Indonesia's Shopping Malls

When planning a trip to Jakarta, consider spending a day at one of the many modern shopping malls the city has to offer. You may welcome a day off from tourist and cultural sites and enjoy spending time in air-conditioned comfort, where you can relax and shop without annoying hawkers. From 1985 to 2000 a million square meters of shopping space was built in Jakarta. Since 2000, the same amount has been built again, and the city can expect to see another million square meters by 2008. Therefore there are choices galore for shoppers!

If you've spent much time visiting outlying provinces or rural areas, it will be quickly evident during a trip to the capital city that Jakarta showcases the wealth of Indonesia. Skyscrapers, impressive monuments, wide boulevards (albeit crowded) and large malls rival those of any major world capital. In traditional Indonesian society, open common areas in villages and towns or the courtyard of the Sultan's palace have long been a place to gather and spend late afternoon and evening hours. Small vendors set up their wares, food carts gather and people stroll around meeting friends and sharing gossip. Jakarta's shopping malls are a modern urban equivalent of traditional meeting points – a place to shop, eat and gather with friends and have some fun on the weekends. Shopping in Jakarta takes many forms from the most traditional pasar (markets) to glitzy world class malls with international designer shops.

Most expatriates shop most comfortably in malls and grocery stores without the need to bargain or deal with curious stares. However, that is no reason to avoid the more colorful traditional markets. International fashion items may not be at the top of a tourist’s Jakarta shopping list, but expatriates may look at these shopping opportunities differently! If you enjoy window shopping and following fashion trends, you'll enjoy the fashion showcased at Plaza Indonesia, and Plaza Senayan and Senayan City. Shops offer the latest collections from the fashion capitals of the world – Milan, London, Paris and New York – to titillate the fancy of well to do Indonesians and expatriates alike. Prior to the opening of luxury malls, Indonesians had to shop in Singapore, Europe or the U.S. to buy such well-known international brands as Bvlgari, Prada, Cartier, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Bally, Aigner, Ferragamo and Escada. Now, these brands, and many more, are available in Jakarta.

Other famous shopping malls are Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia, Ex and more. Or, if you're feeling like you need to flex up your legs a little bit, don't hesitate to check out Mal Taman Anggrek(Taman Anggrek Mall) which easily has the biggest skating rink in Asia! If you are interested in learning Ice Skating, they even have tutors specialized in Skating there to help you and give you private classes. You are also, of course, free to just play around.

Amongst Indonesia's emerging middle and upper classes international brand-consciousness is strong. Discerning shoppers seek original goods, which these shops can guarantee. Often, due to special sales or discounts, international fashions may actually be cheaper in Jakarta than in other fashion centers. If, indeed you are from a small town in your home country, you may find better shopping in Jakarta than you do back home! While fashion malls don't offer as many recreation opportunities as the family-oriented malls, a big attraction is 'people watching' for the see-and-be-seen crowd. The elegant marble, expansive open spaces and lofty atriums offer a sense of luxury that is further enhanced by no-smoking policies, good housekeeping, and security. According to some social analysts, malls have replaced traditional town centers as locations for community interaction.

So, if you're a tourist in Indonesia and you're supposedly just sitting there, bored at home, get off your seat NOW and hurry along to one of Indo's famous shopping malls! See you there!

Addresses:
Senayan City
Jl. Asia Afrika Lot 19 Senayan,
Jakarta 10270
Tel (62-21) 723-7979

Plaza Indonesia
Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30 Central
Jakarta 10350
Tel (62-21) 310-7272, 390-3728

Plaza Senayan
Gelora Bung Karno Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8
Senayan, Central Jakarta 10270
Tel. (62-21) 572-5555

Mal Taman Anggrek
Jl. Letjen S. Parman Kav. 21
Slipi, West Jakarta 11470
Tel. (62-21) 560-9964

More..

Here are a list of more shopping malls which you can find in Indonesia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shopping_malls_in_Indonesia