Mountain biking in Jakarta?

It has been a while now since I am interning in Jakarta. I never imagined this city to have a thriving adventure sports scene.

It was only during a casual lunch chat with my colleagues that I came to know about a multitude of options like paragliding, water sports, mountain biking etc. that are easily available in Jakarta. I got an invitation to join them to Puncak Highlands, a mountainous area about 65 miles southwest of Jakarta. I had never tried mountain biking before and I always perceived it to be a dangerous activity. Nonetheless, I reluctantly agreed not knowing what lay in store for me.

However, I must admit; it was an exhilarating experience and now it has become a staple weekend activity for me here.

It takes around 2-3 hours to reach Puncak from Jakarta city center depending on the traffic. But once there, it’s an entirely different feel. This place is an oasis away from the noise and pollution of the city. 


Generally the bike ride starts near the now popular Rindu Alam restaurant and goes downhill through tea plantations and villages on a 20 miles run to the start of the Puncak road at Ciawi. 

The rolling green hills with luxuriant tea plantations have been associated with Puncak for centuries, and they are a pleasant sight along the way up. The two biggest plantations here are Ciliwung and Gunung Mas. The route through the Ciliwung tea plantation comes with a small entry charge. Here other options like motocross bikes, 4x4 jeeps, and horses too are available for rent.

I have observed that mountain biking is the most popular outdoor activity here. Jakarta is the mountain biking hub in South East Asia. It has the biggest community of mountain bikers and also boasts the largest franchise and showrooms of mountain biking equipment and accessories.

And the best part is….this activity has given me an opportunity to meet some fascinating people from various walks of life who are brought together by a common thread. I have found an eclectic group comprising a computer engineering, an advertising professional, an economist, an entrepreneur and a taxi driver. We catch up every Sunday and venture out to Puncak.

I have had some great weekends so far and I have enjoyed every bit of my new found activity.