Making the most of Jakarta Java
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Ships dock in the city of Tanjung Priok which is the port city for the metropolis of Jakarta. A group of musicians and dancers will greet you on arrival.
A new terminal building is in the planning.
Drive time from port/terminal to town center: ± 45 Minutes (12 km) depending on traffic. Shuttles are in general provided. Taxis are outside the port gates, in general a 20 minute walk from the dock.
Printable map to take along.
Jakarta is a city of contrast. Many of the sights around the city reveal its fascinating history, especially the oldest part of the city. Sunda Kelapa harbor is where traditional Bugis schooners line the docks and still sail the seas carrying cargo as in the days of the Spice Trade. Dutch colonial buildings and warehouses still stand along busy streets, such as the 18th century City Hall that now houses the Jakarta Historical Museum. Jakarta’s Chinatown is a bustling business and commercial district where early 20th century shop houses stand contrastively side-by-side with modern malls. In Central Jakarta, the National Monument (Monas) is…
Getting around
Getting around Jakarta is a problem. The city layout is chaotic and totally bewildering, traffic is indisputably the worst in South-East Asia with horrendous traffic jams slowing the city to a crawl during rush hour, and the current railway system is inadequate to say the least.
Most visitors opt to travel by taxi, which is cheap and occasionally even fast. Keep the doors locked and the windows closed when traveling in a Jakartan taxi, as your bag and watch make attractive targets when stuck in a traffic jam or traffic light. Criminal groups in Jakarta often attack passengers who use their cellular phone during traffic jam or near traffic light.
A taxi for the day will set you back around 130 USD.
Food and shopping
Markets: In addition to malls, there are also numerous extremely large shopping centers, quite a few of which can be found in the Mangga Dua (Two Mangoes) area. These include the huge Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua and the gigantic WTC (Wholesale Trade Center) Mangga Dua, massive indoor markets with hundreds upon hundreds of shops selling everything at wholesale prices. When you shop in those places, you can always bargain the price.
In Indonesia eating with your hand (instead of utensils like forks and spoons) is very common. The basic idea is to use four fingers to pack a little ball of rice, which can then be dipped into sauces before you pop it in your mouth by pushing it with your thumb. There's one basic rule of etiquette to observe: Use only your right hand, as the left hand is used to clean yourself in the bathroom. Don't stick either hand into communal serving dishes: instead, use the left hand to serve yourself with utensils and then dig in. Needless to say, it's wise to wash your hands well before and after eating. Eating by hand is frowned on in some…
Money
ATMs are common in any major cities in Indonesia.
Be careful when using credit cards, as cloning and fraud are a major problem in Indonesia. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. At smaller operations, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common.
Staying connected
The sole official language is Indonesian, known as Bahasa Indonesia.
Internet: Prices vary considerably, and as usual you tend to get what you pay for, but you'll usually be looking at around Rp 5,000 per hour. In large cities, there are free hotspots in certain shopping malls, McDonald restaurants and Starbucks cafes. Some hotels provide free hotspots in the lobby.
mobile phones emergency number: 112