The most comprehensive guide to Pasar Senen Market in Jakarta.
Pasar Senen is the term used to describe a popular market area in Senen, Central Jakarta. The market area is oriented to the west of Pasar Senen Station, 2 km east of the National Monument of Indonesia.
Although Jakarta does have some popular markets, Pasar Senen is one of the most popular and well known amongst locals living in Jakarta. It is very rare for a Jakartan not to know about Pasar Senen.
Both Pasar Senen and Pasar Tanah Abang were popular commercial areas during the Dutch time in Jakarta. Until this day they remain as bustling regions of the downtown core.
Markets in Pasar Senen
The term ‘Pasar Senen’ can be misleading because there is actually more than one market in this area of the city. The two main markets in Pasar Senen are:
- Pusat Grosir Senen
- Pasar Senen Blok III
Pusat refers to ‘central’ in Bahasa Indonesia.
Pusat Grosir Senen is located west of Pasar Senen Station and directly north of Pasar Senen Blok III. You can easily visit both of these markets during the same trip to the Pasar Senen area.
Both of these markets have hundreds of small shops that sell pretty much everything from Batik to sunglasses. They both have an extensive selection and affordable prices in comparison to malls in Jakarta like Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia. Hand bags are particularly well-stocked at these markets. There are also lots of wallets, watches and clothing choices for men, women and children.
You may also try to negotiate prices at these markets in Pasar Senen Jakarta as well. This is especially true if you are trying to buy in bulk as part of a wholesale transaction.
Of the two markets, Pasar Senen Blok III is larger and more modern but they both look pretty similar inside. The ground floor of Pasar Senen Blok III is a wet market. They sell fresh meat at small stalls but it isn’t the cleanest market by any means.
North of Pusat Grosir Senen there is a traditional fruit and vegetable market. It is very photogenic, but again, it isn’t the cleanest market you will find.
Pasar Senen Jakarta: Essential Visitor Information
Hours of Operation: Everyday from 9 am – 5 pm
GPS Coordinates: -6.176405, 106.842663
Address: Ps. Senen, Blok 3, Jl. St. Senen No.3, RW.3, Senen, Kec. Senen, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10410
What is located around Pasar Senen in Jakarta?
Pasar Senen is in a good location for checking out other attractions in Jakarta.
Traffic can get heavy in this area, but if you happen to arrive when traffic is light, you can easily access points of interest around the Monas.
Attractions
Once you reach the Monas area from Pasar Senen then you can walk to the following points of interest:
- National Museum of Indonesia
- National Gallery of Indonesia
- Taman Prasasti Museum
- Jakarta Cathedral
- Istiqlal Mosque
- Taman Lapangan Banteng
- Pasar Baru
- Museum of National Awakening
Accommodation Options
The direct area around Pasar Senen has a few quality hotels as well.
- Lumire Hotel and Convention Center
- Oasis Amir Hotel
- Hotel Borobudur
Of these options the closest to markets is Lumire Hotel and Convention Center.
Two other points of interest that you might want to check out are Monument Perjuangan and Plaza Atrium.
Monument Perjuangan is a monument that is situated about 200 meters southwest of Pasar Senen Station. It is directly across from the entrance of Pasar Senen Blok III. You might find some locals taking photos of it during your trip.
Plaza Atrium is a popular shopping mall<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> that has an extensive selection of well priced products and food choices. You can access Plaza Atrium by taking the pedestrian bridge from Pusat Grosir Senen.
10 Closest Hotels to Pasar Senen in Jakarta
***Organized according to Star Rating
| Name of Property | Star Rating/Distance/Travel Time to Station | Average Guest Review Score |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Borobudur Jakarta | 5-Star (1.3 km/17-minute walk) (1.2 km/3-minute drive) | 8.3/10 4597+ reviews |
| Oasis Amir Hotel | 4-Star (700 m/10-minute walk) | 6.5/10 746+ reviews |
| N2 Hotel | 4-Star (1.1 km/14-minute walk) | 4.2/10 5+ reviews |
| Hotel Rivoli Jakarta | 3-Star (1.4 km/17-minute walk) (2.5 km/10-minute drive) | 7.9/10 454+ reviews |
| Hotel Mustika Senen | 2-Star (400 m/5-minute walk) | 6.1/10 113+ reviews |
| OYO 918 Hotel Senen Indah Syariah | 2-Star (1.2 km/16-minute walk) | 7.3/10 135+ reviews |
| Hotel Inkopdit | 2-Star (900 m/12-minute walk) | 6.8/10 44+ reviews |
| Puri Kwitang Hotel | 2-Star (1.2 km/15-minute walk) | 7.1/10 100+ reviews |
| Hotel Farel | 1-Star (1.0 km/12-minute walk) | 5.5/10 35+ reviews |
| Wisma Shalom Guesthouse | 1-Star (850 m/11-minute walk) | 6.9/10 3+ reviews |
Summary: Shopping at Pasar Senen Jakarta
There is no denying the fact that Pasar Senen is still a local favourite in Jakarta.
Despite its proximity to central Jakarta it still remains largely unknown and under visited by international tourists visiting the city. Most foreigners simply don’t know it exists and they are not encouraged to go there while in Jakarta.
The wet markets around Pasar Senen are really interesting. Many ‘frontier’ tourists would enjoy the authentic culture and market atmosphere without the tourist crowds.
Prices in Pasar Senen are also very reasonable. If you are on a budget it’s a good place to shop.
One of the main reasons why the markets in Pasar Senen are so popular is because of Stasiun Pasar Senen. The commuter system in Jakarta is extremely popular amongst Jakartans because it is cheap and beats all the traffic jams!
Once you arrive at the Pasar Senen Station you can walk to the markets in under 5 minutes. Now that is convenient access to solid bargains!