Air Asia inflight magazine: Travel 360

Jakarta Walking Tour featured on Air Asia inflight magazine February 2019 edition. Travel 360 write feature article about food tour experience around Asian country.

Taste for Travel. The best way to connect with other cultures is through food and here we explore some of the best food tours in the region to whet every traveller’s appetite.

On page 60 – 64 Travel 360 summarize several country where people could immerse local culture through food tour. China, Malaysia, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Morocco, Vietnam, South Korea, India, and Indonesia chosen as countries in Asia which have very fond food culture.

Jakarta Food Tour as a part of Jakarta Walking Tour that www.jakartawalkingtour.com open since 2015 represent Indonesia (on this article – red) to bring the best local food for anyone who visit Indonesia, especially Jakarta.

Air Asia goes to Jakarta

Jakarta Food Tour. A great way to get acquinted with Jakarta’s street food in through this four-hour tour by Jakarta Walking Tour. On the menu are local favourites including pempek (fish cakes), siomay (steamed dumplings with peanut sauce) and es teler (iced dessert with coconut milk, jackfruit and avocado).
– Travel 360 magazine, February 2019 edition page 61 

Read more Air Asia inflight magazine February 2019 edition click here

Save your schedule, book an unforgettable food tour in Jakarta, click here

TOP CHOICE on Guides by Lonely Planet App

Jakarta Walking Tour reviewed as “The Best Play” in Jakarta on Guides by Lonely Planet App.

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More description about Jakarta Walking Tour on Lonely Planet:

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Get to the heart of a destination with Lonely Planet on your mobile device. Packed with tips and advice from on-the-ground experts, and city guides here: Download Guides by Lonely Planet App

 

Sunday activity idea: Car Free Day

car free day in jakarta

Jakarta is the busiest city in Indonesia. Motorbikes, cars, buses, they hit the road every single day. What if…all the cars, motorbikes, pollution suddenly disappear? In CAR FREE DAY, those dreams are possible. 

Every Sunday morning, from 6 to 11 AM, the police officers will close the main street of Jakarta for everyone who wants to exercise or just hang around to refresh their mind. It is from Bundaran Senayan (near Gelora Bung Karno football stadion) to MH Thamrin Street (could up to Monas Park). It approximately has 6,5 kilometer for each way, and the police will close two ways street in Car Free Day. Total 13 kilometer just for people!

Most Jakartans will gather around Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (in front of Grand Indonesia Mall) since there is a lot of booths and music live show will setting up on Thamrin Street until Bendungan Hilir Street. These area could provide parking service for Jakartans who come to enjoy Car Free Day. We as a local, do not have exercise habit. Yes, we should admit that fact. However we still come for exploring, hanging out with friends/family, or gathering with our local community.

Then, what you could do in Jakarta’s Car Free Day as a tourist?

Car Free Day Idea #1: Sit on the street and post it on instagram

This might sounds silly. But in fact, you can not sit on the busy street of Jakarta everyday. It is not small street or ‘regular back alley’ that looks like similiar anywhere in Asian countries. On Car Free Day, you could sleep, sit, whatever you want in main street of Jakarta. MAIN STREETS, near business district with all those sky scrappers as your background. 

sunday activity car free day

Car Free Day Idea #2: Try street foods

The crowded street and food sellers. It is trying to answer old question,”Chicken or Egg, which one comes first?” Hahaha. Whatever the answer might be, try street foods on Car Free Day is never be wrong idea. Another tricky question, which street food that I should buy? How do I know that one is tastier than the other one? Nah, you never know. Also, everyone has their own preferable flavor. Just try to find clean stalls then buy it. My mom always told me to look on street seller feet before buy anything on the street. If they can not keep their feet clean, how could they manage to have our food safe? Logic. 

Car Free Day Idea #3: Strolling around by foot

Just go with the flow. Join local activity on Car Free Day. Talk to Jakartans. Eat ice cream. Sit somewhere then pay attention for anything happens in front of your eyes. Slowing down, walking, and enjoying the vibe. If you like photography, you definitely would love Car Free Day. It is a good chance to understand more about melting pot city like Jakarta. Hear stories, capture moments when every body feel relax. 

Car Free Day Idea #4: Rent bike

Of course, we don’t recommend you to bike in normal day but in Car Free Day? Definitely a YES. It is safer. You could go far with wheels. However, there is no rent bike place on the street (read: Car Free Day). You need to go rent bike shop by your own before you hit the road. Based on our experience, you need to book it couple day before Sunday morning. No go show. Small effort like email or phone call will worth a try. 

So, are you ready to get up early on Sunday? See you there, on Car Free Day!


Do you want to experience Car Free Day with us? Walking or biking? Just drop your email here

 

Soto

soto in jakarta

Soto is one dish that is found throughout the archipelago but have their own specific regional variation. There are dozens of varieties of soto, but this soup dish is mainly composed of broth, meat, and vegetables. Soto spices include the shallot, garlic, turmeric, root, galangal, ginger, coriander, salt and pepper.

Black Soto Rawon

Soto Rawon – East Java. Black broth come from Kluwek spice (Pangium edule -red)

Soto is usually garnished with sohun (rice vermicelli), bean sprouts, sliced boiled eggs, chopped spring onions and Chinese celery. The soup is usually accompanied by rice or rice cakes (ketupat or lontong) and eaten with potato cakes (perkedel), shrimp crackers (kerupuk udang) or gnetum seed crips (emping).


Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here         


Do you want to taste delicious Soto in Jakarta? Let’s join our all-you-can-eat Jakarta Food TourWe will bring you to the best soto restarurant in town. Contact us here

 

Jakarta Food Tour Experience with CTB Global

jakarta

My motto is to travel efficient; this includes tasting local delicacies in a smart way. That’s why I often look for a local food tour, especially in Asia, to taste as much different dishes as possible during a night. During my trip through Indonesia together with my daughter I wanted to do a food tour in Jakarta. I booked a Jakarta food tour with Jakarta Walking Tours which is managed by Vera.

 

This was a great choice as she knew the places to go eat very well and explained each dish into detail. Hungry yet? Join me on a Jakarta food tour!

Before you start with your Jakarta Food Tour make sure you don’t eat too much during the day. You will be eating four hours and you do want to taste as much as possible. If you worry about getting sick of street food: please don’t. Everything is fresh and cooked on the spot so the risk is very low.

Continue reading here: Jakarta Food Tour with CTB Global

Jakarta Food Tour Experience when Fasting Month

jakarta

It is Ramadan. Indonesia is home to the largest population of Muslims in the world. Over 12{9e84ad3adf7f6649419c3d34c511cc75d18ba3101b1ac61299241cdd2f2cd7ab} of the world’s Muslims live here, and about 100 of them are sitting to my left and to my right on short, green plastic chairs, in a street-side restaurant with a roof made of stretched-tarp. They stare at their food, waiting for the clock to strike 6:00 p.m. Many awoke early to eat breakfast at 4:00 a.m., and then went without food and water for the last 14 hours. It is oppressively hot and humid, especially with all of these hungry bodies packed into a room that traps heat, testing everyone in their last few minutes of fasting.

Everyone but me. I am on a food tour. During Ramadan.

 

So I begin with the soup, and I move onto the Tempe Bacem. All but one person eyes me with contempt. It doesn’t matter that I’m the infidel. What matters is that everyone is hungry. And I’m eating. (There was one other person, a Muslim man who seemed in his early 60s, who kept sneaking little pinches of white rice into his mouth, refusing to chew so that his secret might be safe.) I’m a fan of sacrifice, but in a world where few ever remove their mask, I love that guy.
Continue reading here: Jakarta Food Tour

Keris

keris collection

The keris is a distinctive dagger indigenous to Indonesia. Nearly all regions in the Indonesian archipelago have their own distinct from of keris. Most Javanese families own a keris that has been passed down through generations.

The best keris are made by master blade smiths called ‘empu’ who are highly respected craftsmen and also learned in the arts, history and occult sciences. The process of making keris is often secretive and mystical.

keris body part

Keris blades are generally narrow with a wide, asymmetrical base. A keris aesthetic value comprise of the dhapur (the form and design of the blade), the pamor (the pattern of decoration on the blade), and tangguh (its age and origin). In high quality keris, the blades are created by folding in layers of different metals hundreds of times with utmost precision. The Javanese keris can have either a straight or wavy blade with an odd number of curves.

Both weapon and spiritual object, the keris is considered to possess spiritual powers or kesaktian to which special titles are conferred. Today, this magnificent dagger are still used for display purposes, as talismans, weapons, sacred heirlooms, auxiliary equipment for court soldiers and accessories for ceremonial dress which is an indicator of social status and a symbol of heroism. Cleansing rituals in keris­-bathing ceremonies on the first of the Javanese Sura month ensures the kesaktian of the sacred keris.


Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here         

Angklung

An unique musical instrument from West Java, the angklung is made up of two to four bamboo tubes suspended vertically on a bamboo frame. The lower part of the tubes us unattached, enabling them to produce sound were shaken. Each piece of angklung is made using bamboo of a particular diameter, corresponding to the different chords its intended to produce. Therefore, the smaller the angklung, the higher note it produces.

To play the angklung, the left hand lightly holds the upper left edge of the frame while the right hand shakes the lower right edge of the instrument. The angklung can be played in an ensemble of 15 players with 15 pieces of angklung or in combination with other musical instruments. Watch wonderful angklung group play on Bandung bamboo musical instruments workshop below:

However, you could also play it solo. Couple weeks ago, we saw street musician who play angklung in a very comfy way – sit on the low chair, cross the leg, and effortless play this instrument: 

The angklung’s present day diatonic chromatic scale, developed in 1938 by Daeng Sutigna of Kuningan, West Java, enables players to broaden their repertoire and go beyond traditional songs. The exotic sound of the angklung has attracted many contemporary Western musicians to incorporate the humble angklung into their ensembles.


Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here  
Featured image credit: www.tempo.co      


Do you want to experience angklung group orchestra just like people on the video? Read more about Bandung tour tips and trick here or drop us message here

 

Gudeg

Credit picture here

Jakarta is a home for foods of Indonesia. This is the best thing of capital city like Jakarta, you could find almost every characterize dishes from different regions in the archipelago. Gudeg, a specialty of Yogyakarta, is a dish made of young jackfruit stewed in coconut-milk, palm sugar, and traditional spices. The jackfruit dish is very slowly cooked in a clay pot until very tender, which may take up to several hours. Several teak (jati) leaves are added to give the jackfruit its reddish chocholate color.

The accompanying dishes are also cooked in a similar way, such as chicken, boiled egg, tofu, and tempe (fermented soybean). To balance the sweetness, there’s the spicy Sambal Goreng Krecek or buffalo skin also cooked in coconut-milk.

Tempe Bacem

Tempe Bacem

There are several variants of gudeg, such as: Gudeg Kering (Dry Gudeg), which is served with areh or thick, concentrated coconut milk; Gudeg Basah (Wet Gudeg), served with a more diluted areh; and Gudeg Solo, which is much lighter almost light pink in color as opposed to the traditional dark chocholate color.

Chicken Egg Gudeg with Jackfruits Gudeg as its background

Chicken Egg Gudeg with Jackfruits Gudeg spotted on the background

In Yogyakarta, the best way to enjoy this regional specialty is by eating at many lesehan stalls that line the city’s streets. Lesehan means sitting on mats and these establishments are basically sidewalk cafes where seating is provided right on the mat-covered sidewalks.


Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here         


Do you want to taste amazing Gudeg in Jakarta? Let’s join our all-you-can-eat Jakarta Food TourWe will bring you to the best gudeg stall in town. Contact us here

 

Batik

Batik is highly refined Javanese art of decorating cloth. More than just an adornment, batik embodies the soul and mysticism of the Javanese. Batik can be traditionally hand-drawn (batik tulis) using a canting (copper wax pen) or stamped using finely shaped copper blocks (batik cap). Batik tulis is generally more highly-praised as it requires more time, concentration and skill to produce. A single hand-painted batik cloth may take up to 2-3 months to complete. Stamped batiks are a more modern invention and require less time to produce. Traditional motifs include kawung, ceplok, and parang.

The styles of batik vary according to the region, each having an unique set of motifs, color preferences and symbolism. Coastal Batik show influences of foreign cultures. They are brighter and more colorful, dominated by yellows, mauves, ochre, greens and pale blue. Batik Pekalongan is characterized by its Dutch-influenced flower (buketan) motifs, while Cirebon has its signature mega mendung or stylized cloud motif of Chinese influence. Court Batik comes primarily from Solo and Yogyakarta and is colored using dyes of earthy tones. In batik design, the color blue traditionally symbolizes the earth; brown symbolized fire, and white for water and air.

Batik is highly versatile, used in both formal and informal occasions, by people from all walks of life.


Source                  : “The Ultimate Destination of INDONESIA”
Copyright            : Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry (2011)
Disclaimer click here         


Do you want to learn more about batik? We will bring you to the batik workshop to learn how to make batik and get to know more about batik cultural background on the right place with the expert. Contact us here