will enjoy the Thousand Islands tour. The Jatiluhur tour spends a day at a lake. The Bogor tour gets on the train and explores the botanical gardens and a gong factory, while the Puncak tour goes up to the Gede and Pang-rango volcanoes. The Pelabuhan Ratu tour gets all the way to the south coast of Java for some white-water rafting and surfing.
Welcome to Jakarta and its surrounding areas, where even the incredible is nothing out of the ordinary.
Safety Tips
On the city-wide scale, Jakarta has endured floods, earthquakes and terrorist attacks. That being said, the city is not a dangerous place to live. There are, however, things to keep in mind while exploring the streets.
CYCLISTS BEWARE The best tip for cyclists is to stay off the main roads. Instead, map out a route to your destination using the quieter back streets. Not only will you be less exposed to pollution and potential accidents, but the ride will be more pleasurable and your map-reading skills will improve. Always wear a helmet and reflective clothing. Fit out your bicycle with lights and a loud horn, and buy a proper anti-pollution mask if you are regularly riding in traffic. Go with the flow of vehicles, don’t use your middle finger, ring your bell as needed, stick to the left lane and don’t assert yourself too much.
MOTORBIKES Motorbike riders and passengers are vulnerable. When riding a motor-bike wear full protective gear or, at a bare minimum, shoes and a properly strapped on helmet. Keep alert. Most road rules are not applied. Poorly maintained roads are one of the greatest threats. Riding at night or in the rain is hazardous: flooded roads can hide giant potholes, uneven road surfaces and broken lane dividers. Watch out for kids and pushcart vendors in the street, motorcycles entering a road without looking and vehicles changing lanes without indicating or looking. If you’re riding in the kampungs, keep an eye out for marquees and wedding parties in the middle of the road.
PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS The safety of pedestrian crossing is deceiving: cars won’t automatically yield. Do not stride confidently across the street in a display of pedestrian rights. Motorcycles are especially loath to brake for anything and the potential for collision is high. Always look both ways and cross with caution. Be careful about getting into an altercation with a car or motorcycle driver after a traffic incident as a mob is likely to form and you may suddenly find yourself facing 20 people, not just one.
SIDEWALKS Watch where you walk or ride your bicycle, or you may find yourself neck deep in an uncovered sewer. Even in the smartest business and residential areas, it’s common to find gaping, yet unmarked, holes in the sidewalks and roads. Sidewalks are often not much safer than roads as motorcycles drive quickly and freely on them. Always look both ways before crossing a road, even a supposedly one-way street, as vehicles, especially motorcycles, often travel in both directions.
THEFT Despite Jakarta’s poverty, crimes against foreigners are few. The most likely crime is pickpocketing, with mobile phones and wallets choice targets. Use common sense: always mind your belongings and be aware of your surroundings, especially on public transport, at train and bus terminals, in queues and at busy markets. When leaving the bar at the witching hour, topped up on tequila and chanting the Canadian national anthem, keep your wits about you: take a reliable taxi and note the driver’s ID and the license plate number. Don’t ask the driver to go by the ATM for you to load up on cash, and don’t pass out in the back seat.
WOMEN Women should generally find that they feel quite safe in Jakarta, and that while there may be the occasional stare, they won’t feel like their life is in any danger. Ultimately, though, try exploring the city with a friend, always be aware of your surroundings, and if your intuition sounds a warning, listen to it. An ear-piercing scream can often be the best defense. The word for help is tolong.
Motorists don’t stop at pedestrian crossings.
Health Information
GENERAL HEALTH TIPS Dengue is known as a classless disease as it is mosquito-borne and therefore strikes people at all levels of society. It may be useful to carry a few sachets of anti-mosquito lotion with you, as avoiding being bitten is the only way to prevent infection. Make sure your vacci-nations are up to date and you are inoculated against typhoid, hepatitis A and B and tetanus-diphtheria. Take sunscreen with you as a general rule, but especially when you leave Jakarta for the Bogor, Jatiluhur, Puncak and Pelabuhan Ratu tours. Everybody gets the occasional upset tummy. Buy some fresh ginger roots and brew your own ginger tea to help.
FOOD SAFETY Indonesians may have guts of steal, but you don’t. Certainly explore the roadside treats served at warungs (small informal restaurants), but be cautious as well. Ask for your food bungkus (to go), as often the gut-busting microbes are on the dishes washed in dirty water, not in the food itself. Think twice about having ice in your glass: it is usually transported by bicycle or cart and can be well manhandled before landing as chunks in your juice. Pick a warung which is popular with locals, drink straight from the bottle or can, and wipe your cutlery first with a napkin.
HYDRATION Keep hydrated in the tropics. You may not realize it, but your body will become as dehydrated as a shrimp cracker. Don’t wait until you are thirsty. Start drinking water the moment you hit the streets. Dehydration will lead to headaches, irritability, and lassitude and could end with heatstroke. Cut down on plastic garbage by bringing your own water bottle pre-filled with ice-cubed water. If you feel your mood plummeting during a walking tour, drink and eat something immediately. You’ll find that it wasn’t your surroundings bringing you down, but neglect of your bodily needs.
Open-air fish markets offer a variety of seafood.
Cyclists rule the roads on car-free Sundays.
Always have bottled water on hand.
Cultural Do’s and Don’ts
Due to the polite and accommodating spirit of the local people, a person may commit repeated cultural and etiquette-related crimes and never know it. That being said, there’s no reason you should blunder blindly through the city, making grown men blush, insulting elders and giving foreigners a bad name. The following are a few tips on how to be a polite citizen in your host country.
ANSWER THE QUESTION As you walk through Jakarta you will commonly hear Mau ke mana? Literally this asks where you are going, but actually it is more a courteous greeting than a question. A lengthy reply is not necessary and the question isn’t intended to be nosy. You can either tell them succinctly where you really are going, Mau ke pasar ikan, for example, if you are going to the fish market, or with the more general Jalan jalan (Just walking around). You should respond verbally though, do not just ignore this polite social greeting.
ANNOUNCE YOUR PRESENCE In the narrower neighborhoods, kitchens often spill into the streets. This means you may end up walking through someone’s kitchen as you explore the area. Call out Permisi (Excuse me) to individuals and groups as often as necessary. With this expression you are politely asking for permission to proceed through the neighborhood. People will be very grateful for this sign of respect and will happily answer with Silahkan or Mari, meaning you are welcome to proceed. This simple word can unlock both doors and smiles, especially if your presence has surprised someone or you have intruded on a social event.
ACCEPT YOUR TITLE Indonesians politely greet each other with titles. Bu, for example, signifies deference for an older woman; Pak is the respectful title for an older man. Your title is Mister. You’ll frequently hear ‘Hello mister,’ and it is not supposed to be annoying. Say hello back and don’t bother trying to correct them if you are a woman.
BE THE BULE You will also often be hailed as bule. This is a commentary on your being a foreigner. Though you make get tired of hearing it said so many times, it is not an attack. In the kampung, the word will draw the attention of the