A few weeks ago I spent a weekend in Jakarta.
When I booked the trip, I was really excited – JAKARTA ! One of the few cities in Indonesia you know. From movies.
Excited, until everyone I mentioned it to toled me: Stay at the airport, grab the next plane to somewhere else.. – Is it THAT BAD??
Wikitravel and the internet confronted me with similar advice.
I still went there – but I probably won’t do it again. I stayed near the old town which is the poorer part of the city. Poor, simple, sometimes a little dirty – but not dangerous at all and everyone is helpful. On the opposite, the south of the city is like singapore. Giant shopping centers with all brands you ever heard of. They even sell cars on the ground floor.