Jakarta, Indonesia
The complete guide to Jakarta
Insider tips and cost-cutting advice on where to stay, how to get around and what to see, from the airport train to the markets tourists never find.
Start hereVisiting the Monas Start here
Plan your trip
Six guides that answer most first-time questions. Start with whichever you need first.
- Getting around Trains, buses and taxis, and how to stay out of the worst of the traffic.
- The MRT Thirteen stations from Lebak Bulus to Bundaran HI, and what’s near each one.
- Arriving by air Soekarno-Hatta’s terminals, the airport train and getting to your hotel.
- Where to stay The best neighbourhoods, and hotels near the places you’ll spend your days.
- Things to do Museums, markets, malls, parks and monuments, with prices and directions.
- How to Short, practical answers to the everyday things visitors get stuck on.
Before you go
Jakarta essentials
The things visitors look up first. Rules and numbers change, so check visas and prices before you travel.
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Money
Indonesian rupiah (Rp). Cards work in malls and hotels; carry cash for markets and street food.
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Time
Western Indonesia Time (WIB), UTC+7, with no daylight saving.
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Power
230 volts, with two-pin plugs of types C and F.
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Emergencies
Call 112. Police 110, ambulance 119.
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Language
Bahasa Indonesia. English is common in hotels, malls and at the airport. Terima kasih means thank you.
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SIM cards
Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell SIM cards at the airport. Bring your passport to register one.
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Ride apps
Gojek and Grab for motorbike taxis, cars and food delivery.
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Visas
Many nationalities can get a visa on arrival or an e-VOA online. Check the rules for your passport.
Getting around
Beat the traffic by train
Jakarta’s traffic is famous. The trains are how you beat it. Pick a line for stations, fares, tickets and what to see near each stop.
- MRT North–South Lebak Bulus – Bundaran HI · 13 stations
- KRL Red line Jakarta Kota – Bogor
- KRL Blue line Jakarta Kota – Cikarang
- KRL Green line Tanah Abang – Rangkasbitung
- KRL Yellow line Jatinegara – Bogor
- KRL Brown line Duri – Tangerang
- KRL Pink line Jakarta Kota – Tanjung Priok
- Airport train Soekarno-Hatta airport – the city
Find your way
Jakarta at a glance
The old town is in the north by the sea, Monas and the big hotels in the centre, and the malls and leafy streets of the south along the MRT. Tap a place for its guide.
Step by step
Popular how-tos
Things to do
Museums, markets and more
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Museums Puppets, modern art and the city’s Dutch past. -
Markets Batik, gemstones, Chinatown and one of Asia’s biggest fruit markets. -
Kota Tua The old town around Fatahillah Square. -
Parks Free green space for a run, a game or an outdoor class. -
Monuments Monas, Selamat Datang and the city’s landmarks. - Our longest guide 99 things to do in Jakarta More than 14,000 words, all in one place →
Batik in Jakarta
Where to see it, and where to buy it
Indonesian batik is on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. In Jakarta you can study it in a museum in the morning and buy it by the metre in the afternoon. Ask whether a cloth is drawn by hand, stamped or printed before you agree a price.
Where to stay and shop
Three stations to base yourself
Stay near the MRT and you skip the traffic from day one. These three stations put hotels and malls within walking distance.
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Best for a first visit
Bundaran HI Thamrin
The most convenient station on the line, with big hotels, the best malls and Monas a short ride away.
Malls
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Best for shopping
Senayan Sudirman
Some of the city’s best hotels, like the Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place and the Fairmont, with five malls within walking distance.
Malls
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Best on a budget
Blok M South Jakarta
Small hotels two to five minutes’ walk from the station, budget-friendly malls, and affordable textiles and batik.
Malls
When to go
Rain, sun and holidays
Jakarta is warm all year. Rain mostly comes as heavy afternoon downpours, so mornings are often clear. January and February bring the most flooding; June to September are the driest months.
Lebaran, the end of Ramadan, moves each year. Trains and flights fill up and many shops close for a few days around it.
- Jan: wettest
- Feb: wettest
- Mar: some rain
- Apr: some rain
- May: driest
- Jun: driest
- Jul: driest
- Aug: driest
- Sep: driest
- Oct: driest
- Nov: some rain
- Dec: wettest
Beyond Jakarta
Short trips from the city
- 1 h 20 min by KRL from Sudirman, changing at Manggarai Bogor The botanical gardens and the Presidential Palace. The train beats the 2–3 hour weekend drive.
- About 3 h by train from Gambir Bandung Factory outlets, cool hills and the cafés of Braga Street.
- About 45 min by air Belitung White-sand beaches and small offshore islands, a short flight from Jakarta.
About this guide
Written out of love for the city
Jakarta Travel Guide is free to use, and always will be. It is written for first-time visitors, business travellers, expats and Jakartans looking for something new to do at the weekend.