Celebrating your New Year's Eve in Jakarta is actually not a bad idea, especially if you compare it with the alternative of going to Bali.
Bali during New Year is crazy expensive (expect hotel prices in Kuta to triple at least), overcrowded even by Jakarta standards, and worst of all: Rainy.
In the past few years, for all the reasons above, I've decided to stay in Jakarta for the holiday season, including Christmas and New Year. I find the city to be much more livable than usual during the day (much less traffic) and there were great parties almost every night before and after New Year. The city also organizes several fireworks that you can watch from your hotel room, from the street, or from a rooftop restaurant.
If you are in Jakarta for New Year, voluntarily or not, these are the best ways to celebrate:
Things to Do in Jakarta for New Year's Eve
Watching the Fireworks
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| Fireworks in Ancol on 31st December |
The official locations for the NYE fireworks are Ancol, Taman Mini, the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout (Bunderan HI), the Monas (National Monument), and Kota Tua (Taman Fatahillah).
For those who plan on going to a bar or nightclub after the fireworks, it is best to go to the one in Bunderan HI which is close to Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia. You have to get there early though as the main roads are blocked starting at 7pm. Expect crazy traffic jams before and after.
The atmosphere is always messy but it can be fun, especially in the few minutes before the countdown. It is an event popular with Indonesian families, mostly from a middle-class background. As a foreigner, it is likely that some of them will wave at you or ask to take a picture with you.
It can be a bit frightening at times because people will light their own fireworks, sometimes just a few meters away from you. If you are with kids, be extra careful and, in any case, make sure you have good travel insurance.
Eating in a Fine Dining Restaurant
If being squeezed in a crowd of strangers is not your thing, another great option is to book a dinner in a fine dining restaurant.
The best ones in Jakarta will normally have a special menu for the occasion, of course at an inflated price.
My recommendations for great food:
- French food: Amuz
- Italian food (with a nice view): Alto (Four Seasons)
- Japanese food: OKU (Kempinski)
All these restaurants are headed by a foreign chef and they cost at least US100$ per person with a glass of wine.
Celebrating on a Rooftop Bar
This is probably the best thing to do in Jakarta to celebrate the New Year. You will get the best of everything: A (partial) view of the fireworks, a special dinner, and a party.
All the famous rooftops in the city will organize an event on NYE. The best ones for this occasion are those located near Bunderan HI as you shall be able to see the fireworks from there: SKYE or Cloud.
Paulaner Brauhaus, Social House, Burgundy, or MO Bar are not on rooftops but they also offer a view of Bundaran HI.
It is essential to book in advance as these places will be more crowded than usual. Expect to pay at least IDR1,000,000 for dinner.
Other rooftops that can be nice are Henshin, the highest in the city, and Chao Chao, which is near the nightclubs/bars of SCBD.
Partying in a Bar or a Nightclub
There are some great events on New Year's Eve in Jakarta, either in restaurants, bars, or clubs.
For an updated list of the best venues in Jakarta to party, you can read:
You should realize it might be more difficult than usual to get around in Jakarta before and after the countdown. My advice would be to choose a party spot that is near to your hotel. Ideally, it should be so near that you could just walk if something happened.
Where to Sleep in Jakarta for New Year's Eve?
As I mentioned above, from 9pm to 2am on New Year, it will be difficult to circulate in the city center. Some major streets like Sudirman/Thamrin may be closed and smaller ones will be clogged by traffic jams. Read carefully my reviews Where to Stay in Jakarta and Jakarta Hotel Guide to make sure you are in the right neighborhood.
Hotels that are within walking distance to famous nightclubs:
- Oakwood Mega Kuningan is near Basque, Loewy, and Flow
- Westin has the rooftop bar Henshin
- Kempinski: Near Social House, Skye, Paulaner Brauhaus
- Hyatt: Near Cloud, Cork & Screw
- Alila SCBD: Near Chao Chao, Lucy in The Sky, Fable, Hard Rock Café, Swillhouse
Don't wait too long to make your reservation as these hotels will be quickly fully booked. During the festive season, they may have a required minimum stay of 2 nights. If you search for them on Agoda or Booking.com, they will not appear if you only select 1 night.
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| The Grand Hyatt offers one of the best views to enjoy the NYE fireworks |
totally agree with this article !! I stayed in Jakarta during Christmas - NYE period last year, and friends from HK joined.
ReplyDeletethe city was much less crowded than usual and atmosphere was very nice with many parties and special events in restaurants.
Is there really a nice firework organized by the city at Bunderan HI? or just firework from the people?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Marc Benjamin in the Pallas/Fable.
ReplyDeleteAny updates about actual events at Jakarta clubs for 30 and 31 Dec? Should I consider clubs or bars for the New years eve? Will be coming for the first time to Jakarta, and staying only long weekend. Where to concentrate my energy? Your tips are indispensable, but I have only these 2 nigths. Have been to Bali and all over Thailand, Philippines.... Would prefer some clubbing and freelancers, no matter where exactly, but Indonesian types... I am Farang from Europe, 33 years old and single
ReplyDeleteDude...if your trip is about chicks and you're 33 years old european, who doesn't look shit, then you don't need to buy hookers. Try Tinder, DIA or simply try to meet girls the good old way - with lots of alcohol and bad decisions - it's easy and fun. :]
DeleteYes, I am white european,decent looking, and generally you are right, but usually I have more time. Do not like Tinder or similar. In this case, I am worried spending a night away with unsure results. Cannot risk 1 out of 2 nights. Maybe 1/2 of the first night /which is saturday 30. 12/, and then head to one of the bars with freelancers. According to this, will go for everything around Plaza Indenosia + Shangrila?
DeleteJKT is really crazy and you'll feel like a rock star in that case ;) It's fun for a few days, then it gets annoying. Nevertheless you're right that with an indo girl a one night stand might be less probable than with an euro girl (but it's not impossible). AFAIK there are lot of freelancers in the Dragonfly club (see http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/01/dragonfly-menara-jamsostek.html). You shouldn't have a problem to find a freelancer there..
DeleteJust came back. Actually I did feel like a rock star, occasionally. Not everywhere, of course, nor do I like it that much. I stayed 4 night and it was better, but not enough. It should be at least 7 for a first timer. However, your site and info helped enormously, and I can now agree on 90 percent. I did pay 2 times, once in Classic, and once from Jakartacracker. And I did not pay once, from BATS. There is something that I missed with Dragonfly, which was really impressive. Wednesday is definitely wrong for Immigrant, Colloseum and Golden Crown. Everyday is more OK for CJ and BATS, which have become my favorites, for all the impressions combined. I left couple of comment on other texts around, will be easy to spot them.
DeleteDownside - undoubtedly traffic, not only for craziness, but for total enmity for any pedestrian, anywhere and near impossibility to walk around, which I generally like, especially in a new city. Next time I would combine Jakarta 5 or 7 days and Bali the same, for which one week is enough /from personal experience/
Hey guys ... any good plan for a Christmas brunch or dinner including free flow of wine, I have already called most of the well known hotels but apparently no one is offering this kind of package,
ReplyDeleteCheck Honeycombers Jakarta website they have a guide to all the 2017 Christmas brunches/dinners. I saw Keraton Hotel @Plaza Indonesia have free flow brunch/dinner but for Christmas eve only.
DeleteHey - I'm going to be visiting the city and meeting up with my girlfriend who will already be there - but I'm going to be staying in Simatupang and she in central Jakarta. I know that traffic is usually pretty bad but will it be pretty much impossible to meet up if I leave in the afternoon?
ReplyDeleteThey will probably block Jalan Sudirman and Thamrin in the afternoon, but you can still go around it. Traffic should not be a huge problem as a lot of people are on holiday. I don't think you'll have any problems meeting her, especially if you leave in the afternoon.
DeleteSo what's the best club to meet local girls in the central Jakarta area on NYE? Will be there for Nye 18/19 and keen to party with some pretty locals!
ReplyDeleteGo to Cloud until 2AM, then go to Immigrant until morning.
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