Greetings from Indonesia!
This is Jennifer from Bigbeat and this September I went to Jakarta, Indonesia to manage a booth for one of our clients at the annual Power-Gen Asia 2018 that was held at the ICE convention center. Never exhibited in Jakarta before? Don’t worry! Just read on below and you’ll be in good hands. I hope the tips and information below will help you the next time you decide to exhibit overseas in Jakarta.
Group of Indonesian women dressed in traditional wear at the start of Power-Gen Asia 2018.
ICE is a versatile venue approximately 220,000 sqm with 10 exhibition halls, an outdoor exhibition space, a convention hall divisible into 4 rooms, 33 meeting rooms, and a large pre-function lobby. Opened in 2015, it is relatively new and currently the biggest convention and exhibition center in Indonesia.
ICE interior during Power-Gen Asia 2018.
The ceiling of ICE is not pre-equipped with mother trusses, so rigging is required which can be quite a costly addition to be taken into consideration when designing the exhibition booth and choosing materials. Wood structures are common, however, this makes them very heavy, which requires strong mother trusses during rigging installation.
Caution: Ceiling of ICE is not pre-equipped with mother trusses so separate rigging is necessary.
www.ice-indonesia.com
Jl. BSD Grand Boulevard No.1, BSD City, Pagedangan, Tangerang, Banten 15339, Indonesia
ICE is located in BSD CITY, South Tangerang, Jakarta, approximately 45 minutes from the airport without traffic. Nearby areas include ALAM SUTERA, which is a popular area with nice shopping and restaurants located just north of ICE, and BINTARO, which is located just east.
This time, we stayed in Gading Serpong in the ALAM SUTERA area of Jakarta.
The ride from our hotel in Gading Serpong to the ICE took about 20 minutes by taxi.
View from hotel in Gading Serpong, Jakarta.
Blue Bird Group is a trusted taxicab group in Jakarta. Their vehicles operate under various company names such as Blue Bird, Silver Bird, Pusaka, etc. They are all part of the Blue Bird Group, which may seem confusing at first, however, the various names is due in part to Indonesian regulation which limits the number of vehicles a company can legally operate. Blue Bird and Pusaka are regular taxicabs for the general public, whereas Silver Bird is the executive taxi with a more luxurious feel.
Blue Bird Taxi
Silver Bird Taxi_taxi_(rear),_Jakarta.jpg)
Pusaka Taxi
When exiting Terminal 3, you may be bombarded by various taxicab personnel attempting to interest you in their taxi services, however, it is best to not engage with them as they may not be reliable or reputable. Once you’ve exchanged currency, head outside and straight toward the far left side. You will spot a few self-service ticket machines. The machine has two options: Blue Bird taxi and Non-Blue Bird taxi, and the current number of people queued underneath.
A self-service taxi queue number ticketing machine at the airport.
People usually choose the Blue Bird option, however, its popularity also means that the wait time will be a little longer. Press the “Print Ticket” option and the machine will print out your queue number.
A taxi queue number ticket for Blue Bird.
Near the waiting area, there is a TV monitor displaying the current number that is being serviced.
TV monitor at the airport near the taxi stand.
Just before your number is called, head to the Blue Bird staff member who is wearing the Blue Bird uniform shirt and calling out the numbers and show him your ticket when it is your turn and he will direct you to a Blue Bird vehicle.
There is an additional surcharge for airport taxi service that includes tolls that the driver will add on at the end when you arrive at your destination. From the airport to my hotel, which took about 1 hour, it was approximately 170,000 IDR (about $12).
The most convenient and closest place to grab a quick meal is at the Cendana Lounge which is an all-day dining café located on the Mezzanine Floor (2nd floor) of the convention center above Nusantara Hall. They have a variety of dishes here as well as soft drinks and coffee.
Gado Gado – an Indonesian salad with peanut sauce.
Mushroom soup and chicken thigh.
You can quickly grab a taxi at the entrance of the Hotel Santika Premiere, which is located right next to the venue a few minutes walk from the exhibition hall.
There is a convenience store called Alfamart that is located in the basement floor of the convention center in the parking lot. It is a bit tricky to find but you can use the escalators on the right side of Nusantara Hall.
AEON Mall BSD City
Address: Jl. BSD Raya Utama, Pagedangan, Tangerang, Banten 15345, Indonesia
Hours: 10AM-10PM Everyday
Phone: +62 21 29168585
AEON mall is just a quick taxi ride a few minutes from the convention center and is the closest and most convenient place to stop by for quick necessities. Open 10AM-10PM, AEON Mall has a large supermarket, numerous eateries, and various well-known retailers. If planning to dine there, keep in mind that last call is a bit early at 9PM.
Eateries inside AEON Mall.
For last minute furniture or large-item necessities, there is an IKEA located about 30 minutes away from the ICE in Alam Sutera.
Approximately 87.2% of the Indonesian population identify as Muslim. Due to the religious adherence of the majority of the Indonesian population, alcohol is not commonly served in restaurants and pork is left off of the menu as these are considered non-halal items, which they are forbidden to consume. Variations of mojito mocktails are a popular stand-in for alcoholic beverages and sometimes the occasional beer can be found, especially at restaurants frequented by foreigners.
Traditional Indonesian food – no pork but an abundance of beef, chicken, and seafood.
Mojito mocktail
If you’re planning to entertain guests who enjoy drinking, it’s best to call ahead to make sure they are serving any alcoholic beverages.
-----
I hope the above tips and information about the ICE convention center, nearby convenient places and its surrounding areas will aid you the next time you decide to exhibit in Jakarta. Not sure what to start? Let us know and we’ll guide you.
Writer: Jennifer Nguyen
Linkedin
Facebook
Twitter