Jakarta and surrounds for a week!

[k_sheep]

Hi all, other destination guides for CGK are 10 years old now so thought I'd revive it for my own selfish purposes!

Got a week in CGK end of August. Suspect that's a bit long to spend just there so taking suggestions for trips away! 3 youngish/middleageish people who love nature, food and are happy roughing it. Also happy to hear of suggestions where to stay around Jakarta itself.

Main things I've thought of are train to Yogakarta, and/or getting a boat to Thousand Islands for a few days snorkeling. But happy to hear other suggestions, I know many on this forum have been there frequently for business.

 

[ksthommo]

Try out the fast train from Jakarta (Halim) to Bandung (Tegalluar), called Whoosh, haven't tried it yet.
Book on the website or download the app.
Book online up to 2 weeks out.

Also the app for intercity trains, Access by KAI is easy to use.

Phoenix Hotel is a nice historic hotel in Yogya, great breakfast.

 

[k_sheep]

Good call on Bandung, have put that in the plan.

 

[Scarlett]

A week in Jakarta… hmmm. I’d spend that week OUT of Jakarta, but that’s just me. Within three hours flying you could be many places in Indonesia.

Having just come back from living in Bandung, what is it you want to see there? It’s a bustling city like Jakarta, just a couple of degrees cooler and with more trees. The whoosh train is fun to do once, but you really need to get off at Padalarang and then get the little ‘feeder’ train into Bandung city (20 minute journey), rather than go to Tegalluar which can then be an hour taxi ride into the city! The terminus is well outside Bandung.

Personally, I’d fly to Malang and go see the sites there (do a day trip up to Bromo) and up in Batu.
Or indeed go across to Yogyakarta. (1 hr flight or 10+ hr train trip - see if you can book the Panoramic carriage if you decide on the train: more expensive but you get food included and some great mountain views. Melia Yogya was my choice there.
Or fly the hour up to Belitung, or Padang, or two hours to Tarakan.

If you do stay in Jakarta, definitely go for a walk around Monas and visit the National Museum nearby. There’s a million hotels to choose from and as many restaurants. Do a day trip south from Jakarta to Bogor and go see the gardens around the Presidential Palace.

Top tip: unless you’re staying in western style hotels and visiting mainly bigger tourist attractions, carry a wad of toilet paper with you in a zip loc bag. Trust me.