Premhouse | Safety While Shopping

Premhouse.com JAKARTA | Wherever you shop in the city, be sure to watch your purse and phone. It is advisable to always have your purse zipped or closed and firmly secured under your arm or held in front of you. When sitting having coffee or in a restaurant never hang your purse over the back of a chair. A common practice for ladies in Indonesia is to put their purse behind them on their chair so there is no way someone can get access to it without you feeling it. 

Backpack style purses are often a target for pick pockets when you stand on an escalator or in a cashier line up. Your personal belongings can be easy accessed without you knowing it. Some instances of purse slashing also happen - more often in open markets where a razor blade or exacto knife is used to slash the bottom of the purse and empty the purse without the owner of the purse realizing it has happened.

Living in Jakarta: Healthcare, An Expat’s Guide

Are you moving to Jakarta and are interested in learning about healthcare options for you and your family? In this article, Expatmedicare examines Jakarta's healthcare system and facilities, helping you stay informed about the best options medically for you and your family.

While Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city, is becoming a hot destination for expats relocating to Southeast Asia, one of the most important things to be informed of is the state of its healthcare system. Nationally, Indonesia’s healthcare system is not up to par with neighboring or regional countries, such as Singapore or Thailand, although there are a growing number of private facilities and some improving public facilities in Jakarta. Yet for emergency or planned surgeries, many expats still prefer to go to neighboring countries for better care, making international medical insurance coverage a must-have item for those moving to Indonesia.

Jakarta Travel Guide in Brief for You!

For the majority of its residents, Jakarta is a city of promise. The lure of jobs and a better life has caused the city’s population to escalate at an alarming rate, to more than 10 million. Visually unprepossessing, this is a city of monotonous skyscrapers, apartment buildings, shopping malls and traffic-choked highways, with few green spaces to break things up. More positively, the nation’s largest metropolis has a rich cultural life, with an abundance of performing and visual arts, and a laid-back, courteous persona. 

Capital to the world’s fourth most populous nation, Jakarta is a city that verges on the chaotic. Just south of the harbour on Jakarta Bay and Ancol recreation park is Kota, the old Batavia area, where remnants of Dutch colonial rule reside. Heading south are Pecinan (Chinatown) and busy Glodok, the electronics, gadget and computer centre of the city. A major north–south artery, Jalan Hayam Wuruk merges into Jalan Gajah Mada, lined with shops, restaurants, hotels and nightlife, ending at Monas (Freedom Square) in the heart of Central Jakarta. 

Neighbourhood in Jakarta | Guide to the Most Popular Places to Live in the City

Before you relocate to the Big Durian, here is a quick lowdown on the city’s top places to live - plus their pros and cons. 

 

Thinking about moving to the Big Durian? A fact of life here is the traffic so finding a place to live is a priority. Depending on your lifestyle, needs and priorities, living in Jakarta can mean many different things. We’ve rounded up some helpful tips about the city’s most popular neighbourhoods:  

 

Menteng

Menteng is located in the middle of Jakarta making it one of the most convenient places to be if you’re working here in a number of international and national industries and businesses. Enjoy the city’s best shopping, dining, and nightlife right at your front door. Also, if you’re thinking of settling down in a house, Menteng is known for its beautiful historic architecture and charming tree-lined streets.

Pro: You would be in the center of the city and close to most of the cosmopolitan features of Jakarta
Con: Be prepared to pay a premium price for almost everything from rent to dinner. Also, rush-hour traffic is no joke.

Cloud Longue and Living Room Jakarta | Hangout

Where to hangout with your friend in Jakarta after office hour? Could Lounge & Living Room is one of the hottest spot at Jakarta with the best 360 degrees city view from 49th floor.Cloud Lounge & Living Room is located at Altitude The Plaza, the office tower from Plaza Indonesia called The Plaza 49th floor.

Once you entered the restaurant, your eyes will be amazed by the breaktaking 360 degrees city view. The best time to visit would be during sunset so you can get experience both while the sky still bright till the dark.Since December 2014, they’ve launched several new food and cocktail menu selection such as Spicy Beef Salad with Thai dressing, Lamb Shank, Churros, etc. 

Strategies for Guiding Children Towards Self Direction

"One evening, I was watching the interaction and listening to the conversation between my husband and my daughter. She was only five years old then. She had taken a story book and was flipping the pages and trying to read it. Not long after that, she sighed, looking sad and putting the book aside. I could see that she was feeling disappointed. Clouding around her was a sense of self defeat and acceptance that she could not read.

My husband saw her situation; in his wisdom, he quietly came along side and gently put her on his lap. He reached out, selected an interesting story book with big words, and suggested to our daughter, “Let’s read together.” With a smile, he started. Soon, my daughter encouraged by her daddy’s enthusiasm started reading. When they finished reading, her daddy with absolute joy said to my daughter, “Carina, you can read. There are some words you still have to learn but you can read. You are a reader!”  My daughter was delighted, from her expression, I could see that she was amazed at the realization that she could read. It was a pivotal moment for my daughter, within minutes there was a transformation of the mind from “I cannot read to I can read”."

Premhouse Useful Info | MO Bar for the Expats or Executives Living in Urban City Jakarta

Get set for a glittering night with cool cocktails and stunning views through three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows

Enjoying a sophisticated ambience and fabulous setting, the Mandarin Bar is one of Las Vegas’ most exclusive after-dark venues. Located on the 23rd floor of the hotel, floor-to-ceiling windows provide guests with stunning views of the city’s famous Strip.

Our hotel Mixologist and team hand craft fresh original cocktails with a local and Asian twist according to the flavor and sensation of your preference. Executive Chef David Werly’s innovative dishes compliment perfectly for a pre-show meal or light fare during cocktail hour. With a chic décor incorporating dark wood floors, jewel-toned armchairs and high-backed bar stools, the bar exudes contemporary style.

Practical Information | Apartment Living in Jakarta

In some countries, apartment living previously indicated a social or economic stigma. Many people saw it as a compromise, driven by financial and utilitarian necessity rather than social and aesthetic advantages. Common thinking was that apartment living meant too little privacy, too much noise, little or no access to personal outdoor space, undesirable neighbors and unpredictable increases in rent or condominium fees.

This is no longer the case in Jakarta. Over the past ten years Jakarta has seen an explosion in the development of a wide variety of apartment facilities. Apartment living is quickly becoming a social status symbol as many of the complexes offer very convenient and desired locations, five-star facilities and luxurious interiors, enabling the dwellers a unique city living experience. Depending on the person/family’s individual situation and lifestyle, and the ever-increasing time drain of being caught up in long delays due to traffic jams, apartment living near the work place is beginning to make more sense than owning or renting a house.

Useful Information: Moving to Jakarta

Moving to Jakarta will take you to a bustling city, complete with skyscrapers and traffic jams. Indeed, Jakarta is often considered to be the “Big Apple” of Southeast Asia. Our guide on moving to Jakarta will help you with your move by providing you with advice on housing, education, visas and more. 

The Big Apple (Big Durian) of Southeast Asia is the economic, political and cultural hub of the Indonesian archipelago. With almost 10 million inhabitants, it is the largest city in Indonesia. Jakarta is a fascinating place, even though it is fighting against the negative image of being a terrorist stronghold. This prejudice arose in the wake of violent terrorist incidents across Indonesia in the past decade. Actually, most expats in Jakarta are pleased with their decision to move to Jakarta and enjoy the city’s flair.

Expatriate Housing: Strategically Located, But Far More Expensive

Home sweet home: Two women walk through the gate of the Bellezza apartments located in Permata Hijau, South Jakarta. Rent for apartments located in expatriate areas such as Permata Hijau has increased by between 10 percent and 12 percent this year, according Colliers International Indonesia. JP/R. Berto Wedhatama 

Although modern accommodation facilities have been mushrooming in almost all parts of Jakarta, the rents charged for them continue to rise too, especially for those located in areas popular with expatriates.

Rents for houses and apartments located in so-called expatriate areas such as Pondok Indah, Kebayoran Baru, Permata Hijau, Kemang, Cilandak, Cipete and Pejaten, all in South Jakarta, increased between 20 and 40 percent, compared to the previous six months, according to a survey conducted by property consulting firm Colliers International Indonesia.

Useful Information | KITAS Rules Tighten as Indonesia Reduces the Stay Period for Certain Expats

he government recently reduced the stay period for expats in certain industries. Here’s what workers in service, trading, and consulting should consider.  
Since last year, the KITAS—otherwise known as the temporary resident card for foreigners in Indonesia—has become harder to come by. The election year of 2014 was a confusing one for human resource departments across the country, particularly with the fluid nature of KITAS regulations making life difficult. Add to that rumours of an impending compulsory TOIFL (Test of Indonesian as Foreign Language) and it’s easy to see why the 65,000 foreigners currently on a KITAS may be following the developments with interest.
Some expats are already starting to feel the squeeze. At least as much is confirmed by Marlissa Dessy, co-founder and director of Indosight, a firm that provides legal support and market entry services to foreign companies looking to set up shop in Indonesia.
“The amount of time recommended for a working visa has changed from one year to six months for advisor positions in the service, trading, and consulting sectors,” explains  Dessy, a bona fide veteran in the KITAS process. “The problem is that the only positions available for foreigners in these three sectors are advisor positions.” Dessy and the Indosight team confirm that the government published this news online, but that it did not actually include a date on the article, making it tough to pinpoint exactly when the new rule went into effect.
- See more at: http://indonesiaexpat.biz/featured/kitas-rules-tighten-as-indonesia-reduces-the-stay-period-for-certain-expats/#sthash.O99eq8vx.dpuf

The government recently reduced the stay period for expats in certain industries. Here’s what workers in service, trading, and consulting should consider.  

Since last year, the KITAS—otherwise known as the temporary resident card for foreigners in Indonesia—has become harder to come by. The election year of 2014 was a confusing one for human resource departments across the country, particularly with the fluid nature of KITAS regulations making life difficult. Add to that rumours of an impending compulsory TOIFL (Test of Indonesian as Foreign Language) and it’s easy to see why the 65,000 foreigners currently on a KITAS may be following the developments with interest.

Why Rent a Serviced Apartment Instead of Hotel Room

Have you just discovered the all time worst kept secrets of the hospitality industry? Not only is staying in a serviced apartment less expensive, it provides you with more space, more privacy, and more freedom than staying in a hotel room!

But what is it - “a serviced apartment”?

Indeed the name varies between different countries, between different languages and even within the same language, moreover,  the services provided also vary, blurring product descriptions and concepts. This lack of clarity is challenging for the industry because clients might be misled in their expectations of the level of services.

So, you are moving to Jakarta, now what???

I bet a number of you are doing some research before you move to the new place you call home. I know I did before we moved to Bangkok and then to Jakarta. I try to be as prepared as I can, especially if I’m moving with kids.

A fellow soon-to-be expat mom, Magdalena who’s moving from Texas with her husband and two boys, sent me a few questions about life in Jakarta. I thought her questions were so thoughtful and thorough that I thought I would share them with you guys hoping you would find them useful, too. This is the first part of two.

Serviced Apartment | Temporary Housing

After your arrival in Jakarta, you and your family will be spending an enormous amount of energy trying to set up your new lives. The immediate tasks include: getting settled into your job, finding a house or apartment, getting your kids enrolled in school, buying or leasing a car, learning your way around town, hiring household staff, getting involved in the community and making new friends. 

Your company may advise or require you to stay in a hotel or serviced apartment until you are able to locate suitable housing. If this is the case, ask the company to book you in a hotel or apartment that is near the neighborhood you are most likely to live in. Hotel Kristal is a favorite choice, because it is conveniently located to the Cilandak or Pondok Indah Campus of the Jakarta Intercultural School and your children can start school from this temporary residence while you seek a permanent home. 

Many of the serviced apartments offer suite rooms with kitchenettes which are great for families or people that quickly get tired of eating out continuously. Be sure your temporary residence has broadband internet connections in the rooms so that you can easily get connected with the world 24 hours a day. Other alternatives to the traditional hotel are emerging in Jakarta. Some companies may have a guest house where your family can stay for several weeks in a much homier atmosphere. 

Apartment for Rent at Kemang Village | Premhouse.com

For further information please contact:
+Hendrik Fitrayana  087888663607 or 081293444169 or
Email: hendrik@mediapura.com
Detail info: Apartment for Rent | Kemang Village