"Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours", Singapore: Indonesian Cuisine

With the world's fourth largest population made up of 250 ethnic groups and spread out over 6,000 populated islands, Indonesia, as can be imagined, is a land of huge diversity. The archipelago once lay along the ancient trading routes between the Middle East and the Far East, a position that opened it wide to the influences from many far-off places.

From the time that its Srivijaya kingdom commenced trading with China in the 7th century, Indonesia has been an important trade region with many foreign powers attracted by its wealth of natural resources.

The Indian merchants brought with them the Hindu and Buddhist religions as well as curries and dried spices such as cardamom, cumin and caraway. Chinese traders and immigrants contributed Confucianism, soybean, noodles and the technique of stir-frying; while Arab traders and scholars introduced Islam, kebabs and Arabian spices.

The Europeans, meanwhile, fought amongst themselves for control of the Spice Islands of Maluku; and Spanish and Portuguese traders brought produce from the New World before the Dutch finally colonized Indonesia for three and a half centuries. During that time, they imported potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, string beans and corn to remind them of home.

Today, Indonesian food is well-known for its fried rice or nasi goreng; its satay, the local version of the Arab kebabs; its beef rendang, chili condiment or sambal, and tempeh or roasted soybean cakes. There are many similarities between Malay food in Malaysia and Indonesian cuisine, but to the experienced palate the differences are just as noticeable.

As with the rest of "Southeast Asia", rice is the staple diet in Indonesia, except in Irian Jaya and Maluku where people sustain themselves with sago, which is a type of tapioca, sweet potatoes and cassava. For tourists, you can authentic Indonesian food in Jakarta Indonesia.

Rice is usually eaten plain, combined with a meat dish, a vegetable dish, a sambal and crunchies like fried peanuts or fried anchovies. Sometimes, the rice is steamed in woven packets of coconut leaves to make what is called a ketupat; and sometimes it is steamed in banana leaves and served as lontong.

In Indonesia, it is common for dishes to be cooked ahead of time and later eaten at room temperature. This seems to suit Indonesian families, many of whom do not have set meal-times. This practice is also common in restaurants and public eating places in Indonesia.

Warning! Most Indonesian food is moderately spicy with a predominance of ginger, garlic and fresh turmeric.

A Homestay
Do you want to avoid Balinese-style tourism or the busy city of Jakarta, and then why not pass up on the hotels, spas and plunge pools altogether and opt for a homestay in Lombok? Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore can arrange a tour for you. There are many choices everywhere in the island, counting farmhouses and homes in beachside and mountainside villages. Several are fairly extravagant affairs, with self-reliant lodging and opposing from normal travelers' cabins only by the attendance of pleasant crowds. Numerous proposals like an introduction to fishing, farming or even hunting as performed by the native Sasak people, and above a personal look at the groundwork of local foods and perhaps an opportunity to be seated in on some craftwork or the celebration of a festival.

The Lombok Chili Pepper
Because the word Lombok means chili in Bahasa Indonesia, you'd believe the locals to know about spicy food. The green and red Lombok chilies are regularly made into sambal - warning! A fiery condiment - with locally grown naga jolokia peppers, garlic and shrimp paste. Sample it as a supplement to local dishes such as ayam taliwang and sayur nangka.

Hit the Beach
After Bali's busy strips, you can hit Lombok's beaches, they are second to none and a blessed relief of stressful bustle of life. Travel for the island's southwest to truly flee away from the crowds. Surfers adore the big waves at Bangko-Bangko; if its long-walled and hollow left-hand breaks seem excessively demanding then seek the small island of Gili Nanggu. It will take you 15 minutes by boat from the town of Tawun. There, the Gili Nanggu Cottages and Bungalows resort, bids a possibility to idle on an unspoiled private beach that surrounds the island, or to go snorkeling in the beautiful reefs.

Two Wheels Good
Public transport on Lombok is erratic. A lot of the visitors decide to hire a car and driver, which can be found at very practical rates, however if you are feeling daring consider renting a motorcycle. Lombok is easily traversable and its roads are in great condition for Indonesia At just over 80 km at its widest point. The outstanding 21-km coastal stretch from Senggigi to Pemenang winds past lovely bays and beaches and is an easy, white-knuckle ride. Further, smaller roads wander through rugged highlands, passing secluded waterfalls and verdant rice paddies.

Hot, Roasted Worms
Lombok's people are a varied mix of religious and ethnic groups, with the widely held being the indigenous Sasak Muslims. There is likewise a substantial Hindu Balinese population, and important numbers of Chinese and Sasak Buddhists. Altogether means a lively festival calendar. The major and most colorful festival is the Bau Nyale or Sea Worm Festival.

Portugal
One of the best choices for a backpacker in Europe, Portugal is in every aspect charming and captivating like the more glamorous and expensive Spain and Italy. Each and every good thing in Portugal is free. Many of the finest tourist attractions in Porto are free of charge and Lisbon has a remarkable diversity of hostels for a budget traveler. Moreover, for the most part of what Portugal's feature is concealed in simple sight. Its old world, laid back elegance, the romance of the hill-side retreat Sintra, the jazz-filled streets of the upper city in Lisbon. This place is exotic yet warm, overwhelming yet homely. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours

Indonesia
You can overlook that you are on a shoestring budget in the very inexpensive and diverse Indonesia. Visualize a country that is made of 17,000 islands, all of which have various topographies and natural wonders. Indonesia is by far more than resting on the unspoiled beaches of Bali or the city of Jakarta.

This country is a small amazement in itself as it is the surfer's paradise and a gypsy's haven. Even though transportation can sometimes get difficult, the food and sleep selections will more than offset the discomfort.

Argentina
Argentina is moving to improvement each second but its pretty landscape and poetic beauty captivates tourists. The country is famous for nature enthusiasts; it is hard not to be overwhelmed by the impressive Iguazu falls, fantastic rainforests and some of the uppermost peaks in the world that adorn Argentinian landscapes.

There's so much to be thankful for here you should go far beyond your comfort zone. Appreciate the juiciest steaks and ruby-red wines, and then tango the night away in this South American wonderland.

Nepal
The largest souvenir to take back from Nepal is the remembrance of smiling, friendly faces. Nepal is a banquet not just for the eyes, but warning, also for the wallet.

Nepal has views that will stay in the mind forever with the colossal Himalayas as a backdrop and the peace of mind that most other countries lack.

A fantasy destination for enthusiastic trekkers, Nepal does not dissatisfy nature fanatics. You will be glad to have hopped on to that shaky flight because of the hospitality of its people.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore - Best Pools in the World

Grace Santorini Hotel Pool in Santorini, Greece
This serene experience in Greece is to die for. You would not be able to take your eyes off the spectacular view of world-famous Caldera. Add the lavish experience with a cocktail and take a swim in the pool at the boutique Grace Santorini Hotel. And to level it up, head up for a swim at sunset for a front-row seat.

Water on the Water Pool at Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Tremezzo, Italy
Lake Como is homing to this unique that extends out into the surface of the lake. You can get the best of both worlds in this vacation spot since it can be best for those who just don't want to swim in lake water. Not to mention its George Clooney's favorite vacation destination.

THE Hanging Garden Ubud Pool in Payangan, Bali, Indonesia
Escape Jakarta and get astonished at the epicenter of the Hanging Gardens property is a architecturally unbelievable and world-famous pool. It's a split-level infinity pool adjacent to a wall of solidified volcanic ash, and its sights of the jungle surrounding it mean it's ultimately built for honeymooners.

Skye Restaurant Pool at Hotel Unique in San Paolo, Brazil
Hotel Unique's name is extremely suitable for its unique characteristic. Its distinct feature extends to its rooftop Skye bar and restaurant's pool. If you do not want to escape the lounge atmosphere to hop in the water, the crimson red pool is fully furnished with an underwater sound system to make sure the party continues in the pool. Water, music, weird colors, and a view, not bad at all, there is nothing more to ask for.

Infinity Pool in Sands Skypark at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore Hotel & Casino
Put away your beach clothes, as this unbelievable pool as an alternative bids skyline views of the whole city. The pool is high in the sky on the 57th floor of the Marina Bay Sands Casino in Singapore, and it is gigantic, at almost 500 feet across.

Badeschiff in Berlin, Germany
Warning! Badeschiff, or "bathing ship" in English, is precisely what it sounds like. It's an old barge that has been revamped into a public swimming hole for residents of Berlin. For the reason that the East Harbour section of the River Spree has been polluted to the point where it is hazardous for swimming, people looking to escape the summer heat can swim in this pool that rests atop the river. This is truly an exciting pool for adventurous and ordinary people alike.

"Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours", Singapore: Guide for Commuter Travelers In Indonesia

Jakarta can be frustrating and tiring to go around: it's a extensive city with denationalized public transportation arrangements. Luckily, there are numerous diverse means to get from place to place to this city. With abundant tenacity, courage, and a small quantity of luck, it's just likely for tourists to get from wherever in the city to anywhere you want to go within a sensible time minus resorting to renting a car or jumping in a cab.

Bajaj
A polluting 3 wheeled-devils-on-wheel, Bajaj is seamless for short rides for 2 people. Taking a Bajaj for a ride longer than 30 minutes could outcome in brief deafness and a condition similar to baby-shaking syndrome because of the rattling and the shaking.

Warning! They're relatively cheap but extremely polluting, noisy, and not really the most comfortable way to get around.

Mikrolet/Angkot
Commonly cyan or baby blue in color but they also come in a varieties of other colors, mikrolets or 'angkots' rounds all over the city. It's a 100% certain that at least one of them will nearly run you over for the duration of your visit to "Jakarta". They're belligerent and will do whatever to cram their vehicles as jam-packed as possible. You pay on the way out. But better ask other passengers for how much it commonly costs them for the ride.

Ojek
Another ordinary manner of transportation, ojeks is mainly rides on motorcycles. They can usually be seen nearby shopping malls, markets, and any major public area. A good mode catch them is to locate a group of people doing nothing, just hanging out near a row of motorcycles. It is actually a fun manner to get around if you're feeling extremely chancy.

Ask one of them and tell him where you want to go. Make sure to insist on having a helmet to wear. After you experience or realize the kind of driving that these guys do, you will insist on having a helmet. Also, the cops have been extremely down on this all around Jakarta and you'll pay a fine if caught.

Visit this group for more information: "Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Group"

Indonesia is to experience economic immoderations. The city is a busy business center where tall high-rise buildings dot the city, simultaneously; usual in Jakarta, Indonesia are ciphers of scarcity, shortage and poverty that can be perceived inside the metropolis's margins. Indonesia is categorized as a third world country and is yet recovering from the crippling Asian financial catastrophe throughout the later part of the past decade.

On the other hand, tourists may nevertheless appreciate big, western-style shopping centers that offer imported goods along with local manufactures. You can arrange a tour with Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore. Furthermore within Jakarta, Indonesia are local shops and markets exhibiting souvenir items showcasing Indonesian wares.

Jakarta, Indonesia is located on the island of Java. The city as well functions as the capital of the world's biggest archipelago-nation. Almost all international flights from and to Indonesia is from within the city's international airports and as well as inter-islands flights are serviced in the said airports. Likewise in Jakarta, Indonesia are chief ports that offer shipping services for international and domestic travel.

Jakarta, Indonesia single-handedly is populated by around 11 million of the country's entire inhabitants earning to be one of the utmost thickly inhabited cities in the world. Trading has been the main economic activity in the city nonetheless; industries grounded in Jakarta have been fronting problems matched to other Asian colleagues ever since the colonial period. The alteration of government in 1998, subsequently to President Suharto's administration was conveyed down behind general discontent, added to economic problems.

Even though tourism is one of the country's sources of income, it has miscarried to lift the economic situations of most of the people in Jakarta who are winding in poverty. Housing has been a perennial problem wherein 200,000 units are needed yearly Bringing about from the fast population growth in Jakarta.

However, there are outstanding places to visit in Jakarta, Indonesia. Jakarta was a Dutch colony for more than three centuries, henceforth; you'd perhaps discover their museums thought-provoking in order to understand Indonesian culture and heritage, which would formulate you for you tour to other islands. Indonesia's culture is fairly varied since that the archipelago-nation is made-up of 17,508 islands, 6,000 of which are populated.

Warning, Indonesia is a Muslim country, be very cautious of the dos and don'ts.

Jakarta occupied by people from transversely the Indonesian archipelago and yonder, is a melting pot of cultures then so bids an extensive variety of entertainment choices to go well with all likings. You may arrange a tour with "Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours", Singapore. If you wish to experience something indeed traditional, you can watch Indonesian performances for instance wayang kulit (shadow puppet shows) and gamelan (traditional Javanese) music.

You can go to Taman Ismail Marzuki where there is a presentation almost every night, to witness Jakarta's cultural showcase. You can watch Balinese dances, join poetry readings, or gamelan concerts. One more well-liked venue is the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta where you may appreciate traditional dance and theatre as well European classical music and dance. The yearly arts festival at the Jakarta Arts Building furthermore offers the unspoiled chance to see topnotch dance, music and theater performed by local and foreign artists.

Jakarta is Indonesia's most progressive and urbane city proposing a remarkable nightlife. There are many bars, discos, karaoke lounges and nightclubs alternating from sleazy to sophisticated. Warning! Be mindful of safety and precautions.

Bands twitch around 10 PM or 11PM and last until about 3 AM. Hotel bars are the most common and they appear to spurt at the layers through weekends. Burgundy, in Grand Hyatt, is the spot for the who's who of the city. Thenceforth there are the chain cafes similar to Planet Hollywood, Newscafe, Fashion Café, and Hard Rock Café, which are extremely widespread throughout the weekends on top. Some other bars worth going to consist of Pitstop Club in the Sari Pan Pacific, Chequers in the Mandarin Oriental, and B.A.T.S. in the Shangri-La. Jaya Pub is as great as a Jakarta institution with live performers most evenings.

Tanamor is very popular among expatriates when it comes to discos and is Jakarta's most well-liked discothèque. It is perfect for a famous spot for letting your hair down, more especially on Fridays and Saturdays when it beats with the enthusiasm of a full house. Another well-patronized discotheque consists of the stylish Jalan Jalan, gratifying to the young troop, and Garasi, the preferred rendezvous of financial executives and stockbrokers.

Jakarta has some classy Nightclubs and Karaoke bars with technological lighting, huge sound systems, and impelling dance music. The clubs open around 9 PM but the deed doesn't actually begin until in the middle of the night. Happening on weekends, they are open till 4 AM or later. You can head to Chinatown, located north of the city, here you can discover amongst others, the Rap Club and Haze for some of Jakarta's best nightclubs.

Jakarta is a topnotch culinary destination where you can appreciate traditional Indonesian and worldwide cuisine and moreover remarkable mixture foods with global inspirations. There is a richness of reasonably-priced halal fare being a pre-dominantly Muslim country. Jakarta has the finest variety of restaurants in Indonesia where you can eat everything from monkey meat in the streets of Glodok to fine dining in international restaurants. Many restaurants and eateries are costly by Indonesian standards nonetheless the comparatively low rate of the rupiah implies you can take pleasure in fine dining at a portion of the value it would charge in other parts of the world. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore lets you taste Indonesia's dining option.

Street food is extremely usual in Jakarta and there is no shortage of food stalls or warungs as to locals and snacks vendors selling nosh, the typically Indonesian satay or bakso tok-tok (Chinese soup). Jakarta as well has its reasonable share of worldwide chains and franchises. You'll simply find these in food courts and in shopping malls for example Plaza Senayan, Taman Anggrek Mall, and Plaza Indonesia. In some malls, you can in fact see the food being ready and you can as well try diverse specialisms in advance of deciding on what you desire to eat. But a warning though, you should also be very cautious of what you eat.

Restaurants introducing Indonesian cuisine can be normally found in the city. Common dishes consist of spicy hot Padang food, tasty chicken from Kalasan in Central Java, grilled fish from Ujung Pandang, and sumptuous Chinese seafood dishes.

Jakarta presents various international culinary delicacies for all to experience. To name only a few, you can try out American, Asian, Brazilian, British, Chinese, Deli, Dutch, European, French, Greek, Indian, Irish, and Italian. There is likewise a respectable assortment of restaurants providing these menus reaching from low-priced to costly. Most fine dining restaurants can be found in the five star hotels focused in the Golden Triangle area as likewise in habitations for example Kemang, Menteng and Kebayoran Baru. Cafe Batavia, in the northwest of the city, offers an unforgettable dining experience done its Hong Kong and Pacific Rim menus. In Oasis, you will be greeted with live gamelan music. The restaurant has a stimulating cuisine and a fully clad wine list.

The cafes situated in Jalan Jaksa distribute normal travelers' fare extending from quasi-European to Indonesian. The charges are inexpensive and the breakfasts served are of worthy price. The place is perfect for the backpackers and the budget travelers. Ya Udah is a well-liked and comparatively expensive hidey-hole serving Western dishes and a extensive diversity of pies. Pappa Kafe serves a wide-ranging menu counting Indian food. Memori has food alike to Pappa Kafe then in the evenings you can enjoy watching American movies.

Let's escape the hassle and bustle city life in Jakarta, Indonesia and try the best diving and snorkeling spots in Bali. Bali has remarkable sites for diving and snorkeling. Aside from being the best for surfing, Bali beaches have mind-blowing underwater view as well. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore prepared this list of the best places for snorkeling and diving in Bali.

Menjangan Island Bali
Menjangan Island Bali is can be found at West Bali National Park (Taman Nasional bali barat). The island has stunning underwater view with coral reefs wall on all sides of the island. Snorkeling and diving alike are topmost preferences when traveling here. Many tourists claim that Menjangan Island is the best among all snorkeling and diving spot in Bali.

You can effortlessly witness butterfly fish, angel fish, clown fish, crocodile fish, lion fish, anthias, pipefish, and other kind of fish here under Menjangan Island Sea. There are also times, If lucky, to see baby sharks.

Amed and Tulamben
Amed is a finest spot for snorkeling and freediving, while Tulamben is a place best for diving. These two places are to be found in the eastern of Bali Island. Similar to a temple and Japanese shipwreck, Amed has underwater submarine mailbox, while Tulamben has US Liberty shipwreck. You can effortlessly observe schooling fish in both places. Not to mention, beautiful coral reefs are amazing underwater view of Amed and Tulamben as well.

Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida
Nusa Lembongan is also one of the best spot for snorkeling and sea walking. Whereas Nusa Penida is a best place for diving to look for Mola-mola fish/Sun Fish. Sea walking is managed by Bali Marine Walk. Here, you can walk under the sea with hundreds of fish swimming everywhere with you.

Padang Bai
Padang Bai also one of the best places in Bali for snorkeling despite being not as popular compared to the three places listed above.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore guarantees you with no complaints vacation in Bali!

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore had arranged many tours on various Wildlife destinations in Asia such as:

Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia is a national park that is home to over 500 species of animals, counting nearly 200 types of mammals. Sumatran tigers and flying lemurs, together with clouded leopards, flying frogs and sambar deer are just some examples of one of the greatest varied animal populations in Indonesia. Gunung Leuser also comprises a rehabilitation house for orangutans. Located in the near-pristine Bukit Barisan Mountains, the park's altitude shoots from zero to 3,381 meters, with the Alas River cutting the park in half.

The Bonin Islands, Japan, also known as the Ogasawara Islands in Japan, have the merit of being the most remote destination on this list; there is no other way to get there but by a 25-hour ferry from Tokyo. It's completely worth it, however, as visitors have an amazing 90% chance of seeing humpback whales from February-April. Visitors can as well see sperm whales in the summer and fall, and dolphins all year around. The islands are likewise rare in that they were not ever associated to the Japanese mainland or any other continent, and hence are home to crabs, insects and birds not found anywhere else in the world.

Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia is extended over closely 440 square kilometers in lowland rainforest, Danum Valley was uninhabited by humans when it opened. As soon as you're in the valley, visitors can take guided walks and drives and nighttime safaris to try and spot the Borneo pygmy elephant, Sumatran rhino, Malay sun bear and more. Throughout durian season, the likelihoods of seeing orangutans upsurge. The real treat here, though, is the birdwatching, as it's the sole place where the spectacled flowerpecker has only been seen.

Similan Islands, Thailand is known as one of the top diving destinations in the world. May it be diving or snorkeling, it's likely to see spectacular coral reefs, schools of tropical fish, manta rays and sea turtles during the short November-April open season. Mu Ko Similan National Park lets visitors experience the pleasure of seeing air, land and sea-based wildlife, from birds and sixteen species of bats, to vipers, pythons and lizards, too much friendlier bottlenose dolphins.

Yala National Park is one of Sri Lanka's oldest and most famous national parks. It's most well-known for its huge numbers of elephants and leopards, which can be appreciated when on safari. The park shelters numerous ecosystems, including moist and dry monsoon forests and wetlands. Historical and religious sites and ruins enhance the must-see list. The park is divided into five blocks, making it easier to plan a trip.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore: Most Classic Breakfasts of the World

Thailand
Rice noodles (flatter and wider than those in pad thai) comes with mouth-tingling condiments like fresh or preserved chiles in vinegar. In Bangkok, jasmine rice is boiled as khao tom or fried askhao pat, with shrimp, pork, or chicken.

Indonesia and Malaysia
The morning meal in Bali, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur mirrors the hegemony of rice. Variants include nasi goreng (fried rice with prawns, chicken, and egg), nasi lemak (coconut-infused rice with crisp anchovies), and bubur ayam (rice porridge with chicken, egg, and shallots). While for the sweet tooth there's pisang goreng (banana fritters with palm sugar).

Great Britain and Ireland
The British Isles may be the ticket when you're feeling daring and adventurous. Made of curdled and boiled pig's blood, mixed with chunks of pork fat and stuffed into a sausage casing, the Irish black pudding will excite you. The Scots have an alike difficult tradition: haggis-sheep's liver, heart, and lungs mixed with oatmeal and suet, then simmered in the sheep's intestines. Tamer palates might choose the classic English breakfast, with eggs, bangers (sausages) or streaky bacon, tomatoes, and mushrooms. It's frequently called a fry-up for good reason: almost the whole thing on the plate is fried, as well as the toast. The Brits may add baked beans or bubble and sque

Southern Europe
Apart from the indispensable caffè, an Italian breakfast spread might also contain cured meats (Parma ham; mortadella from Bologna) and cheeses (pecorino in Rome; smoked scamorza in Puglia). In Spain, potatoes, onions, and eggs are cooked in olive oil and formed into a fat, round tortilla española, from which slices are cut all day long. The somewhat more debauched Spanish breakfast is deep-fried churros dunked in bittersweet hot chocolate. One look at the contented sheep and goats grazing on any mountain tells you there will be great feta in Greece. Breakfast pies are made with phyllo dough and cheese and spinach or wild greens.

Caribbean
Puerto Rico's yeasty egg bread, pan de mallorca (from the Spanish island of the same name), go with café con leche. In Jamaica, ackee with saltfish appears like scrambled eggs, however ackee is a fruit; callaloo, served on the side, is a leafy green. The dish frequently comes with bami (cassava flatbread), johnnycakes (fried dumplings), breadfruit, and Jamaica's well-known Blue Mountain coffee.

Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Gallo pinto (painted rooster) is the national breakfast dish of these two nations, an orientation to the speckled look of the mixed beans and rice; however it is also an effort to hide the fact that it's frugally meatless. A more luxurious version would be served with stewed meat and chorreadas, Costa Rican corn pancakes.

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia that is home to an extensive selection of places of interest. In fact, Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore had arranged many yours in the city. Indisputably, it is one of the flourishing travel and business destinations of South East Asia. If we toss some light on its charm, the Indonesian capital may not be as awesome as other cities of Bangkok or Singapore but it is home to fascinating highlights that one can realize after visiting the city. A lot of travelers go for Jakarta during holidays in order to have a quality time with their loved ones.

The truth continue to be true that the anti-social factors constantly make a frantic effort to generate disorder in the tourism destinations such as Bali, Jakarta and many more however the government of the country proceeds on ways to protect the travelers from coming into contact with such unsolicited elements. Visit and grab flights to Jakarta and feel the charm spread in the air.

The Indonesian capital is so packed of appealing attractions that you would not choose to stay in your hotel room just to kill your time watching TV during the course of the day. Never forget to take a tour to the attraction that is waiting for your arrival. There certainly are more of tourist attractions to keep you busy all throughout your tour to the city. You can basically bump into remarkable buildings, parks, museums and many more.

The city is filled with all the modern amenities which are sufficient to make your vacation an enjoyable one. To tell the truth, Jakarta is the city that drizzles a overabundance of many thrilling facets on the tourists.

The fact cannot be deprived of that Jakarta is the major gateway to Indonesia. It has perceived a major incursion of the tourist and because of this reason; it has prolonged its conveniences with plush hotels, lively nightlife and modern shopping centers.

You can book cheap flights to Jakarta from Birmingham with travel agents of reputation that offer the best deals which is beyond compare this is best or shopping buffs. You would find some farfetched shopping arcades which are complete of countless merchandise. Taman Surapati is the place that is choked with paintings on display by peddlers. If you like antique furniture, you can make your way to Chinatown's Glodok and Pancoran areas where you can get your hands on Old Dutch lamps, Chinese porcelains and apparently, the antique furniture.

Many tourist attractions await you. They are just irresistible to discover. Pay a visit to national Museum, Jakarta Fine Art Gallery, Immanuel Church, Sunds Kelapa, Indonesia Miniature Park, the Textile Museum and many more.

Every vegetarian fear while travelling is what to eat, where to eat and are the food there vegetarian friendly? Fear not vegetarians! Indonesia has dishes that vegans may be able to eat. Fried tofu with rice, gado-gado (Indonesian salad), tempe (soy beans), sayur (vegetable soup), and ketoprak (Indonesian salad with rice) are very common and easy to be found everyplace in the city. Jakarta has a lot to offer for non-vegetarians as well. From traditional cuisine, Italian, Japanese, to every big food chains that you know, Indonesia got it for you. To be able to complete your Indonesian experience, try the traditional foods: Soto (soup), Nasi goreng (Indonesian style fried rice), or rendang (beef). You will never be hungry in Indonesia since food is very affordable here. Food normal range is $1 - $3 (American Dollar).

If you are a wine lover, you have to try "ciu" and "anggur merah intisari" (local wines). While for local beers we have Anker, Bintang and Bali Hai. I do not recommend you to drink Bali Hai, unless you are that kind of people who drinks Budweiser.

Having band shows here will be most likely occur in Jalan Jaksa (Jaksa street, Sarinah area, central jakarta) since it has lots of affordable hostels for backpackers and most of them have websites. You will be offered a place to stay by people who arrange your show; otherwise, there are lots of options. Price range is from $10 - $100 per nights. You can also find home-stay via online. If you insist on staying at the Hotel, try Amaris, they offer $30-$50 per night.

Do not get surprised if you have never been to a third world country, be ready for traffic is everywhere and it's really terrible. Moreover, air pollution and hot-humid weather is to some degree a very awful experience in the country that you need to keep in mind. Apart from that, it's not that tough to get from place to place in the city. There is an inner city transit bus called Transjakarta, minibus, bus, bajaj (a three wheel vehicle), ojek (motorcycle taxi), and taxi. When you arrived at the airport, go find the security guard or airport staff to find the taxi places; otherwise you will get ripped off with by illegal taxi driver (there are tons of them waiting in front of the airport)

You can enjoy local gigs, from hardcore to traditional music since we have it all covered for you. Common venues for hardcore & punk gigs: "Rossi Music" in Fatmawati South Jakarta, "Kafe 79″ Kemang area South Jakarta, "Lumbung Padi" Kemang area South Jakarta. Metal gigs: mostly on Sunday evening at "Bulungan" Blok M South Jakarta. Alternative/post-rock/others: Jaya Pub central Jakarta, Rolling Stone Cafe South Jakarta, Marley's bar South Jakarta. Go check out this band when you can: Antiseptic, Straight Answer, Ghaust, Duct-tape Surgery, and Grave Dancer

Drinking places: Try Melly's in Sarinah Central Jakarta, or Najong at pondok pinang South Jakarta. Those two have an affordable below normal rates for beer: $1 - $3. If you are looking for normal prices, try Dehoi in Pondok Indah or Tokove in Kemang.

Record stores: Movement records, Taman puring (second floor), Aksara, and Anti-music are located in South Jakarta.

Here are the things you must not do, says Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours
, Singapore. Talking to strangers at the airport is something you must not do. Most likely they are illegal taxi drivers trying to get you inside their car. Do not wear a jacket during daytime unless you're riding motorcycle or feeling like having a weird sauna in public. Do not bring too much amount of cash in your wallet/pocket. Just in case you're having bad luck.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore provides services such as booking, tour facilitation, travel documentation and other related services. Now, we provide you these advantages of traveling with a travel agent like us. It is easier to travel around the world through travel agents, in cities like Jakarta Indonesia, Sydney Australia or Paris France.

Save money. Some people wary away from using a travel agent for the reason that they think they'll pay extra for the agent's services. Certain agents charge additional fees; nonetheless most make their commission from the travel suppliers. "You're going to get more value from your money booking with a travel agent," Peters says. Nina Meyer, president of the American Society of Travel Agents, says you can also save big on airfare with the right agent: "I have seen in the past people save anywhere from $500 to upwards of $1,000 on a ticket."

Axelrod says she and her husband found it difficult to find good flight deals on their own. "The travel agent was able to get deals we weren't able to find," she says.

Learn what you want. "Very often, people don't really know what kind of trip they want," Shillinglaw says. It's the travel agent's job to provide you with a number of options they think you'd enjoy. Not only will they help you book a trip, they'll help you build the trip.

Connections. Warning! Don't undervalue a travel agent's widespread Rolodex. Agents may have people who you can connect with, for example a local tour guide and as well as people you can reach out to if you encounter any problems. "Having access to a travel agent's insiders makes it just an overall better customer service experience than going at it alone," Peters says.

Authenticity. The accurate travel agent will inform you about trip possibilities you may not be able to bargain online. "It's about knowing what the real local find is, whether that be a great dinner at a small café or tickets to a private show," Peters says. "When people travel, they don't want to travel like a tourist. So it's about the travel specialist being able to help people find unique life experiences that they'll remember."

Knowledge. Faultless travel strategies lie in the details, and travel agents are specialists when it comes to handling those details. "It could be a pretty picture, but what if there's construction going on? What if it's in a bad neighborhood?" says Meyer. "Agents have that kind of background knowledge."

Troubleshooting. Regardless of wide-ranging travel planning, you may meet some knocks on your trip. "In almost any rough situation, you need a travel agent," Meyer says. "I have clients who were going to miss a sports event because their flight got cancelled, but we still got them there." Says Weissman: "If the hotel room doesn't match your expectations and you don't have a travel agent, you're on your own."

Jakarta's tourist sector finding it hard to market holiday packages: Does this still hold as true now that we reached mid-year?

Tourism industry operators say they are facing difficulty in marketing Jakarta tourism packages, Indonesian news agency ANTARA reported. While new research made by Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore have gotton them to an otherwise results.

A new report by the Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore says Indonesia and other emerging markets of it different cities such as Jakarta and Bali are the main forces that will drive the travel industry, which is expected to grow at a faster rate than the global economy over the next decade.

"Frankly speaking, we get confused and stressed trying to sell Jakarta tourism packages this year," Rudiana, chairman of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) for Jakarta Chapter.

Rudiana said despite having relatively good facilities in Jakarta, traffic woes and floods in the city have constrained efforts to promote tour packages. There are also warnings of some scams that rule the city.

Five tourist buses due to begin operations in February are expected to be unable to run due to heavy traffic congestions.

"The breakthrough in procuring five tourist buses for operating in February was good, but in such traffic conditions, they cannot be operated maximally," Rudiana said.

Rudiana, who is also Wita Tour sales marketing director, said Jakarta has great potential to be developed as a Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition (MICE) destination.

"Yet, infrastructure and facilities continue to remain the main factors that will play an important role in Jakarta's tourism development," he said.

"Existing facilities in Jakarta can be utilised fully only when other supporting facilities are functioning well," he added.

Rudiana called on all relevant parties especially the government to draw up strategic plans to deal with the issue. - Bernama.