The first two days in Jakarta, in priority order: what has to happen, what should, and what can wait. Tick things off as you go.
For Jakarta
How long you are staying
Must do
Telkomsel, Indosat and XL sell SIMs at the airport. Phones bought abroad must be registered with customs (IMEI) to work on a local SIM beyond a short visit, so ask at the airport counter.
112 is the general emergency line, 110 police, 119 ambulance. In the big cities, private hospital ambulances are often called directly.
One stored-value card (Flazz, e-Money, Brizzi, TapCash or JakLingko) pays the MRT, LRT, TransJakarta and KRL. Buy and top up at stations or minimarkets.
Hotels report foreign guests automatically. In a flat or kos, ask the landlord or manager to report you to the RT/RW and immigration, and keep a copy.
Make the run from your shortlisted area to work or school at your real commuting time, by MRT and by car. Five kilometres can be ten minutes or seventy.
Should do
Link a card for rides and food; set up GoPay or DANA for QRIS payments once you have a local number.
A visa on arrival is 30 days and can be extended once online before it expires. KITAS holders: note the expiry and the employer's renewal lead time.
Tap water is not for drinking. Order 19-litre gallons for a dispenser through the building or a local depot.
Install an air-quality app; Jakarta's PM2.5 is often unhealthy, especially in the dry season. Buy a purifier for the bedroom.
Nice to do
Once the KITAS is issued, with your passport, KITAS and a sponsor's letter. Ask your employer which bank pays salaries.
Many embassies run registration or alert services, useful in floods, earthquakes or if a passport is lost.
If you will be driven, weekday oddโeven plate rules on main roads (morning and evening peaks) decide which days a car can use them.
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