Maybe a megapolitan city with sprawling skyscrapers and busy roads like Jakarta is not something that comes to mind if you intend to go to Indonesia. If you are considering other aspects of Indonesia besides Bali’s beaches and nature, the city of Jakarta might be for you. Here are ten reasons why you should choose Jakarta over Bali.
- The Diversity
As a Metropolitan city, Jakarta attracts individuals from all over the archipelago to live and earn a living there. This makes this city a melting pot of various cultures and ethnicities that exist throughout Indonesia. Bali’s environmental culture is interesting to look at. Still, Jakarta’s diversity creates an incredible dynamic that gives you lots of different items to try, from individuals, foods, customs, and even houses of worship to see.
- Shopping Vibe
Bali has a tremendous share of the arts, boutiques, and traditional markets, but Jakarta still dominates the mega shopping malls and the contemporary shopping arena. There are hundreds of malls packed tightly within this busy city, making it one of Southeast Asia’s shoppers’ paradises. Shoppers can find local and global brands, authentic handcrafted goods, and luxury goods. Once per calendar year, the good news is the city holds a massive discount event, the Jakarta Great Sale, where Bandung also recently.
- Public Transport
Jakarta has one of the most trusted public transportation services in Indonesia, although tourists need to rent a bicycle or own a car to get around in Bali. Transjakarta covers almost every area of the city and costs around $0.3 per trip. Jakarta is also building an MRT line which will be completed in 2018.
- City View
Although Bali’s natural charms, such as beaches, mountains, waterfalls, and many more, are truly mesmerizing, Jakarta provides a different but equally beautiful view. The concrete buildings offer an optimistic view that turns into a stunning skyline at night. That means endless rooftop pub options and intimate dinners overlooking the city lights.
- Contemporary Art and Culture
Bali will be proud to be the home chosen by many foreign artists to live in. We talked about Antonio Blanco, Le Meyeur, and more. However, Jakarta’s culture and arts will also be enlivened with stunning modern artworks from young musicians, both local and global. The city has many art areas to view, where guests can honor the unique functions of art such as paintings, sculptures, installations, and more.
- Ancient Beats
As the capital city and cultural center, Jakarta has gone through many episodes and seasons. Jakarta’s Old Town is one of the must-visit attractions, featuring revered old colonial buildings such as museums and cafes, as well as an ancient historic sanctuary that once served as the city’s central hub.
- The Museum
If you are interested in learning about Indonesian culture and history, Jakarta is the place to be. Museums in Jakarta store artifacts and stories from elements of age and other localities. Within this city, tourists can visit various museums, including the National Museum, Textile Museum, Bank Indonesia Museum, and many more. Often, the ranks of museums in Jakarta represent cultures from across the country, including Bali.
- The Islands
Bali isn’t the only beautiful island in Indonesia, it’s the largest archipelago in the world, and the Jakarta area includes a number of stunningly small islands in the Thousand Islands/ KepulauanSeribu chain. One of the countless islands, about a few available to tourists, introduces the beauty of tropical beaches with many activities to enjoy. The closest islands from Jakarta only take half an hour boat ride to see, and some of them are located close together, making it possible to pay for multiple islands in 1 line.
- Nightlife Portrait
From the moment the sun went down, both areas of the city turned into sizable party floors that entertained the city’s high-end audience and executives, along with its many expats. Jakarta’s nightlife is notorious and one of the oldest in Asia. While pubs and nightclubs are also bustling in Bali’s fashionable areas, you can party with the natives in Jakarta.
- How to Spend Day Trip
Not that you’ll run out of things to do from the city, but Jakarta’s strategic location for growth and cultural hub places it around the city and other enchanting attractions that are worth seeing. Bogor, for example, is a favorite escape, a small, lush town just an hour away. There is also Bandung which balances its ideals as a contemporary city with boutiques, resorts and cafes while highlighting its own natural attractions such as hills, magical craters, forests, and much more.
Are you planning to visit Jakarta soon? Find out more about Jakarta and Indonesia by visiting Wonderful Indonesia.