Jakarta becomes the most magnetic thing for tourists to visit outside Bali and Yogyakarta. As the main capital of Indonesia, Jakarta not only becomes the center of economic life in business but also tourism.
From year to year, tourist visit in Jakarta seems increased significantly. Not less of them that take the business and the trip to visiting around the city at once in some of periods time. That makes some tourists commonly should learn a lot on how to be a bit act like local in Jakarta.
Speaking of it, this time we will bring you into the most effective ways to follow the rules within the do’s and don’ts when visiting Jakarta for tourists. Let’s see some of them below!
1. Do Wear Proper Clothes
Wearing proper clothes in Jakarta at least long pants or skirt and blouse is more polite rather than you choose the tank top or short pants to wear. Indonesian will more give respect to you if you are wearing some proper clothes whether you just going for watching the show of some traditional dance from Jakarta.
Most Jakartans are Muslims just like the common Indonesian. It is better to wear a proper dress while you hanging around. Moreover, even though Jakarta is popular with the hot weather, Indonesian still wearing some blouse rather than tank top or short skirt.
2. Do Try Public Transportation
Jakarta is so famous for the horrible traffic from a very long time ago. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy exploring the city. Using a rent car or motorcycle rent may become one of your options. But you will be stuck in the traffic as well while using those.
Nowadays, the MRT, Commuter Line, and Transjakarta have become one of the best choices for tourists to get the best way to explore the city. Moreover, they have a lower rate than using the taxi or even rent a car or motorcycle. You can’t even avoid the traffic in most of the crowded time in these metropolitan cities in Indonesia.
3. Do Provides Small Money for Change
In Jakarta, don’t expect some taxi drivers, food deliveries, mini markets, or even the entrance ticket at the museum in Jakarta have change for your purchase in a small amount under IDR50,000. They rarely have the change for you, so if it is possible make sure your purchase is paid in a fixed amount.
In another way, you may need to ask the small money once you go to the money changer. It is more effective so that you have less worry about your purchase in your daily life in Jakarta.
4. Do Remember to Buy Souvenirs
When you have some colleagues in Jakarta, then it is important to buy souvenirs after your trip from somewhere. It is polite in Jakarta such as in common Indonesia to bring something when you just go back from somewhere.
The souvenirs don’t have to be something fancy or expensive, just take some foods is fine. They will appreciate it so much and loves to enjoy those foods together happily.
5. Don’t Get Too Personal on Greetings
Greetings in Jakarta are important just like happen in common Indonesian regions. But don’t take it too personally since most of them are Muslim. Handshake is allowed, but some women Muslims are avoiding it. They sometimes just nodding to respond to your handshake.
Just like the handshake has limited activities for some Indonesian Muslim women, kissing cheek or hugging as your greeting style also seems impolite for them. So, you need to be careful before doing that. Smiling on them and say hello in a simple way to them is fine so far.
6. Don’t Publicly Complaint Easily
Jakarta’s culture has the most similar to the common Indonesian culture. There will be a time that comes too noisy during the call prayer come which may disturb you. They have a five-day prayer daily so the call prayer will come five times a day. It is a hard matter if you complain about it.
In some other cases, everything will go slowly during Ramadhan season, Chinese new year, Nyepi Day, Christmas Day, and other religious seasons as well. Some of them celebrated those holy seasons sacredly so don’t expect that everything comes just like a normal day.
7. Don’t Expect Your Driver Knows Everything
As a tourist, you may want to go to explore the city so much around Jakarta without any trouble. That is why you need at least a taxi driver or another online driver from the Gojek App or Grabb App as well. But, don’t expect that they know the address so well unless it comes to some of the shopping malls in Jakarta.
That doesn’t mean you should worry about the destination you take, but at least you read the map before you go there. Google map will help you through go to it and some other map Apps also work well in Jakarta. If you are worrying too much just ask your Indonesian friend or the reception staff hotel. They will help you happily.
8. Don’t Use Your Left Hand to Pass Anything
Instead of using your lefthand to pass anything, using the right hand such as when you receive some food from Betawi cuisine is better in Jakarta. The culture has been believed in so many years that good things come from teh right hand. If you insist on using your left hand both for receiving or giving anything, they will not respect you.
It is not only impolite to use your left hand while receiving or giving something, but also a sign of rudeness. They may think that you are the kind of unrespectable person.
So, there are some of the do’s and don’ts when you visiting Jakarta as a tourist. There are still so many things that you can learn while living in Jakarta. Just be careful not to touch their culture so much so will have a wonderful journey.
