Does anyone really know how many people live in Jakarta? The official figure is eleven million, but that is surely an underestimation. This bustling city is bursting at the seams, and plans are afoot to relocate the capital to Nusantara, on the island of Borneo, 1,200km away.

While many of us head to tropical islands for a short break, some enjoy the cut and thrust of urban living. In Jakarta, history coexists with modernity while the traffic challenges your reflexes, but its food is sure to tantalise your taste buds.

With a weekday conference completed and my family joining me for the weekend, I sought a hotel offering apartment living. The recently opened Swissôtel Living Jakarta Mega Kuningan fitted the bill perfectly, as it provided an abundance of space and facilities to prepare light meals. But more on that later.

Exploring Jakarta

We rose early to make the most of a day’s sightseeing. Breakfast is taken seriously in the Swissôtel, and we enjoyed the mix of Asian favourites, local treats, and Western staples.

Left: Swissôtel Living Jakarta Mega Kuningan is located in a mixed-use area in Jakarta. (Credit: David Bowden) | Right: Breakfast at the Swissôtel Living Jakarta offers tempting local and international favourites. (Credit: Swissôtel)

Getting an early start, we headed to the landmark Merdeka Square and the soaring National Monument, or Monas. Here, I sensed the nation’s pulse, its history, and its vision.

Stroll around the parklands while admiring the 132-metre-high National Monument. (Credit: David Bowden)

My earlier visits to Jakarta were memorable for the traffic that made moving around a nightmare. This has changed with the introduction of airport-to-city trains and purpose-built TransJakarta bus lanes along main thoroughfares, which enable faster and more efficient travel. I’m not suggesting things are perfect, but there have been remarkable improvements.

Dedicated lanes make public buses a wonderful way to explore central Jakarta. (Credit: David Bowden)

Jakarta, previously known as Batavia, was once home to Dutch traders who shipped spices back to Europe. Sunda Kelapa Harbour is an exciting part of the city to appreciate how the port is still a valuable shipping asset. We spent much of the day in Kota Tua, around Fatahillah Square, which was easy to reach by bus.

The best venue to appreciate the history of old Batavia is at Fatahillah Square. (Credit: David Bowden)

The cobbled square and colonial buildings provide a glimpse into Jakarta’s past. We stopped for lunch at Café Batavia, a colonial-era institution that offers a taste of Indonesia. The nasi goreng roa (fried rice with clams and salmon roe) was a spicy introduction to the local cuisine, while the coconut pandan was cooling in the warm weather.

Relaxing Swiss style

In the mid-afternoon, we decided to return to the Swissôtel to enjoy the pool, cool drinks, and a relaxing evening meal. The hotel reception is a welcoming meeting place, and I just loved the ambience, the extensive beverage list, and the reading material ranging from magazines to books.

The reception at the Swissôtel Living Jakarta offers a comfortable space. (Credit: David Bowden)

The kitchenette in our room was perfect for preparing a late afternoon snack while everyone freshened up for dinner.

Enjoy rooms with full kitchen facilities and a living area at the Swissôtel Living Jakarta. (Credit: Swissôtel)

After a full day of sightseeing, enthusiasm for a night out had waned, so we dined in-house at Embers. The chefs in the only restaurant in the Swissôtel were most obliging, with several dishes prepared at the table.

Left: Allow the chefs at Embers Open-Fire Grill at the Swissôtel Living Jakarta to fire up a meal. | Right: Embers Open-Fire Grill at the Swissôtel Living Jakarta takes its condiments seriously. (Credit: David Bowden)

The Australian Wagyu sirloin with a grade five marbling captured my attention. I’m particular about premium beef and find that the best way to enhance its flavour is with good salt. The waiter obliged with a selection of salts, with the perfect accompaniment to the beef being the garlic sea salt.

Taking it to the streets

The next day, we decided to embrace Jakarta a little more directly. Central Jakarta, around the Selamat Datang Monument, becomes a pedestrian-only zone on Sunday morning. This is a fabulous idea, and one that the locals have embraced, with tens of thousands taking to the streets to jog, cycle, promenade, or catch up with friends up until 11am.

Jakarta Car Free Day, or ‘car-free Sunday’, has turned into an epic weekly event in the nation’s capital. (Credit: David Bowden)

The location and timing were perfect, as we immediately retreated into nearby shopping malls when we had done all the exercise we needed.

Shopping for local products such as batik is another compelling reason to visit Jakarta. (Credit: David Bowden)

Jakarta after dark

In addition to dining in the Swissôtel, we tried several street food delicacies such as satay, gado-gado, and otak-otak, for their spiciness and value for money. I was happy to support the local coffee outlet Liberica, which has outlets all over Jakarta that are contemporary in design and feature locally grown and roasted coffee.

No one goes hungry on the streets of Jakarta. (Credit: David Bowden)

However, on our last night, it was time to elevate our celebrations and enjoy the city’s highlights. We ascended to SKYE Jakarta on the 56th floor of the BCA Tower to enjoy 360° nighttime views, with drinks being a bonus.

It was wonderful sleeping in on Monday morning, especially knowing that my friends were at work. While none of us were so inclined, I noticed there were morning yoga classes in the hotel.

Left: Start the day with morning yoga at Swissôtel Living Jakarta. | Right: Admire the Jakarta skyline from the Swissôtel Living Jakarta Mega Kuningan. (Credit: David Bowden)

The early evening departure back to Kuala Lumpur on KLM meant we had the day to relax in the hotel and utilise its facilities and the spacious room.

Getting to Jakarta: There are several flights a day from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta on both full-service and budget airlines. KLM offers convenient flights from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta departing in the late afternoon. It also returns in the mid-evening to ensure a full day in Jakarta.

Where I stayed: Swissôtel Living Jakarta Mega Kuningan