When people think of Golden Triangle, it's usually the wild, rugged meeting point of Thailand, Burma, and Laos. Images of vast green poppy fields, opium trade and general lawlessness spring to mind. Jakarta's version of the Golden Triangle is only slightly different. While there isn't much of an opium trade here, and probably no poppy fields, lawlessness is everywhere, for this district is home to most of Jakarta's domestic and international banks. And since Indonesia is consistently ranked one of the most corrupt countries on earth, these banks tend to resemble laundromats more than prudent financial institutions.
The triangle is demarkated by the city's main boulevards - Jalan Sudirman, Jalan Gator Subroto and Jalan Rasuna Said. Jakarta's premiere apartment buildings are located here, as are a majority of the city's 5-star hotels. From a distance, the Golden Triangle's towering skyscrapers - some crowned with their own helipads - lend Jakarta the appearance of a prospering metropolis.
Closer inspection, however, reveals hundreds of low-rent kampung crammed between the massive structures of glass, concrete and steel. Often they are literally just structures, as Indonesia's monetary crisis halted virtually all of the city's construction activity in the late 90s. Half-finished projects and empty lots are a common sight off these main roads, although lately, building efforts have resumed.
Financial ruin hasn't killed the human buzz of Jakarta's fastest-moving quarter. Themed cafes, wine bars, pubs and ethnic restaurants are tucked into its man office buildings, giving Jakarta yuppies a wide choice of places for power lunches or chilling out at the end of a long work day. State-of-the-art fitness clubs give office folks a place to work off their stress, while the district's many shopping centers, boutiques and salons give them ample opportunity to blow all their money - if and when the economy picks up again.
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