Jakarta100bars - Nightlife & Party Guide

As a single guy who travels quite a lot (partly to write my Nightlife Guides), I have had plenty of opportunities to explore the online dating scene in Southeast Asia.

Online dating is probably the best way to meet girls in the region. Even an average-looking guy with limited social skills can manage to date pretty girls here as long as he knows how to play the game.

In the following article, I will give you 10 practical tips on how to master online dating in Asia. These recommendations are easy to implement, almost effortless, and yet they can make the difference between success and failure.

Most are based on my personal experiences, some were inspired by friends' stories and the rest is just common sense. You should also read my article Best Countries for Online Dating in Asia for more great tips on how to meet Asian girls.

If you feel I forgot to mention something important, please don't hesitate to leave a message in the comment section below.

→ Know the right dating websites and apps in Asia
You cannot be successful online if you don't use the right dating websites and apps. Some of them can be popular in a country, but terrible in another one. Badoo, for instance, is OK in the Philippines and Vietnam, but not in Malaysia or in Singapore (where OK Cupid works better).

It also depends on who you are and what you are looking for. Each website/app will usually target a specific demographic.

- Are you a young guy backpacking around Southeast Asia and looking for hook-ups? Use Tinder
- Are you a man living abroad looking for a serious Asian girlfriend? Use Asia Dating
- Are you a young expat looking for an upper-class girlfriend? Use Paktor

I give more details about this in my guide: Online Dating in Asia - Best Apps and Websites to Meet Girls (2017).

AsiaDating works well with older men looking for relationships

→ Make sure you have some great but consensual pics
Your pictures are the most important part of your online profile. Having no pictures or just a few blurry ones is a recipe for disaster. Only desperate girls, ladyboys or prostitutes might be interested in an empty profile.

Upload at least 5 or 6 recent photos of you in a positive environment. Ideally, 4 pics of you alone (traveling, outdoor, at a restaurant, etc - something that could spark a conversation) and 2 pics with family or friends. Make sure that you are smiling and that you don't look creepy. Looking at your photos, a girl must think: "I want to be with that man".

Photos to avoid: Selfies in general and particularly in the bathroom, nude torsos, gym pics, elephant riding, baby tiger cuddling, pictures of you next to your motorbike or your car (or even worse, next to a car that does not belong to you).

I understand that some guys don't like to put a picture of their face for privacy reasons (because they are already in a relationship, scared to be seen by colleagues, etc). If you are in this situation, then the solution is to use non-traditional dating websites/apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Beetalk, WeChat, etc. I talk about all these in Best Apps to Meet Girls in Asia (2017).

→ Spend time writing a bio for your profile
Make the effort to write at least one paragraph with those key elements: Who you are - What do you like (mention 2 or 3 sports, hobbies, TV shows, singers, books or movies) - What is attractive about you (you cook, you read, you travel, you play an instrument, etc) - What kind of girl you are looking for (and for what kind of relationship).

Avoid self-deprecating ("I'm just an average guy", etc), bragging ("You won't find a better guy"), complaining about your previous relationships, negativity ("I don't like ...).

Don't talk about money ("I own...") unless you want to attract all the worst gold diggers.

An easy and cheap way to create a bio is to use Fiverr. On this website, there are hundreds of girls and guys who can help you write it for just $5. Just search for "dating" or "tinder" and you'll see plenty of interesting offers.

→ Adapt your profile and conversations to Asian culture

While being sarcastic or ironic is common in Europe, it might not always be well interpreted in Asia. Only use it cautiously with girls who are westernized.

In general, I would say that Asian girls don't really care if your bio is funny, witty or original. Instead, they will prefer someone who can make them feel comfortable. This means someone who is not judgemental, not weird, not blunt, and not acting like a playboy.

→ Invest in a sim card

In Asia, you can normally buy a sim card with 1 month of mobile data for less than $10. Being always connected allows you to reply as soon as a girl messages you or matches with you.

You need to be aware that the prettiest girls receive hundreds of messages every week and that they never reply to all of them.

Why they'll reply to some guys and not to other ones is often a question of timing. As we say in France, "you have to hit the iron while it's hot". If you initiate a conversation right after you've been matched, at a time when she still remembers your profile, then she is most likely to answer. If you need 2 hours to do so, then she'll probably find someone else to talk to in the meantime.

→ Use multiple apps and websites

Most guys I know make the mistake of using only 1 dating app or website. Typically, they will set up strict filters (age, mensuration, distance, etc), then as they only get a few matches, they slowly remove the filters to increase their success rate.

But the truth is they are actually lowering their standards when they could just use other dating sites and apps.

→ Spend some money (if you can afford it)
When you arrive in a new location, don't hesitate to spend a little money to boost your profile or to upgrade your membership. The idea is to get the largest number of quality matches possible, and then to select the best ones for chatting.

→ Use the pipeline strategy (for tourists or travelers)
Tourists and travelers who arrive in a new city must generally face the same question from girls: "Do you actually live here?". If you say that no, you are only in town for a couple days, you can expect the chat to end almost immediately.

Some guys use the pipelining strategy to prevent this issue. They anticipate their trips weeks or days in advance, developing online relationships with a few girls they like. They slowly build excitement (often with bullshit), until they finally arrive in Asia.

This technique can really help you skip steps but it takes time and preparation. It is particularly effective with websites belonging to the Cupid Media network (AsianDating, ThaiCupid, VietnamCupid, etc). Girls on these sites are looking for foreigners and they generally don't mind chatting with someone who is far away.

→ Be efficient and decisive

Being efficient means having high-quality dates with great girls without spending hours or days online chasing them.

In general, after 15 minutes of chatting, you should be able to ask a girl's Whatsapp, Line or WeChat number. This will allow you to either make a phone call or better, a video call.

A video call is an excellent way to make things move forward.

First, it allows you to make sure that the person you are talking to is not fake, not lying about her age, not a ladyboy, and not using photoshopped pics. Within seconds, you will know if this is a girl you want to meet or not.

Second, it builds intimacy. By hearing your voice and seeing you in real, it will be easier for a girl to trust you and to accept a physical encounter. Seize the opportunity and just ask her out directly before ending the call.

Note: Take a video call as seriously as a real date. Make sure you look fresh, with at least a t-shirt on, and tidy up your place.

→ Stay in a strategic location
You should always stay in a hip, central area with plenty of cafés and bars around where you can invite your dates. You can read my Asia Nightlife Guide to help you with that as I always include a selection of the best hotels near the nightlife.

Do you have online dating tips as well? Please don't hesitate to share them in the comment section below!

The key to successfully meeting girls in Asia is to master the right dating apps and websites.

The first step for that is to familiarize yourself with the different options available and to understand the strengths/weaknesses of each.

It is also important to know the specificities of each Asian country. Some apps or websites can be popular in Thailand but completely useless in the Philippines and vice versa.

There are 6 different types of online tools that you can use for meeting new girls in Asia:

→ Location-based apps on mobile only
An app that lets you find girls around you (for instance Tinder or Paktor).

→ Dating/Matchmaking websites on desktop only
A website that connects you with selected profiles living in a certain area (for instance AsianDating, ThaiCupid, VietnamCupid, FilipinoCupid, etc).

→ Dating websites on desktop with a corresponding mobile app
A service with both an app and a website (for instance ThaiFriendly, PinaLove, Badoo, Skout, OK Cupid)

→ Messaging apps
An app primarily used for communicating with friends, but with a "look around" feature that allows you to meet new people (for instance WeChat or BeeTalk)

→ Social media
A social network that can be used for meeting girls if you know how to play it right (for instance Instagram, Facebook or Bigo Live).

→ Niche websites or apps
These cater to a specific group of people, for instance Muslims (Muslima), gays (Grindr), men interested in ladyboys (MyLadyBoyDate), swingers (AdultFriendFinder), sugar daddies and sugar babies (SeekingArrangement.com), etc.

In the following review, I will rank the best dating apps and websites in Asia. I tried each one in every country during my travels (while writing my Asia Nightlife Guides).

I will start with the ones that work well everywhere, and then give you a few more that are specific to some countries.

Apps/websites that work well in most countries

These apps and website below are generally popular in every Asian country. In Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, they are the only one that you can use.

Tinder

Tinder is the most widely-used dating app in Asia, especially among educated women and foreign girls. Most of its features are free, but you may want to pay a little extra to get more matches or to change your location.

Personally, I'm not a big fan. The problem with Tinder in Asia is easy to understand. It is an app that was originally designed for Americans to hook up: You match, you exchange a few jokes, you set up a date. It was supposed to be fast and efficient.

In Asia, since hooking up and one-night stands are not widely accepted (the most common profile sentence is "If you are looking for hook-up swipe left), things move much slower. You need to spend more time chatting and based on my experience, it often leads to nothing. After a few messages exchanged, she or you will get bored, and then you forget about her because you've got 10 new matches.

Pros:
- Mostly free
- Very popular among English-speaking and upper-class girls
- Great for meeting Western girls
- Fun and easy to use
- Ideal for good-looking guys between 18-40

Cons:
- Lots of competition from other guys
- Hard to keep a long and meaningful conversation
- You need to be able to type fast on a mobile phone
- Tourists are often labeled as "not serious" and ignored
- A lot of girls will match with you yet they won't reply your messages
- Superficial: Being good-looking is the number one factor of success (a nicely written profile is number 2)

Asia Dating

Click to Try AsiaDating for Free

The AsianDating website is part of the Cupid network and as such, it benefits from a huge database of girls in every country. On average, it has over 2,000 women online at any time, especially girls living in the Philippines, in Indonesia, in Thailand, and in Vietnam. They are openly looking for a foreign husband or boyfriend.

It is pretty much the opposite of Tinder. Many users are still corresponding through emails, sometimes for weeks before deciding to meet. Girls won't mind if you are still in your home country as long as you have a plan to visit them in Southeast Asia.

As with most websites, the registration is free but you will need to pay extra to access better features.

Pros:
- AsianDating is clearly marketed as a dating website for Asian girls looking to meet foreigners
- Great for guys who are not yet in Asia and with older guys
- Allows for deeper conversations and connections
- Matchmaking features to help you find specific types of girls

Cons:
- The free version is limited so you need to upgrade to the premium one rather quickly

If you are interested in girls from one specific Asian country only, then it is better to subscribe to:
→ ThaiCupid for Thai girls

→ VietnamCupid for Vietnamese girls

→ IndonesianCupid for Indonesian girls

→ FilipinoCupid for Filipinas

Paktor

A profile on Paktor app

Paktor is a dating app originally from Singapore. It is very similar to Tinder, with a few cool additional features (for instance, you can hide your profile from your Facebook friends or you can send digital gifts).

It is the most popular app among young "Chinese" from Southeast Asia: Indo-Chinese, Malaysian-Chinese, Singaporean-Chinese, etc.

Pros:

- Young upper-class girls (Hi-So)

- Very user-friendly and fun to use

- Ideal for guys between 18 and 25

- Many active profiles

Cons:

- You can't do much without being a member ($20/month)

- Many girls seem to be looking for guys from the same ethnicity/background

Skout and Badoo

Skout and Badoo are dating websites that also have their own location-based apps. They are quite similar in terms of popularity and crowd. They are particularly big in Indonesia, in Vietnam and in the Philippines, where they are used by middle-class women and men. Among them, many will be unable to speak English. On Badoo especially, I've noticed that there is a significant number of prostitutes (or at least girls who are looking for a sponsor).

Both Skout and Badoo are free but you will be limited if you don't buy at least a few credits or a membership.

Pros:

- Mostly free

- Very popular, there are always hundreds of girls online

- You can match with a girl on the mobile app, then chat with her from your laptop

Cons:

- As it is free, lot of other guys are using it and you'll probably need to pay extra money to stand out from the crowd

- Many prostitutes and fake profiles

Instagram

Instagram is an awesome way to meet girls online, but it is also the one that requires the most efforts. To be successful on this social network, obviously, you need an interesting account with pictures that demonstrate you have an awesome life (lots of travel, dining, hotels, parties and friends pictures). I would say you also need to have at least 500 followers.

Once you've reach this level, you can start following the accounts of girls you like, then comment on their pictures, until they finally notice you. Once you're allowed to chat with them, just exchange WhatsApp numbers.

Pros:

- Completely free

- Millions of Asian girls use Instagram every day including local celebrities and socialites

- It allows you to approach girls who are not using dating sites

Cons:

- Time-consuming

WeChat and BeeTalk

WeChat, Line and BeeTalk are messaging apps, respectively from China and Korea, with a "look around" feature.

This feature allows its users to search and talk to strangers who are located within a short distance from them.

Pros:

- 100% free

- Many girls online, especially in large cities

- WeChat and Beetalk are not really considered "dating apps" so u can use them without arousing suspicions (if you are already in a relationship)

Cons:

- Few girls will reply to you or accept your chat requests

- English is rarely spoken

- 90% of prostitutes and ladyboys on WeChat

Apps/websites for specific countries:

Some apps and websites only work in specific countries. In particular, you have each of the websites from the Cupid Network (IndonesianCupid, VietnamCupid, etc).

For more country-related advice, please read my article 10 Best Countries for Meeting Asian Girls Online.

Indonesia

IndonesianCupid has between 500 and 1,000 Indonesian girls online at anytime. It is a local version of AsianDating, meaning it is more suitable for older guys who prefer traditional dating sites (see above).

Vietnam

VietnamCupid has around 1,000 to 1,500 Vietnamese girls online at anytime. It is the Vietnamese version of AsianDating.

Philippines

FilipinoCupid is the most successful website of the Cupid group and it is the absolute best for meeting pretty Filipinas. There are between 3,000 and 6,000 women online at anytime, much more than its closest competitor PinaLove.

Thailand

The two best dating websites for meeting Thai girls are ThaiCupid (around 3,000 women online) and ThaiFriendly (up to 3,500).

Malaysia

MalaysianCupid is not that popular yet but you can still create an account and see if there are any girls you like. You can also try OKCupid.com.

Singapore

SingaporeLoveLinks is dedicated to the Singaporean market. OKCupid, Tinder and Paktor are much better though in terms of audience.

Many Asian girls won't admit it but they are primarily looking for foreigners when using online dating apps and websites (if they weren't, why would they write their profiles in English?).

As a European or as an American, this means you will get much interest from girls and all that will translate into an incredible number of dating opportunities. If you have 1 or 2 matches per day on Tinder in your home country, you can expect to get at least 20 or 30 per day upon landing in Asia.

All guys have a different reaction to their newfound success. Some will go on a banging spree to compensate for years of sex drought. Others will become insanely picky, rejecting girls they would have dreamed of dating just a few months back. What is certain is that all of them feel much happier with this situation.

Each country in Asia has its own challenges though. First of all, you need to know what are the best dating websites/apps in the region. You can read my guide Best Dating Apps and Websites in Asia to help you with that.

Second, you need to know the characteristics of each countries: What are the girls like? How easy is it to date them? Do they accept an important age gap? Are they conservative or open-minded? What are the best cities for online dating? Etc.

The objective of this article is to answer those questions. If you still have some interrogations after reading it, please just leave a comment below and I'll do my best to help you with them.

These are the 10 best (easiest) countries in Asia to meet girls online:

1) Indonesia

It is simple to understand why Indonesia is the best country in Asia to meet girls. It has a population of 260 million people, among which an estimated 10 million are single girls from the middle class aged between 18 and 40. Considering there are less than 10,000 single male expats living in the country, that's about 1,000 single girls per foreigner.

In a city like Jakarta, you could probably spend your entire days dating and meeting girls, and yet you would still have to pass on great opportunities due to a lack of time.

Note that the situation in Bali is different than in the rest of the country. The number of foreigners is much higher and therefore the competition is more tense.

Pros

- Indonesian girls are exotic, fun, friendly, open-minded and easy-going.

- An age gap of up to 15 years between a man and a woman is common and accepted.

- Very high ratio of available girls / foreigner

- Contrary to stereotypes, Indonesian girls are not particularly conservative, especially in the main cities (Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali)

- Bahasa Indonesia, the local language, is easy to learn

Cons

- Some girls can be a bit overly religious. I also noticed there is an increasing number of girls wearing a veil which I don't find very attractive.

- Lack of tourist activities in the main cities, huge traffic jams.

- Higher cost of living (accommodation, food, alcohol) compared to Vietnam/Thailand
- Very few foreign girls online (except in Bali)

Best Cities/Provinces:

Jakarta, Surabaya, Batam, Bali, Yogyakarta

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, IndonesianCupid, Badoo, Skout, Beetalk, WeChat, Paktor

2) Philippines

The Philippines is basically a copy of Indonesia with a Spanish/American influence and Catholicism instead of Islam as the major religion.

The country attracts more foreigners, especially Asians (Koreans, Japanese), yet it is still a great destination for single guys.

Pros

- Some of the hottest girls in Asia (some with Latin and Western features)

- Easy to get plenty of matches and dates

- English widely spoken

Cons

- Many conservative girls (Catholic)

- Most large cities are boring

- Slow internet

- American way of life = Obesity is developing rapidly and at least 20% of girls are overweight

Best Cities/Provinces

Manila, Cebu

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, FilipinoCupid, PinaLove, Badoo, Skout

3) Vietnam

Vietnam has the reputation of having the most beautiful girls in Asia, but also the most conservative (I confirm both). While it is relatively easy to get a date with a local girl, you may struggle if you want to kiss her or sleep with her. They will politely tell you that they are keeping themselves for marriage, or at least for a serious relationship.

For this reason, Vietnam is not the best country for those looking for easy one-night stands. Instead, I would recommend it to guys who are searching for a serious girlfriend or a potential wife.

Pros

- The most beautiful girls in Asia: Slim, fair skin, feminine, classy (but often surgically-enhanced with fake boobs, fake nose, etc)

- An age gap of up to 20 years between a man and a woman is acceptable

- Easy to get at least a date in coffee shops, dessert houses, etc.

- A lot of interesting things to do for tourists in Hanoi or Saigon

- A higher education level compared to Indonesia, Thailand or the Philippines

Cons

- Conservative girls who often live with their parents until marriage

- English skills sometimes poor (and Vietnamese is hard to learn)

- Character is not as easy-going and fun as Filipinas or Indonesian girls.

Best Cities/Provinces

Saigon, Hanoi, Danang, Nha Trang

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, VietnamCupid, Badoo, Zalo, Beetalk

4) Singapore

Most likely, you won't meet a Singaporean girl in Singapore. However, you'll find it relatively easy to match with European, American, Australian, Indonesian or Filipino girls.

Pros

- Lots of girls from various nationalities and backgrounds
- Many highly-educated and independent women

- An enjoyable, yet expensive city

Cons

- Dining and drinking out is pricey

- Not that many good looking girls
- High competition among foreigners

Best City

Singapore

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Paktor, SingaporeLoveLinks, OKCupid

5) Thailand

Many foreigners assume that Thailand is great for meeting girls, but in reality the country is a disappointment.

As an expat or permanent resident, you will get plenty of opportunities with lower to middle-class girls. Rich girls may be harder to get, especially online.

As a tourist though, you will not be an interesting candidate except for older girls, prostitutes and ladyboys.

Pros

- Convenient and interesting country for foreigners and tourists (even larger cities)
- Open-minded, fun and hot girls
- Decent english skills

Cons

- High number of prostitutes and ladyboys
- A lot of competition among foreigners

Best Cities/Provinces:

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Isaan Province (Udon Thani). Avoid Pattaya and Phuket.

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, ThaiCupid, ThaiFriendly, Badoo, Skout

6) Taiwan

Sexy Taiwanese model Jennifer

For geopolitical reasons, the country has a positive view of foreigners, especially Americans and Europeans. As a result, girls are generally easy to approach and they make fantastic girlfriends.

Pros

- A lot of very educated, English-speaking, independent girls
- Rather low competition from other foreigners
- Great country for an expatriation

Cons

- 70% of the girls look like nerds/bookworms
- The most popular apps/websites are in Chinese

Best Cities/Provinces:

Taipei, Kaohsiung

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Paktor, Skout, I-Part (in Chinese)

7) Cambodia

Hot Cambodian model Sunisa Kim

A few years ago when I first visited Cambodia, more than half the girls on dating sites were prostitutes, ladyboys or girls trying to find a way out of poverty. Things are much better today, as the middle class is slowly growing in size.

Pros

- Friendly, fun and genuine girls
- Low competition from other foreigners (usually older guys with limited financial means)

Cons

- Still quite many prostitutes and ladyboys online
- The number of middle class girls is still limited

Best Cities/Provinces:

Phnom Penh, Siem Reap

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Badoo, Skout, AsianDating, Beetalk

8) Malaysia

Malaysia is an interesting country for guys who can't decide if they want to date Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Filipino or Western girls. Another advantage is that Malaysian girls are often educated and they have decent salaries.

However, I've noticed that there is only a small number of girls on datings sites and apps. Also, on average I don't find them particularly attractive.

Pros

- Girls from different nationalities and ethnicities

Cons

- Not a large choice available on dating sites

- Many conservative and religious girls
- Some girls will not date guys outside of their ethnicity

Best Cities/Provinces:

Kuala Lumpur

Best Dating Apps

Tinder, Paktor, OKCupid, MalaysianCupid, Badoo

9) Myanmar

Burmese Model Khin Coco

Burmese girls are not very active yet on dating sites and apps, but the country is popular with female tourists. For this reason, it is relatively easy to meet Western girls over there, especially in Yangon and Mandalay.

Pros

- Many desperate Western girls
- Some interesting cities to visit

Cons

- Few Burmese girls online

- Poor internet

Best Cities/Provinces:

Yangon, Mandalay

Best Dating App

Tinder

10) Laos

Laotian model Eileen Khaosanga

Lao girls can be quite pretty, but you won't find many on dating sites. Even worse, it is officially forbidden for foreigners to date Lao girls.

Pros

- Some pretty girls
- Many female tourists and backpackers

Cons

- Conservative country

Best Cities/Provinces:

Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng

Best Dating App

Tinder

Note
I've not tried online dating in a few additional Asian countries like South Korea, Hong Kong and China, which is why they are not in this list. My plan is to visit them before the end of 2017 so I will update this review by then.

I recently wrote about the best things to do in Jakarta. In the following review, I will be more specific and focus on night-time activities.

A cliché used to describe Jakarta is that of "a city that never sleeps." While this could apply to any major capitals in the world, I think it is particularly accurate here. There is always some kind of life in Jakarta, whatever the time and whatever the location.

It is quite logical considering the city has one of the highest population densities in the world. Another reason is that there are a lot of Indonesians working long shifts or night shifts, especially small business owners and independent workers. As long as money can be made, they won't close shop or go home. This is why you can always get food, cigarettes or a taxi ride at any time of the night.

For the traveler, the advantage of this situation is that there are a lot of things to do at night. Even better, if you go out after 9pm, you'll also enjoy less traffic, cooler temperatures and less pollution.

The following list will give you some ideas on how to spend time after the sun sets in Jakarta. If you feel I forgot something, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below the article.

Street Food

Photo: Jonathan Perugia

Night-time is the best moment to go around and try some delicious Indonesian street food. Many of the small stalls on the sidewalk are actually only allowed to operate in the evening (to avoid disturbing pedestrians during the day).

My personal favorite location for street food in Jakarta is Jalan Mangga Besar, a red-light area busy with an eclectic mix of people. It's a great place to try some authentic Chinese food or some more unusual specialties like cobra and monkey.

If this is too far or too weird for you, Jalan Sabang and Jalan Wahid Hasyim in Central Jakarta are a good alternative. You'll also find many 24/7 restaurants in the area.

Rooftop Drinks

Photo: Sandrine VB

Jakarta is the 9th city with the most skyscrapers in the world and it is at night that the view is the most spectacular. The darkness hides all the city's flaws: The potholes, the dirt, the dust and the rust disappear, replaced by millions of colorful lights.

The best rooftops to enjoy the view of the skyline are Cloud or Skye. I give more recommendations in my review Top 10 Rooftop Bars in Jakarta as well. I also enjoy watching the city from the Burgundy Bar in Grand Hyatt even though it is not a rooftop.

Live Music, Theater and Concerts

Photo: Aura Kasih and Atika Dora

There are several great venues for listening to live music in Jakarta. Two of the most famous are B.A.T.S in Shangri-La and CJ's in Mulia. Both have a Western band playing Top 40 and pop/rock hits. They may not suit everyone's taste though as they attract a lot of working girls. Paulaner Brauhaus in Kempinski, Hard Rock Cafe in Pacific Place or Eastern Promise in Kemang are three more family-friendly options. I also like to visit the speakeasy Prohibition in Senayan Arcadia (make sure to check their secret live jazz room).

For cheaper drinks and a younger atmosphere, you can try any branches of Beer Garden.

In Menteng, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) is an art complex popular with Indonesians. There are daily cultural performances (concerts, theater, movies, etc).

Clubbing and Karaoke

Normal clubs (meaning those that don't have a majority of prostitutes) are usually busy on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. You can read about my favorites here: Best Nightclubs in Jakarta.

The other days of the week, only the more naughty places are crowded. Apart from BATS and CJs mentioned above, you can try the famous one-stop entertainment centers like Malioboro, Alexis, King Cross, Emporium or Golden Crown. The bar Club 36 is also always very lively. North Jakarta is also where several 24h karaokes can be found.

Cinemas

Jakarta has excellent and modern cinemas that cost about half what you would pay in Europe. The CGV-Blitz chain has movies until 10pm during the week and until midnight on weekends.

Read Best Cinemas for Watching Movies in Jakarta.

Massage and Spas

Some massage parlors and spas close rather late in Jakarta (and I'm not talking about the naughty ones), especially those located in 5-star hotels: Bimasena (Dharmawangsa Hotel) and Willow Stream (Fairmont) close at 11pm, the spa at the Ritz-Carlton Mega Kuningan is open until 12am.

Read Best Luxury Hotel Spas in Jakarta.

Shopping

Photo: Pasar Bary by Art535

All the high-end shopping malls close at 10pm in Jakarta but there are some more traditional markets (pasar) that stay open 24 hours, for instance the fish market of Angke Muara and the flower markets of Cikini and Rawa Belong. Closer from the city center, you also have Pasar Senen and Pasar Mampang Prapatan.

Exercise

Photo: Jeremy Tobing

Running/cycling at night or very early in the morning is very common among fitness enthusiasts in Jakarta. It is a way to avoid the heat, the traffic and the pollution. Popular running spots include the Monas, the Senayan Stadium and Ragunan Zoo.

A good way to meet Indonesians is to join a running club. Indorunners run every Thursday starting 7.30pm from FX Mall in Senayan. On the same day, you can also join the Nike Run Club.

Amazingly, there are also some 24h gyms in Jakarta such as Rai Fitness in Senopati, Clark Hatch in Sari Pan Pacific Hotel (which I heard is a gay hangout) and Club Olympus in Grand Hyatt.

Night Tourism

Photo: Bunderan HI by Inguna

Many tourist sights in Jakarta can still be visited at night. Taman Fatahillah, the Monas, Ancol or the Kota Intan Bridge remain crowded until very late. They attract middle-class Indonesians, especially tourists, and all kind of street vendors. During Ramadhan, you can also visit the Istiqlal mosque all-night long.

Young Indonesians also like to hang out in some public areas like the Taman Suropati and Taman Menteng parks or around the Bunderan HI fountain.

In March 2017, I stayed for a long weekend in Mercure Simatupang in Cilandak (South Jakarta). The hotel is part of the Mercure brand, an international collection of midscale properties managed by the French group Accor.

TB Simatupang Road is considered the second business district in Jakarta after the Golden triangle (Sudirman - Gatot Subroto - Rasuna Said). It is growing fast, attracting large corporations from the Oil & Gas sector in particular. At the moment there are about 10 skyscrapers and probably just as many being constructed. It is not surprising that the largest station of the upcoming MRT project will be located in Lebak Bulus, just 500 meters from Mercure Simatupang. Works are still in progress and they can cause some traffic jams.

Naturally, the hotel caters mostly to a business crowd, including some long staying guests. It is conveniently located right on TB Simatupang Road, and also right on the Jakarta Outer Ring Road which connects the airport to Bekasi through South Jakarta.

On weekends, leisure guests take over. They enjoy the proximity to famous malls like CITOS (1,5 kilometers), Pondok Indah (5 kilometers) or Gandaria (9 kilometers). It is also relatively easy to visit other popular neighborhood in Jakarta: Kemang is 7 kilometers away and Blok M, 9 kilometers. Finally, Mercure is sandwiched between two golf courses, Propcon Cilandak (2 kilometers) and Pondok Indah Padang (5 kilometers).

Nightlife near Mercure Simatupang

One of the strong points of Mercure Simatupang compared with its competitors is that there is a rooftop bar on its 19th floor.

Called Karumba Rooftop Rum Bar, it is a colorful venue with a Carribean theme, just next to the swimming pool. It does not get packed so it is nice for drinks from sunset to late evening. Rum cocktails are their specialties (Pina Colada, Cuba Libre, Punch, etc ≈ IDR100,000-120,000++ each). They have a DJ on Saturday and live music 3 nights per week (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday).

Later in the evening, you can move to CITOS mall (10 minutes by taxi). There are a few open-air cafés and, more importantly, Jenja Nightclub which I ranked number one in Jakarta in 2017.

Service and Welcome
As usual in Indonesia, the service in Mercure is professional and extremely friendly. To be honest, though, I didn't encounter any specific issues so my interactions with the staff were limited to polite greetings.

The check-in only took a few minutes and you get a complimentary drink voucher to use in one of the F&B outlets. In the room, a member of the housekeeping team will leave a welcome note on the bed with a number to call should you need anything.

During my stay, I met several times with the French GM. She is very active in the hotel and she is easy to talk to. Don't hesitate to ask her about the things to do nearby if you get the chance to see her.

Rooms

The hotel has 231 rooms designed in a modern style with a wooden floor and contemporary furniture. The only Indonesian touch is the drawing of daily life in Jakarta just above the bed. The rest corresponds to what you would expect from a 4-star hotel: A comfortable king-size bed, a flat-screen TV, a mini-fridge, quiet AC, fast WIFI, excellent soundproofing and a working desk. The only thing that I was missing was a bathtub.

Between the bedroom and the shower, there is a transparent glass wall that you can, fortunately, cover with a curtain in case you are sharing the room with a colleague.

There are 4 rooms categories with prices ranging from 85$ to 150$ per night: Standard, Superior, Privilege and One-Bedroom Suites. Apart from the difference in size, the latter have a small kitchen which can be very useful for long-stay guests.

Breakfast
The buffet breakfast is served in the Graffiti restaurant on the ground floor from 6AM to 10AM. As a French, I was happy to eat plenty of pastries like croissants, pains au chocolat and danishes. You also have a generous choice of Indonesian and Asian food, an egg station, toasts and jams, baguettes, pancakes, fruits, cereals, muesli, yogurts, cheese, etc.

Facilities

Massage:

There is no spa in Mercure but you can get a 60-minute in-room massage for only IDR195,000.

Restaurant:

Apart from Karumba Rooftop mentioned above, there is a coffee shop and a restaurant (Graffiti) on the ground floor.

Graffiti is a standard hotel restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere and affordable prices. Its international menu includes many of the world's favorite foods (pasta, pizza, steaks, soups, salads) and a wide selection of Indonesian dishes.

Gym
It is quite small but enough to keep you in shape. There is no treadmill so if you need to run I recommend to go to Ragunan Zoo instead (15 minutes by cab).

Swimming Pool
It is narrow as well, but it has the advantage of being next to Karumba bar. It is more for soaking than swimming.

Hotel Mercure Simatupang
Jalan RA Kartini No 18
12440, Lebak Bulus, Cilandak, South Jakarta
Phone number: +62-21 75999 777
Fax number: +62-21 75999 798
Email : H6680-RE@accor.com

Website: Mercure Hotel Simatupang - Jakarta
Instagram: Mercure Simatupang
Facebook: Mercure Simatupang Hotel

While I was staying in Mercure Simatupang, I had the opportunity to try their rooftop rum bar, Karumba.

Located on the 19th floor of the hotel, it is a Carribean-themed venue with a more than 180° view of Jakarta's skyline. In particular, you can face the Central Business District and, in the late afternoon, the sunset.

It is a simple bar, semi-open, with a relaxing atmosphere. Everything is made to help you forget the daily stress of living in Jakarta: Laid-back music, smiling waiters and waitresses, colorful furniture and posters, and even a small swimming pool...

Based on my observations, it seems to be popular with Indonesian women. Many will come in large groups to celebrate birthdays, baby showers, weddings or "Arisan" (social gatherings).

The menu is international, with a zest of Latin American and Caribbean influence. While you have all the typical classics (pasta, pizza, salads, nasi goreng, etc), the favorites are more exotic specialties such as nachos, chimichangas, quesadillas, enchiladas or Jamaican skewers. On average, a meal in Karumba will cost you between IDR90,000++ and IDR130,000++.

The drink list is dominated by rum-based cocktails: El Presidente, Pina Colada, Cuba Libre or Mai Tai (from IDR95,000++ to IDR130,000++). If you come with a small group (or if you are a strong drinker), you can also order a full jug of punch (IDR400,000++). Local beers (Bintang) start at IDR60,000++.

There are live bands or DJs on most nights at 9PM (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday). I invite you to check the updated schedule on their Facebook page: Karumba Rooftop Rum Bar.

In any case, it rarely gets very crowded unless during special events. It isn't a party spot but instead, a place to chill and to hang out with friends. I would recommend especially for after-work drinks with colleagues or for a romantic date with your girlfriend.

As a woman, you may also want to try one of their new "Arisan" promotions:

→ IDR750,000++ (or IDR500,000++ without non-alcoholic pitcher) for Free Flow Sangria / Long Island / Beer with 2 complimentary sharing plates and a IDR150,000 meal voucher.

→ IDR125,000 for a set menu with 1 appetizer or dessert, 1 main course, 1 welcome drink.

Opening Hours:
Every day from noon to 1AM (or 2AM on weekends)

Mercure Jakarta Simatupang hotel
Jalan R.A. Kartini No. 18, Lebak Bulus, Cilandak, South Jakarta
Phone number: +62 21 75 999 777
Email: H6680-SM4@accor.com

Website: Karumba Rooftop Rum Bar - Jakarta or Karumba Jakarta
Facebook: Karumba Jakarta

When I first heard that Hooters was coming to Jakarta, my first thought was that it would make a perfect target for the FPI or any other religious groups. I was skeptical that it would actually open, and if it did, I remember saying to friends that I would not feel safe visiting it.

It turns out I was wrong. The first Hooters in Indonesia official opened in Jakarta last Friday (March 24th), and I went there yesterday (March 28th).

For those who don't know, Hooters is a cultural icon in America. It is a chain of sports' bars/restaurants where all the waitresses are pretty girls in sexy outfits. They tend to flirt a bit with customers as a way to encourage repeat visits.

The exact location is in Kemang, just in front of Eastern Promise. The entrance is rather discreet, especially with the Hooters sign being plugged off at the moment (is it on purpose?).

Design and Atmosphere

It must be the tiniest Hooters branch I've ever visited. It is a 30-meter-long, L-shaped room with around 100 seats, including 5-6 dining booths on the side. It looks clean and bright like typical fast food restaurants are. Anything inside - the girls, the furniture, the signs, the posters - is either orange or white. Finally, a huge screen on a wall and plenty of flat-screen TVs are here to remind you that Hooters is also for watching sports.

Food and Drinks

I came to Hooters after dinner so I only had a few Bintangs. At almost IDR90,000 net for the cheapest beer bottle and over IDR160,000 for a cocktail, the prices are pretty steep and fall in the "tourist trap" category. Even a rooftop like Skye is cheaper.

The food consists mostly of popular American food: Burgers, steaks, sandwiches, sliders, wings, nachos, fish & chips, etc. Expect to pay at least IDR100,000 for appetizers and IDR200,000 for a main course.

Indonesian Hooters Girls

Ok now for the best part, the Hooters Girls. They are of course the main attraction here and the only reason guys will accept paying such high prices for junk food.

In a Hooters in the US, the waitresses generally have generous breasts and their uniform will reveal as much cleavage as possible. Nothing like that in Indonesia.

First, it seems the managers in Indonesia have chosen to select only "petite" girls who are rather short and slim.

Second, the Indonesian girls wear a high neck T-shirt instead of a low-cut one, meaning there isn't much skin to see in that area. It's just a few centimeters of fabric and yet it makes a big difference as you can see below:

Hooters Girl in the US

Hooters Girl in Indonesia

On the positive side, the short pants are exactly the same in Indonesia as in any other Hooters branches worldwide.

I don't know what it says about me, but I knew two of the waitresses in Hooters on that night. Both are students in their early 20s with outgoing personalities. Having dated several expats, they can speak great English and they are fun to talk to. They are the kind of girls you would meet in X2, Dragonfly or Immigrant on a Saturday night.

My guess is that all the other girls have a similar profile. There were also two Filipinas working there.

Crowd and Atmosphere

The music in Hooters is quite loud, and especially late in the evening. It is more like a club than a restaurant. The songs are all commercial party hits, nothing original.

Every 15 minutes, the girls will perform a staff dance like in this video:

The girls in Hooters move much better than in the strip clubs from North Jakarta and I imagine they are actually enjoying their work. Is it worth paying almost IDR100,000 for a Bintang? I'll let you the judge of that.

What surprised me is that there were almost no foreigners in Hooters. Most guests were Indonesians, including at least 25% of women (a few of them were even wearing a hijab).

Overall

I think Hooters is mostly overrated. It is interesting to visit if you've never been to one before, but don't expect too much out of it. Basically, it is an expensive sports' bar with cute girls who try to make you spend more money than you should. The guys who fall for that are the same guys who waste money on karaoke girls.

Even though it is far from being evil, I also believe there is a strong chance that it will be closed down in the near future by religious fanatics (or just locals trying to extort money).

Hooters Restaurant and Sports Bar (Jakarta)

Jalan Kemang Raya No.5

Jakarta, Indonesia

Phone number: +62 (0) 21 71794 701

Email: sherry@hootersjakarta.com

Facebook: Hooters Jakarta

Website: Hooters Indonesia

A Hooters should also open in Bali in October/November this year. I find it interesting that the management chose to penetrate the Indonesian market through Jakarta first rather than Bali.

Opening Hours:

Everyday from 11AM to 1AM (or 2AM on weekends)

Graffiti Bistro is a restaurant and café located on the ground floor of the Mercure Simatupang Hotel. Opened all day from breakfast to dinner, it serves both International and Indonesian food.

It has a playful design, with an industrial theme. Some of the walls have giant watches and clocks attached to them, while the others are painted with colorful graffitis. There is also a collection of around 50 framed photographs. The restaurant space is quite large, with at least 80 seats and a small outdoor area.

During day time, large bay windows provide ample natural lighting, making it a relaxing space for hanging out or for meeting friends. It is not sophisticated or trendy, and it is even relatively quiet, but I enjoyed it a lot for working on my laptop during long afternoons. I also had a few breakfast and dinners there when I stayed in the hotel in March 2017.

The breakfast I had was a buffet, part of the room reservation. It is on par with what you could expect from a 4-star hotel. There is a large choice of Asian and European food, including some delicious pastries that remind you that the Mercure is managed by a French group. Portions are generous, the ingredients are fresh, and overall the taste is excellent.

The lunch and dinner menu features a mix of classic dishes from all over the world: Imported Steaks (Wagyu Beef), Pasta, Pizza, Indian Favorites, Burgers, Sandwiches, Cordon Bleu, etc. You can read their full menu on their website here: Graffiti Restaurant Mercure Simatupang.

Since I was just arriving from a 3-month trip outside of Indonesia, I was actually craving for Indonesian food. For this reason, I tried their local specialties only: The Bebek Graffiti (Grilled Duck), the Sop Buntut (Oxtail Soup) and the Tongseng Kambing (Lamb Stew). The cooking was perfect for all and the size of the plates more than enough. The price is a bit expensive though, especially when the tax and service charge are added. You should expect to spend at least Rp200,000 for a meal with a non-alcoholic drink.

Overall: While most clients in Graffiti seemed to be hotel guests, I think it is an interesting option for outsiders as well. In particular, if you work in TB Simatupang, you can stop by for a lunch with colleagues or, for a dinner while waiting for the traffic jams to ease.

After eating, I recommend you to check their rooftop Karumba on the 19th floor.

Opening Hours:

Every day from 5.30AM to 11PM.

Graffiti Restaurant and Café
Hotel Mercure Simatupang

Jalan R. A. Kartini No. 18, Lebak Bulus, Cilandak, South Jakarta
Phone number: +62 (0) 21 75 999 777

Email: h6680@accor.com

Facebook: Graffiti Jakarta
Website: Graffiti Restaurant South Jakarta

Learning Indonesian online has never been so easy. There are so many websites, apps and videos available for free that the real problem is to identify the right one for you.

Before choosing, you should ask yourself a few questions:

How serious are you about learning Indonesian?
Do you want to become fluent or do you only want to learn the basics?

Do you want free lessons or are you ready to pay for a subscription?
The advantage of paying sites is that you'll usually get a complete program that you can follow every day. By investing money, you will feel more motivated as well.

Without paying, you'll need to stick to trial offers with a limited number of free lessons. That's fine for a beginner, but it can be annoying as you make progress.

Do you prefer learning through an app or a website?
If you don't have too much time to spare, using a mobile app is a convenient way to learn. You can practice for a few minutes from everywhere, for instance while commuting.

Websites are better if you can sit in front of your computer for at least 30 minutes straight, several times per week. The ones I tried have a rich content, requiring focus and sustained efforts, but they are recommended if you intend to become fluent.

Do you learn better through reading texts and written exercises or through listening and talking?
The learning process of each individual is different. Personally, I need to write things down to memorize them. I would never make progress by just listening to a podcast for instance. If you are unsure about his, maybe you can try a few methods and judge for yourself which one is the most effective.

4 free ways to learn Indonesian online
Based on the questions above, you should be able to identify what is the best way for you to learn Indonesian online. The particularities of each are described below:

Free apps (with premium features)
On both Android and iPhone, you will find plenty of free applications that are quite similar from one another.

They tend to ignore grammar to focus on helping you learn vocabulary lists. In general, the first lessons are free, but you must pay to have access to everything.

Honestly, I don't think you can reach a fluent level in Indonesian only by using these. They can complement proper online courses or help you learn words, but at a certain point, you might need to upgrade to a proper learning method.

Still, for busy expats or travelers who can't dedicate too much time to learning Indonesian, they will do the trick. Since Bahasa Indonesia does not have a very complex grammar, just learning words will prove useful in your daily interactions with Indonesians.

Note that all the free apps listed below have both a trial mode and a paying mode. Without paying, you can only access a certain number of lessons.

→ Babbel (Itunes and Android)

25 free lessons (1 in each category including grammar). It is perfect for beginners, less for the others. Each exercise lasts about 5 minutes. To make you memorize words, Babbel combines listening, writing, reading and playing. It is quite fun and it does not require a lot of efforts.

For access to the 300+ exercises (including grammar), you must subscribe. 12$ per a month, 24$ for 3 months. If you don't subscribe immediately, they will send you a promo offer within a few days with up to 50% discount.

If you are considering paying for an app, Babbel is probably the best one on the market.

→ Mondly (Itunes and Android)
It is similar to Babbel with a focus on learning words. Typically, an exercise starts with a dialogue, followed by exercises that help you memorize a few key words and sentences.

Price: IDR69,000IDR ($5) for 1 month or IDR300,000 ($22) for 12 months with access to 600 lessons.

→ Fun Easy Learn (Android)
The beginner level is accessible for free and it contains a lot of interesting words by categories. Some mistakes in the translations and some irrelevant words.

To unlock levels and disable ads completely, you need to pay a one-time fee of $18.

→ Learn Indonesian Like a Native (Android)

This app is free and makes money with ads. It contains several errors and some formal expressions that, unlike the name of the app would suggest, are not actually spoken by natives. Its content is also quite limited, but I guess it's enough for tourists who plan on visiting the country and need some travel-related vocabulary.

→ Learn Indonesian Fast with LingoLinks.biz (Android)
This is an interesting and innovative app for those who have trouble learning the traditional way. Lingo Links help you memorize words by creating short stories and inserting the pronunciation of the Indonesian word inside it. For instance, to learn "Terima kasih" (Thank you), you should imagine that, while riding a taxi, you damaged a seat. As you left, the driver said: "Thank you for tearing my car seat" (which sounds like "Terima Kasih").

The free version contains only about 100 phrases and words. To get access to 300 more, you have to pay $5.

Free websites (with or without premium features)

You can download a few apps to help you learn Indonesian vocabulary and to practice your oral skills, but I think you can only make real progress with proper websites.

The reason for that is that they allow for more complex and longer lessons. It is a method similar to what you would do in a classroom with a teacher and a guidebook. You start with a dialog, then learn specific words related to that dialog, and you finally you do grammar exercises. Lessons after lessons, the difficulty increases, and the path should ultimately lead you to fluency.

Below are the best websites for learning Indonesian. Some of them are 100% free while other (unfortunately the best ones) require a subscription to access some of their content.

→ IndonesianPod101

This website, recommended by the New York Times, the BBC and Newsweek, is part of a larger group offering several other language methods (Spanish, French, etc). It is very complete and certainly the best for those who want to reach a fluent level in Indonesian.

There are so many resources on IndonesianPod101 that it can be confusing at first. You have videos, podcasts, texts, games (flashcards), wordlists, a dedicated app (Iphone and Android), a grammar bank, etc. You can even ask for a private teacher tutorial if you need (and if you are a member).

The best way to start is to click on "Learning Path", then to choose your level (Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced) and the theme you want to work on (travel, daily life, etc). In total, there are 500+ lessons.

Contrary to an app like Babbel, IndonesianPod requires more efforts and commitment. I would say you should spend at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week, to see some results.

Upgrading to paying version?
Even without paying, you have access to a wealth of free resources on IndonesiaPod101. You can also use their free 7-day trial (without a credit card needed).

If you want to be serious about learning Indonesian though, it is probably useful to get a membership.

For just $4 per month, you get access to ALL their lessons.
For $10 per month, you get access to an additional 2000 word-lists, all the grammar points, HD video lessons, the full app, voice recording tools, etc.
For $23 per month, you get access to a teacher for 1-on-1 guidance.

Each subscription comes with a 60-day money back guarantee.

→ LearningIndonesian.com

This website is the second best for learning Indonesian. It is much more simple compared to IndonesianPod101: 32 basic audio lessons in its free version, and 72 for paying members only.

When you register for free, you will receive by email a valuable learning guide to be used as a support for the online podcast. It is very useful for beginners and by the time you're done, you should be able to speak decent conversational Indonesian.

The paying version is quite expensive ($149) but you can take advantage of the 30-day no-question money back guarantee. During that time, you can do at least 20 free lessons and then decide if it's worth to continue paying or not.

→ BahasaKita and Learn Indonesian by MyLanguage.org

These two websites are the best I could find that are completely FREE. Of course, the quality cannot be compared to IndonesianPod101 or LearningIndonesian.com (no exercises, no audio or video, a limited number of lessons, few vocabulary lists), but they will do the trick for those who want to learn Indonesian without spending any money.

Note that BahasaKita also offers some paid tutoring via Skype.

Free Youtube channels and podcasts
There are numerous YouTube channels dedicated to learning Indonesian online.

The best one actually belongs to IndonesianPod101. Their videos are short, varied and with a clear sound.

I also like some channels that are run by Indonesian amateurs. Yahya Zakaria has around 25 videos that are fun to watch and useful for those who want to work on their pronunciation.

Ina Carolina is also a great teacher, but her lessons are a bit complicated. I only recommend them for advanced learners, especially those who need a better understanding of Indonesian grammar.

Online Teacher/Skype Tutors/Penpals
Finally, another great way to learn Indonesian online is to find locals with whom you can talk. It is the fastest and least boring way to becoming fluent.

You can easily meet Indonesian girls or guys who will be willing to have conversations with you by phone or WhatsApp. My advice would be to create a profile on dating sites and apps like IndonesianCupid, Badoo, Tinder. Just say that you are looking for someone to practice Indonesian. You will have no problem getting plenty of answers.

If you want real teachers, you can also try online tutoring services such as Preply, Verbling or Italki.

Those sites help you connect with native teachers, with prices starting at $4 for a 1-hour session.

I'm not a genius and I'm not particularly gifted for learning languages. Before Indonesia, I lived 2 years in Italy and 2 years in Brazil, and yet I can barely speak any Italian or Portuguese.

Indonesian, or Bahasa Indonesia as it is called here, is different. It is by far the easiest language in the world.

There are no tenses, no declension, no tones. There is nothing tricky about the spelling, nothing complex about the grammar, and you always pronounce the words the same way.

You don't even have regional differences: It is spoken identically in Sumatra, in Papua, in Java or in Bali.

I arrived in Jakarta in November 2012. After one week, I had learned enough words to get by in all the most common situations: Greetings, introductions, ordering food, buying groceries, asking for directions, expressing basic feelings, etc.

After 1 month, I was able to have a normal conversation with any Indonesians.

My new skill has proven extraordinary useful - either at work, to make friends or for dating girls. It is a great addition to my CV also.

I think it is one of the best things about living in Indonesia. If you motivate yourself, you can easily learn its language, the 6th most spoken in the world, in a record 4 weeks.

All it cost me was a small phrasebook I bought in the streets (10$) and a one-month subscription to the Babbel App (12$). Overall, I spent as much time learning Indonesian as I spent watching 2 seasons of The Walking Dead.

In this article, I will tell you how you can do it as well. If you have suggestions, please just leave me a message at the end of the article.

1st step: I got motivated
If you've read this article until here, I guess you are already somewhat motivated. You realize that speaking Indonesian would benefit you, but maybe you are still hesitating because you imagine it requires years of work and practice.

This is not true.

As I mentioned before, learning Indonesian does not require tremendous sacrifices. All you need is to study 30 minutes every day for a month.

With a mobile app like Babbel, you can practice from everywhere: While queuing at the store, while in traffic, while in the toilet, etc.

As long as you stay focused, you will get results fast, within weeks.

The fact that Indonesian was easy to learn was actually one of the reasons I moved to Jakarta. I didn't want to live in a country where I could not communicate with 90% of the population.

Expats living in China, Japan, Korea, India, Thailand, Vietnam or the Middle East don't have this opportunity. They take private lessons for a year and they still struggle to talk to a local for 5 minutes.

Once you realize how lucky you are, it's time to move on to step 2.

2nd step: I listed and memorized the 250 most useful Indonesian words

Time spent: 6 minutes per day = 3 hours

Learning words by heart is not the most fun part of the process, but it is necessary. The positive thing is that there aren't that many essential words needed to speak Bahasa. I made a list of them that you can read here: 250 Most Useful Indonesian Words.

What you can do is print the list and read it out loud once or twice a day during a month. Since all these words are very common, you can use a few of them in your daily life: Any encounter with an Indonesian should become an opportunity to practice.

When I ride in a taxi, I always sit in the passenger seat, next to the driver, and I start a conversation. Just simple things: What is your name? Do you have children? Are you from Jakarta? etc. You can play at the same time with Babbel so he can give you a few tips on your pronunciation. It's a great way to profit from traffic jams, thus turning an inconvenience into advantage.

3rd step: I downloaded Babbel and practiced every day

Total time I spent on Babbel: 20 minutes per day X 30 days = 10 hours

A great way to start learning Indonesian is to use Babbel. They have both an app and a website with more than 300 exercises. It will help you with vocabulary, basic grammar and pronunciation.

It has several advantages:
- You don't need to carry a book and you don't need to write down anything.
- As long as you have your phone with you, you can practice from anywhere, for as long as you want.
- Most exercices are short (less than 5 minutes)
- You have 23 free exercices and then you can subscribe for a month for 12$ (or 7$ with 6-month plan). Much cheaper than any book.

Because Babbel is fun to use and never boring, it was my main tool for learning Indonesian.

If you feel more comfortable with more traditional methods (online classes, tutoring), you can read my recommendations in the article 4 Best (Free) Ways to Learn Indonesian Online.

4th step: I learned the basic pronunciation

Time spent: 60 minutes.

The Indonesian pronunciation is pretty straight-forward. Letters are almost always pronounced the same way (except "e" that can sometimes be pronounced like "cut" and sometimes like like "fate").

You can read this page: How to Pronounce Indonesian? for a detailed explanation on how to pronounce each vowel, each consonant and each diphthong.

One of the important things to be aware of is that the final "K" is silent, for instance in "tidak" (pronounced "tida'"). The "R"s are rolled but, if you can't do it properly, you'll still be understood.

Apart from that, there aren't many difficulties. Bahasa Indonesia does not have tones like in Vietnamese, Chinese or Thai, so you don't need to be worried about saying the wrong word unintentionally.

To learn the alphabet, I thought that video was useful:

With the Babbel app, every word you learn will be repeated a few times so it is also an excellent way to improve your pronunciation.

5th step: I understood the basic grammar rules

Time spent: 8 hours

I said earlier that Indonesian grammar was easy. It was a bit of an exaggeration.

There are actually some rather complex rules but, luckily, you don't need them to reach a conversational level.

I wrote a dedicated blog post about this topic called: 10 Basic Indonesian Grammar Rules You Should Know.

It should be enough for your first month of learning.

If you want to deepen your knowledge, there are a few online resources to help you. The excellent website IndonesianPod101 has a huge grammar section with 100+ articles. It is a paying site but you can get a free 30-day trial for $1.

6th step: I practiced with my friends, girlfriend and anyone else available

Time spent: 10 hours

There are no reasons to learn a language if you are not using it, right?

Talking to a local girlfriend is the fastest way to make progress. When I began learning Indonesian, I asked mine to communicate only in Indonesian. She played along, even when sending texts on WhatsApp. It was a bit annoying at first, yet after a week I could understand almost everything she was saying.

If you don't have a girlfriend, maybe you could try chatting with a few girls on dating sites? I wrote a list of popular online dating apps and websites in Indonesia that you can check. If you write a profile saying that you are looking for someone to practice your Bahasa, especially on a website like IndonesianCupid, you will get plenty of positive answers.

As I mentioned before, don't hesitate to speak with any Indonesians you meet: Colleagues, friends, taxi drivers, maids, street food sellers, etc. They will feel proud knowing that a foreigner is interested in learning their language and they will be happy to help.

7th step: After my first month, I continued
After my first month of learning Indonesian, I had reached a decent conversational level, but I was still unable to read the newspaper or to understand Indonesian TV. Following a meeting in Indonesian was also still difficult.

Since I was planning to spend several years in the country, it made sense to continue learning.

I did that using the IndonesiaPod101 method. They have over 100 audio lessons for intermediate and advanced learners, organized in an easy-to-follow learning path.

I only did about 30 of them while using their $1 30-day trial.

You can also try LearningIndonesian.com. This is a great website, whose resources are often used by teachers. It is a bit expensive ($149 fee) BUT there is a 60-day money back guarantee (no questions asked).

Conclusion: Start today

Indonesia will become the fourth largest economy on the planet by 2045. If you are a young professional planning to spend part of your career in Southeast Asia, learning Indonesian is one of the best decisions you can make.

On a more personal level, being able to communicate with any Indonesians will enrich your stay considerably. You will be able to travel as far as Papua and still be able to have a discussion with anyone.

Now, you can ask yourself: Are all those benefits worth 30 minutes of your time, every day, for one month?

If yes, don't procrastinate. Just start today. Start Now.

In recent years, the area of Cilandak/TB Simatupang/Lebak Bulus (South Jakarta) has seen tremendous development, with skyscrapers sprouting like mushrooms in what is now considered Jakarta's second business district. This trend will likely continue as the largest MRT station in Jakarta is currently being built in Lebak Bulus.

Some major multinational companies have relocated there, especially those from the oil and gas sector. They are drawn mainly by the cheaper prices and by the strategic location between the airport and Bekasi. It is also convenient for expats due to the proximity of most international schools.

As a result of all these, the nightlife in Cilandak/TB Simatupang/Lebak Bulus has improved. You have enough interesting venues to save yourself a trip to SCBD when you are in the mood for partying.

Below are my 6 most recommended venues to go to in this area (it is interesting to note that 4 of them didn't exist 3 years ago):

Jenja Nightclub

The opening of Jenja in 2016 in the mall Cilandak Town Square (CITOS) was a game changer. It made the whole neighborhood much trendier, and suddenly it attracted clubbers from all over the city.

It is a lounge-bar-club, popular with expats and upper-class Indonesians, especially because of the quality of its DJ line-up. On most nights, the music will be non-commercial techno/electronic music. They have an international guest DJ almost weekly (recently: Kollektiv Turmstrass or Dominik Eulberg that I had listed in my 2016 DJ Wishlist). Opened from Wednesday to Saturday from 10PM until 4AM.

Full review here: Jenja Jakarta

Karumba Rooftop Rum Bar

Located on the 19th floor of Mercure Simatupang hotel, Karumba is a relaxed rooftop with a live band or a DJ five nights per week. It is not a wild party place, but I enjoy it to sip a few cocktails at sunset time.

Full review here: Karumba Rooftop Rum Bar

View from Karumba Rooftop (Jalan TB Simatupang)

No Name Bar

Located in Poins Square Mall in Lebak Bulus, this small bar used to called Camden (until it moved to Gandaria). It is a rather cheap venue to drink alcohol, therefore attracting mostly young students. One beer jug costs IDR225,000. You can check their Instagram or Facebook page for more information about their live music schedule.

Imbiss Stube German Bar and Restaurant

Imbiss Stube is the sister restaurant of Die Stube (Kemang). Located inside CITOS mall, it is a great place for eating affordable German food, drink beer and watch sports. The crowd is a mix of Indonesian/Expat. Draught local beer for Rp50,000.

Ra Stube in Ra Residence (TB Simatupang) is also part of the same group but it is rather quiet and not really happening.

Second Home is another possible option for drinking and hanging out in CITOS mall.

Satu Lagi

Satu Lagi is the hotel bar of the Kristal Hotel, about 15 minutes from CITOS. It is one of the oldest pubs in Jakarta and many of its guests are regulars from the oil & gas industry.

Read my review here: Satu Lagi

Mad Dogs

A veteran of South Jakarta nightlife, Mad Dogs is an expat pub with an older crowd of long-time residents.

Read my review here: Mad Dogs Bar Jakarta

If none of these options is fine with you, you can try bars in Pondok Indah Mall (PIM 3 and Street Gallery for casual drinks), Gandaria (Camden Bar, Halfway Bar - for students), Kemang (for clubbing and eating Western food) or Blok M (of hostess bars and Japanese karaokes).

This article is an update on all the promotions (Happy Hours, Ladies Nights, All-You-Can-Drink) that the best bars in Jakarta are currently offering.

The deals may change over time so I added the Facebook or Instagram of each venue for you to double check.

In general, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best nights to drink cheap in Jakarta (especially if you are a woman). If you are on a really tight budget, you can get a few bottles delivered at your home too (Read: How to Buy Alcohol Online in Jakarta).

Here are some of the best happy hours, free flow deals and ladies nights in Jakarta in 2017:

Flow

They don't have happy hours but different promotions every night:

Monday: Free flow wine from 7PM until 10PM for IDR249,000++

Tuesday: Ladies night (Buy 1 Get 1 on cocktails and strongbow cider, Heineken bucket IDR179,000++)

Wednesday: 3-hour free flow sangria (7P to 10PM) and Buy 1 Get 1 on Cocktails/Japanese beers all night long.

Thursday: All day promos (Buy 1 Get 1 Japanese Beer and Strongbow Ciders, Heineken bucket for IDR179,000++, discounts on Talisker, Dalwhinnie and Mortlach or Free Flow on Heineken from 7PM to 9PM for IDR249,000++).

Friday and Saturday: 15% off on all bottles except beer, wine and Japanese whisky (valid until 11PM)

More information: Flow Jakarta

Cloud Lounge

Everyday from 4PM to 8PM, buy 1 and get 2 on Plaga Rosé, Heineken Draught, Bacardi Silver, Gordon's Gin, Skyy Vodka, Mojito, Lychee Martini, Classic Margarita, ...

Buy 2 Get 3 on Bintang Radler

Buy 3 Get 4 on Albens Cider

Ladies night on Thursday: Free glass of Sangria if you come with high heels (from 8PM to midnight)

More information: Cloud Lounge

Bacco

Special price from Monday to Friday from 4PM to 7PM:

Heineken Draft: IDR50,000 for 1, IDR80,000 for 2

San Miguel Negra: IDR60,000 for 1, IDR100,000 for 2

Whisky: IDR85,000 for 1, IDR120,000 for 2

Rum: IDR80,000 for 1, IDR120,000 for 2

Gin: IDR80,000 for 1, IDR120,000 for 2

Vodka: IDR80,000 for 1, IDR120,000 for 2

More information: Bacco Jakarta

Karumba Rooftop Bar

Special "arisan" promotion - Ladies-only:

- 90-minute All-You-Can-Drink Sangria, Beer and Long Island for 5 girls with 2 free sharing plates and a IDR150,000 meal voucher: IDR750,000++ (or IDR500,000++ without alcohol)

- IDR125,000 for a set menu with 1 appetizer or dessert, 1 main course, 1 welcome drink.

More information: Karumba Bar Jakarta

Masters Sports Bar

Prices in Master are already among the cheapest you'll find in Central and South Jakarta. During their happy hours from 4PM to 9PM, they'll cut an extra 10% to 20% on beers:

More information: Masters Sports Bar

Café de Burse

All day happy hours until 8PM on draught beer.

Tuesday: 20% discount on cocktails

Wednesday: Happy hour all night on Bintang tower

Thursday: Happy hour all night on Bintang pitcher

Saturday: 50% discount on all drinks by the glass for girls.

More information: De Burse

Cazbar

Happy hour every day on Heineken and Bintang beer until 8PM

Monday: Flip a coin for a chance to win a double on all house pours

Wednesday: 25% discount on house pours and draft beers

Thursday: Ladies night: 50% off on selected drinks for girls only

Friday: Happy hour on Heineken tower all night long

Saturday: 15% discount on all house spirit by bottle + HH on Heineken tower/Brainwash pitchers

More information: CazBar

Eastern Promise and De Hooi
Ladies night on Thursday: 50% off for women

More information: EP and De Hooi

Loewy

Happy hour every day from 3PM to 7PM:

- Beer bucket: Buy 4 get 2 free Carlsberg or Heineken or Guiness Stout

- 20% off selected wines by the glass

- 2 house pours (Gin, Vodka, Tequila, Whisky, Rum) for IDR110++

More information: Loewy

Basque

Happy hour every day: Buy 3 beers and get 1 free.

More information: Basque

Lucy In The Sky

From Monday to Sunday (4PM to 10PM), Hippie Sundown:

- IDR175,000++ for 3 Coronas

- IDR250,000++ for 3 selected cocktails

Foundry 8

From 5PM to 9PM (Monday to Thursday):

- IDR30,000++ for spirits by the glass

- IDR25,000++ for beer

- IDR65,000++ for cocktails

More information: The Foundry 8

Bauhaus 1933
Happy Hours from Wednesday to Saturday (6PM-10PM): 3 cocktails for IDR250,000
Ladies night with free flow cocktails from 9PM to 11PM every Wednesday

More information: Bauhaus

Lola
Lark hour with a buy 1 get 1 promo on selected cocktails every day until 9PM.
Every Tuesday, free flow cocktails from 6PM to 12AM (IDR250,000++).

More information: Lola Senopati

H Gourmet and Vibes
Every Thursday: Free flow wine from 8PM to 10PM for IDR199,000++
Buy 1 get 1 free glass of wine every weekdays

More information: Gourmet and Vibes

Gia
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: Buy 1 get 1 on classic cocktails all day long.
Free flow from 5PM every Thursday for IDR249,000++

More information: Gia Restaurant and Bar

The Dutch
Every Wednesday from 7PM to 9PM: IDR250,000++ for all-you-can-drink Guinness Draught.
Every Friday: Buy 3 Get 1 Free Stark Beer

More information: The Dutch Jakarta

Casa Kemang

Every day, all day, a bucket of 6 Heineken or Carlsberg for IDR240,000++

More information: Casa

J Sparrows

Every day from 4PM to 8PM, 2 cocktails for IDR200,000 (classic or signature) and 6 Heineken bottles for IDR160,000++

More information: J. Sparrows

Crazy Uncle

On weekdays from 8PM to 10PM: IDR85,000++ for cocktails and free flow Heineken draught beer for IDR150,000++

More information: Crazy Uncle Jakarta

Savoi

Monday to Friday (4PM to 9PM): 25% discount on spirits and wine bottles. Buy 1 get 1 on cocktails.

Thursday: Free flow cocktails from 8PM to 11PM for IDR250,000++

More information: Savoi Senopati

Social House

They don't have a proper happy hour but two interesting promotions:

Every Monday: Free flow wine starting at 5PM for IDR249,000++.

Get a selected spirit bottle for IDR750,000++ starting 5PM from Tuesday until Friday.

More information: Social House

Paulaner Brauhaus

Happy hour from Monday to Thursday from 5PM to 7PM - Buy 1 beer, get 1 free.

More information: Paulaner Jakarta

Liquid Exchange
Happy hour every day until 8PM (and all day on Sunday): Around 15%-20% discount.

More information: Liquid Exchange

Fat Shogun
Ladies night: Free flow drinks from 8PM to 9PM + IDR50,000++ cocktails for girls only.

More information: Fat Shogun

Jenja Nightclub
Wednesday ladies night: Free entry to the club and free flow alcohol from 9PM to 11PM.

More information: Jenja

Photo: Safehouse Bar by SindhenApp.

Do you know a great promotion that is not listed here? Please leave a comment below to let me know about it!

Malls in Jakarta are much more than just shopping venues. They are privately-owned cities where you can find pretty much anything including offices, residences, cinemas, schools, hospitals, restaurants, nightclubs, gyms, mosques, churches, karaokes, games, banks, boutiques, supermarkets, etc. It is not surprising that many malls add the words "town", "village" or "city" to their names, for instance Kuningan City, Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, Kemang Village, etc.

The environment of Jakarta has become so hostile that malls are one of the only places where you can escape from the heat and the pollution. Living in Jakarta means that you will spend large chunks of your time visiting malls, whether you like it or not, because it is one of the very few things to do here.

The following review is a subjective list of my 28 favorite malls in Jakarta, starting with the best. I added a short description to explain the particularities of each and why you should visit them. I only wrote about malls I have been to within Jakarta (I could have listed over 50 but many are not really interesting).

Plaza Indonesia (called PI)

Plaza Indonesia has always been my favorite mall in Jakarta. It is the most expensive for renting retail space, before Plaza Senayan. Rich and beautiful Indonesians shop here, in one of the numerous luxury shops such as Cartier, Chanel, Gucci, Hermès and Louis Vuitton. It has two famous nightlife venues, Cloud Rooftop Lounge and Immigrant Nightclub. For day-time eating, I enjoy La Moda or Kitchenette because they are well-placed for watching people. The main Starbucks at the entrance is perfect for setting up dates. It is home to two 5-star hotels, the Grand Hyatt and Keraton at the Plaza.

Grand Indonesia (GI)

There is nothing more cliché than saying you'll meet your friends in Grand Indonesia. Much larger than Plaza Indonesia but not as luxurious, it has several department stores, including Seibu and Central. Indonesian girls from the middle to upper class enjoy it because they can buy from Zara, H&M and other popular fashion retailers. On the 4th and 5th floor, you will find an upmarket food court and trendy restaurants. The Blitz-CGV cinema is one of the largest in Jakarta. There are no nightclubs in Grand Indonesia but Social House and the rooftop Skye are two happening bars. The luxurious Kempinski hotel is within Grand Indonesia.

Pacific Place (PP)

Located right in the Central Business District of Sudirman, it is a medium-sized luxury mall with a lot of popular cafés, including Potato Head, Cork&Screw, TWG and Paul Bakery. It also has the French department store Galeries Lafayette (the most exclusive in Jakarta), the amusement center Kidzania and several luxury brands (Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Lamborghini, etc.). It is mostly busy during the week with office workers so I enjoy going there on weekends for a quieter atmosphere. The cinema in particular is rarely full. The Ritz Carlton SCBD is attached to Pacific Place.

Plaza Senayan (PS)

The third luxury mall in Jakarta with Pacific Place and Plaza Indonesia, it is managed by a Japanese company who also owns the boutique mall Senayan Arcadia, the luxury hotel Fairmont and the Sentral Towers. Luxury brands boutiques include Dior and Louis Vuitton. It has some interesting F&B venues like Union, Garçon, Rustique and Kayser. I also like to sit in Monolog or De Luca and watch the people go by. For party, there is the famous X2 nightclub.

Pondok Indah Mall (PIM)

The major mall in South Jakarta, it consists of several buildings (PIM 1, PIM 2) and an extension dedicated to F&B restaurants and cafés (Street Gallery). It has a luxury feel but the brands are mostly middle-class ones. Many expats visit it.

Senayan City (Senci)

Just opposite of Plaza Senayan, Senayan City is a mall targeting younger upper class Jakartans with several fashion boutiques and trendy F&B venues (Domain, Portico).

Mall Kelapa Gading 3 (MKG3)

One of the most popular and largest malls in North Jakarta. I generally go there to watch IMAX movies. It is a middle-class mall with all the local and international brands you can think of. The crowd is almost entirely made of Indonesians, particularly Indochinese. The food court is excellent.

Lotte Shopping Avenue

I was living near Lotte Shopping Avenue so I'm quite familiar with it. It is a modern, upmarket mall with popular fashion brands (H&M, Uniqlo), an art center, a duty free shop and a concert hall. There are also several bars and restaurants including Bacco, Revolution, Gonzo's and JJ Royal Bistro. It is part of the larger complex of Ciputra World I with DBS tower and the Raffles Hotel.

Central Park

With brands like Sephora, Bershka, H&M, Zara and Skechers, Central Park is the favorite mall of Jakartans in their late teens/early twenties. On the ground floor, there is a small park with regular events and several open-air cafés. The nightclub Nebula and the hotel Pullman are also there.

Kota Kasablanka (KoKas)

The first decent mall in the East of Jakarta, Kota Kasablanka is very crowded with people coming as far as Bekasi. It does not have anything special though apart from the usual mid-class brands and restaurants.

Gandaria City

Gandaria is a lifestyle mall in South Jakarta and the second one with an IMAX theater in Jakarta. Targeting young people, it has several trendy fashion boutiques, mobile phone shops and some larger stores like Gramedia, Metro and ACE. The best restaurants are Basilico, La Hoya and Eric Kayser.

Mall Taman Anggrek

One of Jakarta's most iconic malls, you cannot miss it if you come from the airport with its huge outside LED display. It is a massive complex with several residential towers and over 350,000m2 of retail space. One of its unique features is the ice rink on its 3rd floor.

Lippo Mall Kemang

Located within the complex Kemang Village, this medium-sized mall is noticeable for its Avenue of the Stars, an open-air area with cafés and restaurants including Colonial, Meat Me, White Elephant and Seribu Rasa.

FX Mall

This is a lifestyle mall for young people with mostly restaurants, coffee shops and bars. You also have trendy boutiques, fitness centers, a university (BINUS), a hotel (Harris Suites FX) and the Arab nightclub De Leila.

Epicentrum Walk

A small shopping center located next to Taman Rasuna complex, it is convenient if you live nearby, but not really interesting for others. It has the expat bar Liquid Exchange inside.

Cilandak Town Square (Citos)
A popular mall will many coffee shops and restaurants. It is a meeting point for expats living in the area. The nightclub Jenja will open there in the second half of 2016.

Puri Indah

This modern mall in West Jakarta is similar with Pondok Indah Mall. It is clean, with an upmarket feel and it is popular with expats. Since it is far from the city center, I've only been there a couple times.

ITC Kuningan/Ambassador Mall

Conveniently located in the city center, ITC/Ambassador is one of the oldest malls in Jakarta. It is very popular with middle-class Indonesians. It is recommended if you need to buy cheap clothes, electronic equipment and accessories. I also enjoy the food court on the 4th floor, especially the Manadonese food stalls.

Mall of Indonesia (MOI)

I've only been once to Mall of Indonesia, which is supposed to be one of the largest in Jakarta. It has several large tenants like ACE Harware, Centro, Sportstation, Payless, Carrefour. They only have chain restaurants. Mall Kelapa Gading is better.

Mangga Dua Square

A large mall with many unbranded and fake products (accessories, clothes). It is a popular destination for tourists from all over Indonesia because it is close from the airport and affordable. You have several hotels inside (Amaris, Ibis, Novotel).

ITC Mangga Dua

I used to be a regular of this mall 10 years ago because they had the best collection of pirated DVDs. I only go there now if I need to buy cheap electronic or photography equipment. It is connected to Mangga Dua Mall, Pasar Pagi (wholesale) and Harco Mas Mangga Dua. If you are a tourist, it is worth visiting for the local atmosphere.

Baywalk Pluit

The main reason to visit Baywalk is to hang out in the outside area where you have a nice seaview Apart from that, the mall is still a bit empty and lacks remarkable shops.

Citywalk Sudirman

Citywalk is a small shopping gallery with mostly F&B outlets, including a bar and a family karaoke. It is targeting the middle class with affordable prices and fast food joints. It is more busy during week days than weekends.

Ancol Beach City
While this mall does not have any interesting shops or restaurants, it is the only one in Jakarta that possesses its own beach. If you have kids and if you live nearby, you may enjoy it. See more here: White Sand Beach in Jakarta.

Pasar Tanah Abang
This huge wholesale complex is split into 7 "blocks". It is where Indonesians go to buy cheap fabric and traditional clothing (muslim wear). I don't go there for shopping, only as a tourist. You can read more about Pasar Tanah Abang on my review Top 25 Traditional Markets and Shopping Streets in Jakarta.

Artha Gading Mall
Each section of this middle class mall has a particular theme: Italian, Japanese, Arab, Chinese, etc.

Kuningan City

A new mall, it is walking distance from ITC Kuningan and opposite Lotte Shopping Avenue. It suffers from the area's tough competition and as a consequence, it is quite empty. I still visit it sometimes to go to Exodus nightclub and for the cinema XXI.

Emporium Pluit

This mall has mostly mid-range local and international brands like Body&Soul, Charles&Keith, The Body Shop, Sogo or Giordano. They usually have small events in the large atrium.

Source: All photos from Instagram.

Have you ever wondered where celebrities, foreign dignitaries and rich entrepreneurs sleep whenever they stay in Jakarta?

On this article, I listed the most expensive rooms and suites currently available in Jakarta. Most of them are generally not available on booking engines like Agoda so I contacted each hotel directly to enquire about the rates. The prices may fluctuate throughout the year so I asked a few dates and calculated an average price.

All prices are net (after tax and service charge).

Hotel Mulia Senayan - The Duke Suite - 15,730$ / Night

This is the most luxurious and most expensive hotel room in Jakarta. The suite occupies 595m2 split in two wings, one for living and one for entertainment. The master bedroom has a 3,5 meters long bed (almost twice as large as a normal king size bed) and a 55-inch TV. The bathroom has golden bath and shower fixtures from designer Sherle Wagner. A free bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne is included in the price.

Hotel Raffles - Raffles Suite - 12,100$ / Night

The 390m2 Raffles Suite features an all-marble bathroom, 2 bedrooms with king size bed and a massage room. It seems a bit overpriced compared to what the competitors are offering but this property is brand-new and has the highest ratings on Agoda for a Jakarta hotel (read comments here).

Dharmawangsa Hotel - Presidential Suite - 10,792$ / Night

The 443m2 suite is decorated with Javanese artifacts and furniture. Occupying the top floor of the hotel, it is actually a villa with its own plunge pool, two bedrooms, a working space, a living room, a kitchen and two terraces.

Ritz Carlton Pacific Place - Presidential Suite: 9,200$ / Night

On the 25th Floor of the Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place, the 340m2 Presidential Suite features its own dining and living room, an oversized marble bathroom with Bulgari amenities, a King master suite with a 360° view on Jakarta and a 46-inch LED TV with Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan - Presidential Suite: 9120$ / Night

The suite is similar to the one of its sister property in Pacific Place, except that it is larger at 401m2. You have an oversized jacuzzi, a 55-inch LED TV, robotic toilets and a luxuriously-appointed living room.

Four Seasons - Presidential Suite: 8,816$ / Night

The Four Seasons recently reopened in a brand-new location on Jalan Gatot Subroto. Their Presidential Suite is not available yet, but you can already book it for early 2017. Located on the 19th floor of the hotel, it is 330m2 and was decorated by the interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud from New York. It features a study, a living room, a dinner room with a massive crystal chandelier and an oversized bathroom with a deep-soaking tub.

Grand Hyatt - Presidential Suite: 8,800$ / Night

The best suite of the Grand Hyatt Hotel Jakarta is 315m2 large. It has its own covered terrace, a working area, separate dining and living rooms and an all-marble bathroom with a jacuzzi.

Mandarin Oriental - Suite Mandarin - 8,470$ / Night

On the last floor of the Mandarin Hotel, this relatively small suite (200m2) is decorated with refined taste. It boasts a kitchen, a state-of-the-art home theater, a study and a spacious bathroom with a soaking bath.

Kempinski Hotel - Presidential Suite: 7,538$ / Night

This huge 412m2 suite comes with a full kitchen, an entertainment center, a powder room and a lounge. The bedroom has a stunning view on Bundaran HI, one of Jakarta's iconic landmark.

Fairmont Hotel - Presidential Suite: 6,655$ / Night

The Presidential Suite of the Fairmont Hotel is 303m2. It features a living room, a gym, a marble bathroom, a small kitchen and a private massage room.

Shangri La - Presidential Suite - 6,547$ / Night

A 370m2 suite considered among the best hotel rooms in the city. It is located on the highest floors of Shangri-La with a huge bedroom, a bathroom with a jacuzzi, a dining area, a kitchen and a sitting room. President Obama slept there when he was in Jakarta in 2010.

You can also read: Where to Stay in Jakarta? Best Areas for Tourists.

From time to time, I receive an email from a reader asking me if it is safe to use drugs in Jakarta. The obvious reply is that it is extremely dangerous, as even carrying a small joint might land you in jail.

But Indonesia is much more complicated than that, hence the need for a longer article to explain you the subtleties of drug use in the country.

Why foreigners should be extra careful when using drugs in Indonesia

From my personal perspective, the law in Indonesia only exists to give a pretext to powerful people to extort some money or benefits. Most often, it is used when the authorities want to target someone in particular, with some categories that are more at risks than others. The most vulnerable are poor people, ethnic and religious minorities, foreigners, or anyone without a network among government officials.

The laws of Indonesia, including drug laws, will normally apply to them with greater severity, meaning they will either receive harsher sentences or pay a bigger bribe.

Foreigners are particularly at risk for several reasons. They are considered rich (therefore prime targets), they don't know anything about the legal system and they rarely possess powerful connections.

More importantly, there is a creeping racism/xenophobia among a large portion of the Indonesian population. From an early age, they are taught a one-sided story about the morally-corrupt West, whose influence must be limited. Alcohol, homosexuality, crime, rape, communism, atheism, porn, and of course drugs are all considered imported vices. As a foreigner, if you get caught using, or worse selling drugs, you are guaranteed to make national headlines and become a matter of national security. Once your name appears in the media, it becomes almost impossible to buy your way out.

The statistics speak for themselves: In 2015-2016, among 18 persons executed for drug offenses, only 3 were Indonesian. This is in spite the fact that there are over 125,000 Indonesians in prison for drug offenses (70% of a total prison population of 180,000 inmates) for less than 100 foreigners.

Are some drugs more safe than others? Is there a risk if I have a very small quantity?
Indonesians do not see any differences between soft and hard drugs. They have no idea what drugs are, how they work, which ones are lethal and which ones are addictive. All they know is that it is a foreign-imported problem and that it is killing the youth of the country.

Judges will send heroin junkies to jail and people who take barely-addictive ecstasy and marijuana to rehabilitation center, depending on mysterious factors.

Even Budi Waseso, the head of the BNN (the Indonesian drug enforcement agency) once said that he saved 21 million lives by seizing a 2-ton shipment of marijuana, obviously not knowing that it is not a lethal drug. For this reason, don't assume that you are taking less risks by smoking pot instead of crack.

The quantity in your possession does not really matter as well: Marlon Eduardo Bezrutchaka was arrested with 0.13 grams of hashish and 0.14 grams of marijuana in 2014 and it made national news. A year after, Nicholas James Langan was sentenced to 1 year in jail for possessing 0.9 grams of marijuana. An American, Scott Wikoff O'Dowd was also sent to jail for 8 months for having 3 grams on his suitcase. There were several similar cases this year as well.

You won't be executed if you have small quantities, but you are still likely to go to jail.

Why people still do drugs despite the risks?

In spite of the risks, you would be surprised to find out that drugs are very easy to buy in Indonesia. If you are in Bali, it is offered on the street by dealers who are just a few meters away from policemen. Drugs are also very common in places like Akasaka or Deejay Café. In Jakarta, some nightclubs are notoriously filled with ecstasy and shabu-shabu (crystal meth). In Mille's, Golden Crown, Exotis, Illigals, Puja Sera or Sydney 2000, you can buy it easily by simply asking a waiter or the security. It was true when I first arrived in the city in 2004, and it is still true until today.

The police conducts raids from time to time, including urine tests, but the owners are tipped off beforehand so barely anybody is caught red-handed. If you look at who owns North Jakarta nightlife, you will understand why.

For those reasons, some Indonesians and expats may tell you that it is relatively safe to buy and use drugs within those clubs. They will recommend you to consume on the spot and never carry anything on your body. If you get caught, they will say that the key is to avoid escalation: While the policeman who arrested you might settle for a reasonable bribe, everything becomes more complicated once his boss is involved, and then the boss of his boss, and then the media.

Some people don't care about the risks because they benefit from connections and/or have enough money to pay their way out of jail.

It is rather common to read about police officers, prison guards or military personnel getting caught, at least once or twice a month. In South Sulawesi, the police itself considers that the involvement of its personnel in drug abuse is "alarming". Yet you rarely see those arrested in jails, and even less on the death row. The Head of the Jakarta Police for Drugs only recommends 1 month of counseling for such officers.

Similarly, there are many cases of celebrities, politicians or VIPs who manage to receive preferential treatment. A recent case is Ivan Haz, a politician from the Islamist party PPP and the son of ex-Vice President Hamzah Haz. He is accused of both abusing is maid and attending a drug party. His trial was delayed several times because he missed police questioning twice, saying he had work to do. I get the feeling he won't spend a lot of time in prison.

You can get more names of people who got away with drugs in my article 13 Illogical Facts About Drugs in Indonesia (check number 9).

Conclusion

My personal advice would be to forget about drugs and stick to alcohol when you are partying in Indonesia. Even though your chances of getting caught are thin, as a foreigner you are a prized target for the police and therefore you are more at risk.

Denunciation by neighbors are common, as well as traps set up by policemen themselves. Never buy from the street or from people you don't know well. Again, if you get caught, you must make a deal with the person who arrests you as soon as possible: Don't let others be involved.

The price for recreational drugs in Indonesia is high. For instance, you can expect to pay up to US$30 for just one ecstasy pill. Be aware that the quality is often poor. The dealers don't care if they sell you something poisonous as long as they get your money.

In this review, I will explain to you how to bypass Internet censorship (mostly porn) in Indonesia by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service. I will also give you tips on how to watch Hulu and Netflix in Indonesia.

Most porn and torrent websites are blocked in Indonesia. This includes all the most famous ones like XVideos, YouPorn, PornHub, XHamster, KickAss Torrents and The Pirate Bay. It is also not possible to visit some forums like Reddit or InternationalSexGuide. Same thing with the dating website Adult Friend Finder.

Some regular websites have also been banned like Vimeo. Tumblr was shut down for 24 hours earlier this year as well.

Another problem internet users are facing in Indonesia is the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions Act. This vague set of laws can make you the target of a defamation suit for exposing your views online. You are not allowed, for instance, of suggesting that someone might be corrupt.

Because of this law, posting a comment on Facebook, Twitter or Path in Indonesia can land you in jail. This is what happened to Alexander Aan or Florence Sihombing.

Since about a year ago, I decided to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) in Indonesia. This allows me to visit any websites I want on the internet without anyone knowing about it. It is 100% legal, secure and safe. Actually, according to this 2015 study, Indonesia is the country with the most VPN users in the world: 23% of its Internet users are bypassing censorship by using a VPN.

The cost is cheap (less than 10$ per month) and it works great. If you travel a lot in Asia, it is also very useful in heavily-censored countries like Vietnam or China.

Since VPN companies usually give you a free trial for a few days up to 1 month, I tested several of them to make sure I was choosing the best. There are so many different companies that you could probably get a free VPN for at least a year just by changing provider once in a while. The prices are really reasonable though so once you've found one that works well, it's really easier to just pay.

Here are my top 3 recommendations for best VPNs in Indonesia (I used the 3 of them and they worked great):

Hide My Ass (HMA) - Best VPN in Indonesia

Hide My Ass is often considered the best VPNs in the world here because they have a whopping 700 servers in almost every country on earth, including in Indonesia. This means your connection is fast and smooth anywhere you go. If you can afford the extra dollars to get full speed (compared to free VPNs), HMA is an excellent choice. Remember that in the end, it is still only 60$ per year.

Hide My Ass is the VPN recommended by the Wall Street Journal to access blocked websites in China and it was also selected as the best VPN by the Guardian, Bloomberg and Forbes.

You can now try Hide My Ass for FREE! Just open the following link Hide My Ass Free and click on "Free Trial". You need to give your credit card details so don't forget to cancel after one month to avoid being charged.

If you decide to keep the paid version, it is much more interesting to choose a full year:

Pricing:

4,99$ per month with 1-year plan

7,49$ per month with 6-month plan

9,99$ per month without plan

The set up is super easy even if you are not good on computers and they are really fast to answer your questions of you have any.

Golden Frog - Vypr VPN - Fastest VPN Indonesia (with 3 months FREE)

I found that Golden Frog's Vypr VPN was even faster compared to Hide My Ass. They also have a server in Jakarta and a strong presence in Asia. The support is excellent (ask any question and they will answer you within a few minutes). You can pay with Alipay or PayPal and you can use up to 5 devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV, etc).

NEW! You can do a free trial for 3 months by opening this link: Promo Deal for Vypr VPN - Indonesia!!!

If you choose to keep it after the free trial period, you will pay the following:

Pricing of Basic Plan:

3.75$ per month (billed annually)
9.75$ per month (billed monthly)

Pricing of Premium Plan:

5$ per month (billed annually)

12.95$ per month (billed monthly)

Update April 2017: Vypr has been unblocked by Netflix.

NordVPN - Cheapest VPN (Good for Watching Netflix too)

This is often considered the best VPN on the market as they have a great support team that will help you with any of your requests. If you are planning on using US Netflix, this is your an excellent choice too as they have not been banned yet. This means you can use NordVPN to watch Netflix if you position your IP in the US. The only problem for Indonesian web users, they don't have a server in Indonesia at the moment so the speed is slower than the VPNs listed above. It is still good enough for most people (you can still download from torrents, watch movies, etc).

To try their services for free, you can just visit the following link: Nord VPN - 30-Day Money Back Guaranteed.

Since you can cancel and get your money back anytime within the first month, I advise you to choose the 1-year plan directly to save on the long term.

Pricing:
NEW: 2 Years Deal for 3.29$ per month - Click here to get the offer: 72% Off Nord VPN

4$ per month with 1-year plan

5$ per month with 6-month plan

8$ per month without plan

Express VPN: The VPN I'm Currently Using

Update February 2017: I saw a 1-month free trial by Express VPN and I decided to try it. One of the reasons I changed was that they had servers in Myanmar and Laos where I was traveling. Both countries censor Internet heavily, particularly porn websites.

Express VPN advertise itself as the fastest VPN in the world, but since the speed of internet is very slow in Laos and Myanmar, I cannot really confirm.

That said, it worked great and I managed to open any websites I wanted in those two countries (using a server location in Singapore). They are also compatible with Netflix and you can use it to download torrents.

If you want to check their claim that they are the fastest, you can make a free trial by clicking on this link: 1-Month Free Express VPN.

Pricing:
1 Month = 12.95$
6-Month Plan = 9.99$ per month
12-Month Plan = 8.32 per month

How Do You Access Porn/Blocked Websites in Indonesia? Do You Use A VPN As Well?

There are a lot of new VPN providers entering the market every month. If you are using a different VPN in Indonesia or if you have another way to visit porn/blocked websites in Indonesia, please leave a comment below to share your experience!

Dangdut music is one of the most interesting aspects of Indonesian pop culture. While I can't say I enjoy it a lot, I've had a lot of fun dancing on it in nightclubs, bars, festivals or events all over Indonesia.

It is a music genre with an even broader appeal than Western pop music, especially among working class Indonesians. It is not surprising, for instance, that the most-followed Instagram account in Indonesia is that of Ayu Ting Ting, a dangdut singer.

Considering the importance of religion in Indonesia, it may seem paradoxical that the whole nation would love dangdut so much. Dangdut performers are known to wear sexy outfits and the most often, they sing about love, relationship, dating, seduction or sex. Logically, Islamist groups have declared it "haram" (forbidden), but until now they've failed to curb its popularity.

On TV, you will often see dangdut concerts where the crowd becomes hysterical, even the women who wear a jilbab. If permitted, guys will approach the singer and do the "joget" dance, which is the human equivalent to a courtship ritual in the animal kingdom. You can watch this video if you don't understand what I mean:

For some critics, the beauty of dangdut singers may be described as vulgar: They often have a few extra kilos, large breasts, high heels (wedges), a heavy dose of makeup (especially the eyebrows), and a skirt as short as possible. Most of them come from poor or middle-class families, and they've sometimes flirted with prostitution.

I will let you be the judge of that with this following ranking of Indonesia's 20 sexiest dangdut dancers (in random order). You can let me know in the comment section below if you think I forgot someone important.

Duo Biduan

Duo Biduan is a dangdut act with two sexy girls, Kiki Syarah and Elsatya Marschelina. They are famous for their hit "Aku Tak Bisa" and they are the ambassadors for the condom brand "Sutra".

Kiki's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikisyarah_dangdut/
Elsatya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsatyamarscelina/

Zaskia Gotix

26-year old Zaskia has been performing dangdut since she was a teenager. She regularly appears on mainstream TV shows and was married to the presenter Vicky Prasetio. Her fans are organized in communities of "Itikers".

Zaskia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaskiagotixreal/

Xena Xenita

Only 18 years old, she is more a sexy dancer than a singer. She is attracting male crowds in Yogyakarta for her famous moves, often wearing only lingerie.

Xena's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xenitaxena/

Maulidia Octavia (or Via Vallen)

She is a famous dangdut singer that frequently appears on TV. Born in 1990, she started singing when she was still in Junior High School. She is pretty but rather prudish in the way she dresses or dances. Here, she is on TV with Dewi Persik.

Via's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viavallen/

Uut Selly

The gorgeous Uut Selly has a strong fan base, nicknamed Kopassus: Komando Pasukan Uut Selly (Kopassus is actually the name of the Indonesian military elite force). She is only 23 and she was born in Magelang.

Uut's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uut.s.new

Cupi Cupita

Born in 1994, this sexy singer was at the heart of a scandal after she revealed she often escorted government officials to karaoke/dinner parties for a fee ranging between Rp10,000,000 and Rp20,000,000 (but she denied having sex with them).

Monica Selvia

She is not so famous, but I heard a remix of her song "Bukan Siapa Siapa a few times. Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicaselvia.dangdut/

Selvi Kitty

Selvi Kitty, whose real name is Selvi Isti Apriani, is a 24-year old Sundanese dangdut singer. She was part of the now-defunct girls' band Super Girlies for a while.

Selvi's Twitter: https://twitter.com/selvikitty_

Sella Selly

Produced by the label Nagaswara, the young Sella Selly was born in Bandung in 1995. Her songs mix dangdut with electronic music:

Sella's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sella6741/

Duo Anggrek

This duo is formed by Devi Ayu Kirana (also called Devay - an ex-member of Duo Racun) and Mozza Kirana. One of their most famous songs is "Cikini Gondangdia":

Devay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devay_duoanggrek/

Dilza (Fadila Amalda)

Originally from Batam where she was modeling, Dilza is a newcomer on the national dangdut scene. Her first song was released in 2017 and it is called "Seseorang Dihatimu".

Dilza's official twitter: https://twitter.com/Dilza_official

Anggi Wardani
I couldn't find much information about Anggi Wardani except that she was born in 1993 in Bekasi. She is the singer of "Gara Gara Biduan":

Lina Marlina

Also a newcomer born in 1993, she released her first single in 2017: "Happy Aja".

Lina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linamarlina93

Devy Berlian

Devy, whose real name is Devy Septianingsih, was born in 1992 in Jakarta. An ex-member of the band "5 Bidadari", she launched her solo career in 2014.

Devy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devy_berlian/

Ayu Ting Ting

Also known as Ayu Rosmalina, she is one of the most famous Indonesian celebrities. Though she is only 24 years old, she's already had a 10-year career, releasing 3 studio albums. Her love life is often scrutinized in gossip news.

One of her songs worth noticing is "My Lopely". It may either be a spelling mistake, or a pun (Sundanese people pronounce "V" like "P").

Ayu's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayutingting92/

Dewi Persik

Another megastar of dangdut, you've probably heard of her if you've lived in Indonesia long enough. (and if you watch Indonesian TV!). She has a voluptuous body and a personality that reminds me of Kim Kardashian. She did a surgery in 2011 to restore her hymen and to be a "virgin" again.

Dewi's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dewiperssikreal/

Julia Perez
Julia Perez, frequently called Jupe, is currently battling cancer in Jakarta. She's had a successful career as an actress, a model, a TV personality and a dangdut singer.

The articles I wrote about the sexiest Indonesian models and the hottest Indonesian actresses are among the most popular on Jakarta100bars.com.

I should add a similar one today: Indonesia's most beautiful singers. I didn't include those who are inactive or those who only had a one-time hit.

If you are looking for something raunchier, you can read my ranking of Indonesia's 20 Hottest Dangdut Performers instead.

Here are the 12 prettiest Indonesian singers (in a random order):

Melody Alcassia

Melody is the current lead female vocalist of the indie-rock band Brand New Eyes and the girlfriend of Indonesian celebrity Axel Andaviar. She replaced Putri Wulan who, oddly enough, went from being a sexy tattooed and pierced singer to wearing the burqa.

More photos: https://www.instagram.com/melody.alcassia/

Isyana Sarasvati

One of the most famous Indonesian artists at the moment, she sings mellow pop songs. She is 24 years old.

More information: https://www.instagram.com/isyanasarasvati/

Cabrini Asteriska

What a weird name! Born in 1988, she is an indie/folk singer and songwriter who is a member of the band Barasuara.

More information: https://www.instagram.com/asteriska_/

Cita Citata (or Cita Rahayu)

The pretty Cita Citata is a 22-year old singer and sitcom actress. Her songs are similar to K-Pop or J-Pop: a mix of pop music and EDM (probably to hide the sound of her real voice).

More information: https://www.instagram.com/cita_citata/

Raisa Andriana

When I asked Indonesians who they thought was the prettiest Indonesian singer, 100% of them replied Raisa. I don't really agree with them, but I still add her to this list to be consensual. She was born in 1990.

More: Raisa (she is endorsing products on most of her pics)

Anggun

Anggun is the first Indonesian women I ever saw, on French TV, several years before I arrived in the country. I remember thinking that she was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. For many foreigners like me, she is still the face of Indonesia abroad. She is also a great singer and a UN goodwill ambassador.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/anggun.official/

Aurelie Hermanshyah

The daughter of pop icon Krisdayanti and Anang Hermansyah, she was born in 1998.

More information: https://www.instagram.com/aurelie.hermansyah/

Bunga Citra Lestari

Born in 1983, she's had a successful career singing, acting and modeling. One of her most famous songs is a duet with Ari Lasso called "Aku Dan Dirimu".

More information: https://www.instagram.com/bclsinclair/

Dara The Virgin

Dara The Virgin (or Dara Rizki) is the queen of sponsored Instagram posts. I struggled to find one decent photo where she wasn't trying to sell beauty products or snacks. Part of Republik Cinta Management (Ahmad Dani's label), she forms a duo with Mita. They sing Indonesian love songs, often in bars and nightclubs.

More photos: https://www.instagram.com/darathevirgin/

Widy Vierratale

26 year-old Widy Vierratale (real name: Widy Soediro Nichlany) is the lead singer of the pop band Vierratale.

More photos: https://www.instagram.com/_widikidiw_/

Agnes Monica (or Agnez Mo)

Maybe the most famous Indonesian singer after Anggun, she released her first album in 1992 when she was only 6 years old. After that, she's had a successful career, in Indonesia and abroad (mostly in Asia). She also played in dozens of movies/sitcoms and she was a judge for Indonesian Idol/The Voice.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/agnezmo/

Melody JKT48

For those who don't know, JKT48 is an Indonesian Japanese-style idol band with more than 50 members. Most of them have limited singing skills but they are always cute. Melody Nurramdhani Laksani is one of the most famous and most talented.

More information: https://www.instagram.com/jkt48melodynl/

Brianna Simorangkir

Usually just called Brianna, this gorgeous singer with mixed blood Indonesian-Australian is also a sinetron actress (Jinny Oh Jinny Datang Lagi on ANTV).

More information: https://www.instagram.com/8rianna_/

If you are a fan of the Indonesian beauty, you can read my article Best Dating Apps and Websites in Indonesia for tips on how to meet a local girl online.

If you are wondering where you can party in Jakarta, this review will guide you through all the most famous nightlife areas in the city. You can also read 10 Best Nightclubs in Jakarta and Where to Stay in Jakarta for more detailed information.

I've circled in blue two main areas: South Jakarta and North Jakarta. Each has its own characteristics:

• South Jakarta is the most modern part of the city, with plenty of skyscrapers, luxury malls and upmarket houses. Naturally, this is where you will find the most high-end nightclubs and bars in Jakarta. Expats and rich Indonesians will normally party there.

• North Jakarta, or Kota Tua (Old Town) is the historical part of town. Most of the buildings are only a few floors high, and they may look shabby. The nightlife is often within large one-stop entertainment complexes comprising of a club, a massage parlor and a karaoke. Drugs and prostitution are common. The party crowd is local and you'll only spot a random tourist once in a while. It is not as safe as in the South, particularly for the taxis, but it is still OK compared to any other world capitals.

South Jakarta Nightlife

Where to Party in South Jakarta?

SCBD

SCBD, which stands for Sudirman Central Business District, is a mixed-use development with many prestigious offices, a luxury mall and high-end residences. It has been the most happening party area in Jakarta for a few years already, especially among hip Jakartans and younger expats.

The best location for party in SCBD is the Fairgrounds complex where Lucy In The Sky, Fable Nightclub, The Pallas and Hide & Seek are located. Other popular nearby venues include Empirica, Beer Garden and the restaurants on the Ground Floor of Pacific Place Mall (Potato Head, Cork & Screw).

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Ritz Carlton Pacific Place

→ 4-star: Harris FX Sudirman

Senopati

Just a kilometer South of SCBD, Senopati is the most expensive residential area in Jakarta. There, you'll find smaller clubs, lounges and restaurants catering to the elite. The trendy places change every year, but currently you can go to Monty's, Pao Pao, Lola, Branché and H Gourmet & Vibes.

Best Hotel Nearby:

→ 4-star: The Gunawarman (Boutique hotel, 120$/night)

Mega Kuningan

It is also a mixed-use development, similar to SCBD, but with more residences and hotels. This is where many single expats in their 30s choose to live.

There are no nightclubs but several busy bars and restaurants like Loewy, Basque, E&O or Bauhaus. All of these are walking distance from each other and they are great for meeting expats and Indonesian girls.

Mega Kuningan is bordered to the South by Jalan Gatot Subroto on which two famous nightclubs (Dragonfly and Blowfish) are located.

Read also: Best Bars in Mega Kuningan

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan or Oakwood (near Loewy)

→ 2-star: Favehotel Gatot Subroto or Amaris Satrio (35$/night both)

Senayan

Between Senopati and SCBD, Senayan is a popular shopping hub with 3 major malls: Plaza Senayan, Senayan City and FX.

Each of them has bars, restaurants and nightclubs. X2, the largest and most crowded nightclub in Jakarta, is located inside Plaza Senayan. Domain Club is within Senayan City.

Some other recommended venues are Union Lounge (for a date/drinks), CJs (for live music if you don't mind freelance prostitutes) and Prohibition (jazz bar).

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Mulia Hotel (with CJ's bar) and Fairmont (connected to Plaza Senayan)

→ 4-star: Harris FX Sudirman

Sudirman-Thamrin

The axis Jalan Sudirman-Jalan Thamrin is the most important thoroughfare in Jakarta as it connects the South and the North of the city. It is lined up with skyscrapers, most of which have a lounge, a rooftop or a restaurant.

Around the iconic Bunderan HI (or Hotel Indonesia roundabout - see photo above), you have some of the most exciting nightlife venues in Jakarta (most of which are within the malls Plaza Indonesia or Grand Indonesia): Immigrant nightclub, the rooftops SKYE and Cloud, and plenty of bars like Cork&Screw, Social House and Paulaner Brauhaus.

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 5-star: Kempinski (Grand Indonesia) or Grand Hyatt (Plaza Indonesia)

→ 4-star: Pullman Thamrin

→ 3-star: Holiday Inn Express

→ 2-star: Favehotel Wahid Hasyim

Jalan Jaksa

300 meters from Sarinah, Jalan Jaksa is the backpacker street of Jakarta. There are some cheap, friendly, open-air cafés where you can easily meet travelers and young Indonesians. You can also go to the nearby Wahid Hasyim street to visit popular bars like Beer Garden Menteng or to the B.A.R.T. rooftop in Artotel.

Best Hotels Nearby:

→ 4-star: Morrissey Hotel

→ 3-star: A One (New property)

→ 1-star/backpacker hostels: It is better to go to Jalan Jaksa directly and ask around. You can get a room with a fan for 10$.

Kemang:

Kemang is a residential expat area with many of the best-value Western restaurants in Jakarta. The bars and nightclubs are affordable, some catering to foreigners (Eastern Promise) and some to Indonesian teenagers (Tipsy, 999, Venue, Nu China).

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