This is a post from another website, but i copied it here because i think it is important for bros going to Indo. It seems like immigration is doing checks inside certain hotels and detaining people without their passport. It is Indo law that a foreigner must carry their passport, and they have detained people for 6+ hrs from their hotel lobby for not carrying. Not sure if some Kopi money would help. but best to avoid being caught in this situation.
" I was leaving the Novotel on 26th July, 2016 around 11:45 pm (my usual time) on my way to Blok M. As I left the hotel I noticed a group of people with TV cameras out on the street in front of the hotel but I paid no attention to them and walked past. That's when several individuals claiming to be immigration officers approached me and asked for my passport, now I was still on Novotel property I didn't leave the hotel area when they approached me, as I didn't have my passport they told me I had to wait in the van that was parked on the street. While waiting they were manhandling several other tourists walking by on the street. We were taken to the immigration office in Kota and asked to wait there until the "boss" arrived. He did around 1:00 am and those who had their passports were processed first. There were about 45 individuals in the room, about 6 from the Novotel myself and 5 other Chinese (who had their passports). Others were from different hotels in the area......
In the office they were processing individuals at a very slow pace. Some of the others were from UK and other English speaking countries so we started to discuss among ourselves what was going on. Being held because we did have our passport and not being allowed to go and get it, really doesn't make any sense. Until one guy claimed that we would have to pay 250,000 IDR each as a fine to leave. But around 4:00 am they (immigration) decided that they would stop processing and that we would have to wait until the morning for when the "big boss" arrives. So once again we asked why can we not go and get our passports, no answer and at this point they (all of them) started to pretend that they can't speak English so they can't understand what we are asking.
At 9:00 am the next day some of the other individuals contacted their embassy and the embassies sent someone to help them out, but what the embassy individuals did was got to the hotels and bring the passports to the office. I contacted the Canadian embassy which was of no help whatsoever. On the trip by myself I was stuck as what to do. So I called the Novotel manager and he went to my room and sent the bellboy with my passport to the office. However the bellboy got the run around for about 3 hours (which I did not have any contact with him except by phone), after 3 hrs he called the manager who came down in person to speak with the whomever. He apparently made some progress as about 4 pm on Wednesday the "big boss. Stephen Gentes" came to speak with me to tell me that I would be processed later. Later was around 10:00 pm on Wednesday in which they checked / verified what they had to do and I was allowed to leave. The manager of the hotel really did help me out quite a bit and for that I am eternally grateful.
Someone asked about a bribe but I wasn't about to pay any bribes if that was ever a topic with me I would have called the hotel manager once again to intervene. But some of the other guys were telling me that they were told they had to pay 2. 5 M IDR to get released, he got this from his wife as she was discussing this with the officers. How true this is I don't know.
This is my very disappointing experience in Jakarta for July 2016, I have been coming here semi-annually for almost 10 years. Looks like I will have to choose BKK next time for my holidays."
This is a post from another website, but i copied it here because i think it is important for bros going to Indo. It seems like immigration is doing checks inside certain hotels and detaining people without their passport. It is Indo law that a foreigner must carry their passport, and they have detained people for 6+ hrs from their hotel lobby for not carrying. Not sure if some Kopi money would help. but best to avoid being caught in this situation.
" I was leaving the Novotel on 26th July, 2016 around 11:45 pm (my usual time) on my way to Blok M. As I left the hotel I noticed a group of people with TV cameras out on the street in front of the hotel but I paid no attention to them and walked past. That's when several individuals claiming to be immigration officers approached me and asked for my passport, now I was still on Novotel property I didn't leave the hotel area when they approached me, as I didn't have my passport they told me I had to wait in the van that was parked on the street. While waiting they were manhandling several other tourists walking by on the street. We were taken to the immigration office in Kota and asked to wait there until the "boss" arrived. He did around 1:00 am and those who had their passports were processed first. There were about 45 individuals in the room, about 6 from the Novotel myself and 5 other Chinese (who had their passports). Others were from different hotels in the area......
In the office they were processing individuals at a very slow pace. Some of the others were from UK and other English speaking countries so we started to discuss among ourselves what was going on. Being held because we did have our passport and not being allowed to go and get it, really doesn't make any sense. Until one guy claimed that we would have to pay 250,000 IDR each as a fine to leave. But around 4:00 am they (immigration) decided that they would stop processing and that we would have to wait until the morning for when the "big boss" arrives. So once again we asked why can we not go and get our passports, no answer and at this point they (all of them) started to pretend that they can't speak English so they can't understand what we are asking.
At 9:00 am the next day some of the other individuals contacted their embassy and the embassies sent someone to help them out, but what the embassy individuals did was got to the hotels and bring the passports to the office. I contacted the Canadian embassy which was of no help whatsoever. On the trip by myself I was stuck as what to do. So I called the Novotel manager and he went to my room and sent the bellboy with my passport to the office. However the bellboy got the run around for about 3 hours (which I did not have any contact with him except by phone), after 3 hrs he called the manager who came down in person to speak with the whomever. He apparently made some progress as about 4 pm on Wednesday the "big boss. Stephen Gentes" came to speak with me to tell me that I would be processed later. Later was around 10:00 pm on Wednesday in which they checked / verified what they had to do and I was allowed to leave. The manager of the hotel really did help me out quite a bit and for that I am eternally grateful.
Someone asked about a bribe but I wasn't about to pay any bribes if that was ever a topic with me I would have called the hotel manager once again to intervene. But some of the other guys were telling me that they were told they had to pay 2. 5 M IDR to get released, he got this from his wife as she was discussing this with the officers. How true this is I don't know.
This is my very disappointing experience in Jakarta for July 2016, I have been coming here semi-annually for almost 10 years. Looks like I will have to choose BKK next time for my holidays."
Bro,
It would be nice to post where you get to info from?
Bro,
It would be nice to post where you get to info from?
Cheers.
Out of respect for Sam, I won't reference or promote other websites. However it is not difficult to find if it really matters to you or makes a difference.
This is a post from another website, but i copied it here because i think it is important for bros going to Indo. It seems like immigration is doing checks inside certain hotels and detaining people without their passport. It is Indo law that a foreigner must carry their passport, and they have detained people for 6+ hrs from their hotel lobby for not carrying. Not sure if some Kopi money would help. but best to avoid being caught in this situation......................................... ...........
Hmm.. i was there early this month. Stayed at ibis harmoni, no such problem. Moved around jakarta without my passport without any problems at all (no photocopy either) and I didnt hear any such incident from my local friends.
I think it could be something random as 2 of my frens did encounter road block (in private car) after leaving Alexis (about 2 years back) and as they didn't carry their passports, was asked to pay kopi $$ of 1mil each after a local fren who was with them helped to negotiate.
But thanks for sharing such news... lets just all be more vigilant when going jakarta or any other countries.
I think it could be something random as 2 of my frens did encounter road block (in private car) after leaving Alexis (about 2 years back) and as they didn't carry their passports, was asked to pay kopi $$ of 1mil each after a local fren who was with them helped to negotiate.
But thanks for sharing such news... lets just all be more vigilant when going jakarta or any other countries.
I just share the Info. Up to you if you wanna follow. In this case, This was a random check by Immigration at hotel lobbies, not Police roadblock, which i never hear of before. Shocking they detained 45 foreigner from different North JKT hotels.
I dont like to carry a passport, but i think it is better than being held overnight or forced to pay a bribe. Usually The roadblocks are done by Police, and 100-200k for Kopi is enough. They always try scare you and ask for 1jt+ to start.
I always carry my passport with me when am overseas.
Until now I still do not understand why most people want to take this risk.
Corrupted cops are always looking for an excuse to milk foreigners be it in Thailand or Indonesia.
For the record even my Indonesia friends advised me to carry passport when outdoors.
It will save a lot of hassles during road blocks.
There are many times when I take out my passport with full cooperation and nothing happen and sometimes get very polite treatment.
I always think from the cops' point of view.
The faster they can finish the operation then the faster they can go home and bonk with wife.
If you make their job difficult then they will make your life miserable also hahaha.
If you are afraid to lose your passport when travelling then you are better off staying at home.
It is no different than the responsibility of carrying your ID around in your own country.
I dont like to carry a passport, but i think it is better than being held overnight or forced to pay a bribe. Usually The roadblocks are done by Police, and 100-200k for Kopi is enough. They always try scare you and ask for 1jt+ to start.
Last time I very headache with Indo customers in my course of work because they are quite demanding.
However if you put yourself in their shoes you will be spolit also.
They can even ask their traffic police friends to clear the road for them during traffic jams.
If small time bribe can open road for me to go to airport then it is small problem.
But a shake down when I'm returning to hotel is just nonsense.
Thank goodness I always carry my passport around.
If you are afraid to lose your passport when travelling then you are better off staying at home.
It is no different than the responsibility of carrying your ID around in your own country.
For me it's different case, too fat so uncomfortable to fit the passport into my pockets. Otherwise, can try to bear with it, but end of night the passport will become "giam cai" ... lol
For me it's different case, too fat so uncomfortable to fit the passport into my pockets. Otherwise, can try to bear with it, but end of night the passport will become "giam cai" ... lol
ID card smaller.. easier to fit into pockets.
Wear a shirt with a button up pocket to carry your passport lah.
Classic/Travel=local/low-class? I’d say that if Alexis, Marlioboro and Emporium are high-end, Classic, Travel and KC are mixed and mid-market. They aren’t local because there are always foreigners there, which is why bros feel safe and comfortable going there. They aren’t low-class cause there are bars in a class down from Classic/Travel.
To check out two of them, u can easily walk there from Travel. Just cross Mangga Besar, the main street in this part of Chinatown, turn left, and go past the gate to Lokasari Plaza. On or near the corner is Halomas Aloha, a local FS massage shop and bar (the girls are in the back). Turn right on Mangga Besar XXII (12) and u can see Bingtang Mawar on the left and Siera on the right. There is also a newer bar near Bingtang but I forgot the name.
I will give bros here hints on both bars.
If u thought Classic was loud and smoky, then ur in for a shock. Go in the front door of Bingtang. There will be mamasans and some ladies sitting near the door. If a mamasan thinks ur looking for a cewek, she’ll come to u and probably suggest one of the CMIs by the door. Just give a look of disinterest and she’ll take u to the back of the bar and thru the door to the next room where more girls are waiting. Just give a look of hesitation and look like u want to see more. If ur lucky, she’ll open the door to the lavatory. That’s where often the best babes are hanging out. Sometimes they have absolute stunners here who’ll make ur jaw drop. They recently really jacked up the price and now ST is 425k, incl room. The girl will take u upstairs and over to the next bldg (hotel). Note that their customers are local, so they aren’t used to giving GFE. They’re used to being mechanical. This is a typical local bar – dark, smoky, unbelievably loud EDM w/DJ, no band, packed – but it doesn’t have sexy dancers.
Siera is just the opposite. Go in and often there’s hardly anyone in there. U will eventually meet the short, old man who’s been there for ages. He’ll ask u if u want a girl, and might try to fix u up with one of the CMIs there. Show him no interest. Say she’s way too old or something like that. He’ll start to size u up, and if he thinks ur a nice guy and can be trusted, he will escort u to a special place where the choice girls are. If u were wondering how a dead place like this could make money, now u’ll understand.
Note: There r other local bars with sexy SYT dancers who r much younger than at Classic. The other girls sit in a fishbowl at the back. These bars r where the mind-blowing SYTs r, not at Classic/Travel. Their prices also went up. ST is now 330k for girls in uniform and 390k for VIPs (FLs) in personal dress. This includes use of a tiny rm upstairs. These FLs might be able to leave whenever they want. One kept asking if she could go back with me to my hotel, but I can’t speak the Bahasa so I didn’t know what the deal was. She was really hot.
Bro Siammy, I am interested in your last statement - I will be down in South Jakarta this week, can share the location and the hints/tips?
25-08-2016, 11:29 PM
Classic Hotel - Terminal 5
