JAKARTA INDONESIA - help for a first time tourist

[marcusd]

Hi peoples. I am thinking of visiting Jakarta to have a look for 3 days. I like to stay in nice hotels (5star) and cost is not a bother to me thankfully. I want to see some nightlife (gay if anyone knows anything there) and I do not need to go shopping but I love looking and browsing markets.

Now if If stay in BKK I stay at Eastin Grand Sathorn or Anantara Sathorn in the suites and prefer to hang around SILOM and go to JJ market as these are my sort of things. If you can guide me I would be appreciative. So hotel recommendation from people staying in the is helpful as I do use AGODA and read reviews but first hand knowledge lets you know what the hotels "sometimes MISS".

I would like to know if there is any particular area to stay that is better for a first timer and what there is to see or avoid or if it is a waste of time.

PS I think KL is boring as bat SH.T so if Jakarta is the same I appreciate all feedback and advices.

PS I love all the banter on TV and love the comments from all sides. Keeps our minds from going feeble THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

[ubonjoe]

Moved to the south east Asia forum,

[MrWorldwide]

Havent been since 2004, so this year will be my 10th anniversary. The traffic kicked the sh*t out of me - even compared to BKK - in '04, and the guys on my Indo forum assure me that it's exponentially worse now. Unlike central BKK, where you can still get up and down Suk prior to 10am, Jakarta seems to be a constant snarl from very early morning, with parents dropping kids at school and then trying to get to work, and the traffic at midnight in certain parts of the city is equally scary. I'm timing my arrival for the early hours of Sunday morning, and I don't even go to those lengths in BKK. I could give you the usual warnings re cabbies etc, but its all out there on the Net.

Having previously stayed in a 5-star - The Mandarin Oriental - I quickly realised that even a relatively short walk to the nearest shopping centre was a PITA : this time, I'll be staying much closer to Blok M and fanning out from there at night. Google 'The Best Nightlife in Jakarta' to find a French guy's very popular blog on nightlife, then consult a few maps to get the lay of the land. Personally, I've seen enough of North Jakarta in daylight to know that I have no business up there after dark, but you may be more adventurous.

By day, you have the shopping centres - trust me, it's an obsession for many Jakartans and a welcome relief from the heat, but the crowds in some of the centres are way OTT - as bad as anything I've encountered in MBK. Anything you can do to minimise the distance between yourself, shopping/restaurants and the bars has to be considered worth it, even if it means paying another 50 or so USD per night for the 'right' hotel. Sitting in a cab in Glodok at 2pm because you thought it would be great to see the port precinct and Café Batavia is, IMO, at the other end of the scale - hell on earth. Central Jakarta leaves you with plenty of options, even if the majority of your night-time entertainment choices are further south.

btw, your timing is excellent, as the author of the aforementioned blog has just compiled his 2014 roundup of Jakarta nightlife - it's increasingly clear from his reviews that many venues are considerably more upmarket than they were in 2004. One of the big pluses of Blok M - even if you don't fancy any of the bars or the available company - is that drink prices are considerably more affordable than the outrageous numbers Thibaud's site is currently quoting for the hotel bars and upmarket clubs elsewhere. Big city, massive gap between the filthy rich and the dirt poor - BKK on steroids

Good luck.

[seasia]

Mr Worldwide

I`ve never been to Jakarta, have/am considering it.

That`s an excellent useful post you made for a 1st time visior., read similar on the net when researching.

To the OP, Hope you have a good time.

[HooHaa]

just checked the URL - still thaivisa.com

[MrWorldwide]

@HooHaa, what's your point exactly ? The SEA forum is for discussion of OTHER destinations in the region - Jakarta is one of those destinations.

[marcusd]

Mr Worldwide

I`ve never been to Jakarta, have/am considering it.

That`s an excellent useful post you made for a 1st time visior., read similar on the net when researching.

To the OP, Hope you have a good time.

Thank you Will let you know if a waste of money and or time - but I usually find any experience is worthwhile.

[marcusd]

Havent been since 2004, so this year will be my 10th anniversary. The traffic kicked the sh*t out of me - even compared to BKK - in '04, and the guys on my Indo forum assure me that it's exponentially worse now. Unlike central BKK, where you can still get up and down Suk prior to 10am, Jakarta seems to be a constant snarl from very early morning, with parents dropping kids at school and then trying to get to work, and the traffic at midnight in certain parts of the city is equally scary. I'm timing my arrival for the early hours of Sunday morning, and I don't even go to those lengths in BKK. I could give you the usual warnings re cabbies etc, but its all out there on the Net.

Having previously stayed in a 5-star - The Mandarin Oriental - I quickly realised that even a relatively short walk to the nearest shopping centre was a PITA : this time, I'll be staying much closer to Blok M and fanning out from there at night. Google 'The Best Nightlife in Jakarta' to find a French guy's very popular blog on nightlife, then consult a few maps to get the lay of the land. Personally, I've seen enough of North Jakarta in daylight to know that I have no business up there after dark, but you may be more adventurous.

By day, you have the shopping centres - trust me, it's an obsession for many Jakartans and a welcome relief from the heat, but the crowds in some of the centres are way OTT - as bad as anything I've encountered in MBK. Anything you can do to minimise the distance between yourself, shopping/restaurants and the bars has to be considered worth it, even if it means paying another 50 or so USD per night for the 'right' hotel. Sitting in a cab in Glodok at 2pm because you thought it would be great to see the port precinct and Café Batavia is, IMO, at the other end of the scale - hell on earth. Central Jakarta leaves you with plenty of options, even if the majority of your night-time entertainment choices are further south.

btw, your timing is excellent, as the author of the aforementioned blog has just compiled his 2014 roundup of Jakarta nightlife - it's increasingly clear from his reviews that many venues are considerably more upmarket than they were in 2004. One of the big pluses of Blok M - even if you don't fancy any of the bars or the available company - is that drink prices are considerably more affordable than the outrageous numbers Thibaud's site is currently quoting for the hotel bars and upmarket clubs elsewhere. Big city, massive gap between the filthy rich and the dirt poor - BKK on steroids

Good luck.

Thank you for your information and the guide to the website. I will look at it and if I go, i will definitely let you know what is worthwhile and what is not

[marcusd]

just checked the URL - still thaivisa.com

What is your problem?

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Mr Worldwide is paid by George...

[marcusd]

Mr Worldwide is paid by George...

Thank you for your help...NOT! Your name says it all please move on

[MrWorldwide]

@fds, I'm going to cut you some slack on the basis that you are mentally challenged. differently abled.