assume that people can give change for a bill larger than Rp20,000. You may want a pocket of loose change to give to beggars and buskers.
SHOW PATIENCE Indonesians do many things which other cultures may find impolite or offensive. These include constant sniffing, unabashed belching, hawking and spitting on the street, blowing snot rockets, nose picking, squeezing pimples in public, letting doors slam in the next person’s face, gathering in places which block the path of others, walking very slowly, commenting on how old, fat, scrawny or tired one looks, smoking in public places, pushing to enter and exit elevators, queue jumping, shoving at airport luggage carousels, letting their children run amok in restaurants and littering. These things are best ignored. Try not to judge one culture against another. Ultimately, these behavioral annoyances are minor and not intended to offend.
Getting around Jakarta
A car may be the easiest form of transport to arrive at the start of your urban walks, but it may not be the quickest or most adventurous. Add to the excitement of the day and the spirit of adventure by trying one of the numerous means of public transportation in Jakarta. It may be daunting the first time, but from the end of your first successful trip, your confidence will grow.
The following is a survey of some of the various means of transportation available in the city.
A safe, air-conditioned Transjakarta bus.
TRANSJAKARTA BUSWAY These air-conditioned buses operate along fixed corridors across Jakarta, and are the city’s first attempt at a mass rapid transport system. The buses are clean, comfortable and easy to use. Buses run from 5am to 10pm, and the current fare for a single trip is Rp3,500. Although the government officially calls the system Transjakarta, the colloquial name, and the name used in this book, is Busway. Fares are fixed and paid at the start of the trip prior to passing through a ticket-operated turnstile.
KOPAJA AND METRO MINI These buses are fun, fast and cheap, but prepare for a white-knuckle ride. The conductors hang from open doors waving fistfuls of money, while drivers careen across lanes pushing through the narrowest gaps in traffic. These buses are best taken during daylight in non-commute hours. Signal you want to alight by standing up and tapping a coin against the roof. The conductor will then holler to the driver. Fares are fixed, currently at Rp2,000 and will be collected during the trip by the conductor.
Fun, fast, cheap but daredevil Kopaja.
PPD, STEADY SAFE, MAYASARI BHAKTI AND OTHER LARGE BUSES These behemoths carry the largest numbers of passengers. There are both air-conditioned buses (Rp6,500) and non-air-conditioned (Rp3,000). They are useful for long hauls and cross-city trips, and may use the toll roads which can add to the price.
A familiar powder blue Angkot minivan.
ANGKOT/MIKROLET These are small powder blue minivans with side entrances. They generally hold 10–14 people but many more will squeeze in or hang out the doors during peak times. These minivans are very useful if you can figure out whether they are heading in your direction; routes are marked in the front windscreen. Fares are fixed at Rp3,000 per trip and are paid upon leaving.
TAXI It’s easy to hail a taxi from the street or to order one by phone. There is a vast array of taxis in the city, with Silver Bird at the top end of the scale. Bluebird and Gamya are popular and reliable. Cheaper taxis display a tariff lama (old fare) sticker in their windscreens. Of the cheaper taxis, Express is safe and dependable. Other personal favorites are Taxiku and the dilapidated Kosti Jaya.
A row of popular and reliable Bluebird taxis.
The more modern blue version of the bajaj.
OJEK Taking a motorcycle taxi is the quickest way to get anywhere in the city. There is not a spot in the city which does not have a guy on a motorcycle for hire. Ojek drivers will congregate together in packs of 2–20 waiting for passengers. They will provide helmets, but of varying quality. Unlike taxis, ojek drivers will always take the most direct route to your destination. Negotiate the fare before mounting the bike. Try haggling for a half or two-thirds of the starting price, but don’t give yourself a hernia trying to save a few thousand rupiah. If you speak Indonesian and act confidently, you may be given the real price at the start. Fares could be between Rp3,000 and Rp30,000, but it all depends on distance, weather, traffic conditions and bargaining skills.
BEMO These blue three-wheeled vehicles are confined mainly to the neighborhoods of Bendungan Hilir, Manggarai, Salemba, King ITC Kota and Klender. They are very convenient for short trips. Try taking one from Pasar Benhil in central Jakarta, also the start of the Bendungan Hilir walking tour. Upon reaching your destination, tell the driver to stop by calling out kiri (left). Fares are Rp2,500 and are paid at the end of the trip. Pass the money directly to the driver through the window.
Negotiate your fare in a three-wheeled bajaj.
BAJAJ These are wacky, noisy, smoky, bright orange three-wheelers, with the driver in the front and space for two passengers in the back. They are useful and fun for quick trips in the immediate neighborhood. Fare rates are negotiable and are paid at the end. You may want to agree a price at the outset. Prices may range from Rp10,000 to Rp25,000 depending on distance.
NEW BAJAJ The more modern bajaj is blue, has four wheels, and is cleaner and quieter than the older model. Fares are a little more expensive.
Pedal-powered becak carry two passengers.
BECAK These are pedal-powered rickshaws with space for two passengers in a bucket seat at the front and the driver mounted on a bicycle seat behind. They are rare now in Jakarta having been banned by the city administration in most areas. Becaks can, however, still be found in Bekasi and Glodok, and are common outside of the capital. Fares are negotiable and dependent on distance. Pay on arrival.
Enjoy a ride on a horse-drawn dokar.
DOKAR For a taste of the countryside, take a horse and cart and trot around the block old-school style. Dokar aren’t very useful for getting from point A to point B as they generally travel from point A to point A, but it’s all about enjoying the ride rather than getting somewhere. Dokar are becoming more difficult to find, but still operate around the Monas, Senayan, Pondok Indah, Kemang and Kebayoran Lama. Fares are negotiable according to distance and may be between Rp2,500 and Rp5,000 per person.
OJEK SEPEDA Generally found in north Jakarta near the Tanjung Priok port, Sunda Kelapa, Kota and Glodok, these are bicycles fitted with an extra passenger seat. Often toothless and with poor eyesight, the ojek sepeda drivers continue a tradition that has lamentably seen better days. They are fun for short, environmentally friendly trips, especially through tight traffic. Fare rates are negotiable and paid at the end of the trip, but don’t bargain too hard with these guys: they face enough challenges as it is.
CANAL
