesia or Grand Indonesia, for instance: Kempinski , Grand Hyatt , Pullman , Mandarin Oriental . It is an expensive area though so if you are on a budget, you can stay near Sarinah Mall instead. You'll find backpacker hostels ( Jalan Jaksa ), 2-star hotels ( Favehotel ), 3-star hotels ( Holiday Inn or Ibis Tamarin ) and 4-star hotels ( Morrissey , Four Points by Sheraton , AONE or Akmani ). Need more address
In this article, I will explain everything you need to know about traveling to Jakarta as a single guy. I tried to keep it as concise and short as possible. For more details, you can email me directly at thibaud@jakarta100bars.com. If I wrote something inaccurate, please leave me a comment and I'll correct it. Note: I updated this article in January 2019. Visas for Indonesia The citizens of almost every country on earth can enter Indonesia without a visa for at least 30 days. This visa is non-renewable and non-extendable so you'll have no choice but to leave the country after it has expired. Overstaying is currently charged IDR250,000 per day. For staying for more than 30 days as a tourist, you have 4 options : → Make a 60-day tourist visa in any Indonesian consulate abroad (I did one in Saigon, Bangkok, KL, Singapore and Paris). It takes 3-4 days and costs 50$. This visa can then be extended 4 times 30 days for about 40 dollars (you must use an agent).
You would be surprised to know that 90% of Jakarta's main clubs, bars, spas and karaokes are in the hands of less than 50 persons and only about 30 groups. It is quite difficult to know precisely who owns what because there are usually several partners in each business venture . This is a way to minimize the investment cost, to spread the risks and to help with the promotion. Each of the owners brings his network of friends, family, strategic connections and partners to support the business and to make it grow. Within the same group, it is also not uncommon to have several companies (PT) with different shareholders each. Another difficulty is that the real owners are sometimes hidden behind a nominee. This is especially true when the venue is reputed for hosting illegal activities such as drugs, prostitution or gambling. The best illustration for that is Tommy Winata who has the particularly of being a nominee who uses other nominees: He owns stakes in multiple compan