Jakarta

[Hilo77]

You'd still have to take a taxi from the Marriott to the Karet stop (or else walk if it's not too hot)

Walk from the Marriott (the one in Kuningan right?) to the Karet busway stop in Sudirman? I'm not afraid of a bit of a walk but that's got to be a two-and-a-half mile rather meandering walk on Jakarta's broken, crowded, pot-holed pavements. I can't help thinking you wouldn't be in much shape for any fun after that.

[Hilo77]

I'm pretty sure I know which bar you are talking about. I've gotten nowhere with any of those girls. I am starting to think it's a hopeless chase. Then again, I don't hang out in there for long because it's boring.

Glad I'm not alone in my strike-out rate there. The girls are among the best looking, they wear the sexiest outfits and flirt outrageously with the customers but beyond a hefty bill after buying them drinks I haven't got a damn thing else from them. It's not worth the hike to the end of the street to be honest.

[LA Guy 5]

yes, the traffic is bad to kota mondays through saturdays (and sundays are not much better). one option to speed up your trip a bit would be to take the transjakarta bus line #1 from the "karet" stop on jalan sudirman up to kota. you'd still have to take a taxi from the marriott to the karet stop (or else walk if it's not too hot), but it would certainly be faster (and cheaper) than taking a taxi the whole way.

my experiences on the transjakarta buses are highly variable although i guess they have purchased some newer buses recently. maybe a couple of years ago i was in one of their older buses and literally had to open my umbrella to keep the rain coming through the roof of the bus off of me. and i'm not afraid of light rain and only use an umbrella when it pours, as it did through the bus roof. the other problem is they can get very crowded. so, although i used to rely on the transjakarta buses to get to kota (to avoid, or at least minimize traffic delays) my preferred mode of transportation now is a silver bird, in which at least you will be comfortable while stuck in traffic (it does cost a bit more than a standard taxi, although the cost is still a bargain by first-world standards).

[Mighty Spearsman]

i know that it is girl friendly and somewhat inconvenient to get to travel or classic. what i was wondering was. is the traffic bad to kota during the day on weekdays or weekends as well? is there any easy public transportation that could make the journey more tolerable?

thanks

yes, the traffic is bad to kota mondays through saturdays (and sundays are not much better). one option to speed up your trip a bit would be to take the transjakarta bus line #1 from the "karet" stop on jalan sudirman up to kota. you'd still have to take a taxi from the marriott to the karet stop (or else walk if it's not too hot), but it would certainly be faster (and cheaper) than taking a taxi the whole way.

[Traveler1234]

I know that it is girl friendly and somewhat inconvenient to get to Travel or Classic. What I was wondering was. Is the traffic bad to Kota during the day on weekdays or weekends as well? Is there any easy public transportation that could make the journey more tolerable?

Thanks

Unfortunately the answer is NO.

[Sad Sam]

I know that it is girl friendly and somewhat inconvenient to get to Travel or Classic. What I was wondering was. Is the traffic bad to Kota during the day on weekdays or weekends as well? Is there any easy public transportation that could make the journey more tolerable?

Thanks

[MarkIII]

I always liked Reds but now I hear that it is closed, I would love to hear any alternatives.

Things are moving fast in Jakarta.

My shortlist is:

- Crown, great music (if your not too old), great rooms for a private party.

- Nebula.

- Empirica.

- Colloseum.

Any of you guys tried one of the last 3 clubs??

Mark.

[Smoothy]

Alas there is one bar that has the unquestionably the hottest and cutest staff that I haven't quite cracked yet and judging by the blokes who hang out drooling at the counter I am not alone, but I am working on it.

I'm pretty sure I know which bar you are talking about. I've gotten nowhere with any of those girls. I am starting to think it's a hopeless chase. Then again, I don't hang out in there for long because it's boring.

[Hilo77]

Wow, are things really that boring around here we're reduced to discussing the merits of various hotel bathrooms? Jeez, seriously who looked at those photos and thought "Hey, I like those bathroom tiles"?

On the subject of Blok M as raised below, there is no question that the place has gone downhill a lot but as Smoothy points out Jakarta old timers have been bemoaning the decline in Blok M since Blok M became Blok M. You can still have fun and I have to say were I so minded I'd be tempted by some of the cuties now hanging around in the streets nearby Falatehan, the quality there has improved immeasurably in recent years.

In the bars themselves I certainly miss the absolutely heaving scene that would greet you upstairs in Upper-case-fourth-letter-of-the-alphabet's Place (auto-edit, who needs it?) from 9 pm onwards and in My Bar from 10 pm onwards, I enjoyed the way you could just walk in have a wander around and simply nod at a girl and ten minutes later you were in your room in the Ambara, then back to the bar again for another round with someone else, that was a lot of fun.

That has all gone but given that I have now switched my attention to the barstaff in several establishments (two currently on the go) I can live without it. That is another thing that has improved, the willingness of the staff to hook up, or it may just be a consequence of my long-term attendance that they now are familiar with me and are willing to go for quiet dalliances with regular, discreet customers who know how to keep their mouths shut around their colleagues. Perhaps I'm just looked at as a safe bet, an old codger to extract some money for the kids' school fees or mama's medication, either way I'm cool with the set up.

Alas there is one bar that has the unquestionably the hottest and cutest staff that I haven't quite cracked yet and judging by the blokes who hang out drooling at the counter I am not alone, but I am working on it.

[Menteng]

Menteng, all due respect but if you read my post again you will see that I met her a couple years ago, however the pictures are very recent. Just trying to post that one of the great things about Jakarta is that you can meet a stunner at a proper bar, and as Indo girls tend to be passionate and with a high sex drive, you can secure a regular for some great fun for all your future visits.

To clear up the Mulia / not Mulia debate, hear are some more pictures. Yes you can clearly see it is Mulia, one of the few trips in Mulia rather than Shangri La, but Mulia must be to her liking as it is the one time she let me take some photos! Hope this clears things up! Surely anyone who has ever spent a night in Mulia will remember the big green couch!

Case closed. I hope no harm's done! Welcome to the thread!

[Jwolf96]

So, add the lame excuse that it happened a couple of years ago, what will be the verdict? Guilty of faking?

Menteng, all due respect but if you read my post again you will see that I met her a couple years ago, however the pictures are very recent. Just trying to post that one of the great things about Jakarta is that you can meet a stunner at a proper bar, and as Indo girls tend to be passionate and with a high sex drive, you can secure a regular for some great fun for all your future visits.

To clear up the Mulia / not Mulia debate, hear are some more pictures. Yes you can clearly see it is Mulia, one of the few trips in Mulia rather than Shangri La, but Mulia must be to her liking as it is the one time she let me take some photos! Hope this clears things up! Surely anyone who has ever spent a night in Mulia will remember the big green couch!

[Menteng]

I know what you mean: very similar taps and the colour of the granite. The giveaway is in the earlier pic where you can see the entrance. That's not Mulia.

MD II.

So, add the lame excuse that it happened a couple of years ago, what will be the verdict? Guilty of faking?

[Jwolf96]

I know what you mean: very similar taps and the colour of the granite. The giveaway is in the earlier pic where you can see the entrance. That's not Mulia.

MD II.

That pic is from Mulia. That is my backup hotel when Shangri La is full. I love my business trips to Jakarta!

[Smoothy]

shame G string closed down

I always thought that place was lame. I never took a girl home from there.

The Blok is definitely not what it once was. Ever since they closed Lintas Melawai. But it's still good fun.

[Master Diver II]

Oh, I would have sworn that is a Mulia bathroom in the pictures. Oh well.

I know what you mean: very similar taps and the colour of the granite. The giveaway is in the earlier pic where you can see the entrance. That's not Mulia.

MD II.