Despite being the capital of the populous Muslim majority country in the world, Jakarta has recently been labelled one of the best nightlife cities in Asia, arguably the best in Southeast Asia.
“What I like the most about clubs and bars here is that some of them are so upscale and the quality of music they play is very good,” Michael, a Cuban-born New Yorker who has lived in Jakarta for eight months, told The Jakarta Post recently.
He added the city’s club scene was probably better than in any Asian cities he had ever been to, including Tokyo and some Chinese metropolises.
Gabriel, 32, from France, also agreed with Jakarta’s new tag.
“The party crowd in Jakarta is very nice and decidedly friendly; the service is also much better
than in France, as well as the music,” he said
He said he did not enjoy Europe’s clubbing experience because most clubs and bars there were dimly lit, as opposed to Jakarta’s clubs, of which many are decorated with light, colorful interiors.
However, Evita Lee, a local graphic designer, said it was too much of a stretch to actually name Jakarta the night-life capital of Southeast Asia.
“It depends on how people compare [the club scene], be it music or lifestyle,” she said.
Local, internationally-acclaimed DJ and producer Ai Moonchild, who has had the chance to scratch and spin in Ibiza, Spain, and shared decks with international DJs like Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren, said Jakarta had indeed become the Southeast Asia’s newest nightlife hub.
“It’s like opening up a menu, and the choice is yours, not to mention the weekly choice of top international DJs and producers who prioritize this city as their top destination, drawing in people from neighboring countries every week,” he said.
Meanwhile, the secretary general of the Indonesian Association of Entertainment Businesses, Adrian Maelite, said Jakarta had several factors that earned it the nightlife-capital label.
“Its unique character, along with its edgy and sophisticated entertainment facilities are just two reasons why Jakarta deserves the title,” he said.
The question now is, how long will the title last? The city’s entertainment industry is now facing the unprecedented challenge of a potentially crippling 75-percent tax hike.
Julian Liang, a frequent clubber, said the plan was ridiculous.
“I might just stay at home and watch pirated DVDs if the legislature passes the bill raising the city’s entertainment taxes,” he said, adding that his hip pocket had already begun to feel the impact of the
central government’s increased tax on alcohol.
On April 1, the government scrapped luxury taxes but raised excise on some alcoholic beverages to nearly 300 percent.
The manager of Immigrant, a high-end club in Central Jakarta, Christoph Darijanto, told the Post the tax hike, if imposed, would be a blow to the city’s entertainment industry, including his establishment, that would affect both employees and patrons.
“Many patrons would choose to go to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, to seek a cheaper, comparably throbbing nightlife,” he said.
Christoph said he hoped the city administration makes a wise decision that would not cripple the city’s newfound image as one of the best nightlife destinations in Asia. (tsy)
