Curator’s statement
Most people treat Jakarta as a layover. I treat it as the point. As the gateway to Indonesia, it’s where the country’s staggering diversity first announces itself...in the food, the design, the neighborhoods, the noise. It’s a city that rewards attention: there’s more culture, more beauty, and more to eat here than you’ll ever have time for, and that’s exactly why I keep coming back (well, besides family, of course!)
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Where to stay in Jakarta, Indonesia
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Things to do in Jakarta, Indonesia
The largest mosque in Southeast Asia, built to hold 120,000 worshippers. The numbers embedded in its design are all symbolic: 45-meter dome, 66.66-meter minaret, 12 columns.
The Vault Automotive Museum: In the same complex as Pagi Sore and worth the detour on its own. One of the best collections of vintage and classic cars in Southeast Asia, and almost no one knows it exists.
Kota Tua at dawn: The old colonial quarter is a different city before the heat and crowds arrive. Fatahillah Square, the VOC warehouses, coffee at Café Batavia. Go early!
Sarinah and Alun Alun Indonesia: Sarinah on Jalan Thamrin is the right place to buy batik without negotiating. Grand Indonesia’s Alun Alun, just next door, is where local designers actually worth knowing have set up shop.
Jalan Surabaya: Jakarta’s antique street in Cikini. Wayang figures, batik fragments, old coins, colonial silverware. Go without a list and you’ll find something.
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Every Indonesian province represented in one sprawling cultural park. It sounds like a tourist trap. It isn’t.
Istiqlal Mosque. Southeast Asia’s largest mosque sits directly across the street from Jakarta Cathedral. That pairing is not accidental! It’s one of the more honest statements Indonesia makes about itself. Go before the midday heat and register for the free guided tour at the entrance.
Inaria Spa at InterContinental Pondok Indah: Traditional Indonesian healing treatments done properly, with roots in regional rituals from across the archipelago. Book ahead and build in two hours minimum.
Places to eat & drink in Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia has over 5,000 islands and a cuisine to match—no two provinces eat the same way.
Lunch at Pagi Sore Jeruk Purut: This is where you learn what Padang food is supposed to taste like. Order the full spread, eat with your hands, and don’t rush it.
August: Named Best Restaurant in Indonesia 2025 and ranked on Asia’s 50 Best, August is a 50-seat tasting menu restaurant where Chef Hans Christian turns Indonesian ingredients and childhood memories into something genuinely personal. Book well in advance.
Kaum Jakarta: The Potato Head Group’s Indonesian restaurant, doing regional dishes from across the archipelago with real sourcing and care. Order from the kitchen bar if you can get a seat there.
Lara Djonggrang: A colonial heritage house in Menteng, atmospheric in a way that Jakarta does better than almost anywhere. The food is traditional Indonesian and the setting does most of the work.
Henshin: Jakarta’s highest rooftop bar and restaurant, sitting 300 meters up in Gama Tower with 360-degree city views. Nikkei cuisine, excellent cocktails. Go for drinks if not dinner.
Pidari Lounge at Hutan Kota by Plataran: Trees, good drinks, no traffic noise. Genuinely rare in this city. Best in the late afternoon before dinner
Senopati at night: This is where Jakarta actually goes to drink. Modernhaus and Pantja are the current picks. Both are serious about what’s in the glass.
Need to know
Getting around: Jakarta’s traffic is real, and it will eat your itinerary if you don’t plan around it. Move in the morning, stay put in the afternoon, and build a healthy buffer into anything that requires crossing the city. The MRT is genuinely good and worth using when your route allows it!
When to go: If you’re visiting between November and March, pack accordingly. The rainy season hits hard and fast! Downpours arrive with no warning and disappear just as quickly.
What to wear: Jakarta is a city, not a resort. Leave the flip flops and beach cover-ups at home. Smart casual is the baseline at any restaurant worth going to.
Nongkrong culture: The thing that will surprise you most is “nongkrong”, the Indonesian art of hanging out with no particular agenda. A warung, a kopi, a curb. It’s the social fabric of the city and once you notice it, you’ll see it everywhere. It’s the reason Jakarta has such a strong cafe culture.
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For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Indonesia page.