TIME OF VISIT: JANUARY 2025

When people think of Indonesia, their minds usually go straight to Bali — beaches, yoga, smoothie bowls, and all that. But if you slow down and look a little west, you’ll find a whole different kind of magic. West Java completely took us by surprise — it’s green, full of culture and flavour, and still feels wonderfully local.

We travelled from Jakarta to Bandung and Bogor, and it turned out to be one of our favourite trips in Indonesia. It’s a journey filled with street food, volcano views, cool mountain air, and the friendliest people. You can go from sipping iced kopi in a busy Jakarta alley to wandering tea plantations and spotting elephants in Bogor — all in a few days.

If you’ve ever wondered whether West Java is worth visiting, the answer is a big yes. Here’s how to spend a week exploring this underrated region — what to see, what to eat, and why you might end up loving it even more than Bali. In this post, we’ll focus on Jakarta, sharing our favorite places to eat, explore, and enjoy the city. If you’re planning a trip to West Java, don’t forget to check out our other posts about Bandung and Bogor.

Jakarta- A City of Chaos, Coffee, and Hidden Gems

We started our West Java trip in Jakarta, Indonesia’s huge, chaotic capital — a place most travellers rush through, but we’re so glad we didn’t. Yes, it’s noisy, yes, the traffic is something else, but if you slow down, you’ll find pockets of charm, great food, and seriously good coffee.

We spent few days in Jakarta, which felt just right for us but if you are just spending a week in West Java, 2 days are plenty. We explored a mix of modern cafes, old colonial corners, and lively food streets that never seem to sleep.

What to Do

Explore the Charm of Kota Tua (Jakarta’s Old Town)

Kota Tua, or Jakarta Old Town, is one of those places that makes you stop and forget you’re in one of the busiest cities in Southeast Asia. The cobbled square, colonial-style buildings, and colourful old bicycles make it feel like stepping back in time. You can easily spend half a day wandering around, taking photos, and soaking in the atmosphere.

One of the must-visit spots is Café Batavia, right on the main square. It’s one of the oldest cafés in Jakarta, full of vintage charm with old photos covering the walls and live music in the evenings. It’s the perfect place to cool off with an iced tea or grab a bite while watching the world go by from the big wooden windows.

Just a few minutes’ walk away, make sure to stop at the Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum (Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik). The museum itself is interesting, but what makes it special is that you can join a pottery class and make your own ceramic piece — such a fun and unexpected activity in the middle of the old town! It’s a great way to take a break from the heat and do something creative while learning a bit about local craftsmanship.

Wander the nearby streets and you’ll find lots of quirky shops, street stalls, and talented street artists selling paintings and crafts — perfect for small souvenirs that actually feel meaningful.

Jakarta’s Shopping Malls & Craft Fairs

Jakarta is famous for its massive shopping malls — not just for shopping but for how lively and fun they are. There’s always something going on. Almost every weekend, different malls host pop-up events, food festivals, or local craft fairs. When we were there, we visited one of these craft markets, and it was incredible — huge, full of stalls selling beautiful locally made products like batik clothes, handmade jewellery, woven bags, natural soaps, and even snacks and spices from all over Indonesia. We spent hours just wandering around and chatting with the vendors, and of course, we couldn’t leave empty-handed — we picked up a few lovely souvenirs to take home.

Where to Stay Near Central Park Mall

If you’re planning a few nights in Jakarta, the area around Central Park Mall has some of the city’s best-value hotels — clean, modern, and perfectly located. Here are a few options for different budgets:

• 🛏️ Pullman Jakarta Central Park (★★★★★) – The most convenient and luxurious option, directly connected to the mall. The rooms have amazing skyline views, and the pool and breakfast are excellent. Perfect if you want a little indulgence after long travel days.
• 🏙️ Holiday Inn Express Jakarta Taman Anggrek (★★★) – Just a few minutes’ walk away and great for comfort on a mid-range budget. The rooms are modern, there’s a good breakfast included, and you can easily walk to both Central Park and Taman Anggrek malls.
• 💰 Madison Park Apartment or Royal Mediterania (Budget option) – These serviced apartments are great for longer stays or travellers who prefer to cook. You can often find them on Booking.com or Airbnb for under £30 per night, and they come with small kitchens and access to pools. That is where we chose to stay and we absolutely loved our little apartment.

Wherever you stay, being close to Central Park and Neo Soho makes your Jakarta experience so much smoother — you can easily explore the city by day and unwind in comfort at night.

One of the reasons we loved staying around Central Park Mall is how convenient it is. The mall is modern and has everything you could need: nice restaurants, a few pharmacies and drug stores, cozy coffee shops, a cinema showing movies in English, and even an IKEA. There’s also a lovely garden where you can take a peaceful walk and Neo Soho’s supermarket is pretty good, this mall has pretty much everything you might need before heading out to explore West Java. Staying here gave us a perfect balance of comfort, practicality, and easy access to the city.

Where to Eat in Jakarta

Jakarta has an amazing variety of food, and we loved trying spots that gave us a real taste of the city’s multicultural flavors. Here are some of our favorites:

• Café Batavia – A cozy spot with European-inspired dishes and great coffee. Eating here was almost magic, like stepping back in time, food was good and reasoably priced.
• Ippudo – If you love Japanese ramen, this is the place to go. The broth is rich and comforting, and the noodles are perfectly springy. We kept coming back for their ribs and pork ramen.
• Foek Lam – A hidden gem for local Chinese-style cuisine, we absolutely loved their claypot ribs, chinese fried rice and their crab.
• Paradise Dynasty – A must try are their famous xiao long bao (soup dumplings), hand pulled noodles and chrysanthemum tea. All the dumplings we tried were fabolous.
• Rembolean – Very pretty restaurant with very nice indonesian food cooked in a more refined style, we tried few traditional dishes like nasi goreng and we loved them all.
• Pagi Sore – A local favorite for Indonesian classics, this is where the locals come to celebrate with their families. The concept is simple: you grab a tray, walk along the counter or food display, and choose from a wide variety of freshly cooked dishes. There’s usually rice, noodles, vegetables, curries, and different proteins like chicken, beef, or fish — all served in generous portions. Once you’ve picked your dishes, the staff will serve them to your table and you can enjoy a hearty, flavorful meal at a very affordable price. It’s perfect if you want to try several dishes at once or if you’re hungry after exploring the city.
• Beer Belly – This is a nice little pub if you fancy a craft beer, one of the only spots in the city where you almost feel at home.
• RR Chocolate – this beautiful café serves both sweet and savoury treats, but we went straight for the sweet! The cakes are absolutely amazing, the hot chocolate is rich and indulgent, and at the counter you can pick up little chocolate bites and artisanal chocolate bark to take home. It’s a delicious and unique place with beautiful flavours — truly a must-try in Jakarta.
• Fore – Trendy café with great coffee, light bites, and a chilled atmosphere. We loved the matcha green tea and the praline latte
• Arabica – Coffee lovers must visit – specialty coffee and a great vibe to relax in the city.

What to eat in West Java

We tried a lot of dishes in West Java but this are our Indonesian absolute favourites:

Nasi Goreng – Indonesia’s iconic fried rice, flavorful and comforting, often served with a fried egg on top.

Nasi Uduk – Aromatic coconut rice usually served with fried shallots, tempeh, and side dishes.

Nasi Kuning – Turmeric and coconut rice, fragrant, colorful, and often served with chicken, eggs, and sambal.

Nasi Goreng with Goat – A twist on the classic fried rice with tender goat meat.

Goat, Beef, and Chicken Satay – Grilled skewers served with rich peanut sauce — a must-try street food.

Chicken Soup (Soto Ayam) – Comforting, savory broth with shredded chicken, noodles, and herbs.

Ayam Goreng – Crispy fried chicken marinated in local spices.

Gorengan – Deep-fried snacks like tempeh, tofu, and banana fritters — perfect for snacking on the go.

Tempeh Goreng – Fried tempeh, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Banana & Lotus Flower Curry – Unique, flavorful curry with local twists.

Beef Rendang – Slow-cooked beef in coconut and spice sauce, rich and deeply aromatic.

The atmosphere was lively and welcoming, making it a perfect spot for both golf enthusiasts and beginners. We had an absolute blast!

One of the things we loved most about Jakarta is the variety of food. Beyond Indonesian classics, we got to enjoy some amazing Chinese dishes and Japanese food, each bursting with flavor. And if you ever need a little break from Asian cuisine, the city’s modern malls are full of options — from juicy burgers and hearty steaks to pizza, tacos, French cuisine, and more. It’s the perfect mix: you can dive into authentic local flavors one moment and treat yourself to familiar comfort food the next.

A Fun Afternoon at Topgolf Jakarta

One of the most fun things we did in Jakarta was head to Topgolf — and it turned out to be such a great choice! We’d heard it was much more affordable than back home, so we decided to give it a try.

After a delicious lunch, we rented a Regular Bay, which cost IDR 300,000 per hour (£14.50) for up to 6 players.The bay was equipped with Toptracer technology, allowing us to play interactive games like Angry Birds and Virtual Golf, all while enjoying food and drinks delivered right to our bay.

If you’re looking for a unique and enjoyable experience in Jakarta, we highly recommend spending an afternoon at Topgolf — it was one of the highlights of our trip!

After a quick visit to Jakarta, we loved visiting Bandung and Bogor. Stay tuned for our next posts on West Java.