I am planning a trip to either CGN or KUL in Spring, and was wondering whether these cities were safe for an American? Is one safer than the other, or could anyone recommend one over the other?

Thanks a lot!

Hey Ben, I presume you mean jakarta and not cologne. Never having visited jakarta, I would opt for KL. Sin-KL u have the option of the train, bus or aircraft. It seemed safe even for Americans and I had a nice time there. Enjoy your trip!

Safe for an american to do what?

I hope so , I will be in Jakarta Oct 10-12th and then flying to KL 12th- 17 th.

actually i have been to Jakarta before , and as long as u stay out the way of the "drunk" Australians , you should be fine.
and leave, the Bu.. /Che... 04 , bumper stickers off your car .

I was recently in Kuala Lumpur, traveling alone. I spent two days just walking around through both touristy, and some very non-touristy areas, and not once did I ever feel unsafe.

I thought the people were very friendly, and as in most places, a smile or a nod of the head goes a long way.

If you choose KUL, enjoy it.

KUL is very safe with regard terrorists or treatments for American. Haze from the burning forrests in Indonesia appear to be more the issue at the moment. KUL is one of the best value for luxury hotels.

Thanks for all the help! ^

Yes, I was referring to CGK and not CGN, and I was worried in regards to terrorism and treatment of Americans. Thanks a lot!

Can anyone recommend a good luxury hotel for KUL? From what I could see, CGK was cheaper, but I would love some more info. Thanks again!

What is your price range?

KUL seemed very sedate, and safe when I was there a couple of years ago.

I've heard very good things about the KL Hilton, in particular their Executive Floor/lounge. I haven't stayed there yet.

Jakarta can be a bit dicey, but if you use common sense, you'll have no problems. The taxis, will of course try to rip you off, but I'd recommend you to stay with one of the Blue Bird group of taxi's. (Blue Bird, Silver Bird, etc) I've never had a problem with one of those brands. Most of the standard type are blue, but some of the newer companies (Gamya, I think) are green.

Really depends on the value. I remember staying at the Peninsula in Bangkok for $220, with internet, a superior room which was VERY nice, and daily buffet breakfast.

What is a reasonable range for a luxury hotel? Does $150USD sound about right?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ighlight=kuala

I've visited both cities plenty of times, and as a tall Aussie strolling the streets I've never had any real issues. That being said, I'd definitely list Kuala Lumpur as my preference as the better city to visit as a tourist. It's easier to get around with public transport (though the new busway in Jakarta isn't too shabby so long as you're staying near one of the stops).

KL probably has more sights worth seeing too, though both only probably have a few days worth of tourist attractions overall. That being said, if you had a week in the region it's easy enough to do both cities and experience the best they have to offer.

For Jakarta, the best hotel is probably The Dharmawanga - http://www.the-dharmawangsa.com/ - it should just squeeze in your budget range. Otherwise there's all the usual high-end brand names (Four Seasons, Ritz Carlon, Hyatt, InterContinental, Mandarin Oriental, etc etc) though none of them are the best of their respective brands, also at the high end there's the Hotel Mulia http://www.hotelmulia.com. You can usually get some very nice weekend rates at most of these hotels though.

i ve lived in both kl and jakarta, now in jakarta

imho jakarta has the better nitelife, kl has better value hotels. jakarta is an older city but is a mess and difficult to get around if you don t know the place. as someone said use silverbird taxis

kl has bloody awful taxis ...but there is an unconnected rail network which makes gettin around easier

When booking hotels in JKT, you will often save big bucks by booking at the airport booths (Kaha is where I usually book). You could also contact a local travel agent to book for you. I've save 40-60% compared to booking with the hotel directly.

I know someone who regularly gets the Mulia for $60-$70, but I think that's a corp rate.