11. Drinking Water
Tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled water is widely available and recommended for drinking.
12. Health
Jakarta has a number of good medical facilities with qualified english speaking doctors. If you happen to require the services of a doctor, just contact your hotel for recommendation.
13. Electricity
220 volts, 50 cycles AC. On request, most hotels will provide transformers to visitors with electrical appliances of a different voltage, such as 110-120 volts, 60 cycles per second. When shopping for electrical appliances, do remember to check the voltage of the item against the acceptable voltage in your home country. The power plugs used in Jakarta are the two-rounded ping type.
14. Tips on Tipping
Restaurant tipping is optional and 5-10% of the bill is acceptable for good service. Local Government Tax of 10% is added to bills and should not be mistaken for gratuity. Porters should get around Rp5,000 per bag. Taxi drivers do not expect tips unless you hire them for several hours or if they handle baggage for you, but rounding up your fare to the nearest Rp1,000 rupiah is a general practice. It’s also customary to tip washroom, parking attendants dan kids who watch your car. A few thousand rupiahs are always greatly appreciated!
15. Pedestrians
Jakarta has heavy traffic composed of motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, and three-wheelers (the “bajaj” as locals call them). Look left, look right, look left and look right again before crossing streets. Whenever available, always use the pedestrian bridge to cross the street. Traffic is scary. Street users, especially motorcycle riders, seem to have a difficult time following simple traffic rules.
16. Internet Access
Looking for internet access while you are in Jakarta? Aside from room or business center access and WiFi wireless hotspots in many major hotels, pay-per-use internet kiosks (locally known as “warung internet” or “warnet”) are widely available throughout the city that offer access for as low as Rp1,000 per 15 minutes. The popular Starbucks and other high-end cafes and restaurants also provide WiFi wireless hotspots for fast laptop/palmtop surfing.
17. Postal Services
Dozens of post offices (Indonesian: kantor pos) are located throughout the city. These outlets offer a wide range of postal, telecommunication, and agency services. Most postal outlets are open Monday through Friday, from 08.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ask your hotel for the location of the nearest post office. Several international couriers such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL also have offices in Jakarta.
