Top Shopping Malls in Jakarta

When planning a trip to Jakarta, consider spending a day at one of the many modern shopping malls the city has to offer. You may welcome a day off from tourist and cultural sites and enjoy spending time in air-conditioned comfort, where you can relax and shop without annoying hawkers. From 1985 to 2000 a million square meters of shopping space was built in Jakarta. Since 2000, another two million square meters has been built. Therefore there are choices galore for shoppers!

If you've spent much time visiting outlying provinces or rural areas, it will be quickly evident during a trip to the capital city that Jakarta showcases the wealth of Indonesia. Skyscrapers, impressive monuments, wide boulevards (albeit crowded) and large malls rival those of any major world capital.

In traditional Indonesian society, open common areas in villages and towns or the courtyard of the Sultan's palace have long been a place to gather and spend late afternoon and evening hours. Small vendors set up their wares, food carts gather and people stroll around meeting friends and sharing gossip. Jakarta's shopping malls are a modern urban equivalent of traditional meeting points – a place to shop, eat and gather with friends and have some fun on the weekends.

Shopping in Jakarta takes many forms from the most traditional pasar (markets) to glitzy world class malls with international designer shops. Most expatriates shop most comfortably in malls and grocery stores without the need to bargain or deal with curious stares. However, that is no reason to avoid the more colorful traditional markets.

High Fashion Malls

International fashion items may not be at the top of a tourist’s Jakarta shopping list, but expatriates may look at these shopping opportunities differently! If you enjoy window shopping and following fashion trends, you'll enjoy the fashion showcased at Plaza Indonesia, and Plaza Senayan and Senayan City. Shops offer the latest collections from the fashion capitals of the world – Milan, London, Paris and New York – to titillate the fancy of well to do Indonesians and expatriates alike.

Prior to the opening of luxury malls, Indonesians had to shop in Singapore, Europe or the U.S. to buy such well-known international brands as Bvlgari, Prada, Cartier, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Bally, Aigner, Ferragamo and Escada. Now, these brands, and many more, are available in Jakarta.

Amongst Indonesia's emerging middle and upper classes international brand-consciousness is strong. Discerning shoppers seek original goods, which these shops can guarantee. Often, due to special sales or discounts, international fashions may actually be cheaper in Jakarta than in other fashion centers.

If, indeed you are from a small town in your home country, you may find better shopping in Jakarta than you do back home!

While fashion malls don't offer as many recreation opportunities as the family-oriented malls, a big attraction is 'people watching' for the see-and-be-seen crowd. The elegant marble, expansive open spaces and lofty atriums offer a sense of luxury that is further enhanced by no-smoking policies, good housekeeping, and security. According to some social analysts, malls have replaced traditional town centers as locations for community interaction.

Indonesian Specialities

Several Malls feature “Indonesian Fashion Avenues”, a group of Indonesia’s designer boutique stores, such as, Ali Charisma, Ferry Sunarto, Herman Nuary, Kisoon Harto, Poppy Dharsono, Postour & Co, Sofie, Talisa House. Plaza Senayan features the creations of Indonesian designers, Biyan, Ghea, and Sebastian's. These Indonesian designers offer beautiful traditional dress as well as modern evening wear. Don't expect to find their creations in large sizes – small sizes only! Fashion from other Indonesian designers can be found in the mall's department stores.

Take a dip into the world of traditional medicine at Toko Ampuh, a shop in Plaza Indonesia's basement selling traditional Indonesian medicines and potions from across Indonesia. You'll be greeted by the pungent smell of balsem, healing rubs, as you enter the store. Nearby shops sell Ginseng from Korea and delicious Oolong tea from Taiwan. Stop in for a taste test and discover the medicinal properties of these popular drinks.

If you're traveling through Indonesia during holiday periods visit the malls to see the beautiful decorations and special entertainment for Christmas, Lebaran, School holidays (June-July), Independence Day and the mall's anniversary.

Food Glorious Food …

… what more could you ask for! Remember the line to the song? One of the major attractions at Jakarta malls is the numerous cafés, restaurants and food courts. On some days eating seems to be the main attraction, with shopping coming in second! From trendy restaurants offering cuisine from around the world to cafés where coffee is king to fast food fixes from home… you're sure to find something to please your taste buds.

You can try Indonesian food in the larger malls, at an Indonesian food court or Sari Ratu restaurant which features spicy hot dishes from Padang, West Sumatra. The Spice Garden food court in the basement of Sogo offers a good selection of Indonesian dishes. You can eat your way through the archipelago, even if you can't travel through more than a few islands.

Jakarta malls and shopping centers offer a plethora coffee shops for enjoying a cup of coffee, a snack or small meal and some serious people watching ... from Starbucks to other international favorites and local cafes. Businesspeople and the young, trendy be-and-be-seen crowds hang out in the coffee shops scattered throughout major malls.

Most malls contact at least one major supermarket for convenience of shoppers which offer a variety of imported European, American and Australian food and beverages.

Family Malls

If you're not into high fashion or trendy hangouts, you could spend an enjoyable day at Taman Anggrek or Pondok Indah Mall I and II, are two of the most popular family-oriented malls. The focus is on recreation and family fun in addition to a wide range of shops and services or one-stop shopping to meet the needs of the family.

Taman Anggrek is the largest mall in Jakarta and a prominent landmark on the toll road into Jakarta from the airport due to the 8 distinctive blue-topped apartment towers crowning the 7-floor shopping mall. The interior is a marvel of space, light and marble – and serious noise levels on the weekend. The indoor ice skating rink and movie theatres are a very popular attraction.Travelers will find a place to get their hair cut, buy medicine or toiletries at the drug store, get money exchanged at a bank or withdraw funds from an ATM, eat a meal, enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee and of course – shop!

Dapur Anggrek food court at Taman Anggrek offers hundreds of traditional regional specialties - pempek from Palembang, South Sumatra (fish balls), 27 kinds of sate at Aneka Sate Djitoe, and fried rice and noodle dishes galore. The truly adventurous can even try goat testicles (terpedo) at Sop Kaki Kambing.

Pondok Indah Mall is a popular family mall in suburban South Jakarta. With the addition ofPondok Indah Mall II it has doubled it's shopping area and added many new attractions to the mall. The adjacent Water Park and Climbing Wall are the main tourist attractions. The mall offers a good variety of shops and services, but no handicrafts.

If you're traveling with your children, check out the photo sticker booths popular with children and teens found in most family malls. The stickers make great momentos.

Best Time to Shop

The best time to shop at Jakarta malls is during the week, soon after the mall opens at 10:00am. Most daytime shoppers are housewives, who begin bringing their children as schools let out mid-day. By late afternoon the malls are bustling with the after-school teen crowd and young professionals who begin showing up after office hours.

Hanging out at malls is part of the affluent Indonesian teens' lifestyle. They have "acronym names" for their favorite malls -- tay ahh (TA) for Taman Anggrek and pay ess (PS) for Plaza Senayan, citos (cheetos) for Cilandak Town Square, and pim for Pondok Indah Mall (all reflecting the Indonesian pronunciation of the letters in the acronym).

Weekends see a literal flood of families into malls; visitors average 20,000 at Plaza Indonesia, 40,000 at Plaza Senayan, 100,000 at Taman Anggrek and 40,000 at Pondok Indah Mall.

Getting there

If you’re a visitor to Jakarta, take a taxi from your hotel to the mall and you can return by taxi from the mall's taxi stand. During late afternoon rush hour it may take some time to get a taxi. Alternately, you can ask your Silver Bird or Blue Bird taxi from your hotel to wait for you while you shop.

Those traveling in private cars can call your driver from the parking garage via the Car Call near the mall's entrances. Be sure you know your driver's name or other identification to call him to the front the pick you up.

Enjoy a great shopping adventure … at one of Jakarta's premier malls.

Locations of Jakarta's Top Malls

Senayan City
Jl. Asia Afrika Lot 19
Senayan, Jakarta 10270
Tel (62-21) 723-7979

Must Sees:

• One of Jakarta's most complete collection of designer shops
• Studio XXI offering a Premiere lounge and movie theatre
• Extensive food court and restaurant selection throughout the mall
• Extensive collection of opulent jewelry stores
• Crystal Lagoon offering late night dining until 12:00am

Plaza Indonesia
Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30
Central Jakarta 10350
Tel (62-21) 310-7272, 390-3728

Must Sees:

• Batik Keris showroom - 1st floor
• Finna traditional snacks - basement
• Toko Ampuh - Indonesian traditional medicines - basement
• Indonesian food - Spice Garden or Sari Ratu - basement

Plaza Senayan
Gelora Bung Karno
Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8
Senayan, Central Jakarta 10270
Tel. (62-21) 572-5555

Must sees:

• Biyan, Ghea and Sebastian's - Indonesian designers -1st floor
• Royal Selangor - Malaysian pewter designs - 2nd floor
• Kinokuniya book store -5th floor Sogo. Outstanding selection of English and Japanese books.
• Indonesian food - Spice Garden or Sari Ratu - basement
• Marrygold Clock in the atrium. Every hour on the hour the Seiko clock opens up and visitors are serenaded by a 6-figure orchestra.

Mal Taman Anggrek
Jl. Letjen S. Parman Kav. 21
Slipi, West Jakarta 11470
Tel. (62-21) 560-9964

Must sees:

• Sky Rink - ice skating rink - 3rd floor and 4th floor viewing balcony
• Indonesian food - Dapur Anggrek Food Court - 4th floor
• Jakarta Stamps and Coins - Indonesian coins and stamps for collectors
• Batik Danar Hadi, Batik Keris and Batik Semar
• Refresh your aching feet with a foot reflexology treatment at Oriental Reflexiologi in the basement near Hero

Pondok Indah Mall
Jl. Metro Pondok Indah Kav. IIIB
Pondok Indah, South Jakarta 12310
Tel. (62-21) 750-6750

Must sees:

• Biyan - Indonesian designer - ground floor
• Royal Selangor - pewter handicrafts - ground floor
• Pondok Indah Water Park - south side of mall
• Pondok Indah Climbing Wall - outside exit near Times Bookshop
• Indonesian food - Bakmi Gajah Mada and Dermaga food court - 3rd floor

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