(Courtesy of Sarinah)

It didn't take long for Michelle Sahetapy to realize she was in for a treat. There in front of her was the chic white top from a famous Spanish fashion retailer that she had been eyeing for some time.

It was priced at Rp 50,000, a veritable steal from its original price of Rp 300,000. It seemed almost too good to be true, but there were even more bargains to be relished.

'I looked around and found 70 percent discounts throughout the store,' gushed an excited Michelle, a public relations consultant. 'So I ended up buying some other pieces of clothing normally priced above Rp 300,000. There was a pair of black pants I got for Rp 90,000, down from Rp 400,000, and I also bought a nice T-shirt and a pair of jeans for my son.'

Much maligned for its notorious gridlock, the capital is redeeming itself by living up to the advance billing of the city tourism guide: 'Jakarta is a true definition of unlimited choices to shop ... from high-end fashion brands to the hippest local trends.'

 And with more shoppers in the region waking up to the delights of this shopping and dining haven, locals are proudly proclaiming that there really is something special about their hometown.

Such are the thrills of retail therapy in Jakarta that never cease to delight the city's urban dwellers and provide them with much-needed stress relief, albeit a temporary one before they head back out onto the gritty streets.

Sales season serves as the icing on the big, beautiful cake of tasty shopping choices.

Retailers are gearing up for the annual ka-ching celebrations of the Jakarta Great Sale, with an aim to exceed Rp 11 trillion in sales in its sixth year of existence. As many as 74 malls are participating in the shopping, cultural and lifestyle fiesta that began on June 1 in celebrating the capital's anniversary.

'I love the Jakarta Great Sale,' says Fizri Tamalia, owner of a human resource consultant company. 'The discounts are real, some as high as 70 percent, though not in all stores. The only thing I don't like about the sales season is the long queues at cashiers literally everywhere. Parking becomes a nuisance too, because all the places suddenly become so crowded.'

Still, many are willing to take the wait in stride to snap up great bargains that come once a year. They also don't mind shopping at odd hours during midnight sales.

Kebaya blouse designer Leny Rafael acknowledges she is one of the great sales faithful.

 'Prices of all products are 50 percent off between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. for just one night. What's not to love?' she declares.

Tamalia once chose Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as her shopping destinations, but says nowadays Jakarta has all she needs.

'We've got almost every brand. It's true that prices of branded goods here are still relatively higher than in other countries, so that needs to be worked on. Still, it's getting ever more pleasing and comfortable to hang out at malls that sometimes you might feel as if you're abroad somewhere.'

The malls she frequents for both business and pleasure have just the right offerings and atmosphere, fitting her lifestyle perfectly.

'My work requires me to attend lunch meetings almost every day, many of which are scheduled at restaurants or cafes located in shopping malls. If I have time afterward, I'll browse and take a look at the shops. Other times, I'll schedule meetings after office hours, and shop later.'

She joins the millions of others who have seamlessly built their lives around work meetings and the varied social happenings to be found in the city's many 'lifestyle' malls. The more expansive the services in a mall, the more likely it is to serve as a welcoming home base for these go-go-go urbanites.

Indeed, in this city of glittering malls, the beauty of the options really does lie in the eye of the beholder.

In Central Jakarta, there is classic Sarinah Plaza, the city's first shopping center and skyscraper, now changing with the times to serve today's customers. Central Jakarta also hosts the ever luxurious and elegant Plaza Indonesia, as well as towering Grand Indonesia shopping complex across the street.

Move south and you find the upscale Pondok Indah Mall 1 and 2, as well as spacious Gandaria City. In the north, there's Kelapa Gading Mall, with its dazzling four interconnecting shopping malls. One of the city's newest additions is Central Park in West Jakarta, touted as one of the largest shopping, office, apartment and hotel complexes in the region.

'Jakarta has it all,' said Michelle, whose personal favorites are Pondok Indah and Gandaria City because of their convenience. 'If you don't find what you need in one place, just go to another one. Each mall has its own character.'

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