DO-IT-YOURSELF Travel to Jakarta, Indonesia

Every vegetarian fear while travelling is what to eat, where to eat and are the food there vegetarian friendly? Fear not vegetarians! Indonesia has dishes that vegans may be able to eat. Fried tofu with rice, gado-gado (Indonesian salad), tempe (soy beans), sayur (vegetable soup), and ketoprak (Indonesian salad with rice) are very common and easy to be found everyplace in the city. Jakarta has a lot to offer for non-vegetarians as well. From traditional cuisine, Italian, Japanese, to every big food chains that you know, Indonesia got it for you. To be able to complete your Indonesian experience, try the traditional foods: Soto (soup), Nasi goreng (Indonesian style fried rice), or rendang (beef). You will never be hungry in Indonesia since food is very affordable here. Food normal range is $1 – $3 (American Dollar).

If you are a wine lover, you have to try “ciu” and “anggur merah intisari” (local wines). While for local beers we have Anker, Bintang and Bali Hai. I do not recommend you to drink Bali Hai, unless you are that kind of people who drinks Budweiser.

Having band shows here will be most likely occur in Jalan Jaksa (Jaksa street, Sarinah area, central jakarta) since it has lots of affordable hostels for backpackers and most of them have websites. You will be offered a place to stay by people who arrange your show; otherwise, there are lots of options. Price range are from $10 – $100 per nights. You can also find home-stay via online. If you insist on staying at the Hotel, try Amaris, they offer $30-$50 per night.

Do not get surprised if you have never been to a third world country, be ready for traffic is everywhere and it’s really terrible. Moreover, air pollution and hot-humid weather is to some degree a very awful experience in the country that you need to keep in mind. Apart from that, it’s not that tough to get from place to place in the city. There is an inner city transit bus called Transjakarta, minibus, bus, bajaj (a three wheel vehicle), ojek (motorcycle taxi), and taxi. When you arrived at the airport, go find the security guard or airport staff to find the taxi places; otherwise you will get ripped off with by illegal taxi driver (there are tons of them waiting in front of the airport)

You can enjoy local gigs, from hardcore to traditional music since we have it all covered for you. Common venues for hardcore & punk gigs: “Rossi Music” in Fatmawati South Jakarta, “Kafe 79″ Kemang area South Jakarta, “Lumbung Padi” Kemang area South Jakarta. Metal gigs: mostly on Sunday evening at “Bulungan” Blok M South Jakarta. Alternative/post-rock/others: Jaya Pub central Jakarta, Rolling Stone Cafe South Jakarta, Marley’s bar South Jakarta. Go check out this band when you can: Antiseptic, Straight Answer, Ghaust, Duct-tape Surgery, and Grave Dancer

Drinking places: Try Melly’s in Sarinah Central Jakarta, or Najong at pondok pinang South Jakarta. Those two have an affordable below normal rates for beer: $1 – $3. If you are looking for normal prices, try Dehoi in Pondok Indah or Tokove in Kemang.

Record stores: Movement records, Taman puring (second floor), Aksara, and Anti-music are located in South Jakarta.

Here are the things you must not do, says Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore. Talking to strangers at the airport is something you must not do. Most likely they are illegal taxi drivers trying to get you inside their car. Do not wear a jacket during daytime unless you’re riding motorcycle or feeling like having a weird sauna in public. Do not bring too much amount of cash in your wallet/pocket. Just in case you’re having bad luck.

Must sees in Jakarta, Indonesia

The central tourist attractions are located in the center of the city. Westhill Consulting Travel & Tours Singapore provides you with useful information of must sees in Jakarta, Indonesia

Kota district is the centre of old Batavia. It is the tourist hub of Jakarta.  The focal action is centered in the historic Taman Fatahillah, a paved square that looks like it came from another era.  If you visit the old port area, Sunda Kelapa, you can see the schooners returning from the high seas to trade their exotic spices.  It is a picture immortalized in Joseph Conrad evocative descriptions.  Jakarta’s most unforeseen attractions is the vibrantly painted sailing ships are.

The Maritime Museum, is situated in Sunda Kelapa.  A warehouse for the Dutch is now home to the maritime museum but not until the 19th century.  The various adventures at sea was brought to life by the model boats and faded sepia photos, it  includes the voyage to Jakarta from Europe via Aden.  You can take in the spectacular views of the surroundings from the old watchtower.

From Indonesia and Southeast Asia, the Puppet Museum is a treasure house of puppets. You can witness an attention-grabbing collection of traditional Indonesian puppets like wayang kulit and wayang golek.  You can enjoy puppet shows, which are a regular feature of the museum.

Jakarta’s most famous landmark, towering over Merdeka Square, is the National Monument (Monas). This imposing monument is a symbol of Indonesia’s independence and strength. The monument is 132 meters tall and topped with 35 kilograms of gold. The Freedom Hall represents Indonesia’s fight for independence through a succession of dioramas.  Take an elevator to the observation platform and to have a bird’s-eye view of the cityscape.  At the base of the National Monument is the National Museum.

National Museum is Jakarta’s most impressive museum, the National Museum presents fascinating flashbacks into the history of the city and Indonesia.  There are early Chinese ceramics, pieces culled from Java’s myriad temples and a bronze elephant that was gifted to the museum by the King of Thailand as exhibits.

Experience the Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, a sprawling 100-hectare park in Jakarta is an exciting diversion.  Each of Indonesia’s provinces has pavilions with displays of regional handicrafts and clothing.  There is a huge ‘lagoon’ where you can roam around the islands of this archipelago.  You can also take in a bird’s eye view from the cable cars.  What's more, there are museums, theatres, restaurants and a bird park with a walk-in aviary.

Ragunan Zoo is located 16 km south of the city centre in the Pasar Minggu area.  The zoo is home to approximately 4000 animals, like the well-known Komodo dragons. The formidable Java tigers are a further highlight of this park. You can spend hours just wandering around the extensive parklands, rainforests, and a landscaped lake.

This stunning Old Dutch quarter, Taman Fatahillah, is home to some old and ancient monuments.  This is a grand place to view some remarkable colonial architecture.  The focal attractions here are the oldest church in Jakarta, the Gereja Sion and Si Jagur, the cannon which symbolized fertility.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Tip: Top Restaurants in Bali and Jakarta, Indonesia

Heading To Bali Or Jakarta Anytime Soon? Westhill Consulting Travel & Tours Singapore Pulled Together Several Restaurants Within The Bali And Jakarta Indonesia Area.

Pondok Laguna – Jakarta, Indonesia
Offering traditional Indonesian cuisines in this open-aired seafood restaurant, with its deep fried gourami, and with 84% of reviews rating the restaurant very good to excellent, it’s one restaurant you’ll need to put on your itinerary when you head to Jakarta.

Lara Djonggrang – Jakarta, Indonesia
Ranked number 10 in the top restaurants in Indonesia, the interior is decorated in the traditional Indonesian style and is located in the Tugu Hotels. Great for any occasion, their signature dishes are: Nasi Campur, satay and banana pancake.

Bandar Djakarta – Jakarta, Indonesia
With over 180 reviews and quotes like “menu there... very tasty... already try all the menu and want to go there again and again” and “The food was really delicious, fresh and well presented” on TripAdvisor, this is one restaurant to visit.

Wacko Burger Cafe, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
One of the best restaurants in Bali, as the name suggests, the Wacko Burger Café, focuses on American/Australian style burgers and milkshakes, it’s a sneaky little place tucked away in a back street of Seminyak. If you’re missing home or just sick of traditional Indonesian foods, Wacko Burger could be your place.

Fair Warung Bale, Ubud
Tip: if you’re planning to visit Fair Warung Bale, book! This place is very popular and gets full early, so book in advance.  Besides offering great food, the place is also a working foundation doing good for the community as all revenue from the restaurant goes back to funding the foundation’s community goals and as a clinic helping provide assistance to children under 16 years, and young adults under 25 years.

These are just some of many great restaurants in Jakarta and Bali you can visit. Best advice if you’re planning your food odyssey is to do your research and tailor your restaurants to your taste pallet.

Warning! Watch out for scams in both cities. There are more of these tips, just visit Westhill Consulting Travel & Tours Singapore.

Places to visit in Jakarta, Indonesia

Looking for places to visit in Jakarta Indonesia?

There is no doubt that Jakarta is the heart and soul of Indonesia and one of the most exciting places to visit in Southeast Asia to enjoy an electrifying nightlife and shopping experience.


Whether you are visiting Jakarta on a stop-over trip to Bali, or visiting Jakarta on a long vacation, westhill consulting travel & Tours Singapore is hoping you’ll find plenty interesting places to visit and things to do in Jakarta besides shopping. Here are some tips! Have fun!

Merdeka Square

Historic Merdeka Square is Jakarta’s most important square and one of the top tourist sights in the city to visit because of other nearby attractions such as Merdeka Palace, Istiqlal Mosque and the National Museum of Indonesia.

In the heart of Merdeka Square, you’ll find the famed National Monument (pictured) surrounded by beautiful sculptured carved works depicting the history of Indonesia.

Inside the base of the National Monument, you’ll find the National History Museum and the Hall of Independence, both great places to learn about Indonesian history.

The square is also the focal point in the city at night when the National Monument is lit up. Within the vicinity, you'll also many landmarks, statues, parks such as West Merdeka Park where you can witness fun events like the fountain water show.

Taman Park

Taman Park, also known as Mini Indonesia Indah, is another of the places to visit in Jakarta Indonesia where everyone can have a fun day out.

Taman Park is one of the largest green areas in the city and a great place to unwind, do some bird-spotting and enjoy a picnic while taking in the lovely scenery.

The park also boasts the popular Indonesia Miniature Park where you can get a nice scaled overview of places in Indonesia such as Sumatra and Borneo. Within the park, you’ll also find many museums, an IMAX theatre and an Aquarium.

Jakarta Old Town

Jakarta Old Town is another of the places to visit in Jakarta Indonesia where you’ll find many more interesting tourist sights such as the Jakarta Kota Station and Jakarta Old Port.

Jakarta’s old port – Sunda Kelapa - is a great place to visit in itself because of the 12th century wooden ships and the port’s lookout tower, which offers great views of the port and the area around.

In Jakarta old town, you can also marvel at Dutch colonial-style buildings and visit many interesting places such as the Maritime museum, Jakarta History Museum and the Wayang museum which features a cool collection of puppets and dolls.

The Jakarta history museum is also worth passing by, as you can see more interesting pre-colonial and colonial artifacts and items such as old maps, stone tablets, paintings, swords, etc.

Jakarta Ancol Dreamland

If you’re traveling to Jakarta with the family and are looking for things to do in Jakarta with kids and teenagers, there is no better place to do this than at Jakarta’s largest recreation park – Ancol Dreamland.

Ancol Dreamland is located on the north coast of Jakarta overlooking the beautiful Java Sea, and it's a massive complex boasting a theme park, a Sea World, an aquarium and a fun Gondola cable car system which you can use to get around the recreation park and enjoy great views.

Jakarta’s Chinatown

If you’re looking to buy cheap CD’s, cameras and gadgets in general, Jakarta’s Chinatown in Glodok (Jakarta’s old town) is one of the best places to visit in Jakarta Indonesia to find all kind of cheap electronic goods.

Tanah Abang

Tanah Abang district is one the most upmarket areas in Jakarta and it’s a popular place to enjoy high end shopping and fine dining.

Not far from Tanag Abang Station, you’ll find Plaza Indonesia shopping mall and Grand Indonesia mall which are both home to fine restaurants, Sogo department stores, and designer boutiques such as Versace and Gucci. Tanag Abang is also home to the popular Tanag Abang textile market where you can shop for genuine Indonesian textiles like carpets and clothes.