Follow the lanterns into Glodok
Turn off Jalan Gajah Mada and the light changes. Red lanterns hang in strings across the lane, the shophouses press close, and the air carries incense from the temple altars mixed with the smoke of woks and charcoal grills. This is Glodok, Jakarta's historic Chinatown, and in the days around Imlek it becomes the busiest quarter in the city. Imlek 2027 falls on Saturday, 6 February, a national public holiday in Indonesia, and because Friday, 5 February is designated a collective leave day, the celebrations stretch across a three-day break from Friday to Sunday. The city fills with families, temple-goers and shoppers, so plan to move slowly and on foot.
Make the temple rounds and watch for barongsai
Temple visits are at the heart of the holiday in Jakarta, and the areas around the city's Chinese temples and Chinatown districts are where the crowds gather. Go early in the morning when families arrive to offer prayers, and linger into the afternoon when lion dance troupes, known as barongsai, move through the streets and temple courtyards to the beat of drums and cymbals. Exact performance schedules vary by neighbourhood, so ask at your hotel or follow the crowds rather than relying on a fixed timetable. Expect the lanes around Glodok's traditional shops and temples to be packed; comfortable shoes and patience serve you better than any plan.
Shop the festive markets and eat your way through the lanes
Special market events and seasonal decorations transform the Chinatown districts in the run-up to the holiday and through the long weekend. Glodok's traditional shops sell everything from altar goods and red decorations to sweets and snacks, and the food stalls are the real draw: traditional Chinese-Indonesian meals are central to the celebration, and the lanes around the market are where you'll find them. Graze as you walk — the point is the wandering as much as any single dish — and duck into the shophouses when the crowds thicken. Because programmes vary by neighbourhood, treat the market itself as the event and let the stalls set your pace.
Time your trip around the three-day break
The holiday runs Friday, 5 February through Sunday, 7 February 2027, with the main celebration on Saturday, 6 February. Areas near temples, Chinatowns and festive markets are busier than usual throughout, and accommodation near Chinatown books up fast. Reserve flights and rooms well in advance, especially if you want to stay within walking distance of Glodok. If you can, arrive a day or two before the collective leave begins to see the markets and decorations go up before the peak crowds arrive.
Extend the trip to another heritage quarter
If the long weekend leaves you wanting more, Indonesia has other cities with Chinese-Indonesian heritage neighbourhoods worth a detour: Semarang's Pecinan, Surabaya, and Medan. Each has its own temple life, food culture and festive rhythm, and each makes a natural extension of a Jakarta Imlek trip if you have extra days. Check connections from Jakarta before you commit, and book onward travel early given the holiday demand.
Start with the calendar: block out 5 to 7 February 2027, book a room near Glodok before the collective leave fills the neighbourhood, and build your days around temple mornings, market afternoons and the sound of barongsai in the lanes. The lanterns will be up when you arrive.