Jakarta Shopping and Districts

(Jakarta, Java, Indonesia)

For many a visitor, the impressive shopping scene within Jakarta is a true highlight and the shops sell a huge selection of clothing, leather ware, electrical goods and music CDs, all of which are very inexpensive when compared to Western prices.

When shopping in Jakarta, you will find many familiar brand names, although in most cases, these tend to be less of a bargain. Those shopping for souvenirs of Jakarta tend to favour the locally made handicrafts, which are in plentiful supply and originate from all across Indonesia and are perfect for last-minute gifts.

Where to Shop

If you enjoy the lively atmosphere of a market, then the excellent flea market on the Jalan Surabaya, within the Menteng area, is highly recommended and simply vast.

Everything is here, ranging from paintings and furniture, to jewellery and clothes. However, haggling is essential, since most items are massively overpriced and vendors expect to drop their prices. Those shopping for antiques in Jakarta should check out the shops along the Jalan Kebon Sirih Timur or the Jalan Palatehan 1.

Dyed textiles known as 'batik' are readily available throughout Jakarta, being particularly obvious to those shopping within the Pasaraya department store on the Jalan Iskandarsyah, and also at the Sarinah department store on the Jalan Thamrin.

However, if you are more used to large shopping malls, then Jakarta certainly won't disappoint on that front. There are far more shopping malls within Jakarta than most visitors expect to find. The most popular include the Block M Mall on the Kebayoran Baru, Botani Square on the Jalan Raya Pajajaran, the Mangga Dua Mall on the Arteri Mangga Dua, the swanky Plaza Indonesia (Sogo) on the Jalan Thamrin, and also the ever busy Plaza Senayan on the Jalan Asia Afrika, amongst countless others.