Navigating Jakarta’s Event Calendar

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In a bustling city of 10 million people there’s always something new to see. The challenge is knowing where to look. Below are a selection of useful websites that will inform your next outing in Jakarta.

If you’re looking for a website that caters for both the adventurous traveler and the seasoned Jakarta resident then What’s New Jakarta (whatsnewjakarta.com) may be just the site for you.

The website boasts the most extensive event, activities and club listings for Jakarta. This database is supported by regular updates of events in Jakarta from art exhibitions, charity balls, and music festivals, to business networking functions.

If you’re up for a culinary adventure, then What’s New features a number of restaurant reviews and cooking classes available in Jakarta ranging from French cuisine to Spanish, Japanese and Indonesian.

Perhaps the most useful aspects of the site are the regular sales, special getaways and promotional packages offered by the website. For those who’ve tried and tested the galleries in Jakarta, these listings offer new adventures.

While the website can be a little difficult to navigate, it certainly provides an extensive list of activities for all, if not the odd laugh and a bargain.

Enjoy Jakarta (jakarta-tourism.go.id) is a government-run website that directs visitors to activities and events relevant to their circumstances, be they members of the media, the business community, or just passing visitors.

Enjoy Jakarta features a regularly updated blog that focuses on current events or upcoming festivals in Jakarta. Posts cover the performances of international artists, shopping guides, short island getaways, and theme parks.

The website also features a high quality image gallery and an “experience” section that profiles island getaways and hotel options for those wishing to escape Jakarta for a day or two.

For visitors to Jakarta the events and activities listed are predominantly cultural in nature, ranging from orchid and garden expos to book or wedding festivals. For the business minded the events are mainly industry-focused expos, supported by key facts and figures of Jakarta’s economy for those new to the city.

Lonely Planet (lonelyplanet.com) is the perennial travel guide and has a lot to offer those traveling through Jakarta or even those residing in the city who may have missed a few of the treats this city has to offer.

The guide is renowned for its helpful information provided by those familiar with the city. Whether you’re looking for the perfect Middle Eastern restaurant in Kemang or a new museum experience, the Lonely Planet website will inform you of prices, transport options, closing hours and even menu selections.

While Lonely Planet caters mostly for traveling visitors, the sheer volume of activities listed means there’s still something here for the Jakarta resident. Despite helpful information, the site is however limited by its infrequent updates that see seasonal or one-off events and expos ignored.

For those interested in Jakarta nightlife it’s hard to look past Jakarta 100 (www.jakarta100.com). The website is regularly updated with weekly events and nightlife tips that cover the best places to head on a specific night and how to stay safe.

Jakarta100 ranks the best nightlife destinations according to reader feedback and social media interactions. Each venue is assigned a short description and links are provided to their websites.

Finally with street stalls on every corner and a mass of new restaurants, the competition for patrons is intense. The Whiteboard Journal’s (whiteboardjournal.com) stylish online feature of Jakarta’s best restaurants is sure to point you in the right direction.

The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post