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I will be going to Jakarta (not Bali) in Indonesia.

What's there to do and see, etc.

Concord wrote:I will be going to Jakarta (not Bali) in Indonesia.
What's there to do and see, etc.

How long you're going to stay there? Where will you stay exactly?
What do you like to see/do? Sightseeing? Nightlife? Art/culture? Nature? Shopping? etc.

In brief, Jakarta is like Dubai. Big modern city. Tall buildings. Big roads (and traffic). Lots of malls. Lots of hangout places. Good food.

Let me know in more detail.


*Can't wait for Christmas holiday back home*

Concord wrote:I will be going to Jakarta (not Bali) in Indonesia.

What's there to do and see, etc.

Yes, it really depends on what you want to see and do.

There is a part of the city with some old Dutch influence still lingering. Yet, in terms of history, Jakarta is not as interesting as, say, Bangkok with all those temples and palaces. However, there is a national museum in Jakarta worth checking out.

Economically, Jakarta is a huge, mostly poor city with a few islands of luxury in the form of some top end hotels and shopping centers. Security tends to be tight esp. at the five star hotels.

As for nightlife esp. of the somewhat naughty type, you could try certain parts of "Blok M," which is actually a large area -- not just one block-- around a major bus station.

Indonesians are generally nice people, but you do have to sometimes haggel over prices, etc.

Concord wrote:I will be going to Jakarta (not Bali) in Indonesia.

What's there to do and see, etc.

well, mall-hopping is one activity you could do . malls are smaller than what you find in Dubai.

if you are after night life, mild type can be found in Kemang area, expat enclave similar to Jumeirah. Pubs, restaurant and Live music. Naughty type will go to Blok M, couple of expat bars and the ever-present girls. The very naughty one will go to Kota, the older part of town, where anything goes, just a matter of knowing where to look. Make sure you take Bluebird Group taxi everywhere you go, especially to these hot spots. Expect to be ripped- off in terms of pricing, especially if you look like westerner and only speak english.

if you stay over a weekend, head to the Puncak highland 1 hour outside jakarta by car. have breakfast at Puncak Pass hotel, nice surrounding and very cold. if you are a beach freak, go to Seribu Island by boat. Pulau Kotok [Kotok Island] is highly recommended. Feels like Bali without the going there. Just ask the Concierge to arrange it for you.

Get a copy of Jakarta Jakarta mags when you land there, similar to Time Out Dubai, with listing and all.

JeepDude wrote:well, mall-hopping is one activity you could do . malls are smaller than what you find in Dubai.

I'm sure you know how big Taman Anggrek mall is
For the length, I admit Ibn Battuta or MOE are lengthier. But with 7 storeys, in square meter Taman Anggrek is larger.

Additional to JeepDude's info, for weekend/longer stay, you may visit also Bandung city (2 hours drive from Jakarta), capital of West Java, my home town, for more shopping, great food, nice people, and enjoy cooler wheather. The best would be visiting the Tangkuban Parahu volcano (15 km North) where cars can climb up to the edge of the crater and even walk down to one of the craters. When going back, a nearby nice hot natural springs in Sari Ater would be enjoyable.

Jeepdude and xty, thanks for the tips.