Climate
Jakarta has a hot and humid equatorial/tropical climate (Af) according to the Köppen climate classification system. Located in the western-part of Indonesia, Jakarta’s wet season rainfall peak is January with average monthly rainfall of 350 millimeters (14 in) and its dry season low point is August with a monthly average of 60 millimeters (2.4 in). The city is humid throughout the year with daily temperature range of 25° to 38°C (77°-100°F).

Money
Jakarta is crawling with banks offering the best exchange rates nesia, although it usually pays to shop around. There are ATMs galore at the main post office near the National Monument and at Plaza Indo¬nesia.

Dangers & annoyances
For such a huge city with obvious social problems and an unhealthy reputation, Jakarta is surprisingly safe. It does, however, remain the most crime-prone city in Indonesia. Violent crime is not unknown, but tourists are rarely targeted. It’s best to take the usual precautions though – avoid disreputable areas (Glodok and Kota can be unsafe in the early hours of the morning), don’t walk the streets alone at night and move out of the way quickly if violence does break out. Attacks by taxi drivers have been known to take place, so always opt for reputable firms at night, such as the citywide Bluebird group.

Jakarta’s buses and trains tend to be hopelessly crowded, particularly during rush hours. Pickpockets are notoriously adept and many locals will warn you against such thieves.

Following the Bali and Jakarta bombings, many foreign embassies have warned against travel to Indonesia and especially Jakarta. Attacks against foreign interests have occurred and protests, although often peaceful, may still become violent with little warning. Continued conflict in the Middle East, or developments in the case against those responsible for the bombings, may provoke further unrest. While such warnings are often manically overcautious, once you’re in the country, it’s always wise to check the current situation with your embassy.

Getting there & away
Jakarta is the main international gateway to Indonesia. Jakarta is also a major centre for domestic travel, with extensive bus, train, air and boat connections.
Land

Bus

Jakarta’s four major bus terminals – Kalideres, Kampung Rambutan, Pulo Gadung and Lebak Bulus – are all a long way from the city centre. In some cases it can take longer getting to the bus terminal than the bus journey itself, making the trains a better alternative for arriving in or leaving Jakarta.

Tickets (some including travel to the terminals) for the better buses can be bought from agencies.

Train

Jakarta’s four main train stations are quite central, making trains the easiest way out of the city into Java. The most convenient and important is Gambir station, on the eastern side of Merdeka Sq, a 15-minute walk from Jl Jaksa. Gambir handles express trains to Bogor, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang and Surabaya. Some Gambir trains also stop at Kota, the train station in the old city area in the north. The Pasar Senen train station is to the east and mostly has economy-class trains. Tanah Abang train station has economy trains to the west.