Jakarta Field Trip Report: Exploring City Life, Consumer Trends, and Industrial Insights 🇲🇨

[One R] Visa Guide: Indonesia still offers visa on arrival, making it convenient for travelers. No matter which currency you use, ensure you have the exact amount ready and hand it directly to the staff. I recall it was 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah. Otherwise, you might be asked for a tip. The staff can sometimes treat people differently based on their appearance. My personal advice is to be firm and politely refuse any extra charges.

[Two R] City Construction: Jakarta evokes a similar vibe to Bangkok. The central business districts are highly developed, with numerous advertisements from Chinese companies in the main commercial areas. However, as you drive through the city, you’ll notice large slums, a common feature in Southeast Asian cities that also highlights the stark contrast in consumption and living standards.

[Three R] Consumer Experience: During our five-day stay in Jakarta, we mostly dined in malls and Chinese restaurants. The cost of meals in the mall is comparable to Beijing, or even slightly higher. A bowl of Japanese ramen costs around 60 RMB, and the portion size is quite small, leaving you feeling unsatisfied.

Hainanese chicken rice is also not cheap. While there are certainly more affordable local options, by comparing prices in malls, supermarkets, and coffee shops, the overall daily cost of living in Jakarta feels quite high.

[Four R] Traffic Conditions: Before arriving in Jakarta, I thought Bangkok’s traffic was bad, but Jakarta’s is even more frustrating. Bangkok is manageable during the day, but in Jakarta, you can only manage one activity per day when you go out. The central area’s planning is poor, and the traffic becomes unbearable during peak hours. A 2-3 kilometer stretch can take an hour to navigate, and the driving skills of local drivers are impressive, always finding ways to squeeze through tight spaces.

[Five R] Travel Experience: Everyone knows that Indonesia has many fascinating destinations, but Jakarta itself doesn’t have many tourist attractions. There is the iconic Independence Square, the charming Old Town of Jakarta, and a century-old, internet-famous coffee shop, which are unique, but that’s about it. If you’re just passing through, spending a day to explore these sites is sufficient.

[Six R] Industry and Overseas Expansion: Many Chinese companies have established a strong presence in Indonesia, driven by the local industry and favorable policies. Compared to Thailand and Vietnam, Indonesia boasts a larger population, better economic growth trends, more opportunities for infrastructure investment, and abundant mineral and energy resources.

Chinese companies in Indonesia include numerous state-owned enterprises, such as the renowned Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway project, and robust private listed companies. Additionally, many consumer-oriented companies, including some startups, are optimistic about the future consumer market in Indonesia, seeing it as a land of opportunity.

[Seven R] Project Inspection: During this inspection, we embarked on a journey to visit a diverse array of businesses, including overseas service companies, local Chinese-founded internet platforms, independent e-commerce consumer brands, and representatives from both state-owned and private enterprises.

The overall sentiment is one of optimism for the future prospects of Indonesia. The country’s energy and digital economies are experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the realms of e-commerce, fintech, and digital services. Despite the vast potential of the Indonesian consumer market, it currently faces challenges such as low average transaction values and high price sensitivity among consumers.

To succeed in this environment, companies must carefully position themselves, offering high-quality and affordable products and services. They must also focus on localizing their brands and enhancing customer experiences. Continuous innovation and efficiency improvements are crucial, and only those with robust core competitiveness will thrive.