Sinking, Sweating, and Surviving in Jakarta
jakarta, what can i say? it's been a week of trying to navigate this city that seems to be constantly sinking into itself. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the weather's been this tropical monsoon thing - lots of rain, which is great if you like the feeling of your shoes getting soaked and watching streets turn into rivers.
the first thing that hits you when you arrive is the traffic. it's insane. someone told me that jakarta has some of the worst congestion in the world, and they weren't kidding. it's like everyone decided to drive at the same time, which is pretty much every hour of every day. but hey, if you get bored, Bogor, Depok, Bekasi, Tangerang, South Tangerang are just a short drive away. that's the kind of "short drive" where you might want to pack a lunch.
i'm staying in what they call the special capital region, which is just a fancy way of saying it's its own province. it covers 661 km² of land and 6,977 km² of sea, which sounds impressive until you realize half of it is probably underwater. the city sits on this low, flat alluvial plain averaging 8 m elevation, with northern areas below sea level on reclaimed tidal flats and swamps. it's basically one big puddle waiting to happen.
speaking of water, the flooding is no joke. especially during the rainy season from october to april. someone told me that the city faces ongoing land subsidence of nearly 17 cm annually, which is like, really fast when you're trying to build roads that don't disappear. i've seen streets turning into rivers with people wading through in their office clothes. it's something else.
but it's not all bad. the food here is incredible. jakarta's cuisine reflects its diverse influences, featuring nasi goreng (fried rice), sate (skewered grilled meat), gado-gado (vegetable salad with peanut sauce), rendang (slow-cooked beef), and street foods like kerak telor (spicy coconut omelet). i've been stuffing myself with these dishes and more. the seafood from jakarta bay is also pretty good, if you can get past the thought of where it came from.
the city has this weird blend of modern skyscrapers and historical sites. you've got colonial-era landmarks like kota tua (old town), the national monument (monas), and istiqlal mosque. then you've got these massive malls and office towers right next to them. it's like someone took a bunch of different eras and just mashed them together.
population-wise, jakarta's got 11.35 million people (2023) with density of 17,172/km². the urban metro is even bigger at 35.4 million. someone told me that makes it southeast asia's largest city and 6th in indonesia. it's a multicultural blend of betawi natives, javanese, sunda, chinese, and others. everyone's just trying to get by in this melting pot.
if you're thinking of visiting or living here, you should know a few things. the traffic is bad, air pollution is terrible, flooding happens all the time, and there are health concerns like dengue and water shortages. crime in crowded areas and scams are also a thing. you'll want to use ride-hailing apps, stay hydrated, and check flood alerts. long-term living involves high costs in a sinking megacity with infrastructure strains.
but despite all that, jakarta stands out as indonesia's economic powerhouse with a gdp of ~$439 billion. it's southeast asia's biggest city, a megacity merging with neighbors into jabodetabek. it's got this colonial history mixed with modern asia's bustle. it's one of the world's most dynamic yet challenged urban centers.
it's been a messy week in jakarta, but i wouldn't trade it for anything. well, maybe for a city that isn't constantly sinking. but hey, where's the fun in that?
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