Jakarta shopping (short) trip

Hi all, I am a newbie here ! Looking for more information to plan my short shopping trip next month. I am not that familiar in Jakarta. I only been there for 2 times for short business trip.

For Jakarta shopping, I am looking for low price and not too lousy quality. I only know Mangga Dua is a good place to shop for cheap stuff if you can bargain well.

I would appreciate if all the jakarta expert can give me some advices for my following questions :

1) I am going to stay at Le Gradeur hotel(or Novotel better ), it is good and safe ?

2) Is it safe for me to stay at the hotel at mangga dua area and I visit all shopping by walking ?

3) I don%26#39;t plan to go too far from my hotel. Please tell me where I can go for shopping ?

4) what is the good shopping center I should go at Mangga Dua area ?

5) I am keen to buy Polo Raph Lauren Polo shirt, please tell me where can I get it from nearby, both real and fake.

6) How much (estimated) should I pay from airport to the hotel ?

7) I know there is a Mangga Dua mall selling a lot of fake branded stuff, please tell me the correct name of the mall.

sorry for too many questions, but I think these are very simple questions to those expert.

Please give me some advise on my trip.

Thanks in advance.

Jakarta shopping (short) trip

Hi Nickelly

I try to answer some of yr question

1. Le Grandeur is better option as it is located right in the middle of everything. Novotel located adjacent to newer mall (Mangga Dua Square), but it may take 15 minutes of hot and humid walk to the central. Le Grandeurs itself is a decent 4* hotel

2. Yes. Le Grandeur is adjacent to orion Dusit Mangga Dua (comouter center), which also adjacent to 4-5 other malls, interconnected by sky brdiges. So basically you can walk everywhere easily.

3. Same as no 2, it is just outside yr doorsteps. For fashions, you can go ITC Mangga Dua (mostly selling import fashions: China, Thai, Korean made) and Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua (cheaper option than ITC), for electronic, you can go to Orion Dusit, Mangga Dua Mall, Harco Mangga Dua. All those places as I said was interconnected. Pls beware all shops in Mangga Dua close early at ard 5 PM, and after that hour, basically the area is very quiet and not much of activity. You need to take taxi for some entertainments to city center or other area.

4. ITC Mangga Dua is nicer and air conditioned but Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua can be cheaper. But both places prettu much almost selling same stuffs.

5. Beware! in Indonesia, THERE IS NO RALPH LAUREN outlet! If you see ';Polo'; store, this is not Ralph Lauren%26#39;s but local Polo brand owned by local company (Matahari group), yet the logo is very much similar with its ';brother'; in USA. Also this is not fake Ralph Lauren but ';Indonesian Polo';. I believe it has its outlet in mangga dua mall and some other shoppoing mall in Jakarta. This is pretty much similar issue as Crocodile and Lacoste

6. Should be around Rp 100,000.. approx SGD 15 but depending on the traffic. Pls make sure to take taxi from Blue Bird Group from the airport taxi rank. Actually if you book direct to hotel, might be convenient if you can ask them to arrange pick up for you.

7. It its ITC Mangga Dua, but beware as they sell various range of quality for fake leathergoods. SOme says Korean made is the best... (arguable of course).

Happy SHopping!!!

Jakarta shopping (short) trip

Just some additional information:

5. There is 3 type of Polo Ralph Lauren Shirt being sold in Indonesia:

(a) from Polo Store, this store has %26#39;Polo%26#39; named logo in front, can be found in most shopping center, as well as airport (inside the departure terminal). Of course this is not the original one, but they have large collection (but the cotton quality is not so good).

(b) from Polo by Ralph Lauren store. This store has similar logo to (a), but when you check the label on the shirt, it will say %26#39;Polo by Ralph Lauren%26#39;. The shirt price is more expensive than store (a), but the cotton quality is much better and the collection is as the same as the real Ralph Lauren, dunno about its originality. Can be found at Mall Ciputra and Plaza Semanggi (dunno if they got open another outlet already).

(c) from wholesaler like at Mangga Dua. This is sure one fake, mostly China-made. but price is very cheap and most of it sports %26#39;very big%26#39; polo player logo (ah beng style).

7. Look no further than ITC Mangga Dua. If you go to the top floor (5th floor up i think), you can find boutique-style shop (like The Annexe at Heeren or Far East Plaza) which sells stuff in retail (per piece), and the collection is varied, from Korea, China, or local made. The good thing, you still can try to haggle.

Thank you so much to Verdims and Cirque, very good advices and very details.

I have some more questions :

1) is it safe to walk around at MD (Mangga Dua) area ? I am a chinese and from Malaysia, know a little bit of Bahasa.

2) after 5pm, where should I go ? I don%26#39;t wish to travel too far and wish to go to safer place (but not too expensive). I have 2 nights to spend there.

3) Where is Mall Ciputra and Plaza Semanggi mentioned by Cirque ?

4) Between ITC MD, Dusit MD %26amp; MD square, which one is the best to shop ?

5) I saw you guys mentioned about Tanah Abang, is it recommended to go there from MD ?

Thanks again for your help !!!! Cheers !

Hi Nickelly

1. It is safe to walk around Mangga Dua area on the daytime. Most of the shop owners are Chinese, knowing some Hokkien, Hakka, mandarin or other dialects will be beneficial as you can bargain easier and definitely can get better deal. Just stay within the mega-compound and you will be OK. General precaution shd be taken, beware of pickpockets etc. Weekdays is always better than weekends in Mangga Dua, crowdwise...

2. In the evening, depending on yr interest. If you plan for some mid price shopping, you can head to Mal Taman Anggrek or Plaza Semanggi (both are located more central). For high-end items and lavish malls, you can head to Senayan City, Plaza Indonesia (both in central Jakarta). For spa/massage/adult entertainment: Mangga Besar/Kota area is the place. My suggestion. do some shopping until 5 pm and take a rest and leave yr hotel after 7 pm, the traffic condition will be better. 5-7 pm is the worst traffic condition in all over Jakarta especially in Mangga Dua area.

Jakarta is never runs out of option in the day and night time, you just need to decide, what are you planning to do. It will always be the best starting point for some suggestion. Mangga Besar/Kota is quite nearby abt 15 mins taxi ride. Mal Taman Anggrek is ard 20-30 mins taxi drive. Other mall is further away and traffic can be inconvenience.

3. Mal Ciputra is in Grogol west Jakarta nearby to Mal Taman Anggrek. But Mal Taman Anggrek is bigger and arguably selling better and more branded goods than Mal Ciputra. Plaza Semanggi is in central Jakarta, further away from Mal Taman Anggrek

4. ITC MD and Pasar Pagi MD is better. MD Square is newer but still quite empty. Dusit is mainly computer center, similar as Harco MD and MD Mall (although MD MAll has some electronic/camera stores as well). You may compare ITC with Platinum Mall in bangkok

5. Depending on what you are going to buy. Tanah Abang is a whoslesales center and selling mostly fabrics and moslem-wares. There is some fashion as well (mnostly local made, but I heard now they start selling China%26#39;s as well). But IMO, MD offer better fashion (for import fashion) than Tanah Abang. It is around 30-40 mins taxi ride to Tanah ABang and their opening hour is similar to MD as well. You can always spend 1st day to check around MD and if you find nothing is really interesting, you can head to Tanah Abang on 2nd day

Happy Shopping!

1. It is safe to walk around at mangga dua as the area is dominated by Indonesian Chinese, but you should be aware of your safety at all times (of pickpockets, etc). Walking from Mangga Dua Square to mangga dua area (ITC area) is not advisable as it is hot at daytime and the pollution is hazardous - from cars%26#39; exhaust.

2. Verdims answer already.

3. Mall Ciputra is in the west Jakarta, while Plaza Semanggi is in the central. Mall Ciputra is more established and you can find all mid-priced shops, something like Parco Bugis Junction.

Plaza Semanggi is newer, also mid-priced but not as many shops as mall ciputra.

4. ITC, Pasar Pagi, and Dusit is famous for wholesale center of mangga dua. Mangga Dua Square tries to be the same as the former places, providing more comfy surrounding (aircon, etc), but the shops are still empty compared to the mangga dua area.

5. Tanah Abang is famous for textiles, fashion stuff, and wholesale. Mostly favoured by locals and Muslims (as there are huge collection of muslim wear). It is also open in the morning and close early (7am - 3pm). Basically the two places almost offer the same thing, you can get better prices if: you %26#39;lihai%26#39; in bargain and you know the seller (loyal customer).

You guys are super fast and expert for Jakarta !

So how far is Mal Ciputra from MD ?

Can I find good body/foot massage (for both men and women) at MD area ?

To Mall Ciputra from Mangga Dua (we called it MangDu, not MD btw) will take around 20min (the fastest) to around 30-40mins, depending on traffic as the road you will pass is known for its jam. So like verdims said, avoid travelling in the morning and evening rush hour. 6.30-7pm + is okay.

If you just want some foot reflexiology center, there is one inside the Mall Mangga Dua. For full operated spa, there is one at Novotel Mangga Dua. There is also a number of %26#39;health center%26#39; operated in the area, you might try but some of them is actually offer those %26#39;extra%26#39; service, not really recommended.

Thank you so much guys !

I am sure I will have a good shopping trip this time.

Hi guys, it%26#39;s me again.

I often see you guys mentioned about Bandung.

Is it a very interesting place ?

Is it better place to shop ?

Hi

Bandung is famous for Factory Outlets shopping (for factory export surplus, however I found out now they are selling fake items as well).

It is about 3 hrs by car from Jakarta to Bandung BUT you must go there not on weekend and/or public holiday, otherwise you will end up stuck with traffic jam inside the city since many Jakarta people are flooding Bandung.

It is really depends on what you are looking for. As explained, MD is for import fashion and Bandung is geared more as factory outlet.

Generally, stuffs in Bandung offer slightly lower price than MD with somewhat better quality.

Other things, Bandung is located in highland, hence it has some interesting resort to see and experience if you have more than 1 day to spend there.