It’s hard to believe that 2015 is already almost over! This year has certainly had some ups and downs but it’s always nice to end the year on a high note in order to start the new year off right. To help you do that, we present a few of our picks for the best places to go and party your way into 2016.
“Car Free Night”
Everybody should be aware that this year the government has declared Dec 31 to be a “Car Free Night” meaning they will be closing the main thoroughfare of Jalan Thamrin-Sudirman, stretching from Senayan to Monas (the National Monument), to all vehicles starting at 7pm until the following morning. Unlike previous years, the government will not be setting up entertainment stages along the road, so it will basically be empty except for people who want to experience this rare opportunity to walk down Jakarta’s main street in the middle of the night without fear of getting run over.
However, if you plan on driving around anywhere after 7pm, be sure you are ready to take alternate routes to your destination.
“A Nite Sparkling of Culture” at Ancol
If you’re looking for family-friendly way to ring in the New Year, heading to Monas (the National Monument) and Fatahillah Square in Kota Tua are always two good options as there will be lots of people there. But your best bet this year might be to go to Ancol, the seaside recreation area in North Jakarta.
Dubbing their NYE celebration “A Nite Sparkling of Culture”, Ancol will be holding numerous events including a Seaside Carnival Parade, art show, and “musical fireworks” at Lagoon Beach (which start at midnight).
The main event “Move On Party 2016 and Welcome Hope 2016” will start at 9pm and feature many of Indonesia’s most popular acts including Iwan Falls, Geisha and Noah.
Ancol often gets completely overwhelmed by traffic on event nights like these, but this year the management has set up a few centralized parking areas which should hopefully alleviate that problem. Buses will be going around to transport visitors to Ancol’s various areas.
Entrance to Ancol is Rp 25k per person, while cars are charged Rp 20k and motorcycles Rp 15k.
For more info check out Ancol’s official Twitter account.
New Year’s Eve Dinner at The Raffles Jakarta Hotel
Pretty much every fancy five-star hotel in town is going to be having a luxurious dinner on NYE, but out of all those we decided to pick the one at the Art Cafe in the new Raffles Jakarta Hotel because their Sunday brunch is already known for its excellence. Their NYE dinner buffet should be even more sumptuous, with lobster, caviar, oysters and wagyu beef all on the menu. At Rp 750k++ per person (Rp 1,250k++ with free flow beer and wine) it’s obviously not cheap, but you could justify it as a once in a year extravagance. Just make sure you don’t eat so much you go into a food coma before midnight.
Peaches and Cream “La Cosa Nostra” at Potato Head Garage
“Peaches and Cream” is Potato Head Garage’s uber-popular monthly hip-hop night which always manages to pack the cavernous grounds of this party palace in SCBD. For New Year’s Eve, PHG is giving P&C an Italian twist with it’s mafia-themed “La Cosa Nostra” night. Guests are invited to dress up in gangster getups before getting their groove on. The inimitable DJs Dipha Barus and Cream, as well as Tiara Eve and P Double, will be selecting a series of hip-hop hits to hurtle you into 2016 in style. FDC Rp 200k.
Glow Rooftop Party at Cloud Lounge
One of the greatest (and most dangerous) things about NYE in Jakarta is that people shoot fireworks off… well pretty much everywhere. If you’re up high enough, you can see fireworks going off in pretty much every direction you look across the Big Durian at the stroke of midnight. That’s why rooftop bars are an especially good bet for end of the year spectacle, and Cloud Lounge is definitely one of the classiest rooftop bars in town, with a panoramic view of the city from atop the 49th floor of The Plaza building. We’re not so sure about the “glow in the dark” dress code, but the beats by DJs Deefo, Fickry and Andezz should be a sweet accompaniment to the night’s pyrotechnics. FDC 250k.
Other excellent rooftop bars you might consider for your NYE partying include Skye, BART at the Artotel, Awan Lounge at Kosenda Hotel, Soupanova Ecosky and SHY Rooftop at the Papilion.
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