Jakarta Travel Tips, Indonesia

This post focuses on Jakarta travel tips with information on hotels, where to stay, sights, what to do, transportation and all the costs in the Indonesian capital.

Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, the last stop of our Indonesian adventure. We arrived in Jakarta in the early evening but the sun had already set. We decided to go with Couchsurfing for the third time since the beginning of our travels. We had an amazing time with our host A. and more than that, made a new friend! Thank you again, A.!

Read on and find out what to do, where to stay and how to get around in Jakarta!

How to get from Bandung to Jakarta: Train from Bandung to Jakarta

Read about the Jakarta to Bandung train in previous post – highly recommended for the gorgeous rice terraces scenery on the way.

Where to Stay in Jakarta, Jakarta Hotels and Accommodations

If you plan ahead (unlike us) there are plenty of accommodations in Jakarta though many budget/backpacker places are a bit removed from the city center. If you are in Jakarta for a short amount of time, you may want to spend more and be close to the center.

Madu Inn – A hotel a bit hard to locate, double room with private bath, free WiFi, flat screen TV, private bath and breakfast included for USD $19-21.

Guest House 8 – though far from city center and 10mins away from bus stop. Clean, friendly staff, free WiFi and free water, A/C, choice between shared or private bath. USD $15-19

Wisma Rimadi – a bit out of city center, free WiFi, clean, breakfast included, flat screen TV, A/C

Or, like us, you can give couchsurfing a try!

How to get around in Jakarta – Local Transportation 

It is fairly easy to get around Jakarta by BRT (though we did get lost once and ended up taking the same bus back to where we started – but it’s part of fun). A ride on the BRT costs 3,500 IDR (<USD $3.50).

What to do in Jakarta – Activities, Sights and Attractions

Masjid Istiqlal Mosque – Be ready for crowds, to remove your shoes, women have to be covered. Best day to visit is on Sunday.

Jakarta Cathedral – Right across form the Istiqal Mosque – very convenient to visit both religious structures at the same time.

Museum Bank Indonesia – The museum is closed on Mondays and no entrance fee. Museum about the currency of Indonesia.

National Monument – not much to see there but beautiful at night when it is lit up.

National Museum – 10,000 IDR entrance fee for foreigners. Closed on Mondays. On the West side of Merdeka Square.

Museum Wayang –  the Puppet museum in Fatahillah Square. Entrance fee: 5,000 IDR (<USD $5)

Jakarta Old Town or Kota Jakarta –  nice architecture, good for a stroll and people watching but not much to see – avoid Mondays since all Museums are closed

Taman Mini Indonesian Indah – perfect for a day trip, located in East Jakarta. Taman Mini is a recreational park allowing you to visit all of Indonesia in one day with miniature representations of the different provinces. There are also rides, theater, bicycle rentals and museums inside the park.

Entrance fee is 9,000 IDR (<USD $9) per person. Bring water, sunscreen and snacks if needed. It can take up to a whole day to visit the entire park and all of its different activites and it gets pretty hot and sunny under the Indonesian sun.

To get to Taman Mini, you can use public transportation “TransJakarta” to Kampung Rambutan Bus Terminal, then take a red “angkot” and tell the driver you are going to Taman Mini (ride is between 3,000-5,000 IDR – confirm and negotiate if needed before hopping on).

How to get to/from Jakarta airport: Taxi to Jakarta Airport

AIRPORT TAX  One of the few countries in Asia where airport tax/departure fee is not included in the cost of ticket so do not exchange all of your Indonesian money before getting to the airport, there is an exit fee of 150,000 IDR (<USD $15) currently 200,000 IDR (<USD $20) when leaving on an international flight payable only in Indonesian Rupiah. For domestic flights, it is 75,000 IDR (<USD $7.50).

Taxi from Soekarno Hatta airport to Jakarta: the cheapest way to get to the city is with DAMRI bus or there are official taxis at the airport – though there may be a waiting line.

Taxi from Jakarta to Soekarno Hatta Airport: We paid 54,000 IDR for a taxi from north part of Jakarta to Soekarno Hatta airport, we were able to have a local person call for us and negotiate the pricing. Most reliable taxi companies are Blue Bird, Silver Bird, Pusaka, Express and Putra. You can expect a price between 100,000-200,000 IDR (<USD $20) for a ride to the airport. You can take the DAMRI bus going to the airport from multiple stations in the city (fare is between 20,000 to 35,000 IDR or <USD $3.50)

How was your experience in Jakarta? Share your Indonesian travel experience with us! We love to hear from you!

Happy Travels!!xx

See more stories and videos from Jakarta, Indonesia: travel writing, life philosophy video interviews, timelapse videos.

See more photo series from Jakarta: portraits of electronic shops and shopkeepers, public bus and traffic, Masjid Istiqlal photos (Technology and Religion), children of Jakarta, North Jakarta Kota area street photography.

Or if you plan to visit Jakarta, Indonesia, check out the Indonesia section!