In Southeast Asia countries, Lunar New Year is the other name of Chinese New Year. The festival is very important for all the people as it marks the starting of the Chinese calendar. Normally people celebrate it on late January or February. it is their main festival of Chinese community; therefore, they celebrate the day in a grand way throughout the world.
Although Chinese New Year was not a national holiday on the Indonesian calendar for many years, nowadays Lunar New Year has become a national holiday, to the pleasure of millions of Chinese Indonesians. As Indonesian capital city, Jakarta will have a lot of celebrations and festivals on Chinese New Year 2024 waiting for you to discover.
Festivals & Celebrations
Lunar Chinese New Year’s celebrations in Indonesia, known locally as Imlek, incorporate customs, beliefs and practices brought to Jakarta Indonesia by Chinese immigrants who still follow the practices handed down from their parents.
Within the ethnic Chinese community there are immigrants from many regions throughout China. Distinctively different Chinese communities are found in Pontianak for example, when compared to Medan or even Jakarta. Each of these immigrant communities brought the unique traditions of their hometowns to Jakarta Indonesia. This diversity in origins explains the diversity in the way Lunar Chinese New Year is celebrated by communities throughout the Indonesian archipelago.
Chinatown – or pecinan to the locals – is located just to the south of Jakarta’s Old Town.The area’s main roads – Jl. Pancoran, Jl. Kemenangan and Jl. Perniagaan – were filled with decorative lanterns, banners, lamps, angpau envelopes and children’s clothing for sale, all glowing in red. The holiday’s signature food dodol Cina – the Chinese toffee-like sweet and sticky cake made from glutinous rice flour and caramel sugar – was on sale at nearly every street vendor in the area.
While New Year’s customs vary throughout Chinese Indonesian communities in the Indonesian archipelago, the spirit underlying the celebration of Lunar New Year in Jakarta is the same; a sincere wish for peace, happiness and prosperity for family members and friends.
Get to Jakarta
Jakarta, officially known as the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. The city is located on the northwest of the island of Java. As Indonesia is the county of islands, most visitors get to Jakarta by airplane. Soekarno Hatta International Airport (IATA code: CGK; ICAO code: WIII) is the main airport of Jakarta. It’s located in Tangerang about 20 km from the city center. If you plan to celebrate New Year in Jakarta, remember to book your air tickets in advance.
Hotels for CNY
Being one of the most popular destinations in South Asia, Jakarta offers full ranges of accommodations that suite any tourist’s needs. There are plenty of hotels with great services and facilities such as The Sultan Hotel, Pullman Jakarta Indonesia, Gran Meliά Jakarta, Kosenda Hotel, Sari Pan Pacific Jakarta, etc. If you are planning to spend your Chinese Lunar New Year in Indonesia, early hotel reservation is highly recommended.