that can be recommended, including Gunung Geulis and Bukit Sentul, but playing at Rainbow Hills really offers a sense of being completely away from the maddening crowds of Jakarta.
HOW TO GET THERE Take the Jagorawi toll road to Sentul, exiting at km 36. Go up Jl. Thamrin, take a right on Jl. Bukit Sentul and then a left on to Jl. Cijayanti, following it to the course.
CHECK OUT www.rainbowhillsgolf.com
The Matoa Golf Course was built in 1995, reportedly as an act of ‘homage’ to President Suharto by one of his business cronies. It is located on a compact site among the kampungs of south Jakarta near Ciganjur. Getting there entails a tiresome drive along roads teeming with motorbikes and public transport vehicles. But once there, the parklike setting is very attractive and there has been a real effort to plant many different tree varieties, including the eponymous matoa tree.
The course is not the most demanding, especially off the white tees, and unless a drive is particularly wayward, the man-made contours will keep the ball in play. One assumes this is how the former president liked it. The clubhouse is well situated, and ending the day on the terrace watching the final groups putt out with the calls to prayer emanating from the local mosques is sure to make for good Jakarta memories.
HOW TO GET THERE From the outer ring road take Jl. Cilandak KKO. Follow it as it turns into Jl. Muhammad Kafi I and take it to km 7 (note that due to a one-way stretch, you will need to detour on to Jl. Mabes Polri, then on to Jl. Paso, before getting to Jl. Muhammad Kafi I).
CHECK OUT www.matoanasional.net
FAST FACT
There are roughly 40 golf courses in the greater Jakarta area.
HIKING
Indonesia lies along the ring of fire, which means it’s a hotbed of volcanic activity. The majority of islands have bulging backbones made of pointy peaks, many of which reach to heights of more than 3,000m. Java Lava, a hiking club that has been around since the early 1980s, is a non-commercial, professionally run group that embarks on 10–12 trips a year to mountaintops across the archipelago.
Generally, people fly out on a Friday morning or afternoon to the city nearest the mountain they’re climbing. A chartered car or bus whisks them to a losmen (guesthouse or small hotel) and they wake at the whip crack of dawn to begin marching their way up the volcano. Groups spend the night in a tent on the summit, waking at 4am to the sound of porters singing and clanging pots and pans. Then they slip, slide and trundle back down the mountain for a beer, a shower and the return flight home. Trips take roughly 72 hours, so many are close to home. These include hikes up Gede and Pangrango, both of which can be seen from Jakarta, as well as hikes around Bandung and near Pelabuhan Ratu.
Java Lava is designed for the working professional with little time to plan his or her own trips and work out the necessary logistics. Java Lava is not a tourist group or babysitter’s club, and is geared toward hikers who have some cash to spare and the desire to witness an incredible side of Indonesia. An experienced hiker leads every trip and most include porters.
CHECK OUT www.javalavaindonesia.multiply.com
Alex Korns, a long-time veteran of Indonesia’s hiking scene, has loads of information about trekking in the Puncak area. He can provide maps and guidebooks and can also arrange for a guided hike of the area led by a seasoned professional. His website has a plethora of information to read before getting started.
CHECK OUT www.puncaktrek.com
A newcomer to the trekking scene is Indonesia Expedition Guides. This group is the brainchild of local hiking legend Krystyna Krassowska, a British explorer who takes singles and groups all over Indonesia and as far away as Africa. The group also offers Saturday hikes to the Sentul area, trips to Puncak, outdoor skills courses and clinics, adult walks, trail runs, family and kid-friendly hikes and adventure race training.
CHECK OUT www.idguides.org
Horse riding at a Jakarta equestrian club.
HORSE RIDING
As there’s nothing better than the feeling of a strong-muscled brute beneath your buttocks, check out one of Jakarta’s equestrian clubs. You can either pay for a guided hour-long amble around the grounds, stroll around looking at horses while just enjoying the sense of being out of town and outdoors, or sign up for regular riding lessons.
STABLES OF CHOICE JPEC Sentul is the most low-key and simple of them all. It’s located 30 minutes outside Jakarta, just off the toll road and is surrounded by loads of greenery. It’s very popular with the expat community and boasts some good quality instructors. The café here is also nice, with some solid grub and a great chilled-out atmosphere.
Sunset on the summit of volcanic Mt Rinjani.
WHERE TO GO Jl. Pasir Maung, Desa Babakan Madang.
HOW TO GET THERE Take the Jagorawi toll road to the exit at km 36. Head up Jl. Thamrin and turn left on to Jl. Pasir Maung.
WHO TO CALL 021-8796-1569
TRIJAYA EQUESTRIAN CLUB, located in Ciganjur, south of Cilandak, is fairly small with only one indoor arena and no paddock for horses. Despite that, it’s quite popular and is fairly easy to access.
WHERE TO GO Jl. H Montong #23—Ciganjur Jagakarsa.
HOW TO GET THERE From the outer ring road, take Jl. Cilandak KKO. Follow it as it turns into Jl. Muhammad Kafi I (note that due to a one-way stretch, you’ll need to detour on to Jl. Mabes Polri, then on to Jl. Paso, before getting to Jl. Muhammad Kafi I). Follow this road until you spot Jl. H Montong to the left.
WHO TO CALL 021-786-3063/021-7888-0176
ARTHAYASA EQUESTRIAN CLUB is located at the far end of Cinere. It takes some time to get here, and the traffic can be a little rough as the roads are quite narrow. That being said, this used to be the club for Jakarta’s serious equestrians. Most of the good riding instructors have taught here, and it sits on a huge expanse of land with several paddocks for horses to graze in. There is a swimming pool and tennis court too. The place has seen better days, but still it’s worth a day trip for a stroll around the grounds and a little riding.
Indonesian cross-bred horses racing at the Pulomas Horse Racing Course.
WHERE TO GO Blok Tengki, Desa Grogol—Depok.
HOW TO GET THERE See website for detailed instructions.
CHECK OUT www.arthayasa.com
HORSE RACING
Pacuan Kuda Pulomas (Pulomas Horse Racing Course), a large swath of green in east Jakarta set aside for horse racing, is the place to be on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
