A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Jakarta vs. Atami for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Jakarta or Atami?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Jakarta and Atami. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Jakarta

Jakarta is a diverse, genuine, and sprawling city. With plenty of activities and things to do, it's a huge city that draws plenty of visitors. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums. See Jakarta travel costs.

Atami

Atami is a overlooked, nostalgic, and authentic town. Other reasons to visit include food, beaches, and shopping. See Atami travel costs.

Jakarta and Atami: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Jakarta or Atami?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Jakarta. Although Jakarta and Atami are popular destinations, Jakarta has more sights and attractions for tourists. Jakarta is very popular for its museums and attractions, food, shopping, and big city activities, while Atami attracts visitors for its beaches. Jakarta is famous for its diversity, culture, cuisine, and mega-malls. It is also well known for Istiqlal Mosque. Atami is famous for its onsen (hot springs) and sandy beaches.

How is Jakarta different from Atami?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Atami and Jakarta. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Jakarta or Atami?

Jakarta is a very popular place for its museums and history. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Jakarta. There's a huge number of museums around town like the National Museum, Museum Layang-Layang, and Museum MACAN. There's also Merdeka Square, which is one of the world's biggest public squares and Istiqlal Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Atami. The onsen, or hot springs, have historically been a big draw to this town. Places to experience them include Oedo Onsen Monogatari Atami, Otsuki Hotel Wafukan, and Myoraku-Yu. Other sights around town include Kaminiya Shrine and the MOA Museum of Art.

Is the Food Better in Jakarta or Atami? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Jakarta is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Jakarta has a huge number of terrific restaurants. There are so many different cultures represented in Indonesian cuisine, and you'll find them all in Jakarta. The food stalls, restaurants, and casual eateries all have their own flavor and style, which makes dining in this mega-city a true adventure.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Atami area. You'll find an authentic Japanese dining experience here, with a lot of seafood due to the city's coastal location. Popular dishes include sushi, dried fish, and fish boiled in broth.

Is Jakarta or Atami Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find nice options in both Jakarta and Atami.

If you're looking for night time activities Jakarta has a few options to choose from. It's a huge city, so there's a very active nightlife scene, but it's mostly focused on locals and not tourists like you'll find elsewhere in Indonesia. For the best nightlife district, head to Kemang, which has many bars and clubs.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Atami. The town was once a place to escape the city and enjoy a fun night out, but these days it's a bit quieter and has more of a nostalgic vibe. Head to Yushima Yugijo Yushima Amusement Center for some of the best nightlife in town.

Is Jakarta or Atami Better for Beaches?

Atami is a good destination for its beaches. However, Jakarta is not a beach destination.

Atami offers a nice beach destination. The most popular beach in the city is Atami Sun Beach, which is right in town. It's a place to relax in the sun, and there are sometimes fireworks throughout the year.

Jakarta is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Jakarta or Atami?

Jakarta is a very popular place for its shopping opportunities. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping areas.

Jakarta is well-known for its shopping. The city is filled with high end luxury malls where you can buy the latest fashions and many international brands. Around town you'll also find everything from local handicrafts to chic boutiques and grand international chains.

Many visitors go to Atami to go shopping. You'll find a couple of retro shopping streets in town such as Atami Ekimae Shopping Street, Nakamise Shopping Street, and Heiwadori Shopping Street. There are arcades and food stalls where you can sample local dishes.

Is Jakarta or Atami Better for Families?

Both Jakarta and Atami are nice family-friendly destinations.

Jakarta offers lots of family activities. Most visitors skip out on this huge city, and it's definitely not the first place that comes to mind when you think about family-friendly destinations, but there's actually a very fascinating culture that kids and adults alike can enjoy. There's the Kota area, which has colonial architecture. There's also a puppet museum and several history museums. But for most kids, the highlight is a visit to the Taman Impian Jaya Ancol area, which has amusement parks and even SeaWorld.

Atami is a family-friendly place to visit. The city is a hot springs area, but you can also head to the nearby beaches and other family-friendly activities.

Is Jakarta or Atami Better for Couples?

Jakarta and Atami both nice destinations for a couple.

Jakarta is a nice destination for couples. Most travelers looking for a romantic destination will head to the many famous honeymoon spots in Indonesia. But for those who make their way to Jakarta, there is sure to be a lot of adventure and culture. The city has many great museums as well as nature parks and amusement parks.

Atami makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. This is a beach and hot springs resort area, and in historic times it was a honeymoon destination. Today you'll find beaches, hot springs, shopping, and museums to explore, but most visitors use it as a base to explore the nearby areas, as the town itself doesn't have a lot to offer.

Is Jakarta or Atami Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Jakarta and Atami are nice places to visit.

Plenty of backpackers visit Jakarta. Visitors often have strong feelings about this city, whether they love it or hate it. For those backpackers who spend some time here, they're sure to be treated to a look at true Indonesian culture, which is hard to find in the more touristy areas.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Atami. While there aren't a huge number of hostels in the area, and backpackers often skip over this town, prices aren't particularly high so you should be able to find something affordable.

Is Jakarta or Atami Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Atami is a good destination for times when you don't have a car. However, Jakarta is not known for its public transit.

While Atami offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are public buses, such as the YuYu Bus, which has two routes and passes by many of the town's attractions.

Public transit is generally limited in Jakarta. Public transportation has improved a lot recently. There's a commuter line as well as buses. The system can be a bit overwhelming and slow though, so tourists often avoid it.

Is Jakarta or Atami a more walkable city?

Atami is a good destination for its walkability. However, Jakarta is not known for its high level of walkability.

Atami is somewhat walkable. Some parts of the city are more walkable than others.

Jakarta is generally not very walkable. Central Jakarta is more walkable than most of the city but, in general, the city has a lot of traffic and isn't the best for exploring on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Jakarta Worth Visiting? and Is Atami Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Atami or Jakarta?

How long in Jakarta or Atami?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Jakarta or Atami to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Jakarta than Atami because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Jakarta, and 1-2 days is enough time in Atami.

One day in Jakarta or Atami?

Each neighborhood in Jakarta has its own distinct appeal, so there are pleny of areas to explore. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

In Atami, you'll find nightlife and food. This town offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A weekend in Jakarta or Atami?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Jakarta. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

In Atami, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Atami has to offer.

Five days in Jakarta or Atami?

Jakarta is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the big city destination of Jakarta. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Atami is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Jakarta or Atami?

You'll find food and shopping around the genuine big city of Jakarta. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Atami. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Atami. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and Atami, we can see that Atami is more expensive. And not only is Jakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Jakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jakarta and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Atami would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Atami than you might in Jakarta.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Jakarta Expensive? and Is Atami Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Jakarta or Atami?

Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 210 times larger than the population of Atami. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta and Atami, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.