Jakarta, Indonesia, TOP 8 get to know this novel city from the perspective of nightlife

Whenever a friend comes to Jakarta, regardless of whether they are male or female, a common question they ask is: Hey! Where is the best place to go for nightlife in Jakarta? The reason why they ask this question is that most friends who come to Indonesia will go through three stages: First, before they come, they often think that Indonesia is a difficult place to live in and a backward place because many foreign workers in the country are Indonesian.



Then the second stage is after I really came here, I saw the high-rise buildings in Jakarta, the bustling crowds, and the department stores were bigger and bigger, some were as big as a football field, and the men and women in the city center dressed better than in my country, and their spending power was amazing. I was surprised that I really underestimated this super city with a population of 10 million.

But in the third stage, after staying for a while, I began to feel that Jakarta was really boring. It seemed that there was no other activities except department stores. On holidays, I wanted to go to natural attractions such as mountains or beaches, but they were farther away than I imagined, or because of the underdeveloped transportation construction, people’s impulse to Travel far away was often poured with a basin of cold water.

Is there a solution to this situation? Is life in Jakarta really boring? Yes, that is the nightlife in Jakarta, which is actually colorful and dazzling beyond imagination, giving you the opportunity to escape from the usual Islamic atmosphere and temporarily move towards a free and unrestrained life. However, due to limited space, this article will focus on the nightclubs.

In general, the nightclubs in Jakarta are generally formal in dress. Basically, the casual dress in nightclubs in other countries is quite rare in Jakarta. As for the music, it is mainly pop music EDM, and other styles such as trance or dub step are only played in very few nightclubs. As for the people, you have to see them for yourself.

Some information about clubbing in Jakarta

All nightclubs in Jakarta are not cheap

The general entrance fee (without private rooms) is about NT$500-750 (IDR200,000-300,000) on weekdays, but because alcohol is more expensive in Indonesia, a cocktail costs about NT$500. Therefore, it is recommended that heavy drinkers can choose to order a whole bottle, so that they don’t have to pay the First Drink Charge, and there will also be a table or sofa area.

The nightclub doorman pays great attention to clothing

The doorman here really pays attention to clothing. No matter how much money you ask for, you may not be allowed in if your clothes are not right. For men, it is not recommended to wear T-shirts, not to mention shorts and slippers. For girls, dresses are generally recommended, and I have seen small dresses.

Music is not the focus of Jakarta nightclubs

Unfortunately, music is not the focus of Jakarta nightclubs. Most nightclubs (except Jenja) play pop or EDM pop songs, but foreign DJs in DJ Mag Top 100 are often invited to Jakarta, which makes up for this shortcoming.

Some information about meeting Indonesian girls in nightclubs (sorry, I am a boy and don’t know much about meeting Indonesian boys). Generally, foreigners are very popular in Indonesian nightclubs. In the past, Europeans and Americans had an advantage, but with the popularity of Korean wave in Southeast Asia, white boys in East Asia will feel as if they are idols when they go there.

However, you may need to know that 90% of Indonesian girls do not go to nightclubs. Therefore, when you go to local nightclubs, you will probably find three main types. The first is the so-called white, rich and beautiful girls, usually Indonesian Chinese, who are arrogant in spending money. The second is the gold-loving girls, who may sit alone by the bar and wait for you to chat, or after getting to know you, use various methods to let you buy a drink. As for what happens afterwards, it depends on your skills, but you never have to spend money. The third type is foreign girls.

At this point, you may ask me, why are these three types so unique, are there no girls from the neighborhood? Of course there are, I have met many of them. But as I said before, because of the strong Islamic atmosphere in the local area, most girls do not go to nightclubs, so the main body who usually go to nightclubs are the three types of girls mentioned above.

1. Jenja



Pros: Jenja is the newest and most vibrant club in Jakarta. This is the second Jenja opened in Indonesia after the success of the Seminyak branch. The nightclub is well-designed and not too luxurious, and it is one of the few electronic music with a unique style (personal opinion is not a fight). Their first guest DJs were Oliver Huntemann, MANDY and Marc Romboy. Jenja has a rich crowd, with many foreigners, students and socialites.

Cons: There are not so many girls, at least not as many as dragonfly or Immigrant, and I have been there before and felt that the traffic arrangement is a bit strange.

However, if you want to go, please note that Jenja Hotel is located in South Jakarta (Cilandak), a 30-minute drive from the city center. If you need a cheap hotel nearby, I would recommend Midtown Residence.

2. Dragonfly



Pros: Dragonfly has the best interior design of any nightclub in Jakarta (or even in Indonesia). It's crowded and has a strict door policy, so the clothes are fashionable and the music is pretty good.

Cons: Although there are a lot of people, many of them are prostitutes or the aforementioned gold-loving girls. The entrance fee is a bit expensive, about NT$750 (Rp300,000) and there are no drinks. If you bring a group, you can book a table in advance to avoid disappointment. It is recommended to go on Wednesday, which would be the best time.

3. Empirica



The SCBD area is the best place to spend a crazy night in Jakarta. The spacious Empirica is always fun and popular. I like their super long bar, chic crowd and excellent sound system. More than half of the crowd is made up of wealthy Indo-chinese groups. The entrance fee is usually around NT$250 (Rp100,000) including drinks.

4. Colosseum



Pros: The best nightclub in North Jakarta, it is best to go there after 2AM, the lighting effects and the overall space are very large and great, I also met many nice Indonesian girls there. If you don't book a private room, there is a short bar area where you can sit.

Cons: Most people stand at their high-legged tables to drink, there is relatively little dancing (it will not start until about 2AM), there are many girls from 1001 karaoke (in the same building) who will solicit customers. And it is a distance from the city center.

5. Fable



This is a club that is often said to have a younger age group, but in fact I went there a few times and found that it is actually okay. Again, analyze it with advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages: Located in the SCBD area of ​​Xinyi District, Indonesia, transportation is very convenient, and there are places to eat nearby after the party. It is the place where I have seen the most model-level girls. The entrance fee is not expensive, about NT$325 (Rp150,000) including alcohol. If you like good-looking local Indonesian girls, you can go and have a look.

Disadvantages: The nightclub is small, and people will start dancing very late. If you like East Asian looks, there are fewer people there. Most people there go in groups, so it is not so easy for those who want to chat alone.

6. Blowfish



Blowfish was renovated in 2014. Since its reopening, it has successfully attracted the more high-end groups in Jakarta (especially young Chinese Indonesians). Recent guest DJs include Dirty South, Fat Boy Slim or Richie Hawtin.

Pros: There are many girls, many so-called white, rich and beautiful girls, most of them are Chinese Indonesians or Indo-chinese, the crowd is of good quality, and those who like East Asian looks can go and have a look. The music is good, the DJs are well selected, and the decoration and lighting are also quite gorgeous.

Cons: The space is not big, the dance floor is small, and the dance floor area often feels a bit crowded, and there are more groups of friends gathering there, so it is not so easy to get to know girls.

7. Golden Crown



Golden Crown is a typical North Jakarta club that may have drugs and prostitution going on. It is almost always crowded, mostly with local Indonesians. If you want to go clubbing on a weekday, this is an option if you don't mind its dirty side, with a huge karaoke bar.

8. X2 / Equinox



This is basically the one I frequented most before, with the most people and an even ratio of men to women. However, since it was closed for renovation, I don't know when it will reopen, but I still want to mention its pros and cons.

Pros: Even ratio of men to women, many high-quality people, many of them are local white-collar workers and foreign workers, and the venue is large, it is easy to make friends or chat.

Cons: There are also many girls who travel around for money, and they will use various excuses to get you to buy drinks or pay for them, so you may need to pay attention.