5 Things to Do in Jakarta Indonesia

Over 60 million passengers flew through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta Indonesia in a year. Most of these passengers took a connecting flight from Jakarta to Denpasar Bali without ever visiting the capital city of Indonesia. In fact Jakarta has been overshadowed by Bali for a long time.

Tourism in Jakarta is about to change this year. Jakarta has been listed as one of Travel and Leisure’s 50 Best Places to Visit in 2015. The question is, what are the things to do in Jakarta?

Visitors who are looking for an authentic Asian city with friendly people and top-class service will not be disappointed in Jakarta.

Here are Travelmath’s 5 things to do in Jakarta Indonesia-

One: Indonesia National Monument
The National Monument known as Monas to the locals is a place to have a view of Jakarta City and to learn about Indonesian history. Start your tour of the National Monument at the top floor. On a clear day you can see as far as the Java Sea at the north side and Salak Mountain at the south side.

The National History Museum is located on the first floor of the monument. There are 48 dioramas showing ancient Indonesia through colonial times and the fight for freedom during the Sukarno era.

Monas is an important landmark in Jakarta and a symbol of freedom for Indonesia. The top of this 137-meter marble obelisk was made of bronze, gold-plated and shaped like a flame.

Location: Medan Merdeka, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia.

Two: Watch a premiere movie
Take movie watching to the next level in Jakarta. The premiere movie theatre by 21 Cineplex is like none other in the world. First off, you will be treated like a VIP when you step into the exclusive premier lounge. The concierge will help you select the best seats and show you a list of food and drinks to purchase before the show.

Inside the theatre you will find about 30 seats. The reclining leather seats reclined at about 160 degrees and warm blankets are located in the drawer by your seat. Your food and drink will be served just before the start of the show.

Luxury and top-notch service do not come with a huge price tag in Jakarta. You pay less than $10 per person (excluding food and drink).

Note: Weekday showings are cheaper than weekends.

Information: 21 Cineplex

Three: Indonesian food
Nasi goreng (fried rice), tempeh (fermented soy like tofu), gado gado (Indonesian salad), ikan bakar (baked fish) and sate are some of the well-known foods in Indonesia.

One place to savor all these foods and hundreds of international cuisine is at The Café in Hotel Mulia Senayan. The buffet includes Indonesian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Western cuisine, seafood and a huge range of desserts. Remember to leave room for dessert. You have at least 50 options of desserts including many flavored gelatos.

Note: Advanced reservation is highly recommended for your buffet at The Café in Hotel Mulia Senayan.

Information: The Café

Four: Golfing in Jakarta
Golfing in Jakarta is slightly different from many parts of the world. All golfers are treated like VIPs from the time they step out of their car to the end of the game. In most cases the golfers don’t even need to carry their golf bags.

Helpful female caddies will attend to your golfing needs from the time you register to the end of the game. A golf game in Jakarta will change the way you feel about hiring a caddy outside of Jakarta. You will also experience the Indonesian hospitality like none other in the world.

Information: Golf in Jakarta

Five: Café Batavia
Café Batavia is located in a 200-year-old Dutch building in Fatahillah Square Jakarta. This colonial building is filled with photos of all the famous people that visited the building, including Princess Diana.

While you are there, visit the old port in Sunda Kelapa and the Jakarta History Museum.

Information: Café Batavia

Travel tips:
1. Americans need tourist visas to visit Indonesia. You are required to pay $35 per person for your one-month tourist visa. Visas can be obtained at the airport.
2. Jakarta is known for bad traffic. We suggest getting a car with a driver when visiting Jakarta.
3. The Rupiah is Indonesian official currency. 1 Rupiah=0.0001 USD. Which means 1 million Rupiah is about US$100.
4. A list of hotels in Jakarta.