In administrative terms, Jakarta is a province called the ‘Special Region of Jakarta Capital’ (Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta), which is divided into five municipalities and one regency (the Thousand Islands in the Bay of Jakarta).

Map of Jakarta's main areas.

Satellite cities

The 30 million inhabitants' mega-city includes, in addition to Jakarta itself, the following satellite cities:

• Bogor — It's one of the main escapade destinations in Jakarta, for well-preserved natural habitats, a world-renowned botanical garden, hotels, resorts and various golf courses.
• Tangerang — Where the main airport is located, the headquarters of many commercial companies and housing estates.
• Bekasi — Mainly industrial area.
• Depok — Where is the University of Indonesia.

A common abbreviation for the metropolitan area is Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi).

Orientation

A Jakarta square

Finding some sites in Jakarta, especially smaller buildings that are not in the main arteries, may not be an easy task. Sometimes the same name is used on different streets in different parts of the city and it is often difficult to find the correct street without the postal code or region. A tab with a street name that is facing you indicates the name of the street you are about to enter and not the name of the street you cross. The side streets of a main avenue sometimes have no name and are called Roman numbers; so there are addresses like "J1. Mangga Besar VIII/21", which means "box number 21 on the street across the main avenue of Jl. Mangga Besar.

Fortunately, there is a logic in the name of the streets and avenues. Outside the corridors of the high office buildings, one can discover in which branch of the avenue one is looking at the name of the avenues without Roman numbers. The name of the area almost always coincides with that of the avenue, especially if the name includes Jalan Raya (which means avenue). Knowing this, it is possible to discover the location of practically all the dwellings, except the most recent closed condominiums, which have their own main streets that do not follow the convention, although they are a branch of a particular avenue. In this case, the best thing is to know the name of the condominium.

One quick way to find the locations is to know the postcode, description or name of easily identifiable reference sites or buildings, tablets, color of the building or fences. If you still can't find the address, ask who passes, especially the motorcycle taxi drivers.

Street in the Chinese neighborhood of Glodok

The nickname of Jakarta among the expatriates is "Grande Durian" (in English: Big Durian) and, like the fruit, is something shocking at first sight (and smell): a smoky, smoky and heavy mass of about 30 million people stacked on a wide urban area. The large metropolitan area is an attraction and a cultural background for the generality of the Indonesian people, a business and government center and the country's most developed city. But all of this has a cost: rapid urban growth poses complicated problems to solve. The main roads are completely congested during peak hours and the public transport system is not efficient at relieving so much traffic. Housing is also a serious problem, compounded by the idea or dream of many people that the city is an excellent place to live.

Having said that, although the first contact is somewhat overwhelming, anyone who can withstand pollution and get involved in Jakarta's enchantments may discover that it is one of the most exciting and most exciting cities in Asia and the world. There are lots of things to do and to see in Jakarta, from green parks and historical areas to cosmopolitan commerce, high quality gastronomy and a night life of the most animated and fashion in Southeast Asia.

To clarify Jakarta's position in relation to the rest of the world a little better, it should be noted that the city's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.796, very close to the "very high", which starts at 0.8 and applies to most Western countries. Jakarta's HDI is higher or similar, for example, to that of Turkey and the Balkan countries.

History

The Portuguese-Sundanese Standard, which celebrates the 1522 Treaty between the Kingdom of Sunda and Portugal, at an exhibition at the National Museum of Indonesia

The city of Sunda Kelapa, called Calapa by the Portuguese, already existed in the 12th century, when it was the main port of the Kingdom of Sonda (or of Sunda or Pajajaran), whose capital was Pakua Pajajaran (now Bogor). According to Kelapa, which currently designates the area of North Jakarta above Central Jakarta, it is mentioned in the work Chu-fan-chi ("Description of the Barbaric peoples" or "Anais da peoples foreigners"), of the beginning of the 13th century, written by Chou Ju-kua, official of the Sung Dynasty. The first Europeans to arrive at Sunda Kelapa were the Portuguese. The explorer Tomé Pires mentions the city in his work Suma Oriental of 1515, and in 1522 the Treaty of Sunda Kelapa was signed between Portugal and the Hindu kingdom of Sunda, which established a coalition between the two kingdoms against the Muslim kingdoms of the region, the Portuguese's access to the lucrative pepper trade and authorized the Portuguese set up in Sunda Kelapa, where they were to build a strong one.

Despite the presence of the Portuguese in the city, Sunda Kelapa was conquered in 1527 by Fatahillah, a Muslim Cirebon military commander at the service of the Demak Sultanate, who changed the city's name to Jayakarta. However, at the end of the sixteenth century, the port city was de facto controlled by the Dutch, under the command of Jan Pieterszoon Coen. The Dutch domain of Java was assured in 1619, when a strong one that had been built by the English was destroyed. Under the name of Batavia, the city became the capital of the Dutch East Indies and was known as the Queen of the East.

The Dutch made the mistake of trying to replicate their home country by building channels in the swamps of the area, where malaria was proliferating, which gave rise to a huge number of deaths, which is at the origin of the epithet of the Cemetery of White Men. In the first decade of the 19th century, most of the channels were landed and the city was transferred four kilometers inland, which allowed the Eastern Pearl to flourish again.

Photograph from the 1910s or 1920s of the Chinese Kali Besar neighborhood

In 1740 there was a revolt by Chinese slaves against the Dutch. The rebellion was crushed without mercy, with the massacre of thousands of slaves. The survivors were exiled to Ceylon. In 1795 the Netherlands was occupied by France and on 17 March 1998 the Republic of Batavia, a satellite state of France, took control of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). On 26 August 1811, a British expedition led by Lord Minto defeated the French-Dutch troops in Jakarta. The Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) were then administered by the British and were appointed Governor Stamford Raffles, who would then be known mainly for having been the founder of Singapore. The British administration lasted until 1816, after the Vienna Congress of the previous year agreed to hand over Indonesia to the new Dutch government.

The current name Jakarta was adopted as an abbreviated form of Jayakarta when Java was taken by the Japanese in 1942, during World War II. After that, Indonesia's war of independence followed. The independence fighters temporarily changed the capital to Yogyakarta after a Dutch attack. The war of independence lasted until 1949, when the Dutch recognized Indonesia's independence and returned the city, which became the capital again. Since independence, the people of Jakarta have skyrocketed because of immigration from the entire Indonesian archipelago.

Climate

Like the rest of Indonesia, Jakarta's climate is of the tropical kind of monsoon. It has two distinct seasons, the drought and the rainfall. The temperature is high throughout the year, with no major fluctuations and most of the time the humidity is also high. The average temperature is 28 °C, higher than most other large Indonesian cities, especially due to the absence of trees in many areas.

The peak of the rainy season runs from November to March. At that time, floods often occur and traffic becomes even more chaotic. The city is crossed by 13 rivers and, on its banks, people with low incomes live above all. In the recent past, there have been serious floods in thousands of places, which in some cases have been completely destroyed overnight. The situation has improved considerably following major rehabilitation work, including the extension of river beds and the change of low income inhabitants to subsidized apartments in safer areas. In February 2017, when large floods usually occur, only 54 sites with medium or moderate floods disappeared within a few hours.

It is often the case that even during the rainy season there is sun for several hours a day. During the transition period between stations (April-May and September-October), it also rains occasionally. Sometimes they are torrential rain, sometimes they are mild. One of the positive aspects of the rain is that it refreshes the air after an abrasive day. So the rainy season is not a totally bad time to visit Jakarta. Between June and August, it rains very little.

Tourist information

• (Tourism Information Center), Jakarta Theatre Building, Lt Dasar, Jl. MH Thamrin No 9, ☎ (62)-21-3142067NOCC, (62)-21-315 4094NOCC, (62)-21-3161293 NOCC. 
• (Tourism information center), Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Terminal 2D, ☎ (62) 21-5507088NOCC. 

By plane

Jakarta has two airports with scheduled flights:

Soekarno-Hatta Airport

• The Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (IATA: CGK), also known as SHIA and Soetta, is the city's main airport. It is located 20 km northwest of the center in the neighboring town of Tangerang, and it serves most of the commercial flights. In practice, those who do not have a private car available only have two ways of going from the airport to the city or vice versa: bus the taxi. The taxi journey to the center takes at least 45 minutes and may take as long as two or three hours depending on the traffic, although there is a motorway between the downtown and the airport. The cost of taxi journeys varies from 100 000 to 200 000 rupees (Rp), or else depending on the traffic and the company. The buses of the state-owned Damri link the airport to several public transport centers (train and other buses) for less than Rp 40 000. The JAConnexion buses serve several hotels and shopping centers in the metropolitan area for 50 000 Rp. In 2017, a railway line was under construction between the airport and Sudirman station in Jakarta Central, scheduled to be opened this year.

Halim Perdanakusuma Airport

• Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (IATA: HLP), located in East Jakarta, is much closer to the city. It serves several domestic scheduled flights, besides being used by the military, VIP flights, charters, helicopter rental companies and private jets. In addition to taxis, Damri operates bus services between this airport and the Rawamangun road terminal for Rp 20 000; Pulogebang, Gambir and Bekasi station for Rp 25 000; Depok, Bogor Botanical Square and Soekarno Hatta Airport for 30 000 Rp.

An alternative to Jakarta is Bandung Husein Sastranegara International Airport (IATA: BDO), located 130 km from Jakarta. However, given the limited offer of flights and destinations compared to Soekarno-Hatta and the long journey on frequently congested roads between Bandung and Jakarta, this option is generally not very practical. It is possible to go by bus from Bandung airport to Jakarta, but most of the time the journey involves taking a bus at the airport to one of the terminals in downtown Bandung and then taking another one to the capital. Public transport travel lasts at least three hours and is often more.

By train/train

KRL Jabodetabek train at Gambir station

Jakarta has several important railway stations. The main station for long-distance passenger services in Java Central is Gambir, which is the terminal for most executive class trains connecting the largest Java cities. Most economic class trains use Senem stations (two blocks from Gambir) or Kota in West Jakarta. All stations have connections to local public transport, including Bus Rapid Transit Transjakarta. The suburban trains (KA Commuter Jabodetabek) stop at most stations in the city, but not at Gambir and Senen.

By bus/bus

The purchase of bus tickets for journeys outside Jakarta should preferably be in the guichés of the bus company to be used. Buying elsewhere, as well as being more expensive, involves the risk of getting on to buses of dubious quality. Jakarta has many road terminals, but not everyone has inter-city services. These are usually marked with tablets marked AKAP (Antar Kota Antar Provinsi or "inter-cities and inter-provinces").

Access to these terminals is easy. Urban bus lines and airport shuttles start and end at road terminals, as do bus lanes. Note that while the target lists sometimes only mention the primary targets, services may be available to other parts of Java not mentioned.

Main road terminals

• Kampung Rambutan — Located in Jalan Lingkar Luar Selatan, East Jakarta, is served by bus number 7 . It's the busiest car terminal for inter-city services. There are multiple destinations, mainly for the province of Banten, namely the port of Merak, and for the central and southern parts of Java, such as Cianeland, Bandung, Garut, Tasikmalaya, Cilacap, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, Solo and Malang, although there may also be buses for the main cities of the north of the island. It should be noted that urban and long-distance buses come from two different areas.
• Gebang Pulo — Located in Jalan Bekasi Raya, East Jakarta, is served by bus lines #2 and #4 . It is the youngest and largest and busiest bus terminal in Southeast Asia. It has multiple daily services, mainly for destinations on the north coast of Java, such as Cirebon, Tegal, Pekelongan, Semarang and Surabaia, although some operators also have buses for Bandung and even Bali and Lombok.
• Lebak Bulus — It's not a terminal, but a bus stop of 100 m², which temporarily replaces the Lebak Bulus terminal, which in 2017 was in construction to include a metro station (MRT Jakarta). It has services to the east of Jakarta, which go to East Java.
• Pulo Gadung — Located in Jalan Bekasi Raya, East Jakarta, is served by bus lines #2 and #4 . It was the second busiest terminal in the city, but today it only has services for Merak, Sumatra, Bali and Lombok.

Many of the lines from Sumatra usually do not end up at the terminal of Pulo Gadung but at one of the following two:

• Rawamangun — Located in Jalan Perserikatan No. 1 (Jalan Paus), East Jakarta. To get there, bus line number 2 can be used, although it does not stop at the terminal exactly. the nearest stops are Pemuda Ramawangun or Velodrome. Like the terminal in Pulo Gadung, there's only buses for Merak, Sumatra, Bali and Lombok.
• Kali Deres — Located in Jalan Daan Mogot KM 16, West Jakarta, is served by bus number five . Your location in West Jakarta is ideal for Sumatra bus, but it's less than Rawamangun.

Of minibuses

In recent years, the expansion of minibus services (8-10 passenger vans, called travel in Indonesia) has become predominant in short-distance inter-city passenger services. Most minibus companies, such as Cipaganti, CimtTrans and XTrans, operate between Jakarta, Bandung and Soekarno-Hatta Airport. Bandung's tickets typically cost a little over Rp 100 000 for the fall of Jakarta and Rp 125 000 for Soekarno-Hatta Airport. It should be noted that passengers are mostly not left in hotels or bus terminals but in the offices of their companies or staging sites.

By car

Driving in Jakarta by foreigners is usually not recommended. Traffic jams can extend well beyond rush hour and hesitation on any of the city's fast toll roads can have a domino effect on other toll squares. There are three toll motorways starting or ending in Jakarta:

• Jakarta-Merak — Walk through Tangerang and go to Merak Port, west Java, where there are connections to Sumatra by ferry.
• Jakarta-Serpong — Jakarta League to Tangerang Selatan (Tangerang South)
• Jagorawi — Goes south to Bogor and the mountain resort of Puncak.
• Jakarta-Cikampek — Go east, via Bekasi and Karawang, to Bandung, where it goes to Central Java.

By boat

The national ferry companies ASDP Indonesia Ferry and Pelni operate passenger services to multiple destinations in the Indonesian archipelago from the port of Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta. Some smaller fast boats, especially for the Thousand Islands (Pulau Seribu), leave Ancol, another port in North Jakarta.

Circular in Jakarta is problematic in most situations. The city plant is "Darwinist" and confused, with horrific traffic jams (locally called macet; approximate pronunciation: "bad chest"), which causes traffic to be exasperatingly slow at peak times (several hours in the morning and afternoon). Public transport is far from enough to relieve congestion and traffic jams are even worse during the rainy season, even when there are no real flooding, which is not uncommon during that time of year.

The Bus Rapid Transit Transjakarta system, which has been expanding gradually, has helped to improve the situation, but is still insufficient for the largest city in the world without a metro. The opening of the first line of the MRT Jakarta (Jakarta metro) between Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta and Central Jakarta is scheduled for 2019, but part of the line between Senayan and the Hotel Roundabout Indonesia is expected to be operational before the Asian Games are held in August 2018.

The chaos of traffic varies according to the areas of the city. Although traffic is better organized in the business or business areas of MH Thamrin, Jendral Sudirman and H.R. Rasuna Said, they are among the most congested areas in Jakarta, with congestion extending beyond peak hours.

Mobile apps

Through mobile applications (smartphones or tablets), a taxi or motorcycle can be requested at pre-calculated prices, which is cheaper than ordinary taxis. Uber offers UberMoto, UberPool, UberX, Uber Black and UberXL services in Jakarta and there are two very popular local alternatives: GoJek and Grab. These make it possible to hire car or motorcycle drivers (in the latter case the driver provides a helmet).

It is probably useful to buy a local SIM card with mobile data so that it can use these applications to walk around the city without having to rent taxis and explain the destination to the driver. Fees may be paid automatically if the credit card is registered in the applications or paid in cash to the driver.

It should be noted that many of the streets in Jakarta have a central separator and that many others have only one meaning, so one should try to choose a place of departure on a two-way street and near an easily identifiable location or in front of a large store. By not doing that, there's a risk that the driver, who seems to be close, has to go through several blocks to catch him. If you are in a hurry, if you want to save money or simply want to experience the emotion of going to mock in the midst of the jakarta traffic horns, the taxis are the quickest way to reach the destination, much faster than the other alternatives.

By train/train

The KAI Commuter Jabodetabek (or KRL) trains connect the city center with the suburbs and satellite towns, including Tangerang, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor, Tangerang Selatan, as well as the port of Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta. They are worth using because they are much faster than most road vehicles, but delays (usually 10 to 15 minutes) can be bored. Train walking is generally safe and comfortable; although they are completely full during rush hours, they are still better than buses. The main stations are adjacent to the stops of the TransJakarta buses, even though they have to walk a bit or use a bus to connect from one system to another.

There are two types of train tickets:

• Tiket Harian Berjaminan (literally: ‘daily ticket with guarantee’) — It is a 7-day ticket for a particular destination. At the time of the purchase, a deposit of Rp 10 000 is left in the station window, which is added to the tariff. It can be used for an unlimited number of journeys during the 7 days after which the ticket must be returned to obtain the return of the depot.
• Multi-travel — Serves for multiple journeys and refills in vending machines. It requires a card, which is sold in station windows for Rp 50 000 (with initial balance of Rp 30 000). to use the train, the balance must be at least Rp 11 000. In addition to cards sold at stations, prepaid bank cards such as e-money or e-toll from Bank Mandiri, BCA Flazz, BNI tap-cash or BRI BRIZZZI can also be used, which are sold in their banks or in supermarkets such as Alfamart or Indomaret.

Distances between adjacent suburban train stations vary and fares are determined by distance: 3 000 Rp for the first 25 km, 1 000 Rp for each additional 10 km. this means that you must register the entry to the source station and the exit to the destination station. Train changes are free as long as the exit from the station is not recorded. If the exit is not recorded, the longest possible journey is charged. If the ticket is lost, Rp 50 000 is charged.

Suburban trains run daily from 4.30 to 22.00 with an average frequency of 15 to 30 minutes. It usually takes about 20 minutes to go from one end of the city to the other and another 30 minutes to the end of the suburban lines. On weekends there are special services linking Depok and Bogor to the popular amusement park in Ancol in North Jakarta.

Most suburban trains do not stop at Gambir and Pasar Senen stations, the main stations for long-distance trains. In order to catch a suburban train after arriving at one of these stations, one has to go to the Juanda station, some hundreds of meters north of Gambir. It's close enough to walk, but it can be hard because of the heat. for those in Jalan Jaksa's "backpack" area, the closest station is Gondangdia, located five to ten minutes on foot.

By bus/bus

TransJakarta

TransJakarta 2016 roadmap

The TransJakarta buses, the Bus Rapid Transit service in Jakarta, are modern, air-conditioned and are usually comfortable. Main line services run from 05.00 to 23.00 on Sunday to Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. There are also limited services outside these periods, such as the night buses for Amari and Angkutan Malam Hari, which stop at all stops on all routes except on 4, 11 and 12. The buses have separate seats for the women ahead, a attendant at the door and surveillance cameras. There are also priority seats for older people, disabled motors and pregnant women, but the large gap between the platforms of the stops and the entrances to the buses can be problematic for these passengers. There are 12 main lines in operation, as well as several secondary lines among the main ones.

Unlike other Jakarta buses, the TransJakarta buses travel exclusively on dedicated roads and passengers have to use automatic door stations, which are usually found in the middle of the avenues and are connected to both sides of the avenues by pedestrian flyovers. The system is remarkably simple to use for what is common in Jakarta, with station ads and LED displays with information inside. Hold on to a handle or handrail as soon as you get on the buses, as they pull out of the stops suddenly and quickly. Buses stop at all stops/stations and there is always an employee warning passengers of imminent arrival at a stop.

TransJakarta Blok M Stop

The Transjakarta terminals are located in Ragunan (South Jakarta), Kampung Rambutan (East Jakarta), Kalideres (Western Jakarta) and Pulo Gebang (Eastern Jakarta).

tickets cost Rp 2 000 between 5.00 and 7.00 and Rp 3 500 for the rest of the day, regardless of distance. Payment is made by a card that can be purchased at the stops and at the main banks. These cards can also be used for purchases in multiple stores and supermarkets. The card costs Rp 40 000 and is not reimbursable. There are no cards for a single trip or a small number of them, but you may be able to get a place to pass his card to you in exchange for a 5,000 Rp note. Line changes are free as long as you don't leave the system before the trip is complete. Buses can fill up a lot, especially during rush hours, at around 7:00 and 5:00.

Passengers from Transjakarta can continue their journey on the Transjabodetabek buses, which connect the satellite towns of Jakarta. These buses also make the connections between the railway stations and the city bus system.

The TransJakarta has a program to help the disabled motors get to the system stops, the TransJakarta Cares, which has 26 vehicles, each with a driver and two auxiliaries, which take disabled people for free. The service can be requested by phone number 1500 102.

Tourism bus

Jakarta is possibly one of the few cities in the world where the government offers tourist trips for free. The service, called the City Tour Jakarta, has two-story buses that can be used at no cost. There are four circular circuits, each with a specific theme: historic city, modern city, art and cooking and skyscrapers. The first two circuits run between 9:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday to Saturday, and 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. The last two only work on Saturday between 5:00 and 11:00.

Public bus

Transjakarta Bus of Line 1 at the Roundabout of the Hotel Indonesia with Selamat Datang behind

TransJabodetabek airport bus

MetroMini Bus

There are many bus companies operating in Jakarta. However, buses do not keep schedules, even when they do not. Most city maps purchased outside Indonesia do not have bus stops, so using online maps on the web, including Google Maps, is probably the best way to find out which bus to catch. In most of the stops, there is an indication of the number of buses that stop there and their destination, but this information is not always reliable. That is a good adventure when you are not in a hurry and you do not mind being the center of attention.

The most important bus companies are the following, ordered from the best to the worst:

• TransJabodetabek — Mainly calls from Jakarta satellite cities to the Transjakarta system, but it can be useful when there is no Transjakarta bus in sight or nearby. Look for the blue buses at the Transjakarta stops and ask if they're going to the destination they want.
• BKTB — It's similar to TransJabodetabek, but it does mostly the connections to the railway stations that are not served by Transjakarta. See the Transjakarta website for more information.
• Kopaja AC — Not to be confused with Kopaja non-AC. It does a similar service on some of the routes. Some lines are accessible from the Transjakarta stops. Their buses are metallic gray and green. In addition to having air conditioning, they offer Wi-Fi on board.
• Mayasari Bakti — Most of this company's buses have air conditioning, but some lines don't. The letters "AC" next to the bus number are included in those. They're usually light blue and dark blue, but there's some green and orange.
• Paws — This company has fewer buses than the rest, some with air conditioning. The service level is notoriously lower than Mayasari Bakti. Their buses are identifiable by a white and black lane with the Monas stylized.
• The use of MetroMini buses (orange and blue), Kopami (blue and yellow) and Kopaja buses without air conditioning is strongly discouraged, as they are dirty, without air conditioning and the conductors are unwise.

Bus fares are generally less than Rp 10 000 at any one-way price. It is usually paid in a box located behind the driver, but there are also buses where the payment is made to a collector who goes to the passengers to collect the payment.

The mikrolet (minibus) and angkot (vans) are an even cheaper way of traveling. They are abundant on the smallest streets and the fares range from Rp 2 000 in the first two kilometers to Rp 5 000. He shall pay directly to the driver when leaving.

It's a good idea to have some 500 Rp coins before getting on the buses, because it's common to have "entertainment" and other distractions on board. On a typical day, it is common to find street musicians singing versions of Indonesian and Western pop songs that ask for donations at the end of the show. It's also common to be constantly approached by street vendors trying to sell anything and everything, from pens and sweets to doughnuts and health supplies.

It is appropriate to avoid sitting or standing on the back of buses, because that is where the robbers act. Always watch your stuff and always pay attention to the playwright.

The buses don't follow any time, even when they're supposed to exist. Sometimes a bus takes a long time to arrive, sometimes two buses arrive simultaneously from the same line, with drivers driving aggressively to get more passengers. They often do not stop at the stops, but wherever the driver decides to do so. When you want to go out, say "kiri" to "kondektur" or hit the ceiling three times — make sure the driver hears it and you better use a coin for that. The driver will find a place to leave him. Be careful downstairs as the bus does not usually stop completely; it is appropriate to move the body in the direction of the bus march when it comes down, in order to maintain balance.

The seats on the buses are made for Indonesian people, who are typically lower, thinner and more agile than more corpulent people, such as Westerners or Africans. For the non-Indonesian, the seats are tight and uncomfortable. The TransJabodetabek, APTB and BKTB buses usually run less and the seats are more comfortable.

By car

Although the car contributes to traffic congestion, it is the most practical way of running around the city, especially because of the deficiencies in public transport. You can rent a car, but unless you are familiar with local driving practices, it is more prudent to use trusted taxis. foreigners are not advised to rent cars without drivers and to drive themselves, as chaotic traffic can bring discomfort; renting a car with a driver is much more prudent. Having said that, security and traffic rules are much more respected in Jakarta than in other parts of the country, so it must follow all the rules and resist the temptation to do as the places, which constantly disrespect them.

There are two high-speed toll routes around the city: Lingkar Dalam ("inner ring") and Lingkar Luar (usually called JORR, the abbreviation of Jakarta Outer Ring Road, "outer circle of Jakarta"). Normally, we move faster on these fast routes, when traffic is not bad, but they are also often congested. The road drainage system is very poorly conserved and during the rainy season they can flood, causing stops.

Finding parking places in residential areas can be complicated because the streets are narrow. It's easy to find paid parking in shopping centers, office buildings and the like for a shockingly derisory price for Western standards: 3 000 Rp at 6 000 Rp per hour. Street parking generally requires payment of Rp 3 000 to Rp 5 000 per hour to an illegal "guard". In areas with electronic meters on the street, the fare is Rp 5 000 per hour, paid for seven debit cards and nothing should be paid to the formal vigilante, who has camera monitors. if you park on the street, you must do so only in the areas designated for parking and in such a way that you do not block traffic; otherwise, your car can be towed and fined, and to get it back you'll have to take some paperwork.

There is a "vehicle circulation" in place on Sisingamangaraja, Sudirman, Thamrin, Medan Merdeka Barat and Gatot Subroto weekdays between 07:00 and 10:00 and between 16:00 and 20:00. This system permits the use in these periods of time of vehicles with the number even in days of the month with an even number and of vehicles with the odd registration number in days of the month with an odd number. The fine for violating this system is Rp 500 000, but public transport, with taxis included, is exempt.

If, despite the advice not to do so, you want to rent a car, it is suggested that you consider the following companies first:

• , SCBD Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 52-53. 
• . 

By taxi

Most visitors choose to travel by taxi, which by Western standards is very cheap, abundant and sometimes fast. There are many taxi companies with very varied service levels.

The Blue Bird Group (☎ +62 21 7917 1234) that besides the "normal" taxis has the pusaka & Morante taxis besides the luxury marks Silver Bird and Golden Bird, is known for its reliability, efficient telephone requisition service and strict use of the taximeter. A special trip for blind persons may also be requested. The Silver Bird executive taxis use bigger cars and are more expensive. The Golden Bird are even more expensive and luxurious. The company has taxis with a seat for seven passengers that cost the same as normal taxis, but if one wants to specify that it wants these taxis when making the request.

Other important taxi companies, generally reliable, include:

• White Horse ( ☎ +62 21 2967 7777) — regular taxis, which are usually in the hotel lobby.
• Taxiku (☎ +62 21 4786 2121)
• Express ( ☎ +62 21 500 122) — It's probably the second best option when there are no Blue Bird taxis in sight. They are cheaper and do not charge a minimum price when they are called on the street. The minimum payment when called by telephone is Rp 40 000.
• Dian Taksi (☎ +62 21 580 7070)

De bajaj

The bajaj (approximate pronunciation "báge-aie") is the Indonesian equivalent of the Thai tuk-tuk. These are motorized tricycles produced in India on the basis of a scooter, which carry passengers in a small cabin behind the driver. They're usually orange, but they're also blue, which uses gas as fuel.

They are a popular means of transport to circulate in the city, since they can snake through the interminable traffic of Jakarta almost with the same ease as motorcycles. In spite of the slow, hot, windy, breaking the bones (they have no suspension), and being a fantastic way of breathing more exhaust fumes than had ever dreamed of being possible (perhaps a little less in the blue bajajas), walking in these motorized animals may even end up being fun. The blue bajis are less noisy than the orange ones.

Bajis do not have fixed prices, but a small journey within a few blocks should cost no more than Rp 5 000. Make sure the price is fixed (read: regateie!) before leaving. Bajaji drivers love to charge tourists more and often ask for more than double what is paid in a much more comfortable Blue Bird taxi. Locations that regularly use bajaj know what normal prices should be and they easily say so. As the bajajs are not allowed to travel on some wider roads, the bajaj route may involve passing through a labyrinth of secondary ruels. Nevertheless, try to figure out which direction you're going in, because there are unscrupulous bajaj drivers who see nothing wrong with taking you for "better-looking" journeys, and then ask for double or triple the normal price.

De ojek

If you walk around on the side streets and you're in such a hurry that you're willing to lose an arm or a leg to get to where you want to go, then the taxi motorcycles (known locally as ojek) are for you. The ojek services of Jakarta consist of men with motorcycles waiting for their customers on the street corners, whose journeys are usually short, on street and secondary roads, but also longer journeys. Wake a price before leaving and insist that you lend him a helmet, which must be used properly — there is no need to make the journey even more dangerous than it is. The ojek drivers will insist that you are safe with them and that they drive with caution. some are even telling the truth, but many are lying. Before choosing a driver, pay attention to his motorbike and helmet, as they sometimes say a lot about the character of the owner.

Sites normally pay Rp 5 000 for small journeys and Rp 7 000 at Rp 10 000 for the longer (approximately 1 kilometer or 15 minutes on foot). Most likely, foreigners will be asked more, but usually the ojek drivers will accept the standard fare if we insist on them, unless they realize that they need their service a lot.

There are online services to order objects via smartphone, such as Go-Jek, GrabBike and UberMotor (the latter is an Uber service). Travel is usually cheaper in this way, and prices are fixed without haggling. Go-Jek was a pioneer, which is why it is the one that has been most widely publicized. There's a more expensive online service, Lady Jek, with leading women. Unlike those directly caught on the street, which only operate between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m., online services for jeks are available 24 hours a day and are relatively safe for both passengers and drivers as they are monitored by GPS.

By helicopter

• Janis Air Transport ( ☎+62 21 8350024) — If you are in a hurry and heavily loaded, then the solution is to rent a helicopter.

By bicycle

There are virtually no cycling routes in Jakarta, but the first signs of a cyclist culture are beginning to emerge. Every Sunday, from 06:00 to 12:00 noon, Jalan Sudirman and Thamrin (and every month elsewhere in every city in the metropolitan area) are emptied of motorized vehicles except TransJakarta. The atmosphere can be festive as events are organized in some places, including the Roundabout of the Hotel Indonesia.

In addition, there are dedicated mountain bike circuits in Cihuni and along Jalur Gas Pipa, both in Tangerang. It can also go to Mt. Salak or other parts of the region besides Bogor.

On foot

Bad news: walking is the last thing anyone wants to do in Jakarta! The moist, hot air sends people to their air-conditioned vehicles. Furthermore, as the rides are little used, they are locked in salesmen with cars pushed by hand, which makes there even less space to walk. Except for some richer areas, there is virtually no room to walk on the sidewalk, and drivers have no respect for pedestrians crossing a street can be almost suicide. In fact, pedestrian crossings do little more than give a false sense of safety, as drivers do not stop and do not even slow down for those who walk through.

Now the good news: because of the horrendous traffic, walking on foot can be surprisingly faster than using motorized vehicles, because it doesn't get stuck in traffic, especially if its destination is right across the street. Use the pedestrian viaducts when they exist, because the big avenues are very wide. or just use the walkways. It may be thought that the traffic conditions are very bad in Jakarta, but driving habits in other parts of Indonesia are even worse than in other parts of Indonesia, where even less attention is paid to safety.

Heat, humidity and pollution do not make the walks particularly pleasant, but some neighborhoods can be operated on foot with some ease.

• Kota Tua (West Jakarta) — It's a pawn square, where you can tap the signs of the Dutch colonial charm, in what once was the center of the colonial administration.
• Pasar Baru (Central Jakarta) — It is a market that has existed since the colonial era.
• Monas and area of Kebon Sirih (Central Jakarta) — This central square of the city is a zone in large part pedestrian and, besides Monas (abbreviation for National Monument), there are several tourist attractions in the vicinity, like the presidential palace and former colonial churches.
• Sudirman-Thamrin (Jakarta Central and South) corridor — It's the central financial and business area, with a paved pedestrian track.

On the Car Free Day (CFD), which takes place every Sunday between 6:00 and 12:00 pm, the lanes between Sudirman and Thamrin are closed for motorized vehicles except the Transjakarta buses. During CFD, the avenue is used as a wide open space for sports and cycling or walking.

Most tourist attractions are concentrated in the northern and central parts of Jakarta. Most visitors start by exploiting these parts of the city, called Kota Tua, where there are old buildings preserved in a pedestrian area. Jakarta has 47 museums scattered all over town.

• 1 (Museum Sejarah Jakarta or Museum Fatahillah or Museum Batavia), Taman Fatahillah (Taman Fatahillah Square), South Side, Kota Tua. It has exhibited related objects, photographs and maps with the history of Jakarta since the fifth century BC. so far. One of the most famous objects is the Jagur cannon that's in the backyard. It occupies the building built in 1707, where the municipal government (Stadhuis in Dutch) worked until 1913. The building was modeled on the city hall of Amsterdam. The museum was opened in 1974. 
• 2 (Museum Bank Indonesia), Jalan Pintu Besar Utara No 3, Jakarta Barat. Dedicated to the history of the economy and coins used in Indonesia in the past and the present, as well as their technology. It works in what was the Dutch East India's mint, designed by the Dutch architect Eduard Cuypers and built in the late 1900s. The building is neo-fascist-style with javanese-inspired decorations. After decades of abandonment, the building was restored and opened as a museum in 2009. 
• 3 (Museum Bank Mandiri), Jalan Lapangan Stasiun No 1. Dedicated to the history of the bank, it has in its exhibition objects related to banking and old banknotes. It is installed in a colonial building art déco reconstructed at the beginning of the 1930s and was inaugurated by Banco Mandiri in 1998. 
• 4 (Museum Bahari), Jalan Pasar 1, Second Kelapa, Penjaringan sub-district. Installed in the former stores of the Dutch East Indian Company and inaugurated in 1977, it exhibits models of fishing vessels and other marine objects from different parts of Indonesia, namely Pinisis, the traditional sailing boats of the Southern Celebes Bugi. 
• 5 (Museum Wayang), Jalan Pintu Besar Utara Nomor 27, Jakarta Barat. It has several collections of traditional Indonesian puppets or puppets wayang, mainly Java (wayang kulit and wayang golek sundanese) and also puppets from other countries, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Suriname, China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia and France. It also has in exhibition wayang sculptures and paintings, besides various sets of gamelons. It was inaugurated in 1975 and is installed in a neo-fascist building in 1912. 
• 6 (Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik), Jalan Pos Kota No 2, Jakarta Barat. Besides painting works, the museum has exhibition above all traditional Indonesian art and ceramic pieces from various parts of Indonesia and from several other countries, old and contemporary. Two inaugurated in 1976 and occupy an ancient court of the colonial era, built in 1870. 

A few kilometers to the south of the coast of Sunda Kelapa are to be found several monuments that represent the legacy of the Dutch and of the first years of independence, such as the iconic National Monument and, to the north of it, the Presidential Palace.

• 7 (Monumen Nasional, abbreviated Monas), Lapangan Merdeka (BRT Monumen Nasional), Gambir, ☎ +62 21 384 0451. 8:00-16:00; closes on the last Monday of the month. The monument is a 137-meter-high bronze bull heated to gold, in the middle of a square-kilometer square — Medan Merdeka (Liberty Square). It is the most famous monument in the metropolis, erected between 1961 and 1975 to commemorate national independence. Museum and first platform Rp 5 000 per adult, Rp 3 000 per student and Rp 2 000 per child; mirabor 10 000 Rp per adult, 5 000 Rp per student and 2 000 Rp per child. There are only 1 800 entries available per day for the mooring. 

• 1 (Indonesia Thumbnail Park), Raya Taman Mini, Jakarta Timur, DKI Jakarta, e-mail: [email protected]. It is an enormous park, with over 100 hectares, created in the 1970s, has a pavilion for each one of the 34 provinces of the country, with detailed information about the culture of each one. There are also museums, theaters and a playground. You can move around with monotail, minirailroad, gondolas or leased bicycles. There are two hostels to answer anyone who wants to visit for more than one day. 10 000 Rp per person; additional prices for attractions. 

Jakarta has a wide range of options available in hundreds of establishments throughout the metropolis. Thanks to the cosmopolitan population, it is possible to find excellent local, Chinese, Japanese and many others.

Wanting to experiment with dishes typical of Jakarta, the native Betawi cuisine offers its own options:

• Sop iga sapi, beef rib soup, a Dutch dish with lots of Indonesian spices.
• Soto betawi, coconut milk soup with tendons, intestines and animal casings.
• Kerak telor, rice omelet, grated coconut and dry shrimp.
• Ketoprak, rice cream, tofu, bean sprouts, shrimps and peanut sauce.
• Cattle like ketoprak, but completely vegetarian.
• Bubur Dingin, literally: cold oat pope with meat soup.
• Nasi uduk, rice cooked with coconut milk, with various options for stuffing, such as fried chicken, beef, fried kettle, or chili sauce.
• Nasi ulam, rice cooked with coconut milk, served with fried minced meat, tempeh fried sweet and many other ingredients such as cucumbers and sambal.
• Asinan Betawi: pickle salad, served with peanut sauce (sometimes hot) and fries.

In relation to hygiene, it is preferable to eat in shopping centers or restaurants of brick and cement, rather than in street tents. In these, hygiene standards are much more relaxed.

Economic

In all the malls of Jakarta there are food centers with plenty of cheap options. Prices range from Rp 15 000 to Rp 50 000. In the street, prices may be even lower, but hygiene standards are questionable.

International fast food chains are also good options in terms of price and hygiene. KFC, Wendy's and McDonald's have a lot of stores. The local Bakmi GM jail is famous for its noodles and wonton fried. Hoka-hoka Bento (locally known as "HokBen") serves Japanese food buffets and full meals for affordable prices. Also consider meeting Es Teler 77 & Solaria. They're easy to find in the city malls.

Traditional Indonesian cuisine is considered too spicy by most tourists. In some restaurants, it is possible to order without pepper: "Tidak pakai fits" by "Tidak Pedas."

Medium

More sophisticated restaurants offer main dishes with prices ranging from Rp 35 000 for meatballs to Rp 80 000 for a large pizza, up to Rp 125 000 for an Australian steak. It is possible to have dinner well in practically all the shopping centers in Jakarta and, even better, outside of them.

The Pizza Hut is very popular in Indonesia, where it resembles a restaurant with some class rather than a fast food restaurant. Both the shops and the pizza served are much larger than in the West. They serve soup and salad as entrances, dessert ice cream and, in selected restaurants in the chain, there's a special breakfast menu. The other popular pizzeria chain is Domino Pizza. For more traditional local options, try Satay House Senayan or Ayam Goreng Suharti (Suharti Fried Chicken).

Esbanje

Jakarta's best gourmet squandering is the buffet of five-star hotels: Marriott, Hotel Mulia, Ritz-Carlton and Shangri-La, at surprisingly low prices for Western standards, despite high prices for what is standard in Indonesia. One of these buffers typically costs between Rp 150 000 and Rp 300 000 per person. Chinese castor restaurants, such as Din Tai Fung, Imperial Duck, Jun Njan, Tai Pan and smaller ones have considerably expensive dishes, but these dishes are usually intended for groups and not for individual people. Samudra Restaurant serves seafood and Chinese food.