Jalan Surabaya

 

Jalan Surabaya is one of the key destinations upon your visit to Jakarta. It is a street of an open-air antique market on the border of Menteng District (known to be an upper class district where the current American President, Obama, spent his early ages). Stretching across the length of Surabaya street, the market has survived to retain its attractive authenticity and pride of being a traditional market amongst the budding modern shopping malls.

The street stretches in 500 meters length, keeping rows of stall that sell wide collection of crafts, antiques and souvenirs. Usually attract collectors, historians or those who collect traditional as well as historical goods to be put mainly in their living room. Some of the goods are Balinese, some are Javanese, some are remnants of the Dutch colonialism, and some are even unclassifiable.

The market set the business in motion around thirty to forty years ago. At first there were only a few stalls selling China porcelains. Then, its popularity began to rise both locally and internationally which resulted an expansion of the stalls in different sizes, offering more variation of goods. Expect to choose a vast range of brass ware, textiles, unpolished wooden statues, Javanese traditional masks, handicrafts and even Victorian lamps.

However, your should always question the authenticity of the antiques. Imitations of the real antiques may appear identical and a way to differentiate is by asking the price. The real antiques surely cost a lot more. And just like any other flea market, the place is also an open area to show your bargaining skills. The price ranges from US$50 cents to around US$500. Therefore haggling must always be present and if you're not the type, bringing a local's assistance who is bargaining expert shall maximize your shopping experience.

One irresistible experience that might be a surprising discovery on your quest for searching desired valuables, is persevering with great patience on filing through the stacks of vintage records in the rather cramped stall. The collection is quite impressive, from local artists to international icons that range widely in eras.

One thing nice about Jalan Surabaya is that it never pulls too much crowd so that your shopping day can be decent and also free from stubborn heat because the surrounding area features a lot of lush of old trees that makes it worth every minute. The best time to visit is in the morning or in the afternoon.