Your questions and attempts to speak in Bahasa Indonesia will certainly be met with a smile, in between bargaining with other customers of course. Don t expect that anyone in the pasar will speak English. Take a good phrase book with you, like AWA s Words and Phrases , or better yet, AWA s Jakarta Market , an excellent guide to the various items available in the pasar . Use these books to help you identify the things you see. Yes, traditional markets are dirty with rats in plain sight.
Hygienic efforts are minimal, yet care is taken to keep food items clean.
Wear comfortable shoes that will not be ruined by getting dirty or wet. While it will be warm, refrain from wearing sleeveless shirts or shorts as they are not considered polite. You will undoubtedly be the center of attention no matter what you wear. But if your clothing and manner is polite, the people in the market will also be polite in turn. Taking pictures is generally allowed.