The annual exodus of Indonesians back to their villages has brought chaos on the country's dilapidated roads, with motorists complaining of interminable delays and reports of traffic snarls stretching for dozens of kilometres.
Known as mudik - going home - as many as 30 million Indonesians return to their villages by car, boat, train, plane and, most typically for the working poor, by motorcycles, to celebrate Idul Fitri, which starts tomorrow at the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
The biggest movement of people comes from Jakarta - an estimated 3 million people leave laden with gifts and cash to hand out to friends and relatives.
Despite a ban on more than two people riding on a motorcycle, it is not uncommon to see entire families and their presents on the one small motor scooter, children sandwiched between their parents and gifts dangling from the side.
More than 200 people have died in the past few days as a result of accidents, most of them involving motorcycles.
But the two-wheelers are typically faster than cars.
The Ministry of Transport has set up a system allowing mobile phone users to SMS information about traffic jams and receive updates on the latest congestion points.
On the internet, accessible by third-generation mobile phones, there is TV footage of traffic points, interactive maps and information on bus and train timetables.
But the technology cannot make up for the sheer numbers or for Indonesia's system of poorly maintained and narrow roads, augmented by the occasional toll road.
Rudi Aliyafi, a Jakarta resident travelling with his family to his wife's village in Central Java, says it has taken him 18 hours to drive 475 kilometres.
''It can be really boring for the kids,'' he said of the marathon journey.
While Jakarta's exit routes are clogged, the city itself - usually in perpetual gridlock - will see its streets almost deserted for a blissful few days.
Known as mudik - going home - as many as 30 million Indonesians return to their villages by car, boat, train, plane and, most typically for the working poor, by motorcycles, to celebrate Idul Fitri, which starts tomorrow at the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
The biggest movement of people comes from Jakarta - an estimated 3 million people leave laden with gifts and cash to hand out to friends and relatives.
Despite a ban on more than two people riding on a motorcycle, it is not uncommon to see entire families and their presents on the one small motor scooter, children sandwiched between their parents and gifts dangling from the side.
More than 200 people have died in the past few days as a result of accidents, most of them involving motorcycles.
But the two-wheelers are typically faster than cars.
The Ministry of Transport has set up a system allowing mobile phone users to SMS information about traffic jams and receive updates on the latest congestion points.
On the internet, accessible by third-generation mobile phones, there is TV footage of traffic points, interactive maps and information on bus and train timetables.
But the technology cannot make up for the sheer numbers or for Indonesia's system of poorly maintained and narrow roads, augmented by the occasional toll road.
Rudi Aliyafi, a Jakarta resident travelling with his family to his wife's village in Central Java, says it has taken him 18 hours to drive 475 kilometres.
''It can be really boring for the kids,'' he said of the marathon journey.
While Jakarta's exit routes are clogged, the city itself - usually in perpetual gridlock - will see its streets almost deserted for a blissful few days.
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