Things to do either when you are in Indonesia for the upcoming Asian Games 2018 or when you are there for a vacation

Things to do in Indonesia - Start out by mingling around with the locals
PALEMBANG
Welcome to Palembang, Indonesia!
Asian Games 2018/Jakarta Palembang 2018 held from 18th August 2018 to 2nd September 2018

In light of Asian Games 2018, also known as Jakarta Palembang 2018, that's happening from 18th August 2018 to 2nd September 2018 concurrently in both Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia this year, I have a few recommendations on where you should travel, stay and visit during this upcoming event. Moreover, with "Hot Deals" being renewed this year, you'll be able to travel comfortably and affordably to Indonesia with ease.



There are different buildings, amenities, and facilities provided to the participants there. The following shots below are a sneak peak of the accommodations provided to the participants of this event at Palembang, Indonesia. 


Accommodation provided for fellow 2018 Asian Games' participants

Asian Games 2018 in Palembang will be held at Jakabaring Sport City as shown below. The spacious and well-maintained hub is the perfect location for a large-scale event as such.

Pictures of Jakabaring Sport City

The stadium at Jakabaring Sport City has a spectacular view, which renders it a great spot to take memorable pictures with your loved ones when the stadium is not in use. I took a couple of shots with my friends there too. The jump show was definitely my favorite, and I recommend that all of you out there should try it out too if you ever have the chance to set foot on the stadium's field.


Jump for joy in excitement!
Memories with my BFFs; Eunice Lai & Liz Yew
An elated jump shot of us at the stadium's well-maintained green field
Attend some hands-on Pempek making class in Palembang, Indonesia

Pempek is a savory fishcake delicacy from Palembang, South Sumatera, Indonesia, made of fish, tapioca, egg, flour and palm/white sugar. This is matched with the Pempek's soup, also known as cuko, which is made of unpeeled garlic, chilies, white sugar, palm sugar, tamarind (preferred sour level), water and salt. It is a delicacy that one must definitely try there. It is a local cuisine that to me has some similarities between a fish cake and an otah, as both employ the usage of fish as one of their main ingredients. The only difference between Pempek and the other two that I mentioned, is that it has a unique "QQ texturethat one might not get in typical cuisine. This delicacy very much depends on how well the chef does it, as it might go really wrong and hard if it's not handled properly.


My Pempek Masterpiece

I personally felt that the one I made at the hands-on session was not bad. Sadly, I wasn't chosen as the "best" as mine lacked that special texture and had too was too rich in flavours. "Oops!", I guess I'll actually lose money if I were to open my own Pempek shop, as I'm not want to skimp on ingredients :P 

No matter the outcome, I'm still not only proud of my Pempek Masterpiece but I'm also happy that I had the chance to learn how to make it!
Interact with some locals and take some memorable shots with them
Zainal Songket

AddressJalan Ki Gede Ingsuro No.173, 32 Ilir, Ilir Bar. II, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30135, Indonesia

 Phone+62 711 370284

Make yourself feel like a prince and princess

Customize your own favorite set of Songket, which is a fabric that belongs to the brocade family of textiles of the Malay world. It is usually hand-woven in cotton, silk and intricately patterned with gold or silver threads.

The intricately patterned metallic threads contrast and stand out really well with the background cloth, which in turn creates a shimmering effect that gives it an overall luxurious feel. In the weaving process, the metallic threads are inserted in between the cotton or silk weft (latitudinal) threads in a technique called supplementary weft weaving technique.


The Excelton Hotel

Address
Jl. Demang Lebar Daun No.58, Demang Lebar Daun, Ilir Bar. I, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30137, Indonesia


 Phone: +62 711 416609


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The Excelton Hotel provides one complimentary glass of cocktail per guest at specific allocated hours
Enjoy the nightlife with some awesome drinks with your friends
You may also request for an exclusive massage from the Hotel's front desk or book one via the "Go-Jek" Mobile application (Cost Approx: $10 for 90 minutes)
Roam the Musi river via boat and take this opportunity to capture some shots together 
Take a boat and sail across Musi River to visit Kemaro Island
Sneak peeks of Kemaro Island
Pagoda di Tengah Pulau Kemaro
Shop at traditional tuck shops
An Insta-worthy jetty located near Pagoda di Tengah Pulau Kemaro
It could also be a possible Wedding-Shoot location?
"Back Twist!"
Enjoy a locally home-cooked meal served in a usual Arab home setting at Kampung Arab 13 Ulu

Address: Lorong Al-Munawar No.13, 13 Ulu, Seberang Ulu II, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30115, Indonesia

The overall experience of dining with locals and friends while listening to traditional music is soothing and interesting. This is an experience that's unique and rare as preparation for such a large scale meal for the entire family or a particular group of people requires a tremendous amount of preparation time. Due to the hectic schedule, the practice of enjoying a home-cooked meal together as a family is scarce, as most families out there would prefer food delivery or take-outs over having to prepare a meal themselves due to the ease of convenience. Another reason for this change is due to the ever-changing society and the reality of the working life; different work-life schedule makes it difficult for family members to gather together for an actual meal. The difference in timing and location hinders the ability to do. 

Therefore, It's necessary for family members to find some time together and have such a homely and scrumptious meal together. I have learned something through this experience, and it's important to take note of some important pointers, especially when you're in a Muslim country. It's of utmost importance for any individual to be fully covered and clothed when dining in together in any house or when you're entering a mosque (applies to all countries); tops must cover the arms and jeans/pants must be worn to keep the knee covered at least. This is an important custom that has been passed down for centuries and must be abided at all times - it is a custom that represents a sign of respect for your host and fellow peers. 


Do take note that different Muslim countries have different dress code requirements and must be adhered to at all times. 


Sip some Arab coffee while appreciating the homely experience. You may also purchase some coffee powder directly at the local tuck shops found there 
Another Insta-worthy shot at the streets of Kampung Arab 13 Ulu
Oops! I got caught tightening my Sarong!
"Trying hard not to burst out in laughter" shot seems to look good too!
Another possible wedding-shot?
Pose for the camera with style and take some candid shots
Shop at Nyenyes Kaos Palembang to get your hands on some locally made clothes

Address: Jl. Kapten A. Rivai No.28E, 26 Ilir D. I, Ilir Bar. I, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30135, Indonesia
Hours:  9:00AM - 9:00PM
Province: South Sumatra
 Phone: +62 711 7290128

Nyenyes Kaos Palembang
Photo Credits: Sebantar Saja
Have a meal at Oplet Ijo Restoran
Oplet Ijo Restoran's food

Address: Jl. Petanang No.6737, 9 Ilir, Ilir Tim. II, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30114, Indonesia
Hours: 10:00AM - 10:00PM 
 Phone: +62 711 5556397

The food at "Oplet Ijo" is awesome and it goes perfectly well with my favorite juice that everyone can drink in abundance in Indonesia, which is none other than Avocado Juice!


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Museum Negeri Balaputera Dewa

Address:
 Sukaramai, Jalan Sriijaya I KM.5,5 No.288, Srijaya, Alang Alang Lebar, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30139, Indonesia


 Phone: +62 711 412636

Figurines of the livelihood of the locals in Palembang, Indonesia




Other snippets of the museum

This museum has a lot of artifacts and artificial man-made models that are representative of the history and culture of the people that lived in Palembang, Indonesia. This is the place to go if you are a history enthusiast. 

Don on some traditional couple costume and take some memorable shots at Museum Negeri Balaputera Dewa
Another memorable shot with one of the traditional houses at Palembang, Indonesia
Al Quran al Akbar

Address: Jl. Moh. Amin, Gandus, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30149, Indonesia

A shot with me when I was wearing a Sarong

An amazingly awesome sacred place that one should visit when they are in Palembang, Indonesia. With donations pouring in from everywhere, this sacred place was built with the sacred words of Qu'ran carved onto solid woods. The intrinsic details of the Qu'ran that's displayed in this sacred 


Restoran Sederhana 

Address: Bukit Kecil, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No.19-22, 24 Ilir, Ilir Tim. I, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30134, Indonesia

Hours
7:30AM - 9:30PM

 Phone: +62 711 311044


On the whole, Restoran Sederhana provides many scrumptious dish options to choose from. Basically, the restaurant will serve most of the dishes on your table and you'll be charged according to the plates you eat. Therefore, you will pay for whatever you choose to eat at the table. You may immediately reject a particular dish on the spot which you may not want so that they are certain that it's untouched at the very start, even before you start eating. You may request for additional dishes along the way too.

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Relax and enjoy a day of golfing at Senayan National Golf Club

Address: The MAJ Senayan, Jalan Asia Afrika Pintu IX, Gelora, RT.1/RW.3, Gelora, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10270, Indonesia


Hours: 6:00AM - 11:00PM
 Phone: +62 21 5710181

Enjoy a scrumptious meal and try out the famous Pempek at Pempek Candy Restaurant

Address:
99, Jl. Letjen Harun Sohar, Kebun Bunga, Sukarami, Palembang City, South Sumatra 30961, Indonesia

Hours
5:00AM - 9:30PM
 Phone: +62 711 417319

As mentioned above, Pempek is an interestingly unique delicacy that's awesome and delicious to eat when accompanied by the soup (cuko). There are different variations of this delicacy available at this restaurant. I feel that one should head down to this restaurant to try out the different types so that you'll get to try out everything at one shot. The service and quality of this restaurant are not bad and it's a place I would definitely recommend as you'll also get to shop for some Kerupok and Pempek there.

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Enjoy a scrumptious meal at River Side Restaurant at Jalan Benteng Kuto Besar

I was quite shocked by the service provided by "River Side Restaurant". Once you've booked for a certain time-slot, all the food will be ready upon arrival. You'll be able to immediately enjoy your food at the specified time of arrival. Moreover, the view is amazing at night, which makes this the perfect place to dine while enjoying the "Ampera Bridge's ornamental lighting." I heard that dining in here at night requires booking a few days in advance at least to ensure that you're able to secure the time slot of interest.


AddressJalan Benteng Kuto Besar, 19 Ilir, Bukit Kecil, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30113, Indonesia

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Why not make a trip down to Jakarta, Indonesia too?

If you've extra time or you'll be Indonesia for quite some time, why not head down to Jakarta and check out the wonders of Indonesia there? You'll be able to explore the unique landmarks in miniature-form at "Taman Mini Indonesia Indah" or "Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park" is a culture-based recreational area located in East Jakarta, Indonesia, which covers an area of about 250 acres. The pictures found below are some of the shots I took with the beautiful traditional houses found there.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah - Rumah Gadang from Padang, Kota di Sumatera Barat, also known as Minangkabau or "big house", is the traditional home of the Minangkabau.
Another shot that was taken with another traditional house found at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
Dapur Babah Elite Restaurant - A Highly Recommended Restaurant in Jakarta, Indonesia

Address: Jalan Veteran I No.18-19, RT.4/RW.2, Gambir, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10110, Indonesia


Reservations: qraved.com
 Phone: +62 21 3855653


Dapur Babah Elite Restaurant - Snippets of their amazing delicacies

An awesome restaurant that one must not miss when they are in Jakarta Indonesia. The cuisine, service, as well as the ambiance, is one of the best I've seen. I saw numerous locals down there patronizing this amazing restaurant. It would be wise to make reservations for an entire room to yourself if you're visiting this restaurant with a big group of family and friends.


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Morrissey Hotel Residence

Address: Jalan KH Wahid Hasyim No.70, RT 07 / RW 05, Kel. Kebon Sirih, Kec. Menteng, RT.7/RW.5, Kebon Sirih, Menteng, Central Jakarta City, Jakarta 10340, Indonesia

 Phone: +62 21 29933333

If you're planning to stay in Jakarta, Indonesia. I recommend you guys to stay at Morrisey Hotel Residence. The rooms are not only comfortable, huge and luxurious but the buffet breakfast is also scrumptious. I enjoyed my stay there and I believe you will too!

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Leaving Jakarta for somewhere? Fret not, there's also photo-taking spots at the Soekarno – Hatta International Airport that you must not miss!
Let's all join the selfie craze but don't forget your "Flight!"

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