Jakarta - The Chaotic yet fascinating capital city of Indonesia

About Jakarta

Jakarta is the economic, cultural, and political centre of Indonesia. Although Jakarta extends over only 661.23 km² (255.30 sq mi) and thus has the smallest area of any Indonesian province, its metropolitan area covers 7,076.31 km² (2,732.18 sq mi), which includes the satellite cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, South Tangerang, and Bekasi, and has an estimated population of 32.6 million as of 2022, making it the largest urban area in Indonesia and the second-largest in the world (after Tokyo). Jakarta ranks first among the Indonesian provinces in the human development index. Jakarta's business and employment opportunities, along with its ability to offer a potentially higher standard of living compared to other parts of the country, have attracted migrants from across the Indonesian archipelago, making it a melting pot of numerous cultures.

Getting to Jakarta city from the Airport
Frankly the best way to get to the city si a private taxi. However, buses are available but might need a stop or two depending on where you are going to. Gambir is the central bus station serving north and central Jakarta so mostly you’ll need to take a connection from there to other parts of Jakarta. Train service is intermittent and again suffers from a last mile connectivity issue. So if using this mode , it might need a combo of bus with Taxi or a train with Taxi. The trip could take upto 2 hours in heavy traffic to get to Gambir. The Soekarno Hatta Airport is really big although dated looking. A few exchanges and telcos available outside the terminal area. Jakarta Duty free isn’t a lot to be honest. It is advisable to purchase stuff within the city.

Old Jakarta (Batavia) A trip to Jakarta should not be complete without a trip to the old city also called by its Dutch name I.e. Batavia. it is here the true cultural and historical side of Jakarta really shows up. By way of the old buildings with Dutch architecture reflective of colonial times, to the old mosques in the back streets taking you back to the when Arabs used Jakarta as a spice route. Intertwined by a system of canals and bridges and small old shops that exist till today. Expect to walk around this area, typically start with getting off the historic Kota Tua station and then walk around Fatahilla park (try food at restaurants around this park), walk further to the Musuem Bahari (Maritime, cultural and the old watch tower from where you get great views of the old city including the Sunda Kendal port and the Luar Puar Mosque). The musuem needs a ticket but its worth spending an hour here. This part of the city unfortunately isn’t well maintained and upkept and I wish the govenrmetn and authorities could do more to uplift this area which enshrines the history of Jakarta (like how Singapore , or perhaps Penang has done). Overall budget about 2-3 hours to cover the old town. If you take an organised tour they might not cover areas beyond the Dutch Street, as that needs additional time and some amount of walking. I would reommend Merdaka Padang for food and Cafe batavia for dessert and coffee.

City Tour / Shopping
A city tour will typically comprise of the triad of the National Minument, Ishtiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral all located iwthin close proximity. The national monument can be seen from afar (Merdeka Square) but if you want to get to the top you need buy a separate ticket and there are usually long queues especially on the weekends. However i would assume the view from the top at 150+ mtrs high would be amazing. next to it is the Grand Ishtiqlal mosque - the 3rd pargest moque in the world by capacity. Free tours are availble for tourists at specific intervals and in groups. End this tour with a visit to the jakarta Cathedral just across the road from the Ishtiqlal mosque. If you plan to visit these sites, throw in the historic Gambir station and Merdaka square which are in the same vicinity.
On the contrast to the Old Town of Batavia lies the modern and upscale central and south Jakarta where you’d find most of the skyscrapers, plush malls, most of the 5 star hotels and other businesses located. Jakarta has several malls , but one mall i visited was the Grand Jakarta Mall which is massive with four wings and can take some hours to complete in full. Malls are mostly for upscale brands and expensive. Stick to Old jakarata or Souveniour shops for local arts and crafts and at cheaper rates.
Jakarta's offbeat side
While most people think of Jakarta as a huge brimming metropolis, the island of Java has a lot to offer in terms of nature. And some rather unique experiences. Indonesia is one of the few countries that still have a lot of active volcanos and one such volcano is located about 3 hours from Jakarta city called Tankuban Perahu. The unqiue feature of this volcano is the ability to go quite close to the crater without having to trek or hike as the road takes you there. Hence for those on a tighter timeline seeking the thrill of visiting an active volcano this is the place. Other volcanos such as Karakatoa island are also available but need a overnight stay at the least due to the extended travel time. It is advisable to plan a tour as getting there using public transport can be challenging. A tour will also cover the famed coffee luwak plantations, tea gardens, rice fields and a hot spring. The tour covers lunch and takes a whole day from Jakarat but well worth it. It is advisable to carry a change of clothes to visit the hot sptring and a set of cooler clothes and a rain jacket as it could get cold, rainy / windy in the mountains. Also be aware the winding roads leading up the crater and the smell of the air can be intimidating so its advisable to be prepared accordingly. There are quite a few souvenir shops available near the tankuban perahu crater to buy local crafts , and other gift items. Ekaputra tours is a good and reliable travel agency for day trips from Jakarta.
getting around the city
Public transport last mile connectivity can be a problem in Jakarta so it’s advisable to get a app based taxi like Grab , or GoJek. The standard city taxi is called Blue Bird which is also reliable but can be a little more expensive than Grab. If stuck you can always flag down a tuk tuk , or a blue bird but usually they negotiate a fixed rate and dont run by meter in such cases.
Bargaining is considered ok with street vendors, perhaps upto 10-20%. If they cannot they just say fixed price and move on. If you are staying somewhere far from the airport its better to budget an extra hour or two for traffic. Traffic in Jakarta can be unpredictable and can quickly escalate espeically during peak hours.
What to eat and the Weather
While Jakarta has cuisines and options from around the world , street food is very common. Options of fried snacks (Nasi) to Fried Rice ./ noodles / dumplings are avilable on street carts. Food is also very cheap , even in Mid scale restaurants. Most restaurants do not serve liquuor or Wine due to the mostly prevalent Islamic culture. Liquor is not available widely , it's regulated and is expensive. The Weather can be sunny, humid and then change to rainy quite suddenly. It's good to be prepared. Wear light clotes in general and carry a jacket

Some tips on travel

Figure out if you really are able to use public transport because last mile connectivity could be a issue. In which case use app based taxis for a fair rate
Wear light clothes as the weather can get humid.
Plan ahead for trips especially to the airport, because trafiic can be very unpredictable and crazy
Currency is crazy here - use a convertor app which helps when dealing with/ negotating with vendors
Be careful of your belongings as some of the back allet streets may not be safe especially after dark
You need to be appropriately clothed for visiting the mosque.