“To go to a BTS concert” – that was my answer when someone asked about my biggest goal in life right now,
My perspective on life might be unconventional,but here’s a storytime of how I got to live 2/7 of my dream iin Jakarta, Indonesia. Every BTS ARMY knows that even if you have all the money and time in the world, you still have to be (as they say) God’s favorite to be able to secure a concert ticket.
I tried three times to secure tickets in the Manila leg of Hope on the Stage Tour Concert of BTS Jhope – during the Army Presale, Smart Presale and General Sale. I was not very lucky. My friend, Paxie told me that she was able to secure a ticket in Jakarta, and I immediately checked tiket.net and checked out the same section. I would have wanted to cheer, sing and dance with Team Manila, but I guess we were destined to fly again in Jakarta.
Indonesia will always be a memorable country for me for so many reasons—but that’s a story for another day. So we flew from Manila to my new favorite concert destination: Jakarta.
Manila to Jakarta via Cebu Pacific
We always make it a point to schedule our flight a few days before the concert, giving us enough buffer time for any delays or ticket claiming schedules.
On the day of our flight, we met up 4 hours early, and luckily, the Cebu Pacific check-in counters were already open, so we were able to check in smoothly – we spent an hour on queue which is understandable because of the volume of travelers. Most of the travelers were also BTS Army as evident on the little cues we saw from luggage straps, covers, and key chain/plushies.
Unfortunately, due to new regulations, we couldn’t access the lounge area. Still, we found a cozy café at NAIA Terminal 3 where we stayed while waiting for boarding.
The flight from Manila to Jakarta took about 4 hours and 15 minutes. It was a smooth and safe flight. I mostly slept, and I love that I got seated on the front row where I got extra legroom.
Jakarta is one hour behind Manila, and we arrived around 11:30 PM. Were booked a GrabCar smoothly to our hotel.
Here are some travel tips and notes:
✈️ FLIGHT: we flew in via Cebu Pacific Air (cheapest and fastest for short trips like attending concerts 🙌)
👮 IMMIGRATION: fill out eTravel before departure | eVISA in Indonesia upon arrival
TIP: take videos and photos of my passport and made sure they are in good condition (I keep my passport in a ziplock hehe)
💰FOREX: you can withdraw via ATM but most establishments encourage cashless transactions
📲 eSIM: Php 450 for 5 days unlimited data booked via Klook (use my code: 𝐊𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇 for 5% discount)
🌆 HOTEL: booked a hotel 10-minute drive from the concert venue
🔻APPS TO DOWNLOAD: GrabCar, GoogleTranslate
Why Jakarta is now my favorite concert destination
Indonesia will always be a memorable country for me for so many reasons—but that’s a story for another day.
- Concert tickets are pricey, we chose a destination where other expenses would be minimal.
- It’s just a 4-hour flight from Manila, and the weather is similar—so no need to pack too much.
- Decent and secure accommodations are relatively more affordable.
- GrabCar is available and cheap, making it easy to get around.
- Food is accessible everywhere—and I love that they promote cashless transactions.
- Ticket claiming was organized. Yes, you still have to wait for hours, but the staff and security were helpful and generally in a good mood, even hyping up the crowd. I had the same great experience during BTS Suga’s concert also in Jakarta.
- Organizers respected the queue numbers, and the staff was helpful – no one was allowed to skip ahead.”
- The Indonesian crowd was also so respectful of coconcert etiquette—making sure to keep phones lowered. I’m tall, so I noticed!
- Even after the concert, the staff was still very cheerful, happily saying thank you and goodbye. It really added to the concert experience. It was main character energy all the way.
While Jakarta is usually just a gateway to other Indonesian destinations, I love that we found some interesting spots (more on that on a separate post!)
Jhope Concert Experience – I Got HOSEOKED!
That feeling when you are in the middle of the dream!
We would’ve loved to be up at the barricade, but we had low queue numbers for our section, and honestly, that was perfectly fine. I was just incredibly happy to be there. It was my first time attending a concert soundcheck, and I loved the short interaction we had with Hobi (even if through screams and cheers of his name – Jhooope!)
He looked so fine and exuded pure charm. Every detail on stage reflected his vision and perfectionism. It was as if we were looking at his different eras. It was being in a big party, but we all went wild and delulu when he started performing “Mic Drop” and “Baepsae.”
I am hoping / praying / manifesting that soon I will be seeing the OT7!
So happy to have lived 2/7 of my dream in Indonesia—that’s 2 out of 7 BTS members!
Flying back home with a little less money but full of happy memories and a gazillion photos and videos. 💜
Follow me @ruthilicious for more stories!
Thank you so much Cebu Pacific Air for flying us safely from Manila to Jakarta, and back home!
Book now at cebupacificair.com and #LetsFlyEveryJuan
