Jakarta, Indonesia

I just got back from a short business trip in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. It's my first time to visit the most populous city of South East Asia. Likewise, it's my first time to travel on a budget carrier via ValuAir - Jet Star. Inspite of the fairly good reputation that some budget airlines have struggled to establish in recent years, I'm still not comfortable travelling on these carriers. Maybe because the word "budget" somehow exudes an element of doubt on the safety of their operations. But after this experience, it's actually not bad at all especially if it's only for short distance trips. My flights to Jakarta and back to Singapore were both on-time. Also, service from the airline is relatively ok.

I stayed in Hotel Mulia Senayan. A 5 star hotel located in the heart of Jakarta. By far, this is the only hotel that I've seen using an x-ray scanner at the entrance of its premises. It gave me an impression of how serious terrorism really is in this country. I love this hotel. It's very generous in space, the room is clean and the staff are courteous. Definitely, a good choice. It's also near to Senayan City and Plaza Senayan Shopping Centres. Here's how the room looked like.