10 Exciting Shopping Experiences in Jakarta, a Shoppers' Paradise

Whether you are a fan of exclusive brands, someone who seeks high-quality products, a lover of bulk and bargain shopping, or someone who just wants to simply enjoy shopping, Jakarta is definitely the ideal place for you. Besides being the main center of government and business activities, Jakarta is also the center of shopping in the country, offering a wide range of things and places to shop.

From high-end exclusive malls, high-end fashion boutiques, luxury and special item stores, wholesale centers or retail stores, and folk markets selling special goods, Jakarta has it all. In addition, the variety of items you can buy in Jakarta is incredible, from the best local handicrafts, popular and top fashion products, accessories and decorations, to unique souvenirs, gifts, and more.

As a shopper's paradise, Jakarta often hosts city-wide shopping festivals, the most exciting of which are the Jakarta Big Sale and Indonesia Discount Shopping Days, where you can enjoy amazing discounts and a series of bonuses and offers.

Here are some of the most attractive Jakarta shopping destinations, all in one complex, you must visit when you are in Jakarta.

1 | Plaza Senayan



Built in 1996, this high-end mall is strategically located near the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium area in the city center. You can find a range of high-end brands here, from Zara to Dolce Gabbana. There are also two of the largest chain department stores on either side of the mall, Metro Department Store on the south end and Sogo Department Store on the north end.

If you are looking for books, then go to Kinokuniya at Plaza Senayan, which is the largest foreign bookstore in the country. The mall also has many luxury restaurants and cafes. There is a huge musical clock in the middle of the lobby that jingles every hour.

Across the road is another large mall that offers everything, from high-end brands to cozy restaurants and hangouts, Senayan City Mall.

2 | Pondok Indah Mall



Pondok Indah Mall is a large shopping mall located in the exclusive suburb of Pondok Indah in South Jakarta, also known as "PIM". The complex consists of three large shopping malls, namely the three-story PIM 1, the five-story PIM 2, and the new street gallery connected by two elevated multi-story pedestrian walkways.

There are rental stores on the North and South pedestrian bridges. PIM 1 and PIM 2 offer a wide selection of fashion products, accessories, beauty products, homewares, and more. In the street gallery, you can taste a lot of Indonesian cuisine. PIM 3 has a series of restaurants specializing in delicious rib soup, wine and Japanese cuisine.

3 | Grand Indonesia Shopping Town



Located at the iconic landmark Bundaran HI, Grand Indonesia is a premium shopping mall that offers a wide range of fashion, restaurants and entertainment options for an international shopping experience.

The complex consists of East Mall and West Mall, which are linked by a sky bridge and cover an area of ​​263.226 square meters. Here you can browse many internationally renowned fashion brands such as Pull & Bear, Levis, Mothercare, ELC, Justice, Dr.Marten, Uniqlo, etc. Most importantly, you can find Indonesian handicrafts such as silver jewelry, the best batik and Songket cloth here.

Grand Indonesia Shopping Mall is not only a paradise for the fashion world, but also a paradise for foodies. With more than a hundred food and beverage outlets, you will never be short of places to eat and drink.

4 | Taman Anggrek Mall



When it first opened in 1996, Taman Anggrek Mall or the Orchid Mall was the largest mall in Southeast Asia. Located in Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta, the mall is adorned with a massive LED facade, said to be the largest in the world.

Housed in eight residential towers, the mall has seven floors and covers an area of ​​360,000 square meters. With more than 400 specialty stores and international brands, it is a top destination for those seeking a worthwhile retail adventure or trendsetters.

The mall also has Southeast Asia's first indoor ice skating rink and more than 10 exhibition areas.

5 | Pasar Baru (New Market)



Pasar Baru literally means "New Market" and is actually the oldest shopping mall in the city, built in 1820. Even after all these years, Pasar Baru, located near Lapangan Banteng and Kemayoran, is still as popular today.

Looking closer at the shops, you will find that most of the shop owners are Indians living in Jakarta, so this place is sometimes called "Little India". The new market street is open to pedestrians only and is lined with many shops, restaurants and several shopping malls.

Most of the shops here sell textiles, shoes, clothes and other fashion items such as sportswear, watches and jewelry. The shopping malls in the north specialize in cosmetics, cameras and photography products.

6 | Tanah Abang Market



When it comes to wholesale and bulk shopping, Tanah Abang Market is definitely the ultimate hotspot. Located in the city center, just around the corner of Sudirman Boulevard, the market has been famous for wholesale and raw materials for centuries.

The market has a large number of products, especially textiles and clothing, and most importantly, the prices are the cheapest, making it perfect for resale. With more than 13,000 shops and 75,000 shoppers every day, Tanah Abang is recognized as the largest textile and clothing wholesale center in Southeast Asia.

Tanah Abang is indeed a huge shopping mall with more than 5 shopping areas (the main areas are Area A and Area B). If you are visiting for the first time, be sure to pay attention to your surroundings or you will get lost.

7 | Mangga Dua International Trade Center (ITC)



This is truly a shopping paradise, a favorite not only for domestic tourists but also for tourists from neighboring Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, with a wide variety of imported and domestic products.

You can find everything here, from imported winter clothes and boots to thin underwear, fashion, perfume, baby clothes, fridge magnets and other small souvenirs that you can buy in bulk to hand out to guests as wedding souvenirs.

If you decide to go to Ermango, you'd better prepare your shopping list in advance and buy in bulk, because this is actually a wholesale area.

8 | Asemka Market



Pasar Asemka or Asemka Market is located near the old Batavia district and is a unique folk market that specializes in toys and various wedding souvenirs. The market atmosphere is very lively. Be sure to bargain here so that you can get the best price.

Many people consider Asemka Market to be a paradise for buying toys because the prices here are much cheaper. If you are looking for accessories and jewelry, you can go to the basement level, where there are all kinds of rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc.

9 | Mayestik Market



Built in 1980, Mayestik Market is a legendary market in Jakarta. The market was renovated in 2010, transforming the muddy and hot traditional market into a modern building with air conditioning.

The market is located on Jalan Tebah, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. Mayestik Market is a textile paradise. The oldest store in the market, La'Mode, built in 1980, is a favorite of famous Indonesian fashion designers.

The store is located near the entrance of the market and sells a variety of domestic and imported fabrics. Another legendary store is Esa Mokan, not far from La'Mode; Budi Mulia, which sells various brands of cosmetics; and Esa Genangku, which mainly sells home clothes.

10 | Rawa Bening Market / Jakarta Gem Center



Formerly known as Pasar Rawa Bening, Jakarta Gem Center in East Jakarta is a true paradise for lovers of all kinds of sparkling gemstones. You will find many precious treasures here, whether it is lapis lazuli or opal.

This four-story shopping center covers an area of ​​10,866 square meters and houses more than 1,000 sellers. It is said to be one of the largest gem centers in Southeast Asia. Let your eyes feast on the beauty of various natural gemstones such as ruby, sapphire, jade, amethyst, opal and many more.

If you want your gemstones polished, Rawa Bening Market can do it for you on the spot. They use traditional cutting and polishing methods. Here you will also find strings of gemstone beads, rings, earrings and bracelets, and some gem sellers sell their items on open tables, which is really a true old-fashioned market style.