JAKARTA: AN INFINITE PARADISE FOR SHOPPING GETAWAYS

JAKARTA: AN INFINITE PARADISE FOR SHOPPING GETAWAYS

As a vibrant metropolitan and nation’s capital, Jakarta undoubtedly offers the best shopping venues on all corners of the city. In Jakarta, there is no better time for you to indulge senses by experiencing, perhaps, one of the most exciting shopping journeys in your life, because everyday is a perfect day to shop, sightsee and spend!

To enjoy the magnificent visit of a lifetime, Jakarta is a true definition of the unlimited choices to shop. From the high-end fashion brands to the hippest local trend are available in stores. Glittering shopping malls, glamorous plazas to the friendly local bargain markets are easily found right in your fingertips. In every region of the city, there is always a place for you to spend. Here is a guide to ease and give you ideas how to make the most of your visit. A chic guide to exhaust your dancing feet by strolling to the few places we would like to recommend:

Sarinah Plaza

The nation’s unofficial national mall, has a lot of outlets to see inside. This shopping spree is the first air-conditioned shopping mall in Indonesia. Here, you will find all the clothings, cosmetics, jewelry, housewares, artwork and souvenirs for you to purchase and take home. A must visit is to the 4th floor where you can find selections of Batik cloths and creations (a signature cloth of Indonesia) and 5th floor where you can shop some other Indonesia’s signature artwork and souvenirs for your loved ones. It is located on the main M.H. Thamrin street right across the Bank of Indonesia and right next to the Djakarta Theatre building and Sari Pan Pacific Hotel.

Plaza Indonesia

A luxurious home to more than 250 stores, including international brands as well as local wares. Gucci, Hugo Boss, Louboutin, Zara and Salvatore Ferragamo, just to name a few, are housed under one roof. Being also adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Hotel, makes an easier access for business travelers to spend their spare times for a quick getaway from meetings. Plaza Indonesia Extension, open at late 2009 is the newest expansion. Here, lavish shoppers will be spoilt with even more tenants, including Louis Vuitton and several great selections of culinary fine resto. Miniapolis at the 3rd floor in which is dedicated for kids, is a perfect spot for your children to be pampered with many fun activities, including a playground and arcade, a cho-cho train ride, kids clothing store, to candies and popcorns stores. It is located on the iconic HI roundabout.

Grand Indonesia Shopping Town

This gigantic shopping complex, just like the name, is truly like a small town for shoppers. Seibu department stores, a 13-auditoriums cineplex, and other high-end single and retail shops as well as children fun center and food courts are something to be seen at all premises. Try the tasty local dishes or international fare dining at the top floor’s food haven called Food Louver. Grand Indonesia Shopping Town is also adjacent to the nation’s first ever hotel being built, which is the legendary yet newly-refurbished Indonesia Kempinski Hotel. This shopping town is located right across the Plaza Indonesia, which is on HI roundabout.

Jalan Surabaya

Jalan Surabaya market (or Surabaya street market, located in Menteng area) has been known for selling antiques, rare finds and other quirky stuff. If you are lucky enough, you can get golden or silver plated items with a very good prices here. This market is also an ideal place for you to shop some souvenirs.

Tanah Abang Market Blok A 

is a massive building for bargain hunters. There, people can shop for many kinds of textiles, clothing items, luggages, fashion accessories, and many more in bulk or retail. The center is famous for its wholesale shopping, and is the biggest in Jakarta.

Ancol Arts Market

Located inside the Ancol Bay City Recreational Park complex, Ancol Arts Market has many locally crafted souvenirs such as woodcarvings, paintings and seashell creations with a very good price selection. You can also request customized paintings, even made to your self portraits, to the artists directly.

Mangga Dua Shopping Complex

This wholesale center offers an interesting selection of wares including bargain clothing and electronics (computer shops, computer games, game consoles, audio appliances, etc). There are at least four shopping centers interlinked to each other offering endless bargain and shopping experience (ITC Mangga Dua and Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua mainly sell clothes while electronics at Mall Mangga Dua and Harco Mangga Dua). Definitely a place for gadgets and technology gadgets, also a paradise for bargain hunters.

Kelapa Gading

Located in the Kelapa Gading residential neighbourhood in North Jakarta, there is a string of four giant shopping malls of Kelapa Gading Mall with major department stores (including Sogo and Star), high street brands, clothing, cafes and food courts. Pendopo located in Kelapa Gading Mall 5 is also a great place for you to hunt for local souvenirs. Still located in the shopping complex, the food haven La Piazza is in the strecth of the mall (next to Kelapa Gading Mall 1). Meanwhile, the newest addition is Mall of Indonesia with tenants mix of a department store, gym, cineplex, and a children theme park that fills the center atrium, as well as a complex of luxurious apartments and condominium. 

Plaza Senayan

Located in Jalan Asia Afrika near the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex,  Plaza Senayan has two major department stores, Sogo and Metro, as well as upscale fashion outlets, such as Prada, Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Diane von Furstenberg and the likes. Plaza Senayan might be one of the oldest, but still has been remained one of the most luxurious shopping plazas in Indonesia due to its prime location nearby high-end housing residences and business districts. Cineplex and food courts are also available inside.

Senayan City

Another upscale complex of shopping mall, office tower, and apartments. The tenant mix is moreover the same as in Plaza Senayan (high end shops). Newer and bigger building with tons of food galore selections are there to be enjoyed by yourself or with family. Fitness First gym center and UK’s Debenhams department store are definitely two of the most favorite tenants of the mall.

fX Lifestyle X-nter 

fX Lifestyle X-nter is a lifestyle center offering a new concept of shopping center. Cafes, restaurants, a gym, and other specialized shops are the highlight of this swanky entertainment center. It also features an exciting mixture of unique business centers (fPod) with a playful arcade of ‘Atmosfear’, a glass-enclosed slide ride in the atrium that span for at least 4-storey high. fX is also adjacent to Harris Hotel and Apartment, Sudirman. The hotel can be accessed through the mall’s main lobby.

Pacific Place Mall

A high-end giant shopping spree attached to Ritz Carlton Jakarta-Pacific Place offering upscale brands and stores, dining outlets, a cineplex, and an indoor edutainment center for children, Kidzania, of which is the biggest in Southeast Asia. The building is located in the SCBD (Sudirman Central Business District) area.

Pondok Indah Mall,

A cavernous two-mall establishment in the upmarket Pondok Indah residential neighbourhood. With the further developed area, Pondok Indah Mall also will be offering a new plethora of eating and shopping opportunities. 

Tebet Area

Tebet Area is located in between South and East Jakarta. This unique place is mainly a residence area where you can find quite a number of establishments mushrooming the road, from modest cafes to independent clothing stores (called distro). A favourite hang-out place for youngsters. 

Opening Hours

Most shopping malls have opening hours from 10AM to 10PM. Cafes and eateries inside the mall might have slightly different opening hours and open longer in the weekend. Wholesale centers (such as Tanah Abang and Mangga Dua) open from as early as 9AM and close in the early evening (around 4PM