Things To Do On The Weekend in Jakarta

1 day stopover in Jakarta. We didn't know Jakarta yet and booked a 4-hour tour with Adrie at short notice via “withlocals”. We asked Adrie to focus on the history and architecture. While the driver guided us in a modern and spacious car with air conditioning (which was especially good after the short walks), through the crowded streets of Jakarta, Adrie used the time to talk about Indonesia, Jakarta and the sights we passed. We also liked the fact that there was a cool drink in the car. The tour was very well organized and a great mix of driving, short walks through the National Archive Museum, Chinatown, Taman Fatahillah Square and the old town of Batavia. Finally, we drove to the harbor, which the Dutch conquered in 1619 and built a city from there. They called it Batavia, today's Jakarta. It was a very interesting and entertaining tour. Adrie used to work for an American company, speaks excellent English and is very well educated. He has a broad knowledge of the history of Indonesia, the colonial period, society, economy and art and is also very interested in exchanging perspectives. We left Jakarta at 2.30 AM with many new impressions. Even at that time the city does not seem to rest. Jakarta is a bustling city with many faces that is well worth getting to know - we will definitely return. Our tip: If you have more than a 6 hours stay in Jakarta, don´t stay at the airport (it is boring and tiring). Take the time to visit the 2nd biggest town of the world with its 11 million inhabitants, see the modern skyscrapers and follow the traces of its history and its different cultures. Adrie has excellent time management skills and knows the secret routes to avoid the traffic jams on the main roads. He was very punctual at the hotel and dropped us off at the hotel at the agreed time. You can also leave your luggage in the car while you discover the city together. The driver stays in the car and so you can also use a short stay to get to know the city through Adrie's eyes. At the end of our tour together, Adrie asked us what we knew about Indonesia and its capital Jakarta before our visit and why so many tourists only visit or know something about Bali and a few other touristy places in Indonesia. We were initially surprised by this question, but unfortunately we had to agree with him. His question gave us food for thought. We can absolutely recommend a tour through Jakarta and especially with Adrie.

Andries communicated excellently and his whole tour was just like being with a good friend. His knowledge was impeccable and his humour and pleasure of conducting the tour for me made for the perfect day. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Adrie was excellent! His English is very good and he is full of knowledge. He offered us awonderful tour based on our preferences. He has a very laid back approach. Please hire him!!!!