I spent a month in Jakarta earlier this year and wasn't impressed.

Traffic was terrible. I almost missed my flight due to taking a bike over a car, but then it started pouring rain and I had to huddle under a bridge while I waited for a car.

Jakarta has a noise problem. The temples blasting the prayers is disruptive to sleep and inner peace. The traffic does not make anything either.

Also, Indonesian food IMHO is at the bottom of SEA food culture. MY has wayyy better food (both in quality and diversity).

▲ darkwater 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

> Also, Indonesian food IMHO is at the bottom of SEA food culture. MY has wayyy better food (both in quality and diversity).

Agreed! Malaysia is really underrated, or at least it was by me. Now it's one of my favorite spots in the world, food is great (not as Thai's but comes close), wonderful sea, wonderful jungle, Kuala Lumpur is becoming a really nice city and CoL is value for money.

	▲	itake 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		The teh tarik tea (served in a glass mug! paper cups don't count) is my favorite drink right now. Also Malaysian Indian food is one of my favorite foods (especially the sweet roti).

▲ phainopepla2 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Indonesian food IMHO is at the bottom of SEA food culture

I take it you haven't been to Burma / Myanmar

▲

petesergeant 7 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

Lived in SE Asia for well over 15 years, and Burmese food is great.

▲

CitrusFruits 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Having been to both Indonesia and Myanmar, I can say confidently Burmese food is much better. The one exception is the dessert Martabak you can get in Java is to die for.

	▲	2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		[deleted]

▲

seattle_spring 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

???

Burmese food is absolutely delicious. Burma Love in SF, Rangoon Bistro or Burma Joy in Portland. They're some of my favorite restaurants.

▲

phainopepla2 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Burmese food in the US is very different from the food you encounter in the country itself.

	▲	izolate 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Not only is Burmese food in Myanmar far better, but even the small, modest restaurants bring out a whole spread of complimentary small dishes (pickles, salads, crunchy snacks, all kinds of delicious little sides) before the main meal. It's just built into the dining culture there, and it's incredibly generous compared to what you see abroad.

▲

3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

[deleted]

▲

itake 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

haha, I have not.

▲

EB-Barrington 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Nice. I'm an ex-tour guide, and had many jovial discussions with a colleague who toured Myanmar and LOVED the food - he knew I thought it was pretty average, at best.

Of course, that crazy guy didn't really like Thai food...

▲ throwaway2037 an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

    > Jakarta has a noise problem.

I offer a practical template: <Large city in developing country X> has a noise problem.

When you say "temples", do you mean masjid (mosque)? It is pretty normal anywhere in the Islamic-majority world to sing prayers over a loud speaker a few times a day.

	▲	satvikpendem 10 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		This is an appeal to normality fallacy, just because something is normal doesn't mean it's good, or in this case that it doesn't disrupt sleep.

▲ Affric 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Putting Indonesian below Filipino food is quite something.

	▲	CuriouslyC 27 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		I'll see anything you get in Indonesia, and raise you Balut... Or Betamax... or Helmet. Their national dish was designed to hide the aroma of rotten meat, FFS.

▲ nrhrjrjrjtntbt 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Rain, noise, traffic... welcome to SEA

▲

CamperBob2 3 hours ago | parent [-]

The regional abbreviation, or the airport code?

.... what? Either works?

	▲	mandolingual 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Seattle's not really known for noise. The opposite, if anything. Rain (caveat it's not the rain it's the dark and it's mostly mizzle blah blah blah) and traffic though, sure.