Where to Stay in Jakarta - Best Areas for Tourists [2024]

If you visit Jakarta as a tourist, choose the location of your hotel carefully!

Jakarta is huge, with insane traffic jams and poor public transportation. If you end up in the wrong neighborhood, you might have to spend hours sitting in taxis trying to reach the city's most interesting spots.

Continue reading for a review of the city's best areas to stay:

Best Areas to Stay in Jakarta as a Tourist

You can click on this map to enlarge it:

Near Plaza Indonesia / Grand Indonesia

The iconic Hotel Indonesia roundabout (Bundaran HI in Indonesian) is one of the most famous landmarks in Jakarta. All around it are 5 luxury hotels (Kempinski, Grand Hyatt, Pullman, Mandarin Oriental, Keraton at the Plaza) and the two best malls in Jakarta (Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia).

Both of these malls are great meeting points with lots of popular cafés, cinemas, restaurants, and bars (Cloud, Social House, Skye). It is a modern part of Jakarta, ideal for lifestyle travelers who are interested in shopping, eating out and partying.

It is also central so you can reach other parts of Jakarta fairly easily (for Jakarta standards). In particular, it is just a few minutes away from Tanah Abang (budget shopping), Jalan Sudirman (business district) and Menteng (government offices). Attractions like the Monas or the National Museum are only 15 minutes away. You can use public transportation to reach any of these (Transjakarta).

Summary:

Distance from the airport: Between 1h and 1h30 with normal traffic conditions.

Pros:

• Central, easy to access, upmarket area

• Good for nightlife, shopping, eating and drinking out

• The area is walkable (in particular Jalan Thamrin and Jalan Sudirman)

Cons:

• Nothing touristic in the immediate surroundings (no monuments, no historical buildings, no traditional markets)

• Busy, crowded with a lot of traffic

• No street food

• Expensive

Near Sarinah Mall (Jalan Wahid Hasyim)

The Sarinah Shopping Center is only a kilometer north of the Hotel Indonesia roundabout (see above), but the area surrounding it is less expensive and it has a more local vibe. In particular, if you walk along the streets Wahid Hasyim and Agus Salim (nicknamed Sabang), you will find great Indonesian street food as well as more affordable cafés and restaurants.

There are many convenient businesses for travelers, some of which are open 24-hour: Money changers, travel agents, printing services, photography shops, souvenirs, etc. You also have several laundries (one of which is a coin laundry).

The location is just as strategic as the one in Hotel Indonesia (you can walk there in 15 minutes). If you are not interested in going to malls, it is probably even better.

Summary:

Distance from the airport: Between 1h and 1h30m with normal traffic conditions.

Pros:

• Central, in-between modern Jakarta and old Jakarta

• Many budget hotels with good value for money

• Cheap shopping options

• Travelers shops (Money changers, travel agents, etc)

• Good street food

• Very lively, even at night (many shops and restaurants are open 24-hour)

Cons:

• Not walking distance from any tourist landmarks

Near Menteng/Cikini

East of Sarinah is the upscale area of Menteng-Cikini, where some of the richest Indonesian families live. It is rather central as well, with many nice restaurants, a few museums, public parks and cultural attractions.

What I like about it is that it is mostly a low-rise neighborhood, with more trees and walkable streets than elsewhere in Jakarta. However, during peak traffic hours, it can get congested and hard to reach.

Near the business district (or Golden Triangle)

The Golden Triangle is the main business area of Jakarta and it is made from the following streets: Gatot Subroto, Rasuna Said and Sudirman. It comprises some famous neighborhoods such as Mega Kuningan, SCBD (Sudirman Central Business District) or Setiabudi. It extends in the South until Plaza Senayan and Senopati.

Mega Kuningan and SCBD are exclusive and modern areas with a Western city planning model. You'll find blocks, large streets and sidewalks, just like you would in an American city. It is the trendiest part of Jakarta and home to dozens of hip bars, clubs and restaurants. There are also several 5-star hotels (Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan, Marriott) and luxury malls (Pacific Place). It is cleaner than the rest of Jakarta and you have fewer traffic jams. Some would say it's a ghetto for rich people that has nothing to do with the real Jakarta.

Many young, single expats choose to live there when they can afford it. If they don't have the budget, they may choose to stay in Setiabudi instead (see below).

Jalan Sudirman, Jalan Rasuna Said, Jalan Gatot Subroto are some of the busiest streets in Jakarta. They are packed with cars and quite polluted. Still, choosing a hotel directly on one of these thoroughfares can be a good idea if the reason you visit Jakarta is to hangout, party, and go to malls. If you are interested in street food and visiting tourist attractions, though, it wouldn't be my first choice.

Also, most of the hotels are 4 and 5 star properties that cater mainly to business people.

Summary:

Distance from the airport: Between 45 minutes and 1h30m with normal traffic conditions. Gatot Subroto is the closest and it is connected to the airport highway. Mega Kuningan is more difficult to access (traffic bottleneck).

Pros:

• Modern, Westernized part of Jakarta

• Easy access to nightclubs, malls, trendy restaurants

• Central

• Public transport options (Transjakarta)

Cons:

• Expensive

• Limited street food options

• No traditional street life

• Heavy traffic during peak hours

Setiabudi

Setiabudi is a residential and low-rise neighborhood in the northern part of the Golden Triangle. Its residents were originally low to middle-income families, but this has changed as the land prices increased. Many houses have been transformed into boarding houses, small apartments or hotels which are popular with office workers (both Indonesians and expats).

You can get a room there for an affordable price while being near from the Central Business District. It is a great area for street food as well.

Staying in Setiabudi would not be my first recommendation though if you are a tourist because it can be difficult to get there (traffic) and to find your hotel (small streets).

Summary:

Distance from the airport: Between 1h and 1h30m with normal traffic conditions.

Pros:

• Very good location between Sudirman and Rasuna Said streets

• Low-rise, middle-class neighborhood

• Near offices, malls, nightclubs, bars, restaurants

• Street food

• Convenient shops (laundry, photocopy, etc.)

• Possibility to walk around

Cons:

• More complicated to access when you are not familiar with Jakarta

• More difficult to get public transport

• Traffic Jams

Kota Tua

Strictly speaking, Kota Tua (Old Town in Indonesian) is the area around Taman Fatahillah Square in North Jakarta. In this review, I use it to describe a larger zone inclusive of Mangga Besar and Glodok.

Staying there has several advantages: Hotels are much cheaper than elsewhere and they are close from many tourist attractions (Chinese temples in Glodok, Museums, Sunda Kelapa). Some people, including myself, also enjoy the authentic street life. Jalan Mangga Besar in particular is one of the best places to eat street food in Jakarta.

From Kota Tua to the city center of Jakarta (Plaza Indonesia), it will take about 1 hour with normal traffic conditions (30 minutes at night). There is a very convenient Transjakarta line from Kota Tua down to Blok M that goes through Monas and the the National Museum.

Summary:

Distance from the airport: Between 45m and 1h15m with normal traffic conditions.

Pros:

• Near most tourist attractions in Jakarta

• Cheaper area in Jakarta for sleeping and eating out

• Great and colorful street life

• Street food stalls open 24/7 - Excellent Chinese food

• Busway line

Cons:

• More dirty and dodgy than average (it is known as a red light area)

• No many modern malls and restaurants

Other possible areas for staying in Jakarta

Kemang

Kemang is a popular area with expats because it is near from the international schools. Many live in expansive villas with swimming pool and gardens. It has a vibe similar to the one in Seminyak.

As a tourist staying in Kemang, you will be near from many designer shops, good Western restaurants and several bars and clubs. On the negative side, there are no tourist sights and it is far from the city center.

Gajah Mada/Hayam Wuruk (+ Pasar Baru)

This area is strategically located as it is between Sudirman and Kota Tua. It is not very happening, but you have good street food, affordable hotels, and easy access to other parts of the city.

Recommended if you are planning to visit places in both South and North Jakarta. They have recently opened several brand new hotels such as Harmoni Vertu, Hotel Santika Premiere Hayam Wuruk and Novotel Gajah Mada.

Mangga Dua

In North Jakarta, Mangga Dua is a huge shopping area. It can easily be reached from the airport by the toll road, and it is not too far from the city's tourist attractions like Kota Tua or Ancol. If you need to go to the South, it will take you about an hour.

If you only have one night in Jakarta, it can be a more fun option than staying near the airport. After two nights, you might get bored.

Slipi-Taman Anggrek

This area is in the vicinity of the malls Central Park and Taman Anggrek. You can stay there if you want to be closer from the airport as it is only 40 minutes away by car. Downtown Jakarta is about 30 minutes away.

Pluit and PIK (Pantai Indah Kapuk)

This is an upscale area where many Rich Indochinese families live. It is close from the airport (less than 40 minutes) and you have a growing nightlife scene (see my review Nightlife in PIK).

Kelapa Gading

There are not many reasons to stay in Kelapa Gading apart from shopping and nightlife.

For shopping, you have several malls including the gigantic Mall of Indonesia and Mal Kelapa Gading.

For nightlife, you'll find mostly massage parlours plus plus, brothels, strip clubs and beer houses (Sumo, Delta, King Cross, Level 5 and other prostitution joints).

If you are interested in staying in Jakarta near the nightlife, please read my other hotel guide.