We came to GBK Jakarta expecting a football stadium… but found a huge green escape in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world. Coffee, skyscraper views, local vibes and one of our favourite Jakarta afternoons.
Watch Our Full Experience At GBK Jakarta
Why We Wanted To Visit GBK Jakarta
When our local friend Jarr recommended that we visit GBK, we honestly weren’t quite sure what to expect.
If you’ve watched our videos before, you’ll know Jar started as our guide in Jakarta but quickly became more of a local friend. He’s joined us on so many adventures around the city, so when he told us this was one of the places locals love to hang out, we knew we had to check it out.
We initially thought GBK was just a football stadium.
But when we arrived, we realised it was so much more.
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The Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) area is actually a huge sporting complex, park and community space right in the heart of Jakarta. Instead of just a stadium, we found vast areas of greenery, people exercising, families picnicking, runners completing laps, and locals escaping the city’s chaos.
As foreigners visiting Jakarta, this was just the type of place we wanted to discover.
Jakarta is famous for its traffic, skyscrapers and busy streets, but GBK showed us a completely different side of the city.
Our First Impressions Of GBK Jakarta
We arrived by local bus and started exploring around the stadium.
Almost immediately, we realised this wasn’t just somewhere people came to watch football.
It felt like Jakarta’s version of a giant outdoor community space.
The atmosphere was so relaxed.
One of the things we loved was the contrast.
On either side of you are huge Jakarta skyscrapers, but right in the middle is this huge green space where people can slow down and enjoy themselves.
It reminded us a little bit of South Bank in London.
A place where people come together, relax and enjoy the city without feeling overwhelmed by it.
Exploring The Stadium
Of course, we couldn’t visit GBK without checking out the football side of things.
We wandered around the stadium, explored the area and even popped into the local Garuda Indonesia store to check out the merchandise.
It was really cool seeing how much pride there was around the stadium.
But the best part of GBK isn’t necessarily the stadium itself. It’s the whole atmosphere around it.
Coffee Break At Toko Kopi Tuku
If you know us, you know we love coffee. So naturally, we had to find a coffee stop.
Inside the GBK area is Toko Kopi Tuku, one of Indonesia’s most famous coffee brands. Their coffee shops are hugely popular with locals, and their famous drinks like Kopi Susu Tetangga have made them a favourite across Jakarta.
We honestly understand the hype. The coffee was delicious.
And after walking around Jakarta in the heat, having a cool, air-conditioned place to sit was perfect.
What we loved most was seeing how much locals actually enjoy these spaces.
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The Hidden Rooftop View Of Jakarta
One of our favourite discoveries around GBK was the rooftop area nearby.
We headed up to the fourth-floor rooftop area at Sentosa Senayan, where you can get incredible views over Jakarta’s skyline. The rooftop area also has The Wolf Espresso, making it a really nice spot to grab a coffee while looking out over the city.
It is a simple, affordable experience.
You don’t need to book an expensive rooftop restaurant or pay for a fancy viewpoint.
You can just head up, enjoy the view and see the contrast between Jakarta’s huge buildings and the green space below.
Things To Do At GBK Jakarta
GBK is a great place if you want a slower-paced afternoon in Jakarta.
You can:
• Walk around the stadium
• Go for a run
• Have a picnic on the grass
• Pick up coffee
• Take photos of the skyline
• Relax away from the traffic
It is especially nice if you’ve spent a few days exploring Jakarta and want somewhere peaceful.
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Things We Loved
Seeing Local Jakarta Life
This was probably our favourite part.
We didn’t see many tourists here.
Instead, we got to experience where locals actually spend their free time.
The Green Space
For such a huge, busy city, having somewhere like GBK is amazing.
It gives people a place to breathe.
The Coffee Culture
Jakarta’s coffee scene is incredible, and GBK is a great place to experience it.
The Atmosphere
It wasn’t a tourist attraction.
It was just a place where people were enjoying their city.
And that made it feel much more authentic.
How To Get To GBK Jakarta
GBK is located in the Senayan area of Central Jakarta.
You can easily reach it by:
• Grab
• Public transport
• Local buses
• MRT Jakarta (Senayan Station is nearby)
It is a very accessible part of the city.
How Long Should You Spend There?
We’d recommend allowing a few hours.
You can easily combine:
GBK walk
Coffee at Tuku
Rooftop views
A relaxed afternoon exploring Senayan
Combine GBK Jakarta With A City Tour
You could choose to spend the afternoon relaxing at GBK after exploring Jakarta on a city tour. These are really affordable, and you get to see so much!
Great Jakarta City Tours
Where We Stayed
During our time in Jakarta, we stayed at My Capsule Jakarta.
It’s budget-friendly, centrally located and has a genuinely lovely atmosphere for travellers.
It’s also conveniently located for reaching GBK Jakarta by Grab in around 20 minutes, depending on traffic.
Related Experiences
Here are some of our other adventures from our time in Jakarta. There are so many amazing things to do, so feel free to check them out!
Car Free Day Jakarta: The Most Unique Morning In Indonesia?
We Ate Our Way Through Sabang Street In Jakarta!
Is GBK Jakarta Worth Visiting?
We genuinely think GBK is one of those places that many tourists miss.
It isn’t the obvious Jakarta attraction, but that’s exactly why we loved it.
It gave us an insight into everyday Jakarta life.
If you’re looking for somewhere to escape the busy streets, drink good coffee, see local life and experience a different side of the city, we’d definitely recommend adding GBK to your Jakarta itinerary.
Sometimes the best travel experiences are the ones you only discover because a local tells you where to go.
And we’re very glad Jarr told us about this one.
Big Love
Beth and Denz