Cultural Learnings of Jakarta for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Malaysia

I didn’t like Jakarta at all when I first touched down at their airport.

Worst. Welcome Sign. Ever.

My flight was delayed; the immigration officer was giving me trouble; and to top it off, I waited nearly 2 hours for a taxi at the airport. There were virtually no taxis operating that day because of a flash flood happening in Jakarta city.
Those opportunistic taxi touts were cheating me by charging double the normal rates. They kept saying “Mai jiet! Mai jiet!” (traffic jam)
The only form of entertainment I got at the airport is the very funny Official Jakarta Shopping Guide brochure.

It is Indonesian Engrish at its best.

Dunno whether to laugh or cry at whoever was paid to write this.
“This place is really spoil our eyes!”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I stayed at the pretty reasonably-priced Ibis Acardia Hotel in the Jalan Jaksa area. Jakarta is a huge old city so choosing a hotel location that is central to everywhere could save me a lotta money.
First thing I did in Jakarta? Walk straight outta my hotel for some yummy Indonesian street food!

This is Nasi Goreng Ayam Spesial (special chicken fried rice) next to plate of Ayam Bakar (chargrilled chicken). I’m not a fan of fried rice, but I must admit, those Indonesian fried rice kicks our Malaysian version’s arse anytime.
Nothing says “Welcome to Indonesia” better than a good dose deliciously unhygenic streetside food. It is so unhygenic, they wash their plates simply by dunking them into a bucket of brownish water repeatedly. Guess that adds to the flavour.
No wonder I fell sick lah.

This is Soda Susu (milk soda). Apart from having a really fun name to pronounce, it is also a damn addictive drink.
Essentially just soda mixed with condensed milk, it’s so simple I wonder why Malaysia hasn’t caught up with it over here. I must have like 10 cups of those in Jakarta alone.
Dining by the streetside of Jakarta is a damn interesting experience. The presence of young buskers who roam around asking money adds colour to the scene. I’m not talking about kids who walk around with a stupid guitar asking for money.

These kids are so organised and passionate, they even had a portable drum set going around with them!
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One thing I appreciate about Jakarta is their large shopping malls that could rival KL and Singapore’s best at anytime.

Jakarta is doughnut city.
There are doughnut shops inside shopping malls. Along the streets. Inside train stations. Airports. And virtually behind every little nook and corner of Jakarta.
I don’t think there’s another Asian city so donut-crazy before. Homer Simpson would have been proud to move to Jakarta.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. I’ve heard that they are so good that people don’t even call them “Krispy Kreme” anymore.
They call them “KRISPY KREMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Jakarta is the only city in the whole of South-East Asia to have a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts chain. But the only thing KL and Singapore have are crappy Funkin’ Dunkin’ Donuts. Why ah?
I wasted no time and order a half-dozen of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. With anticipation, I took my first bite into an original glazed doughnut and…

OMG IT WAS SO FABULOUSLY GOOD!
My whole life flashed before me and suddenly everything slowed down to a crawl. This is what I’ve been missing in my whole life!
No wonder people raved about them so much. The trip to a Krispy Kreme store is worth the air tickets to Jakarta alone.

Almost equally as good as Krispy Kreme is a local homegrown doughnut chain store J.Co
I thought I was kiasu enough to bring 4 boxes of Krispy Kreme on my flight back home to my loved ones.
Then I saw one couple carrying almost 20 BOXES of J.Co donuts! Even more kiasu!

But having tasted the offerings from both chains, I still prefer the taste of Krispy Kreme’s doughnuts lah.
What I like about J.Co’s doughnuts is that they have a lot more varieties of flavour, such as green tea and the deliciously crunchy chocolate doughnut.

Gotta love their quirky sense of humour too.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bandung is a small town 3 hours by train from Jakarta and it is a great place to shop.
The main mode of public transport here is the angkot.

It’s basically a Toyota Econovan modified into a minibus. The fare to any destination along the angkot’s route is filthy cheap at a flat 2,000 rupiah (RM0.80) only.

It’s easy to tell the driver when to stop. All you gotta do is shout out “kiri! kiri!”. In English, that means “to the left! to the left!”.
Someone like Beyonce is really gonna have a lot of trouble travelling around in Bandung.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Most people think of shopping holidays, and they immediately think Hong Kong, or Taiwan, or Singapore, or KL. Not many of us ever really thought of Bandung as a great shopping destination.
I’m telling you, you are really missing out. Bandung is the best kept shopping secret of South East Asia.

Jalan Riau in Bandung has one huge row of factory outlet stores selling designer clothing at ridiculously discounted prices. Authentic Burberry jeans at RM35, anyone? How about a sexy Bebe top for the ladies at just RM42?
Another great product to buy here in Bandung are the brownies. I bought some back home for my family and they absolutely love it.

Anybody wanna taste my Brownies Kukus?
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The transportation options around the Jakarta is an eye-opener alright. Aside from the usual buses and taxis, you also have the choice of travelling on motorcycles. Helmets optional.
Otherwise, you can ride on one of these lean mean orange machines known as the Ojek Bajaj.

At less than RM2 for a 5-minute journey, it’s a real bargain.

I can’t help it. But those Bajajs actually reminded me a lot of our sexist bocor Jasin MP.
Slow. Loud. And very, very ugly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Travelling by taxis in Indonesia can be quite risky. At the advice of kennysia.com readers, I was told only to travel in those blue “Blue Bird” taxis in Jakarta.
Terrible name. If this were in Kuching, no chance in hell is a taxi called “Blue Bird” is ever gonna last long.
I mean seriously, not a lot of Kuching folks would feel comfortable sitting in some Lam Jiao taxi right!?

“Blue Bird” may be a horrible name for a taxi, but they are the only one with a good safety record around here.
They are so good that some of their competitors had even painted their vehicles blue to confuse people.
Yea, nowadays you can even get pirated Lam Jiao taxis.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I really enjoyed scuba diving at North Jakarta’s Thousand Islands.
The place. Not the salad sauce.
The water is so clear here you could see millions of fish swimming right by the dock.

Saw some weird-looking corals too.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A lot of people in Jakarta live in extreme poverty. Some of these people are so poor they don’t even have a shelter over their head.

To them, their bed is the cold hard floor. Even more amazing is that people around them thinks sleeping in public places is a seemingly normal thing to do.

Unlike in Malaysia, homeless people aren’t just sleeping around in train stations or park benches. They fall asleep just about everywhere in the big city. And there are so many of them.

2,500 Rupiah or RM1, for a 1-hour train journey. Cheap.

I had a taste of poverty when I took an economy train from a town called Bogor back to Jakarta. I realised that in Jakarta, their definition of “Economy” is no where close to Malaysia Airline’s definition of “Economy”.

The economy train I took was so bad and run-down that it didn’t even have a functioning air-conditioner. Every few minutes salesmen shuffles their way through the crowded train, selling everything from fruits and drinks to toys and lightbulbs.

The most amazing thing was that the train doors were left open deliberately, while the train was running at full speed.
Some may say doing so is a safety hazard. Some may say this is a complete disregard of human life, but people here actually appreciate it. They like it ‘cos they can enjoy free “natural air-conditioning” by hanging off the train’s sidebars.

It was truly a sight to behold. During rush hours, you could even see young men sitting on the rooftop. Like it’s a perfectly normal place to sit during a train ride.

KL’s train may be slow and inefficient, but having gotten used to air-conditioned transports in Malaysia and Singapore, I was really quite amazed that there are trains in such a bad condition in Indonesia.
One train I saw was so old, it still had the words “Osaka to Fukuoka” printed on the side.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chess is a favourite pass time among the street vendors in Jakarta.
You could challenge them for a game, but it’ll cost you 1,000 Rupiah (RM0.38)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jakarta is a city with many statues and monuments. Like every great leader, Indonesia’s first President Sukarno enjoys building a lot of those bloody things to commemorate his legacy.
The most famous of all is its national landmark – Monas.

This 137m tall structure was commissioned by President Sukarno when he was at the height of his power, but too bad the fella was overthrown before he could finished it. As a result, the Monas was also affectionately known as Sukarno’s Last Erection.
Why do great country leaders always build huge, phallic symbols during their reign? To show off their manhood?
Of course, Sukarno wasn’t the only country leader who erected a big giant penis-like structure for his people. Not wanting to be outdone by our neighbour, Malaysia too, had a great leader who erected something even bigger.


Gotta wonder the hidden meaning behind that structure eh? 😉


I’ll be at the Nuffnang Gathering in Penang on the 23rd June.
It’ll be the day before I have to run 42km, so be nice to me yea?

234 Replies to “Cultural Learnings of Jakarta for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Malaysia”

  1. Hi Kenny I’ve been reading your blog for more than a year now and this is the first time I leave a comment. Your entries are great as always and I’ve always enjoyed it. Keep up the great work!

  2. Haha, entertaining post on Jakarta, Kenny. Somehow, I think that everywhere in Asia, the best food can always be found in the streets. 🙂

  3. You’ve a great trip to Indonesia. Yeah!
    I really enjoy reading your blogs. You’re a good blogger. Keep up blogging!
    And I couldn’t stop laughing to see the word ” This place is really spoil your eyes…”
    *Roll eyes*

  4. Got to know your website recently. And I spent exact 5 days to finish it words by words. Your postings have never failed to bring a smile on my face. 🙂
    My husband is from Kuching as well. And we have a little kopitiam at Puchong. It would be an honor pleasure to treat you a cup of coffee.
    Kenny, you are one funny guy. 🙂

  5. Hi Kenny,
    I’m Indonesian and i know how bad is Jakarta. I salute u for going to Jakarta alone and yet finds the best of the city. Cuz if u dunno ur way around the place it can be quite dangerous and confusing. Oh well what yu said in the entry is so true. Indonesian Inggris (thats how we say English) is the best hahha…
    Indonesian food (drool…)!! I missed them so much. Yea apart from the hygine, the taste is great because we Indonesian put lotsa seasoning.
    When I first went to Kuching for study I was suffering so much because the food was completely tasteless to me at first! I had to add extra salt, pepper and chilli myself.
    When u hv another short holiday or even weekend u can try visit Pontianak – its a city close to Kuching. It is also part of Borneo, Indonesia. U can either take 8hrs bus or half hour flight. Its a great place for great food. Mostly ppl there speak tio chew tho.
    ANyway,
    Keep up ur posts. Really enjoy reading them. Brighten my day without fail.
    P.s. JCo doughnuts rocks! 😀

  6. the donuts looked delicious…yumm…
    lucky i didnt name my car blue bird…even though my friend calls it a blue bird coz her’s is a white bird…darn… u spell it lam jiao or lan ciao? hahaha

  7. Aww… u going to penang!! i wanna go to nuffnang events too..but i cant! i will be at Penang after 8th july…damn, miss a chance to meet u again…
    Nvm, i’ll wait for my next chance, n u know when is it… hehehe…
    Anyways, the krispy creme in jakarta nice?? The ones i can get in Australia is damnnnnn sweet la… u should try the strawberry jam or the devil chocolate… nice!!
    Take care! keep up the good writing!! hope to see u soon! muahh!!

  8. hiya kenny sia!! man if i knew you’d be dropping by bandung i would’ve asked you to contact me-lah ‘cos i study here mah. 6th year liao, (tomorrow onwards posted to village hospital for 5 mths) and going home for good in nov: thank the high heavens!!. i thought you were just gonna go jakarta-leh. this entry was particularly endearing to me ‘cos well i bloody live in bandung!! i could have showed you more than you could bargain for. anyways that orange tuk-tuk looking thing is really called ‘bajai’. the motorbikes that carries people are called ‘ojek’ while those minivan / modified 4 wheel-drives with side entry are called ‘angkots’. Jco is really a local rip-off krispy kreme. krispy kreme surfaced in america before opening outlet in jakarta and manila. goodness knows why it hasn’t arrived kl yet. krispy kreme probably had to come to jkt cos they found out jco had been copycatting their glazed donuts concept and making truck loadsa money cos they arrived indon first. but i agree indons just love ’em donuts. in malaysia dunkin donuts almost mati katak already but here even little wooden kampungers eat donuts. that and cheese. the whole ex-dutch-colony experience. haha glad you like amanda’s brownie kukus, i could have brought you to the original outlet that serves brownie kukus steaming hot and fresh. they melt into your mouth-lah. stuff that send you and probably 3/4 of your readers gawking are stuff i witness everyday of my life-loh, i.e susu soda, poverty, ppl sleeping on sidewalks, street music-makers. kinda funny when this happens. anyways seems you had a bewildering trip which really is the spirit. legendary!!

  9. krispy kreme is toooooooooooooo sweet ler bro……..!!!
    but its still nice to have a chew…….!
    nice trip kenny

  10. that dr m likes double penetration??hehehe
    krispy kreme is harder to get in coz of the expensive franchise license mar.
    and the tiramissu thing is also one of the many conetto icecream variants. yummmm

  11. By the way…
    De orange, slow, loud and ugly looking vehicle is actually named BAJAJ (read – baa-jay) not OJEK.
    Ojek is also means of so-called public transport. Its like taxi only not car but using motorcycle therefore the passenger is usualy only 1 person, maximum 2, the second passenger being a child.
    Sometimes during rainy days u will still c de Ojek roam around with one hand holding umbrella while looking for passenger.
    There are many more ugly, weird looking vehicles around Jakarta.
    Take care

  12. HEY KENNY..they have a very nice donut place here in K.L too..
    almost close to KRISPY KREME!
    it’s called the BIG APPLE DONUTS at THE CURVE!
    TRY IT!IT’S GREAT!
    Better than dunkin donuts tat sux!

  13. nice review of yr trip to jakarta !!
    uh, and those donuts make me droooooll so bad!
    Good job Kenny!
    u tend to observe what’s oblivious to others. :]
    and have fun in Penang!
    urgh too bad my exam falls on that day
    otherwise i would be able to go to Gurney Plaza. 🙁

  14. I brought back 3 dozen krispy kremes back to KL and my brother complained its not enough..
    THEY NEED TO OPEN A KRISPY KREMEs in KL man..
    they’re the best donuts EVER!

  15. Hey Kenny, great post on Jakarta. Just one correction, there’s another Southeast Asian country that has Krispy Cremes — and that’s in the Philippines. They have several branches there. Personally, I found the doughnuts extra sweet, as if it’s wallowing in sugar, but hey, to each their own!
    Thanks for this post. I’ve particularly enjoyed it.

  16. ello
    didn’t you get to eat Krispy Kreme when you were in australia last time?
    we get Krispy Kreme everywhere in Melbourne till we are finally bored with it
    *thumbs Up*
    anyway, great post =]

  17. Cultural Learnings of Jakarta for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Malaysia
    By the way, that title made me chuckle.

  18. nice post kenny. since i study here, this entry is so close to heart. you came to bandung???!! never tell!!! should’ve gone to Tangkuban Perahu or Kawah Putih. nice scenery, albeit with stinky sulphur fog.
    OMG, those donuts! you’ve just given me the idea to get those back. they should have Krispy Kreme in Bandung lar. takan want us to go jakarta just for Krispy Kreme? sial betul….
    and you’re right bout malaysia not having Krispy Kreme. one more thing that Malaysia loses to her supposedly poorer neighbour. the taxis. Blue Bird is a VIOS! the best taxi i’ve taken in msia, airport limo not counted, is a Waja. most are super old non air-conditioned Saga. WTF?!

  19. Hi kenny, it’s surprising that you dare to take train ride in Jakarta. Even I’m a Jakartans for more than 20 years only took a train ride 1 time in my whole life in Jakarta, that one also being a Super Executive train Argo Anggrek between Jakarta to Surabaya. Thank God you can survive the train atmosphere and (unpleasant) crowd…

  20. hey kenny! U can try the donut factory in raffles city shopping centre in Singapore. Queues are long (ever wait for 3.5 hours) but its so damn good!! their double choc is my fav!

  21. ZOMFG! Soda susu! No one seemed to believe me when I told people back home about this diabetes inducing oh-so-awesome drink.
    Coke Susu, Fanta susu…the list just goes on and on 😀

  22. lol you’ve got to LOVE krespy kreme!!! i was down @ sydney last time.. man.. those krespy kreme makes me wanna fly there every month to just have them…
    but yeh 🙂 getting a dozen of them today 😛 IMPORTED FROM MELB :D:D
    got to love them..

  23. Nice one Kenny, great entry and informative. Salute you on your bravery to travel into Jakarta alone.. pls dont do the same in Africa! hehehe..

  24. Having lived in Perth before (or australia for that matter), you would know about the rental cars that says ‘no birds’ on the side yeah? First thing i thought of after the blue bird taxi.

  25. a dozen of crispy creme at london cost like 10 pound =rm70..i wonder how much is one box at Jakarta??? i really really love their doughnouts…

  26. jasin MP slow, loud, ugly… that was a good one…
    maybe his brother cannot erect one… that’s why he is sexist… becos he cant use his tool any way..

  27. hey kenny, love your stuff. the JCO doughnuts… there’s a shop in the curve selling the exact same ones. copycat-ted down to the icing and style of toppings (i buy them weekly). it’s called big apple. on the ground floor, behind tgif. good stuff, but after reading your blog… it’s rather unethical of the owner to completely plagiarize the whole concept without giving credit where it’s due. 🙁

  28. This is honestly the first time in a very long time indeed that your post rivals your golden oldies.
    We have our versions of the bajajs here in India, called autos or rickshaws

  29. Malaysian Parents ,doyou think Jakarta is a good place to visit with your children ? For those who have children sitting for UPSR soon ; all the best!!

  30. Krispy Kreme was extremely popular in North America.. however the Krispy Kreme here in canada went bankrupt soon after it became popular.
    Why? it violated the Occupational Health and Safety Act…in other words, they were very unhealthy.. each doughnut containing hugh amounts of trans fat.

  31. hi kenny! the donuts look sooooo good! i love krispy kreme. malaysia should have one!!! but there’s this shop in the curve, called big apple. the donuts taste somewhat like krispy kreme’s. you should try it. its very nice, and always fresh too!
    just a note for all donut lovers. =D

  32. Who says we don’t have Soda Susu…
    only ours called Coke Susu, since we use Coke instead of Soda.
    Writing so many Susu’s in a single comment reminds me of Jessica Alba in The Walking Dictionary…mmm…SUSUUUU….

  33. Top Notch review Kenny. I have just been back living in Jakarta for the last 1,5 years, after 11 years in New Zealand, and your review brought the real side of Jakarta. Again, salute for your travelling by yourself..if only I can do what you did without feeling paranoid!
    One brave man you are. How’s the back?

  34. hi kenny, how’s ur training for marathon??i am in the half marathon event…maybe we will get to see each other on the journey…by the way…we can run together..but not driving down to Ipoh for chicken rice…!

  35. Heyya Kenny S!
    I’ve been reading your blog since early 2006 and this is my first time to drop you a message. I even once saw you in 1 Utama last few months back but didn’t have the chance to say hi.
    Anyway,about the soda susu thing, it has been ages that such drink available in Malaysia. I remember of drinking it in the late 80’s or early 90’s when I was in Ipoh. You can even try to mix a Coke,Fanta Strawberry/grape or even the green soda.
    And hey…good luck in your next marathon.This time make sure your iPod battery stays longer if you wanna run slow.
    Cherio!

  36. kenny~ ! you come to my hometown !! (Bandung)
    *le gaspier*
    now i really wanna go back,,,sniff sniff T_T
    next time u sud spend more time in Bandung lah, try visiting our cafes and shopping malls and hills area…

  37. Dude… how long exactly did you stay in Jakarta? seems like you been wondering around more then I do who used to live in Jakarta for 10 years. ahahaha

  38. oh, oh, and another thing abt malaysia, so hard to find “ayam kampung” here leh~~!!
    (the smaller ones, not the hormones-loaded one…)
    these meat of these chickens are more tender and better in absorbing spices… *Q*

  39. Awesome entry Kenny! I can see some similarity in style like how i would explore places and never hesitate to try out and live like the locals.
    Hey, wanna join me to Beijing and Tibet?

  40. Official Jakarta Shopping Guide?
    official… oh lord… i have to admit thier “engrish” is really really bad…
    thier donuts are that great? and i thought funkin dunkin donuts was the best donuts i’ve ever taste >

  41. Very informative post about Indonesia, although I don’t think I’ll visit there anytime soon.
    I’ve tried the krispy kreme before, and omg it’s the sweetest best thing I’ve eaten in my entired life.
    I think I just got diabetes after 2 or 3 bites, but hey that’s life right ?

  42. *Clap Clap Clap* This is a great post by you.
    Krispy Kreme originated from Winston-Salem, NC. Two hours from the place I am staying now. ^_^
    Still, I think Mister Donutis the best.

  43. Hey dude. They do serve soda with condensed milk here. I saw Indonesian workers ordering them the other day at Siang Siang Tabuan Jaya. I’m sure coffeeshops here are built to cater your drinking needs. 😛

  44. Soda susu = ice cream soda campur susu here in Sabah. That was my favorite drink back in secondary school!

  45. they have a krispy kreme outlet at raffles city shopping centre’s basement 1 in s’pore wad..n ppl line up hours just to buy donuts there.

  46. hi kenny!
    I went to Jkt/Bandung last April.. Hmm i miss d ‘ food!! nasi padang, pempek, batagor, siomay, teh botol.. etc.!
    eh, u shud buy Kartika Brownies.. its better thn Amanda..
    well, keep it it! your blog brighten up our dayz..

  47. Hey Kenny,
    Good thing there are no Krispy Kreme Doughnut franchaise in Kuching, otherwise you would weigh like 300 lbs. Dunkin’ Donuts sucks in comparison. I am just surprise that these two american franchaises are in Indonesia and not in Singapore and Malaysia. I thought the Indonesians hated the USA and anything to do with american culture. Ooohh, I get it, that is how the insidious american corrupt the Indonesians and take over their oil resources!

  48. krispy kreme is the best thing ever!!1 wait till you get their donuts right from the over.. it actually melts in your mouth!! it’s so gooodd

  49. Kripsy Kreme yes yes definately dreamy……..ohhhh yesssss it makes me miss the times when i used to have it in Aus sigh….how I miss my student life…………
    Anyway nice post, makes me wanna go to Indon an have a nice eat out…the food looks good…and shopping is nice…..Its actually true that in Asian countries, the best food are usually found on the streets and not a fancy restaurant……..
    Oh and in regards to Indon Inggrish I would say our local Manglish is not much better off lar, no comment on this man…….hahaha ^^

  50. Krispy Cream is quite popular in Melbourne. But I’m not into doughnuts though…
    Anyway, I don’t think Dunkin Doughnuts is still in Singapore. Think they’ve closed down many years ago. But we ve smth else which I aint sure of the name. But doughnuts are quite ‘hot’ in Singapore nowadays… They even queue for 30mins for it…
    LoLz…

  51. interesting experience in jakarta. thanks you very much coz if I’m going to jakarta this year end I will know where to go and eat.

  52. Haa…. Krispy Kreme!!! They r nice.. there’s outlets in HK & The Philippines too.. I tried J CO donuts too. But can’t beat KK!

  53. my fave part was the Tira Miss U bit. Haha damn far-nie lah. like wth?
    btw, i always thought it was bajak, not bajaj. Or is it just me eh?

  54. Are the branded apparels genuine or bootlegs? my colleague went there once, and told me they’re all high-quality fakes. despite that, she went wild there and had to come back and receive 10sessions of therapy. hahahaha….

  55. as what lil Angel say… come to Pontianak. For this one… I will be your tour guide… tour guide to eat. Hehe.. Because Pontiank is a very small town, there’s nothing special there… But the food are nice… =)

  56. And for raf, it is bajaj… People call it BMW (Bajaj Merah Warnanya – bajaj is red in color)… Haha

  57. if you just love how the indonesian food tastes like, do come to Medan in NOrth Sumatra for your next holiday.. it will be like the heaven of food for us indonesian.. do come and contact me.. i will take u around..

  58. Hey, you’ve been to HK, Egypt and now Indonesia, why not going to Kelantan next ? Yeah, the East Coast state.
    Ha ha .. I would love to see you commenting on it.

  59. hey kenny. your dream food has arrived!
    the last i heard, krispy kreme is coming to Malaysia (KL for a start). nobody is supposed to know this for now (this info comes from one of the franchise holders). cheers.

  60. Krispy Kreme rawks! I went absolutely bezerk when I first laid my eyes on it in HK in December 2006. When I went to Bali in end-April 2007, I saw a KK outlet there and squealed “KRISPY KREMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS” so loud for everyone to hear. I went hugging the person behind the counter when he was handing out the free donuts!
    There’s also KK in Philippines. Sadly, they WON’T be opening in Singapore OR Malaysia as these 2 countries are not in their “investment” list. Sigh! How is it that Philippines and Jakarta can beat even Singapore to establish a KK outlet!!

  61. Kenny,
    There also is a Krispy Kreme in Bali. Dunno why it doesn’t show up on the Krispy Kreme website? But it was there about 6 months ago when I was there…

  62. omfg! krispy kreme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  63. OMG!!! Krispy Kreme!!!! YUMMY!!!
    It taste sooooooo awesome!!!
    I tasted it while I was in HK…
    Miss it sooo much… :p

  64. wow… the country has lots of ‘words of wisdom’!!! the larnjiao taxis really catch my eyes… should have “chicken white” taxi soon…

  65. eating on the streets also have to find suitable place. The last time I went jakarta, once you see the water they use 0.o
    Kenny, you went to Mangga Dua. You didn’t go to Novotel during the night? Their disco, but really a different feel than the normal Malaysian one

  66. there’s this place called Big Apple at The Curve which has good doughnuts too!! It looks very similar to the J.Co Donuts and Coffee in Indonesia. In fact, it is called Big Apple Donuts and Coffee, if my memory still serves. The doughnuts there are slightly smaller compared to Dunkin’ Donuts but definitely yummier. Then again Krispy Kreme is still the BEST! 🙂

  67. KRISPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY KREMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

  68. 1. educated indonesian (normally) speak proper english
    2. “Jakarta is the only city in the whole of South-East Asia to have a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts chain.” – wrong. we have it here in Bali
    3. great post 🙂

  69. hey kenny.. great post!!
    i’m not much of a donut fan but those way u describe those donuts actually made me wan to have some too. haha..
    i’ve never been to Jakarta but someday i hope i can..

  70. can’t believe u ate by the road side of Jakarta and SURVIVED! hahaha. i admire your courage and the way you traveled around Jakarta. not your typical way that’s for sure. you’re awesome dude!

  71. “Jakarta is the only city in the whole of South-East Asia to have a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts chain”
    FYI, Manila has 2 Krispy Kreme branch.

  72. Cannot wey… It’s like hell! Like hell!!!
    And the KLCC is confusing foreign tourists lah… why put our logo of fame into a post about Jakarta?!

  73. Cannot wey… It’s like hell! Like hell!!!
    And the KLCC is confusing foreign tourists lah… why put our logo of fame into a post about Jakarta?!

  74. KENNY! NI HEN SHUAI!!!
    ooh i love krispy kreme.
    although i nvr try before la.
    my lit teacher tell me is gt secret recipe wan.

  75. From an Indon(esian) reader here
    Pretty liked your very detailed & observant writing. To make glorious benefit for you Blog:
    1) ‘Mai Jiet’ – it’s actually ‘Macet’ (lit. meaning ‘stuck’)
    2) Excuse the Indon English. We were a Dutch colony where even back then less than 1% spoke the colonial master’s language….
    3) ‘Unhygienic’ food. I agree. Think most Indons have aqcuired natural immunity to that ‘brown recycled liquid’ in the buckets.
    4) Homeless people ==> you shot a scene of warungs instead. Yeah, those people live in those small boxes, but some usually return twice a year to their respective kampungs where their real houses are located.
    5) Bandung Angkots (Angkutan Kota). You don’t even have to shout ‘kiri kiri!’. Try knocking with your fingers on the ceiling.
    6) Well those socialist statues are Sukarno’s pettiest legacy markers. Think he should be duly credited for achieving the unity of over 500 ethnic groups, spread over at least 8,000 islands (without precedent anywhere in the world). Despite some military fascistic adventures and some religious bigotry, we are still lucky that we are not beset by semenanjung-type ‘race’ politics (at least officially). It makes Monas’erection excusable ha ha

  76. “Jakarta is the only city in the whole of South-East Asia to have a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts chain.”
    Actually, Tokyo has Krispy Kreme too. When they first opened, the queue was soooo long, it’ll take you 2 hours to get a box of KK’s!

  77. Krispy Kreme = sinful indulgence.
    Damn their franchise fees are sooo expensive!
    Explains all the copycats since its not hard to just glaze them with thick coats of sugar =p
    Btw, i dont think those branded apparels in Bandung are authentic. Burberry would’ve gone bankrupt 😉

  78. oh.my.god. krispy kreme in jakarta? REALLY??? someone PLEASE bring krispy kreme to malaysia! im so down right now, I want a piece of that doughnut!!! i miss that doughnut like craaaaaazyyyyy!!!!

  79. Krispy Kremmmmmeeeee! yes u got it right, awww… missssing my days in london where krispy kreme outlet was just a few mins walk from my uni… awwww…..!!!

  80. man, u siao one!! I live in Indo all my life, never once did take angkot.Hahaha.. u travelled by angkot AND flashed ur camera around! it’s like inviting robbery and suicide at the same time leh…
    Post again sooonnn

  81. Maybe the inspirational John Lee was the one who translated the Official Jakarta Shopping Guide brochure.=X

  82. I also went to the same hotel in jakarta, enjoyed the street fares but luckily didn’t have any food poisoning.
    I had bakso at the warong near the junction, just after the nasi padang shop. The bakso was yummy!

  83. “we will be seduced by the smell from the foodcourt. so yummy”
    LOLLLL!!!
    what kind of effin brochure is dat???!!!

  84. talking bout blue bird, there are cars tat have this name too… remember Nissan Bluebird? my uncle is driving tat too! haha…

  85. these Doughnuts are available in MAlaysia already but i think its opened by another company with another name…
    ate it.. love it too..

  86. Dear Kenny, on a totally irrelevant note, can I check with you if Chung Hua Middle School No.1 far from Crowne Plaza? I’ll be there for a fair on Friday.

  87. you should make a trip to bali. really nice place, lotsa culture, scenery, nightlife, and cheap stuff.

  88. LOL. The buildings/monuments, I was imagining there for a moment..
    Oh, the donuts look so delicious! *drools*
    Haha… Yeah, so much for trying to welcome the tourist. haha.. I like that one.. And the funny english. Ti I miss you? Good one…
    nice post!

  89. Kenny, from experience, having easy access to Krispy Kremes really takes out the fun in eating them. >>;; I live in Melbourne and for the past 4 years, I could only get Krispy Kremes by leeching off friends going to Sydney. Then two Krispy Kreme doughnut centres open up – one right smack in the middle of the city, and now I don’t even like them anymore.
    But the first bite of a just-glazed, warm and soft doughnut at Sydney? I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
    I really enjoyed reading about your Jakarta trip. Now I’m dying to try the Soda Susu.

  90. abt KK in aust, they not planning to open anymore in the future. GO N DIE LA SYDNEY AND MELB! *POUTS* i live in perth n freakin cow no KK! GRRRRR!
    ok, maybe a lil too harsh on syd n melb…=.=

  91. Just returned from Bali and Krispy Kreme has an outlet right smack in the middle of Kuta, at a shopping mall called “Centro”.
    Carted home 2 dozen boxes 🙂

  92. You have GOT to try Singapore’s Donut Factory! Although i’ve never had krispy kremee!!! but i think donut factory’s up to par, or even better. mmmm. but the bloody queue will keeel you.

  93. Ojek= Jasin Bocor MP
    Thats f**king hillarious and man, I do see the similarity. Good observation.

  94. Hi Kenny, glad you like your visit to Indonesia, especially the food stuffs.
    Soda Susu in Central Java is a bit different, they add sirup for flavor, you can have strawberry, melon or frambozen. Yes – it is addictive! Glad you found out about Bandung secret shopping places. Come back for more – more good foods, more shopping, and of course the natures still great. Oh, I have been away too long, your post about Jakarta & Bandung makes me homesick. Thanks for sharing your experience.

  95. yeah kripy kreme doughnuts are SUPERB!i tried it when i reached US few weeks ago. it’s too bad msia only has dunkin donuts!

  96. hi kenny, i love krispy kremes doughnuts too! i had Tiramisu that time. it was SO soft and delicious!!! yummy yummy!!! really miss it so much when i read this entry~~

  97. Hi Kenny,
    I live in Sydney and I can say if you eat 9 Krispy Kreme doughnuts in a space of 1 hour you would never want to eat those things ever again….trust me I speak from experience…
    Plus Krispy Kreme is no longer that special to me and my friends anymore especially now that we have a 24 hour drive through Krispy Kreme 15 minutes from house…
    Give me Dunkin Donuts any day!

  98. faint! i read all the comments cos i want to know what others said bout Jkt cos i’m an indonesian living in Jkt.
    My American friend said Bandung equal to almost-free-shopping! till this second, i’m wondering is it hi-quality fake goods or authentic one?! cos some goods identical to Mangga Dua’s stuff.
    u take angkot and survived.great! to be honest, first time i take public bus is when i’m 19. i had a big trauma of jakarta’s public transport. wtf. oh not only that, i remember when i walk along the road side somebody in motorbike touch.no.grab my boob and go,left me clueless. shit. this is only happen in jkt i predict.
    btw,Krispy Kreme buy 1 dozen get 3 dozen if u “scratch” ur BCA CC.lol.

  99. wow!being an indonesian myself…all hands down to you man! you dare took a ride in such public transport in jkt!! i don even have the guts to drive a car alone in jkt. as having your rear mirrors robbed is a possibility..o yea, you even took a picture in the angkot, once again hands down! my father’s cellphone was once robbed while he was driving in his OWN car!! man!safety is a real issue in jkt…if only there was no safety issue in jkt, it would be the greatest city in my opinion…
    anw, glad you had a nice trip to indonesia..

  100. stayed in indonesia for a couple of month. re: erection @ manhood as status symbol..u guessed it right! i’ve learnt that in javanese culture, men’s power and status lies at the tip of their penises. if u realise many indoensian/javanese men keep their fingernails long, it symbolises their penis..i dunno if its true, but some sociopolitics lecturer from Univ Indonesia told me that..

  101. I was in Jakarta for 3 days and I took a Blue Bird Taxi during my last day, it sucked! The driver was clueless, has no sense of direction and couldn’t even understand directions from another Indonesian!! Haha, anyway, I couldn’t spot any of the pirated taxis, Bali, Bandung, Puncak, Bogor, Bekasi, Jakarta,couldn’t see em. Might have been stamped out? Can’t even spot that logo on the cab.

  102. I am also from Kuching and lived in Jakarta for 2 years from Feb 2005 till Feb 2007. You either love the country or hate it. I hated it but I loved the food (try Bali Jimbaran restaurant next time you go. A1 seafood). Loved the JCO and Krispy Kreme too. A lot of the so called branded clothes in Bandung are fakes…don’t you know ?

  103. Bro, kudos from me always for reports on Paris van Java, Tira I miss u so much, and the classic Shopping Guide Brochure.
    I think they’ve used software to do the conversion of languages. Hmm…
    Super funny! LOL

  104. Haha.. to be honest i’m proud of you kenny! you as a foreigner were willing to try out our ‘lovely’ public transportation like angkot, bajaj, and economy class train, that was such a big achievement man!. Haha, anyway talking about scratching and spoil our eyes (giggling… =p), that what makes us different! English is not our first language, not even our second language.. Every city got its own traditional language, even like jakarta and bandung – it’s separated only 2 hours drive by car but you’ve seen the different rite? their traditional language are totally different. Afterall, i’m glad too u had a nice trip in Indonesia! but hey, u missed something! Tell them how heavenly girls in bandung are! hahahahaha

  105. hi there.
    nice info about jakarta.
    I’m also indonesian.
    when you’re visiting indonesia next time, go to a city called Yogyakarta.
    it is more beautiful than Jakarta.
    more delicious food and drink.
    You have to see Borobudur and Prambanan.
    see you here in Jogja,,,

  106. ^^^^
    Sorry for that Idiotic one..
    I’m indon people and just don’t generalize all the Indon people like that one..
    please, and thanks

  107. next time call me if you want to go to indonesia again.. i can show you the beauty of jakarta.. i’ve lived in jakarta for 16 years and i never take that fucking train, so why the hell did you take the economy train? and what’s wrong with “blue bird”? i don’t get it..
    i’ve been to kl, and i think there’s no much different with jakarta,,

  108. KELAMINMU HOMO.
    PERDANA MENTRI MU HOMO
    INDONESIA LEBIH BAIK DARI PADA PERDANAMENTRI HOMO
    GA PUNYA KEBUDAYAAN
    TOH ORANG MALAYSIA YG KESINI JUGA KATANYA ENAKAN TINGGAL DI INDO DARI PADA DISONO WKWKWK CINA SMUA GAK ADA MODE
    LAGU DIGENDONG2

  109. how many days you got in jakarta you asshole?? and you think you know everything???
    you’re so fucking stupid to tell it all like you know everything.
    any problem with blue bird taxi?? i hope you took other taxi and your body ends in a cemetry somewhere in jakarta.
    yes i love TIRA MISS U… don;t you have any good sense of humor??
    DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUGS TRAFICKER IS AGOOD WELCOME MESSAGE for people like you.. we know how to save our nation.. not like your country… BRITISH’s SLAVE COUNTRY (and you proud of it LOL)
    many more to tell.. but i don;t have to.. because i don;t deal with a british’s slave!!

  110. thanks for the nice review
    I’m born in Jakarta and I think you have given an objective review of Jakarta
    and sorry for my ‘engrish’, lol

  111. i like your blog, but i did’nt like some of your words. WE NEVER SAid THAT KL IS POOR, but you said that jakarta is poor. we always yield. we love peace, and i dont wanna find a problem with racist guy like you! just love your country!
    if you can, just post the blog that telling all about your country. without compare it with another country. sorry for my english, and peace (^_^)y

  112. malaysia is like a pig… i think malaysian people not better from indonesia…
    asu
    anjing
    bajingan
    keparat
    ga’ punya otak
    pantek
    tai laso

  113. malaysia is bajingan…indonesia always better than malaysia…i dont like malaysia…malaysia just can steal culture from indonesia…FUCK FOR MALAYSIA…

  114. do u know that MALAYSIA is BURGLAR??
    do u know that MALAYSIA is THIEF??
    do u know who the victim?? it’s indonesia..
    ur country has steal our culture and noW u blabbering all of your FUCKING WORD! GODDAMMIT!!
    GO TO HELL KENNY!!
    JUST ADMIT IT..
    i know indonesia is bad compared to Singapore, Australia, etc..
    BUT LEMME TELL U..
    although indonesia is bad, MALAYSIA IS FAR FAR FAR MORE BAD!!
    U ASSHOLE!!
    FUCKING THIEF!!
    SHAMEFUL!!
    FUCKKKKK!!!!
    DONT U EVER SAY ANYTHING BAD AGAIN TO MY LOVELY COUNTRY..
    INDONESIA…
    U FUCKING ASSHOLE!!

  115. lol
    lot’s of kaskus “stupid member” just saying bad words
    remember
    language of the nation reflects the nation itself

  116. FYI
    kontol is penis
    asu = dog
    anjing = dog
    bajingan = bastard
    keparat = asshole
    ga’ punya otak = don’t have brain
    pantek = ??
    tai laso = laso shit?
    homo = gay
    goblok = idiot
    just ignore this bunch of idiotic people who just kept saying bad words
    do you still want to come to indo? i think u must see the panorama nature view, not the stupid ugly town

  117. dear kenny…
    thank’s 4 the review
    i’m glad you came to indonesia..
    i believe every nation have a bad and a good part…
    just enjoy indonesia..
    and please… stop calling indonesia with indon…
    ps. sorry i’m not good in english

  118. Hei,,,
    Why don’t you compare Bali with one of the “goodest” city in Malaysia?
    Can you?
    “sorry for my english”
    cos to be truth we too love our Indonesian Language and we do have personality, so we don’t try look cool by using other language.
    Terima Kasih.

  119. hi,bitch!!!!you think your country better than indonesia???how stupid are you!!!malaysia is the stupid country which always claim our culture like leak n other..and the last word 2 u..fuck off with you and your country dirty animal!!!!!
    anjing,bangsat,babi!!!mama lo pecun!!!

  120. ah dasar lo ngentot, bilang aja lo.
    sirik lo sm negara gw, liat aja lo gw ga segen2 gw sweping klo gw ketemu turis orang maling sial kaya elo. gw mutilasi and gw buang mayat nya di kali ciliwung
    dasar setan loh bangsa malingsia

  121. halo there.
    gue rasa u ngerti bahasa Indonesia, dan kemungkinan u dah lama tgl di Indonesia, karena setau gue, pelancong baru gak bakal ngeliat negeri orang dari sisi buruknya saja, tapi apa yang baik2, dari postingan di blog u, gw ngerasa kalo u terlalu menjelek-jelekan bangsa dan negeri org lain, kami Indonesian, punya jati diri, kami punya satu bahasa persatuan, bahasa Indonesia, yg walaupun skrg gw gunain bahasa gaul atau slanknya anak jakarta. gue harap suatu hari nanti u dateng lg ke negeri kami, u menuliskan tentang hal yg baik2 terhadap negeri kami, biarlah kami mengurus keburukannya sendiri tanpa harus di jelek2an oleh anda. toh, kami gak akan pernah memulai menjelek-jelekan negeri anda jika anda tidak memulai terlebih dahulu.
    salam

  122. sudah-sudah..padahal bahasa mereka kacau gitu..kocak abis…kita jg sering ketawain..
    they always combine english and malay ,the result ?? lol…they just like comedian..
    and they food street just same like us..unhygenic
    they just jealous to our country..

  123. Hey man,
    I was pretty offended with most of your posts, especially with the one captioned, “Indonesian-English.” I mean before saying all that shit, shouldnt you really look at how crappy your language is, your accent, its unbearable. You should know that one hundredth of our country is more beautiful than your goddamn piece of fuckin malay hole country. Plus, you just didn’t fucking to explore and exploit the very tremendous part of jakarta and other parts of Indonesia, maybe just because you are incapable of doing it the right way.
    I mean I know Ibis is an “okay” hotel, but who the fuck stays there? You should blow some cash out and get a nicer place man. And when making reviews in this piece of shit website, you should watch your fucking language, I mean what do you all have, a bunch of fucking indians malays gang-bangin in one place? thats just horse shit man, your people is probably more educated than us in percentages, but i dont think you guys are born with brains. I mean what are you now, still being colonized by Britain.
    I mean here is the down low, either you are really poor or I understand that some people actually wants to experience the whole “blending with the culture deal” but guess what, if you can afford to travel overseas, you should’ve been to a more decent places. You should’ve get some friends to guide you around, oh wait I remember, nobody wanna be friended with you, since you are a MALAYSIAN JACKOFF. FUCK OFF MALAY, DONT EVEN COME TO JAKARTA, WE DONT EVEN NEED YOU. GO JACK OFF TO SITI NURHALIZA OR SOME OTHER DODGY SHIT. STOP WATCHING OUR MOVIES, LISTENING TO OUR TUNES and create your own? I know that liabilitis and incapabilities is the root of all this and I know your country just dont have em. PEACE THE FUCK OUT.

  124. firstly.. i’m an indonesian..
    honestly man.. your writing is good 😉
    and yeah.. bajaj is a fuckin ugly,super loud, cheap and super duper annoying transport in jakarta ;p
    dont mind those my fellow country man that give a bad words to you.. sometimes we were just too blind and mad to accept the truth 😀
    i really appreciate your writing as long as they represent your objective opinion in a good and polite writing
    regards – ‘friends’

  125. dear Kenny..
    Please forgive those idiotic ppl of Indonesian..
    They just love their country yet they don’t realize if they’re doing that they just making shame of their own country.. *sigh*
    Thanks for your reviewing.. But I think you’re not such a hygienic maniac, right? Maybe they’re angry at your review that makes some negative image in other people eyes, especially because you (looks like) saying such a bad things in Indonesia.. Well.. I won’t say too much, nor explaining about our country’s condition.. Every country have their own plus and minuses, right? wish the best for you.. 🙂

  126. Hi Kenny,
    You understand that there was an issue between Malaysia and Indonesia recently.
    Some indonesian just hate Malaysia for no reason.
    Please disregard all bad comments in this post.
    Delete them if possible.
    I hope that won’t stop you for visiting Indonesia.
    Keep posting!
    – your indonesian friend –

  127. hi kenny,
    you are so brave, you take an angkot and other public transportation in jakarta. i am living in jakarta, if you visit jakarta, you can contack me at: ivan_ary77@yahoo.com.
    I have a dirty warung siomay, dirty beverages, more important is you will have good friend in warong. it’s open 24 hour, i would like to invite you there.
    Redards

  128. hey kenny..
    what do u think bout indonesian girl and malaysian girl??
    which one better?? lol
    plss answer ^^

  129. Hi kenny
    glad you like your visit to Indonesia
    come back to indonesia again i think you must see yogyakarta there is nice city nice food nice people and nice traditiona culcuture :d

  130. malay kontol….
    anjing negara aing dilecehken beul….
    maneh hayang ribut ka aing??
    aing paehan sia malay2 kontol nu di jatinangor anjing…..
    lamun wani maneh kadieu ….
    aing paehan sia…
    ngentot maneh….

  131. Hi Kenny… I’m from Indonesia. Just ignore that mad man. Some Indonesian internet users just don’t have manners (and obviously brain too).

  132. hi Kenny, this is the first time I read your blog, very funny, good job! I am quite amazed you tried all the public transportation in Jakarta/Bandung & Bogor.. wow!! I’ve lived in Jakarta all my life and I haven’t taken the buses since high school, trains since elementary hahaha.. We, Jakartans are so used with the bad traffic and all the hustle and crazy things on the streets, and my European friends love it here and they have a saying that Jakarta street life is ‘an organised chaos’ hahaha!! Anyway, Jakarta is a fun city, so alive 24hours, never sleeps : Anyway, great blog…
    I also want to add that the shops in Bandung sell ‘factory outlets’ clothes, -they are real- usually came direct from the clothing factories in Indonesia, however the clothes maybe ‘rejects'(with some minor flaws-but still good to wear), means they are not good enough to be shipped to USA/UK etc, so they just sold them here in Bandung with very good price 🙂

  133. I’m Indonesian and frankly I totally disagree with what Malaysia has done lately (issues related with Indonesian workers in Malaysia, cultural theft, and border dispute).
    But I’m trying to be objective here, your writing is very good, and as Indonesian, this is exactly what we need. An honest expression of what and how foreigners feel when they visited Indonesia. Furthermore, I also admire your witty sense of humor. Love it!
    So, kudos to your thoughts and keep writing!

  134. hello the information on this site is just incredible it keeps us coming back time and time again ,personally i met my wife using this site so i couldnt love it any more i have done my best to promote this blog as i feel that people need to see this thing ,Thanks for all the effort spent in making this brilliant site ! ok,nice one johny

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