Mark Your Destinations

Now you have chosen your purpose and date to visit Jakarta. Some considerations should have been made at this point.  Some couple like dry season, some other like rainy season, some other like to enjoy the crowds, and some one else perhaps like to a quite atmosphere to refresh themselves.  But anyway everybody has to have destinations plan no matter when they will arrive at Jakarta. 

Now you may prepare your map, or GPS, or Android, or anything with the map of Jakarta in it.  First thing first, we will now start to mark your hotel.  There are several locations of hotels that I will suggest you as the first time visit to Jakarta:

1. International 5 star standard hotel in the central district of Jakarta such as: Sultan Hotel, JW Marriott, Bellagio, Crowne, Shangri La, Four Season,  Pullman, Grand Melia, Mulia Hotel, etc. those are mostly located in Gatot Subroto Street, Sudirman Street, and Thamrin Street, as well as in CDB  Kuningan  and Senayan area.  You can elaborate more from the Internet. Those are the common Hotels used by tourists who really want to enjoy a bit of luxury in Jakarta. 
2. China Town Hotels (4 star) usually the choice of many business man and women who have some needs to do business or just to buy things like electronic stuffs, non branded clothing or bag, accessories, computers, and all of the peripherals. Those are located in the North of Jakarta, near Taman Impian Jaya Ancol.  The Hotels such as: Grand Mercure-Hayam Wuruk, Novotel-Mangga Dua Square, Red Top Hotel, La Grandeur Mangga Dua Hotel, Aston Marina or Mercure Convention Center Hotel (inside Taman Impian Jaya Ancol).
3. Budget Hotel.  A lot of it are spread out in other location in Jakarta, but the most famous area especially for backpackers lies in "Jalan Jaksa", near National Monument in central of Jakarta. The name "Jalan Jaksa" is very well known globally so you can also find and book a hotel near it by Internet.

Simple Illustration of marking the Jakarta Map

Driving distance from Jakarta Airport Soekarno Hatta to the central point of Jakarta is approximately 25-30 km. But later i will give you some guidance about rush hour in Jakarta.  You can drive 25 km within half an hour, or it could be 4 to 5 hours of hell.  But now lets get back to interesting and exotic places first:

1. National Monument
2. Thousand Island (you can go to several island near by Jakarta from Ancol Pier)
3. Gajah Museum (National Museum of Indonesia)
4. Fatahilah Museum
5. Taman Impian Jaya Ancol
6. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
7. Satria Mandala Museum
8. Bahari Museum
9. Wayang Museum
10. Adam Malik Museum (Adam Malik is our ex Vice President)
11. Textile Museum
12. Art and Ceramic Musium
13. Stamps Museum
14. Cathedral and Istiqlal Mosque
15. Pasar Baru (famous alley of textile and any other household things)

The other places below are shopping centers and Malls :

A. Near Sudirman-Thamrin-Gatot Subroto Street

1. Plaza Indonesia
2. Senayan City
3. Sarinah (you can find a lot of local souvenir with good quality)
4. Lifestyle X'nter
5. Grand Indonesia
6. Plaza Indonesia
7. Pacific Plaze
8. Plaza Semanggi

B. Near China Town (the upper T-area)

1. Glodok Plaza
2. Harco Glodok
3. Lindeteves Hayam Wuruk
4. Dusit Mangga Dua
5. ITC Mangga Dua
6. Harco Mas Mangga Dua
7. Pasar Pagi Lama
8. Mangga Dua Square

C. In the South of Jakarta

1. Menteng Plaza
2. Blok M Plaza
3. Setiabudi One
4. Cilandak Town Square
5. Pondok Indah Mall 1 and 2
6. ITC Fatmawati
7. Point Square

D. In Kelapa Gading Area (a famous area where middle Class Up stays)

1.  Kelapa Gading Mall
2. Artha Gading Mall
3. Kelapa Gading Sports Mall
4. Mall of Indonesia

Kelapa gading also has a lot of eating place with delicious taste. You can explore Kelapa Gading Boulevard from North to South and West to East.  You can bring your money and empty stomach as well.

E. In West Side of Jakarta

1. Ciputra Mall
2. Emporium Pluit Mall
3. Pluit Junction
4. Pluit Village
5. Cyber Park
6. Taman Anggrek Mall
7. Puri Indah Mall
8. Pantai Indah Kapuk culinary center.

I will not elaborate more detail about the exact location of those places, but the main idea is that you'd better group the locations of places you want to go based on district location: Central of Jakarta, West of Jakarta, East of Jakarta, North of Jakarta, and South of Jakarta.  You can find the detail address of them in wikipedia or any traveling guide websites.  Grouping places together will save you a lot of time, instead of circling around and facing a lot of traffic jam.  Your plan might be slipped or modified later, but at least the big picture is already in your hand before your departure to Jakarta. However for the first time visitor, i suggest you take a local tour from your hotel and collect a lot of information of nearby places through your local guide.