West Jakarta is in Jakarta. The head of government in West Jakarta is a mayor ("walikota"). There are 8 Sub-Districts ("kecamatan") in West Jakarta: Taman Sari (Postal Code 111XX), Tambora (112XX), Palmerah (11410 to 11430, 11480), Grogol Petamburan (11440 to 11470), Kebon Jeruk (115XX), Kembangan (116XX), Cengkareng (117XX), Kalideres (118XX).
The Population of West Jakarta is 1,576,397 people. The total area is 125 sq. km. The population density is 12.586 people/sq. km.
Busses are lousy and get stuck in traffic jams like everyone else;
Trains only connect Jakarta with the outside world;
There is no such thing like a subway, tram or monorail;
So the best option is a taxi.
Taxis are cheap an ubiquitous. There are reports of robbery by taxi drivers, so some basic care is necessary:
- The blue "Bluebird" taxi's are ok, as are their more expensive black "Silverbird" cousins. Watch out: there are numerous Bluebird lookalikes: same type of car, same colour, only with a different logo.
- Ordering a taxi beforehand by phone is a safe way too.
During rush hour, taxis can be difficult to get hold of. When it's raining, the traffic jams are such a nightmare that getting a taxi can take ages, and getting to your destination with it even more...
An average taxi ride will cost you between 15,000 and 50,000 rupiah (IDR = between 1.2 and 4 USD).
Walking is not an option. Jakarta is simply too big for it + as soon as you leave the hotel, restaurant, shopping mall or office building "enclaves", you end up in dirty streets where everybody stares at you if you don't look Indonesian. Nobody speaks English and proper signs are non-existent.
Trains are a good alternative to get out of the city, e.g. to Bogor.
Nadi Gallery, Jl. Kembang Indah III, Blok G III no. 4 - 5 Puri Indah, Jakarta Barat, Tel.: (62)(21) 580 5677. Website: Nadi Galllery. Fine arts, paintings.
Diamond City Hanging Bridge, Jl Nelayan Barat / Jl. Kali Besar Barat. The central bridge of old Batavia (17th century).Build in 1628 as English Bridge/"Engelse Brug". In 1655 it was renovated and renamed as Central Bridge/"Het Middelpunt Brug". In 1938 it was renovated and renamed as "Juliana Bridge". This bridge is built near "Diamond" Fort (17th century).
Reformation Monument, Trisakti University, JL Kyai Tapa No 1, Grogol, Jakarta 11440. This statue commemorated the killing of 4 Trisakti University students by Police/Military snipers during a demonstration on May 12, 1998. The killing was followed by a widespread riots all over Jakarta from May 13 to May 15, 1998.
Jakarta History Museum (Museum Sejarah Jakarta), Jalan Taman Fatahillah No. 2. Tel.: (62)(21) 6929101, Fax. : (62)(21) 6902387. Located next to Kota train station and Busway line 1 terminal. Housed in the beautifully restored former Batavia City Hall (1710), the exterior is more interesting than the interior, which seems to consist mostly of tables and chairs labeled "made from teakwood, 18th century, Batavia". The exhibit on prehistoric Jakarta is mildly interesting though, and the colonial-style Museum Cafe (entry from the inner courtyard) provides a nice Cafe Batavia experience at under half the price. Opening hours: 08.30 AM to 03.00 PM, except Monday. Ticket price: Rp 2,000,-/person.
Puppet Museum (Museum Wayang), Jln. Pintu Besar Utara No. 27. Tel.: (62)(22) 6929560. Located on the west of Taman Fatahillah. Houses a good collection of wayang (puppets) from all around Indonesia and a few from around the world, labeled in English (well, sort of). Best visited on the last Sunday of every month, when free wayang kulit (shadow theater) performances complete with full-scale gamelan orchestra are held hourly from 10 AM to 2 PM. Opening hours: 08.30 AM to 03.00 PM, except Monday. Ticket price: Rp 2,000,-/person.
Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics (Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik Jakarta), Jln. Pos kota No. 2 Jakarta Barat 11110. Tel.: (62)(21) 692 6091, (62)(21) 6926090. Website: Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics. Rounds out the museum trio, with, as the name promises, Indonesian fine arts and ceramics. Opening hours: 08.30 AM to 03.00 PM, except Monday. Ticket price: Rp 2,000,-/person.
Golden Crown, Jl Pinangsia Raya 1 Glodok Plaza Lt 3, Jakarta 11110, Tel.: (62)(21) 6230 2888
Lido Palace, Jl Mangga Dua Raya Harco Mangga Dua Plaza Bl B/119, Jakarta 10730, Tel.: (62)(21) 601 5955
Milles Executive Club, Jl Lokasari Mangga Besar Plaza Lt 4, Jakarta 11170, Tel.: (62)(21) 625 5318
Stadium, Hayam Wuruk 111 FF-JJ, West Jakarta, tel. (62)(21) 626 3323. Legendary Jakartan superclub with no less than five dancefloors and capacity for 4000, the party starts every Thursday and doesn't stop until Monday. Note that the drug scene is heavy here, resulting in frequent police raids, and the club has had some problems with gang violence, so bring a friend or two and keep an eye out for trouble.
Valentino Night Club, Jl Mangga Besar Raya 91-E, Jakarta 11170, Tel.: (62)(21) 659 3709
Deluxe Karaoke, Jl Letjen S Parman Kav 78 Hotel Menara Peninsula Lt Dasar, Jakarta 11410, Tel.: (62)(21) 53671908
FM1 Karaoke, Boutique Hotel, Jl Letjen S Parman Kav 8, Jakarta Barat, Tel.: (62)(21) 5633333
Hole In One Karaoke, Hotel Wiltop, Jl P Jayakarta 44, Jakarta 11110, Tel.: (62)(21) 6264168
Travel Karaoke, Travel Hotel, Jl Mangga Besar VIII 21, Jakarta 11150, Tel.: (62)(21) 6012721, Jl Mangga Besar VIII 7, Jakarta 11170, Tel.: (62)(21) 6009925
Textile Museum, Museum Tekstil, Jl. KS Tubun 4 (close to Tanah Abang market). Phone: 021-5606613. Batik courses available Su, Tu-F 9:30AM-3PM, Sa 9:30AM-1PM.
Slipi Jaya Plaza, Letjen. S. Parman St., Kemanggisan, Palmerah, Jakarta 11480.
Central Park, Jl. Letjen S. Parman. Just next door to the infamous Taman Anggrek Mall. High-end brands, a 10-auditorium cineplex, an array of restaurants on the below and top floors, as well as at the exclusively designed Tribeca mall, and Tribeca greenery park.
Taman Anggrek Mall, Jl. Letjen. S. Parman No. 21, Slipi, West Jakarta. The largest of all Jakartan malls, Taman Anggrek sees 100,000 people pass through on a good day. In addition to the usual department stores and cineplexes, this cavernous complex contains an ice-skating rink.
Mutiara Taman Palem (AK Karaoke), Blok A 18 No. 2-3 Cengkareng, Jakarta Barat, Phone: 619 2288, 935 22288, or 68 100 100
Mall Mutiara Taman Palem, Lt. 3, Cengkareng, Phone: 951 22288 or 34 100 100
Ciputra Mall , 5th Floor, Grogol, Phone: 560 6572
Bakmi GM, Jl. Gajah Mada No.92, Tel.: (62)(21) 633-4689, Mall Puri Indah Lt. 1, Tel.: (62)(21) 582 2406. One of Jakarta's most famous noodle joints, now with franchises in shopping malls across the city. The best-known dish is bakmi pangsit goreng, with chewy bakmi noodles, a topping of chicken and mushroom and a deep-fried wonton dumpling on top. Dishes Rp10,000-20,000 (US$1-2). Open 10 AM-3 PM, 4:30 PM-9:30 PM daily, except Sundays 8 AM to 3 PM only.
Platinum, Mall Taman Anggrek, Tel.: (62)(21) 563 9587. Mall Ciputra 4th Fl, Tel.: (62)(21) 568 1480, Mall Puri Indah, Tel: (62)(21) 582 2455. Gajah Mada Plaza, G. Fl. Tel.: (62)(21) 633 6201. Chinese restaurant. Menu: Dim Sum, Steak, Fried Rice, Noodle. Drinks: Fruit punch, juice. Price: budget, approx. US$ 4.00/person.
Sapo Oriental Restaurant, Mall Taman Anggrek 3rd Floor #301, Tel. : (62)(21) 5639342. Ciputra Mall 1st Fl, Tel.: (62)(21) 5681554. Plaza Lokasari Gnd Fl, Tel.: (62)(21) 6252393, Plaza Gajah Mada 1st Fl, Tel.: (62)(21) 6339925. Chinese-Indonesian restaurant specializing in claypot (sapo) dishes from Rp 20,000. Opening hours: 11.00 AM to Midnight.
Wan Toe (formerly Super Kitchen), Jl. Roa Malaka No. 32, Tel: (62)(21) 691 5128, Jl Mangga Besar I 63 JKL, Tel.: (62)(21) 6399560. Chinese and seafood restaurant. Features waiters in bowties and marble tabletops, but basic rice/noodle dishes in fairly authentic Hong Kong style start from under Rp. 20,000. Seafood dishes are more expensive. Opening hours: 10.00 AM to 03.00 AM. Price: approx. US$ 8/person.
Gandy Steakhouse, Jl. Hayam Wuruk 73, Jakarta. Tel. (021) 639 1109. Menu: steak, grilled chicken, seafood. Opening hours: 11.00 AM to 11.00 PM. Price: approx. US$ 21/person.
Sizzler, Puri Agung Puri Indah, Tel.: (62)(21) 5822611. Mal Ciputra LG/41-42, Tel.: (62)(21) 5661165. Western restaurant. Menu: steak, soup, salad. Price: approx. US$ 20/person.
Japanese:
Shabu Tei, Mall Puri Indah, Lt. 2, Unit SF-240. Tel.: (62)(21) 582-2580. Mall Taman Anggrek, Lt. 4,#417. Tel. (62)(21) 5699-9061. Japanese restaurant. Rp 63,000++ gets you a large set (enough for two) of reasonably authentic cook-it-yourself Japanese shabu-shabu (hotpot).
Cafe Batavia, Taman Fatahillah, Kota, Jakarta 11110, Tel.: (62)(21) 691 5531. This establishment in the heart of Kota oozes old-school colonial style: it serves international and Indonesian food at brunch, lunch and dinner and doubles as a party spot at nights. Quite expensive though: most meals are well upwards of Rp 100,000++ and an appetizer of caviar will set you back a cool Rp 2 million. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Bintang Mawar, Jl Mangga Besar VII 17-19-21, Jakarta 11170, Tel.: (62)(21) 6594826
Blueprints Bar, Jl Letjen S Parman Kav 93-94 Hotel Twin Plaza Menara Asri Lt 1, Jakarta 11420, Tel.: (62)(21) 56960888
Brown Bar, Jl Kali Besar Brt 44-46, Jakarta 11230, Tel.: (62)(21) 6907926
Cafe Batavia, Taman Fatahillah, Kota, Jakarta Barat, Tel.: (62)(21) 691 5531. The downstairs music box bar is subtly lit with tables around couches. The upstairs Churchill bar next to the restaurant was rated in Newsweek's Best Bars in the World a few years ago. Great cocktails, beautiful building.
Club 36 Bar, Hotel Jayakarta, Jalam Hayam Wuruk 126, Jakarta , Tel. : (62)(21) 532 8682. Las Vegas style bar/girly bar with karaoke, and gogo dancers. Foreign dancers from Thailand, Turkey, eastern Europe. Opening hours: 01.00 PM to 05.00 AM (Mon-Sat), 06.00 PM to 05.00 AM (Sun). 36 karaoke rooms.
CT Bar, Jl Hayam Wuruk 123, Jakarta 11160, Tel.: (62)(21) 6248680
Sparks, Jl. Mangga Besar Raya 42, Jakarta 11150. Tel.: (62)(21) 625 2534. Website: Sparks. Class: 3 Stars. Funky designer hotel in the corner from Mangga Dua and with good BRT access. You can choose not only your room type, but color as well (green, blue or purple). Internet rates from US$60.
Peninsula, Jalan Mangga Besar Raya 60. West Jakarta. Tel.: (62)(21) 6260368. Class: 2 star. Price: approx. US$ 37/room. Website: peninsula-jakarta.com. Ideal for those who wish privacy and a sound sleep. Rooms are spacious and quiet. No surprises.
Ciputra, Jalan Letnan Jenderal S. Parman, Jakarta 11470. Tel.: (62)(21) 5660640. Website: Ciputra. Class: 4 Stars. This Swiss-managed hotel is located next to Citraland Mall. It's halfway to the airport along the tollway, although the flipside is the location in one of West Jakarta's less pleasant slums. Singles from US$80.
Wahid Hasyim:
Akmani Hotel, ☎ 6221 3190 5335, [2]. Akmani Hotel’s strategic location in Jakarta makes it the ideal jump-off point for exploring the city. It’s easily accessible from major business hubs and entertainment districts. The hotel is also just a 45-minute drive from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. At Akmani Hotel, our air-conditioned Deluxe and Grand Deluxe Rooms are laden with all the modern must-haves like an LCD TV, private toilet and shower, mini-bar, refrigerator, and Internet access. Jl. KH. Wahid Hasyim 91 Jakarta 13050 Indonesia.Rates start at USD 180. edit
The Batavia Hotel, Jl. Kali Besar Barat 44-46. Jakarta 11230, Indonesia, ☎ 62 21 690 4118, [3]. The Batavia Hotel is a four star hotel that has a strong character of Dutch architecture. It is conveniently situated at Kota Business District and also inside the area of Old City Jakarta (Kotatua). The Batavia Hotel is perfect place for business and leisure. The Batavia Hotel concept is a reflection of the Batavia heritage in addressing the needs of business and leisure traveler. Best rates on official website start at USD70++. edit
This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!
