Category: Jakarta Travel Tips

Experience Different Tastes of Vegetable Soup in Jakarta

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A variety of Vegetable soup in Jakarta is spread widely in various parts of Jakarta. A few kinds of the dish include sayur asem, a vegetable soup with various ingredients with sour and savory broth, sayur bayam, spinach soup with clear broth, and sayur lodeh, a vegetable soup dish with coconut milk broth.

As an agricultural country, Indonesia produces many varieties of vegetables. So, it is normal to find dish creation with vegetables as main ingredients. One of them is sayur asem. Sayur asem is popular widely all over Indonesian. It has many versions from East to West, such as Sumatera, Jakarta, West Java, and Kalimantan version. The most popular version of soup in Jakarta in the capital city is sayur asem Jakarta. The vegetables that are used from ingredients such as long beans, peanuts, young jackfruit, melinjo, vegetable starfruit, chayote, tamarind, and corn.

The difference of sayur asem Jakarta from version of other areas are in thicker and richer broth as its use many kinds of Indonesian spices, which is shrimp paste, candlenuts, and chili peppers. It has a savory, sour, sweet, and a little spicy flavor.

Another kind of vegetable soup in Jakarta is sayur bayam, it is a simple dish made from spinach and clear broth, usually seasoned only with sugar, pepper, and salt. For Javanese version, it is dominant in sweet flavor. But in other areas, some people prefer it to be saltier.

As for sayur lodeh, it is a bit similar with sayur asem. Also using a few kinds of vegetables such as chayote, long beans, eggplant, bitter bean, tempeh, chili, and small corn, completed with coconut milk broth. It is rather thick if compared to the other types of soup in Jakarta and has a dominant savory and sweet flavor.

Curious about the difference flavors of soup in Jakarta? Then walk with us on Jakarta Food Tour, experience a journey to find unique and authentic taste of Jakarta. See you around!

A Unique Variety of Soup in Jakarta from the South

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As we have introduced varieties of soup in Jakarta in the previous article, now we could move on to other soups of Indonesia. Aside from Jakarta as the capital city, other provinces also offer a rich variety of soups, for example, sop pindang ikan patin (shark catfish soup) from Palembang, South Sumatera, and sop konro (beef soup) from Makassar, South Sulawesi. Both soups that come from outside Jakarta are also popular among the locals.

First, about sop pindang ikan patin. It is a soup dish using shark catfish as a main ingredient. The cooking method is also out of the ordinary, it is called “pindang”, a cooking method by boiling the fish meat in brine or acidic solutions. It is a relatively simple dish that is easy to cook using only a few ingredients such as lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, chili, and tamarind boiled in a broth. It has a savory and a hint of sour taste from the tamarind. The freshness of the soup makes it a popular soup in Jakarta.

The other type of soup is sop konro. Konro literally means cow in South Sulawesi. The main ingredient for this dish is beef ribs or other parts of cow. Meanwhile sop pindang ikan patin is a simple dish, on the other hand, konro are richer in flavor as it is using many varieties of Indonesian spices such as coriander, nutmeg, galanga, aromatic ginger, cinnamon, clove, and keluak that adds the black color in the dish.

Konro has a “dry” version, in which the beef ribs and meat are grilled, and the soup is served separately, and widely known as konro bakar. The taste of this dish is relatively richer with sweet and savory as a dominant flavor. This dish can be found in Makassar restaurant or a restaurant that sells particularly sop konro and konro bakar as a main dish.

Ready to taste a warm and delicious soup in Jakarta? Then let’s walk with us in Jakarta Food Tour to taste unique and authentic Indonesian food. See you around!

A New Star of Jakarta Transportation, Lintas Rel Terpadu

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It has not been long ago that this new form of Jakarta Transportation, LRT was operated. The light rail transit, or in Indonesian version, Lintas Rel Terpadu, had been officially operating since the end of December 2019, but LRT Jabodetabek just officially operating September this year. Since it is the first LRT in Jakarta and in Indonesia, the citizens are excited to try it, so the government allowed a free trial before its official release.

This form of Jakarta Transportation are relatively new for the citizen, so they already prepared with a full instruction on how to buy ticket and ride the LRT on their website: https://www.lrtjakarta.co.id/informasi-tiket.html . LRT Jabodetabek is receiving a warm welcome as it will provide more option for people to commute beside other Jakarta Transportation such as Transjakarta Busway and KRL.

The newly operated LRT connects Jakarta and Bekasi. The stations and the routes are built near busy places such as office complexes in Sudirman area, including Halim that also functioned as airports, to TMII, which was a tourist attraction where people can see a “mini” version of Indonesia. However, other routes and line are to be established to reach more areas in Bogor, Depok, and Tangerang.

No different with other Jakarta Transportation, an electric money card or digital banking are needed to pay and ride the LRT. However, it could be a little costly among other Jakarta Transportation, as the costs is more expensive, which is IDR5000 for first kilometer, and IDR700 will be charged for the next kilometers. It is almost equal to USD1.5 for the furthest trip.

Although this form of Jakarta Transportation is intended to solve traffic problems in Jakarta, some people might still choose to ride KRL or MRT instead because of the price. We still don’t know if there will be adjustments in the future as the establishment for the next phase is not completed yet. We hope that as time goes on, it will improve greatly to cater to people’s needs.

Now that you know about Jakarta Transportation, ready to explore Jakarta by riding public transportation? Or you would rather walk with us? That is fine, join us with Jakarta Walking Tour and we will take you on an adventure to the nook and cranny of Jakarta!

Moda Raya Terpadu, MRT of Jakarta Transportation

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Introducing one of from many types of Jakarta Transportation, mass rapid transit, or a localized version, Moda Raya Terpadu. It has not been too long since this mode operated. This mode of Jakarta Transportation was built to fill the demand about proper public transportation to solve traffic congestion problem and to shorten commute time to go to work.

It was operating for the first time in the year of 2019 and becomes the first mass rapid transit in Indonesia. Although it only has a few lines, the existence itself has helped a lot of commuters since it was built in the heart of Jakarta city and circling around office complexes.

As for this year, only phase one of the establishment was completed. The route for phase one is from and to Bundaran HI and Lebak Bulus station. It is relatively easy to find the subway stations if you are staying around Central Jakarta, especially Bunderan HI. So, choosing accommodations nearby is a great way if you intend to ride public Jakarta transportation while you are staying in Jakarta. Hotel Indonesia and Kempinski would be a great choice as you can walk around five minutes to the subway station to ride MRT Jakarta.

Not much different with other public Jakarta transportation like Transjakarta and Mikrotrans, the system is cashless payment, so you will need an electronic money card that cooperates with MRT Jakarta. The price you will need to pay will be according to your trip. The minimum price is IDR3000, and it will be added by IDR1000 for every next station. It is still an affordable price for workers and commuters in Jakarta.

Even though it is intended to cater mainly for workers who commute in Central and South Jakarta, as MRT is relatively new for Jakartans and Indonesians, so don’t be surprised when it will be full of people from variety of age groups on holidays riding MRT, as it is also considered to be a way of recreations for families. So sometimes people outside Jakarta will come specifically to try to ride the MRT.

Now that you know about Jakarta Transportation, ready to explore Jakarta by riding public transportation? Or you would rather walk with us? That is fine, join us with Jakarta Walking Tour and we will take you to an adventure to the nook and cranny of Jakarta!

Kereta Rel Listrik, The Popular Jakarta Transportation in the Populated City

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As we have introduced a few of Jakarta Transporation, now it is the time to introducing another form, which is Kereta Rel Listrik (KRL) or Jakarta Commuterline. The commuterline or commonly known as KRL, is a rapid transportation based on electronic rails. This is the oldest and most used public transportation often used to commute.

KRL has been established since the year 1925 and had undergone a lot of changes and improvements since its establishment. KRL is an intercity transportation that connects Jakarta with the areas nearby such as Tangerang, Bogor, and Depok. So, it will always be busy in rush hours and working days.

As one of the most popular Jakarta Transportation, the fare is relatively affordable to reach a far distance. To ride a KRL, you will need an electronic money card to tap in and tap out in the destined stations. You can buy and top up the card at the ticket booth in each station. It costs IDR3000 for the first 25KM and IDR1000 for the next 10 KM.

Riding a KRL is a good option either for commuting for work or recreation. Jakartans can travel and sightsee in Kebun Raya Bogor by riding KRL and continuing by riding taxi or online transportations. Either way, people who live in Bogor can ride KRL if they want to visit the authentic Jakarta Old Town.

The routes and lines for KRL have been changing a lot as establishment and improvement kept going while the train are still operating. The details of the line, fare, and train schedule can be found on KRL website: https://commuterline.id/perjalanan-krl/info-tarif

Just some tips if you want to travel and only experience riding KRL as a Jakarta Transportation, it will be better to avoid rush hours on working days, or you might get lost in the sea of people.

Explore The Unseen Side of Jakarta with a Ride on Mikrotrans

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When last time we talked about Transjakarta, now let’s talk about Mikrotrans, another type of Jakarta Transportation. In the past, Jakarta had Mikrolet and Angkot, some type of public transportation using smaller cars. Different from buses which had bus stations, this type of Jakarta transportation can pick up and drop passengers almost everywhere where the passengers like. Depending on the track, they have different colors and code numbers. The price depends on the distance and passengers can pay using cash to the drivers.

As time went by, this type of Jakarta Transportation had undergone multiple improvements. Nowadays, most of Mikrolet and Angkot have been replaced by Mikrotrans, a fleet of feeder cars from Transjakarta. What makes it different is they must stop at dedicated stops, at certain stops with the sign on the side of the streets, so they cannot randomly stop everywhere. Besides, the passangers can no longer pay with cash, but with an electric money card. The type of car that they used is mostly Suzuki Carry 1.5 Real Van that has been painted with JakLingko logo on the body. And all of them are equipped with air conditioners.

This type of Jakarta Transportation is convenient in exploring small roads and alleyways that big vehicles cannot pass in Jakarta. Many Jakartans ride Mikrotrans to go from their houses to commuter line or MRT stations to go to work because it is free of charge as of now. You only need to bring your electronic money card and tap on the machine inside the vehicle.

There are more than one hundred routes for Jakarta, as you can see in the Transjakarta website here: https://transjakarta.co.id/peta-rute/ . The difference between the routes is usually shown by their code number, started with code JAK-number, JAK-01 for example.

Prepare your electronic money card, specify your destination, find the stops with the sign to wait for Mikrotrans to arrive, and you are ready to blend with Jakartans. Just some tips, if you want a more comfortable journey, just avoid busy hours in the morning when people go to work and evening when they go home from work, and you are all set!

Lost in Jakarta Translation

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One day, you have read or heard somewhere that is better to come prepared when you are about to travel to foreign countries. So, you have done your research, learnt the language of the countries you’ll visit, and are ready to drag your luggage to the airport. Once you arrived, you were just about to use the language that you learned, but, alas, what they speak is totally different than what you learned. It is not definite, but the chance is big for to happen as you step into Jakarta City.

Instead of hearing “saya”, “tidak”, “nanti”, and etc as a standard Indonesian formal language, you will hear a tad foreign term like “gue”, “ngga”, “ntar, etc. These words are derived from Betawi language, a dialect that is often used by native Jakartans.  So, don’t be surprised if it is different than formal Indonesian that you learned. Aside from that, there are also many new popular terms that are made from abbreviations. For example, “mantul” that is formed from “mantap betul”, or literally means “really excellent”.

As a country with more than 1.300 ethnicities, Indonesian that live throughout the country speaks in dialect in their hometown, so they are relatively easy to adapt and absorb new languages. Not only they can speak in dialects, but they are also capable of speaking in Indonesian standard language or relatively known as “bahasa baku”. In Central or East Java for example, you will hear most people speak in Javanese. Even other than Java Island, people from different ethnicities most probably speak in their own dialects in their respective hometown.

So, if you hear Indonesian speaks most in dialects but you are going to ask for directions and you have only learned the Indonesian language, don’t be afraid, while they are speaking in dialects for daily conversations, most will understand if you speak in formal Indonesian standard language.

Or, if you are not convinced enough, just use English to be safe. Citizens who work in service industries most probably undergone training for English language and some locals are excited to speak to foreigners to practice their English. So, don’t be afraid to engage in conversation with locals!

Introducing The Jakarta Transportation Mode, Transjakarta Busway

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Once you step into Jakarta City, you will see a lot of vehicles on the street. As the capital city, the city has a very dense population. This causes a lot of traffic congestion problems in many parts of Jakarta. With the intention to solve this problem, the government came up with a plan to provide proper Jakarta Transportation to make the citizens choose to opt out using private vehicles. Therefore, the Transjakarta Busway was established. For a glance of this mode of transportation, please check here: https://www.jakartawalkingtour.com/transjakarta-bus/

Since its establishment, the Jakarta Transportation has undergone a lot of changes and improvement. From the number of corridors, tracks, and even bus type, size, and colors. As for now, the Transjakarta Busway has established more than 14 corridors around Jakarta. The integration map of those corridors can be found here: https://transjakarta.co.id/peta-rute/ The bus type has divided to BRT (rapid transit bus) and non-BRT. The BRT bus will stop and depart from normal Busway shelters that spread around Jakarta, meanwhile the non-BRT bus will also stop and depart at bus stops with a sign at the side of the streets.

Aside from only Jakarta Transportation, there are also Transjabodetabek that cater to commuters that live outside Jakarta as in Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. This reflects on the corridors’ number code, for example, B11, that runs along the route of Bekasi to Jakarta on corridor 11. S for Serpong, T for Tangerang, C for Cibubur, and so on.

The fare is relatively cheap for Indonesian, with IDR3500 per person and no additional charge for transiting between corridors. An electric money card is needed as a payment method to ride the bus. Nowadays, most of the buses use gas as their fuel and buses which use gas have a blue color paint on the bodies. Some of them are electric buses, and the color is soft green.

The operational hours for this Jakarta Transportation vary depending on the corridors. The earliest departure is from 5AM and the latest is 12AM. One thing that a visitor must notice is, there are a special double decker buses with a special route for tourists that want to see around the roads in Jakarta while riding buses with the best view. It is better known as “Jakarta Explorer” with seven options for route theme. You can choose to explore history, culinary and art, modern Jakarta, and so on. Say no more, prepare your card, tap in, and you are ready to go!

Going Around Jakarta with Jakarta Transportation

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Along with the continuous development of Jakarta as a capital city, Jakarta Transportation also undergoes a lot of improvements as today. There are already many options to go around Jakarta using public transportation.

Jakarta Transportation is divided into two types, intra-city and inter-city transportation. For intra-city transportation in Jakarta area, we have Transjakarta, Microtrans, and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit/Moda Raya Terpadu). These types of transportation modes are provided to people who want to go around within the Jakarta area. Transjakarta are big buses that you can ride from the Transjakarta Busway shelters, Microtrans is smaller vehicles like car or used to called “angkutan kota”, and MRT is train like transportation that you can ride from subway stations.

For intercity of Jakarta Transportation, there are options like KRL Commuter Line, LRT (Light Rail Transit/Lintas Rel Terpadu), and also Transjabodetabek. These modes are intended to provide transportation for people outside Jakarta area, including Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, hence the name of “Jabodetabek” area, as many people commute from other cities while working in Jakarta or vice versa. The routes and fares for each mode are usually provided on their respective websites.

These modes of Jakarta Transportation are meant to provide people with decent public transportation so people will opt out using private vehicles to solve traffic congestion problems in Jakarta. The fares are relatively affordable for Indonesians, starting from IDR3500 or less than 1USD. You can even ride for free on Microtrans as long as you carry an electronic money card.

Stay tuned for more information about how to ride, routes, and fares for Jakarta Transportation. See you in the next articles!

First Time in Jakarta

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First time in Jakarta? Relax, you are with other million person in the Soekarno Hatta Airport. Either you have business meeting or short vacation in Jakarta we have some tips for you as the first- time visitor in Jakarta.

First time in Jakarta: Oh my gosh, it’s humid!

first time in jakarta with sunglasses

Sunglasses ON.

Bring lotion with SPF, sunglasses, and/or hydrating mist. We have summer every day in Jakarta. Not only hot but also humid. When you are landing Soekarno Hatta airport, you might feel relieve with the warm weather after long hours sit on the airplane. But after hours you will sweating and feel sorry for your own make up (if you are a woman!). So, I suggest you not only to bring sunblock and sunglasses but also to prepare hydrating mist. It helps your skin with the changing weather.

First time in Jakarta: Taxi or Bus?

There is an airport bus in Soekarno Hatta Airport. It called Damri Bus. Ask security about this bus service. It is cheap (around USD 4 each trip/person) but you should wait longer than taxi service. After long trip, I don’t think Damri Bus is a good idea. Why? One: you need to follow Damri’s schedule. It could be one hour or longer depends on the Jakarta traffic. Two: Damri can not drop you in front of your hotel. Damri Bus will drop you in shelter somewhere in the city, can not take special request.

first time in jakarta with taxi service

Blue Bird Taxi in Jakarta

If you are first-time visitor in Jakarta, then which taxi service you should have to avoid scam? My answer always two taxi service: Blue Bird or Express (white) taxi. Express with experienced driver and cheaper fare as a bright side. The darker side: when you are new in town you will be mistaken with different white taxi service. Same white different brand. I’ve been pay for 2 USD for two minutes driving with scam-white taxi. Hahaa.. *crazy*

So, blue bird is the answer. Yes there is also blue colour taxi, but blue bird have brightest color among blue colour taxi service. Newest car with fair-fare, argometer is ON.  Please also save your hotel address in your phone. Just in case.

First time in Jakarta: Where to stay?

My suggestion is staying in hotel near with your travel/business destination. Since Jakarta’s traffic quite unpredictable, I think less commute is better. What if I couldn’t find cheaper hotel in Jakarta?

Hmm..good question. Yes, you can stay in less favorable hotel but after all you will need taxi/bus service to reach your destination in Jakarta. More time, more money. So, I should leave it to your own choice. Just email tahu@jakartawalkingtour.com for hotel suggestion in Jakarta. No, I don’t take any commission from the hotel. Just ask me then I’ll give you some overview about hotel surrounding area.

First time in Jakarta: Where to hangout?

Where to hangout in Jakarta? Ask receptionist nicely. He or she is local person. Ask locals.
Actually, it all depends on your interest and preferences. However, as first time Jakarta’s visitor you might want to know Jakarta in a summary. An overview before you go further.

first time in jakarta on car free day

Car Free Day in Jakarta

Go National Museum for museum lovers, visit Sunday’s Car Free Day to see people, explore Central Jakarta for modern part of the city, and stroll around Old Town if you like Jakarta’s history. That’s IMHO. If you need further assistance about Jakarta as a first-time visitor, send us your question through tahu@jakartawalkingtour.com I will love to read your message there. Welcome to Jakarta!