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New Year’s Eve is just days away and some kind of celebration is mandatory. Whether your idea of fun is dancing all night at a crowded club or having a quiet get-together with a couple of close friends, if you are still deciding how to welcome in the new year, here are some ideas — from the upscale to the low-key.

For Those Who Want to Live it Up

JW Marriott Jakarta is going with a “Moulin Rouge” theme and all the hotel staff members will be dressed in French cabaret costumes. At the hotel’s Sailendra restaurant a buffet dinner is on offer for Rp 588,000 ($62)++ per person. But if you are just after a drink or two, try their Blu Martini bar where a New Year’s cocktail will set you back Rp 75,000++.

At Grand Hyatt Jakarta the well-known musical group Elfa’s Singers will be leading the countdown to 2010. A delectable buffet with meat and seafood is Rp 888,000++ per person, or Rp 218,000++ for children under 12. A complimentary glass of champagne is included for adults.

If you fancy spending the evening at what was the country’s first luxury hotel, head to Hotel Indonesia Kempinski. The hotel offers packages that include two invitations to a New Year’s Eve Tea on the afternoon of Dec. 31, two invitations to a Gala Dinner that night at the historic Bali Room, and the option of a 5 day/4 night stay package or a 4 day/3 night stay, for $1,188++ and $1,088++, respectively.

On its own, the New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner is Rp 2.5 million++ per person.

For people who purchase the package there will also be a rooftop champagne party with free flow French Champagne for an additional Rp 500,000++.

If you’re feeling a little mysterious, the Gran Mahakam Jakarta is holding a masquerade party. A package including a welcome drink, a buffet dinner, live music and a countdown to 2010 — with trumpets, party hats and other accessories provided — is Rp 499,000++ per person.

At the Ritz-Carlton you can watch Indonesian diva Reza at Mistere. The performance starts at 10 p.m. and runs until the New Year countdown. There will be games with prizes to be won, including a voucher for accommodation at the hotel and two dinner vouchers for Asia Restaurant.

For Those on a Budget

Balcony for two. If you don’t feel like shouting “Happy New Year” in a crowded room full of strangers when the clock strikes midnight, you can create your own quiet celebration for next to nothing on the balcony of your apartment.

Clear the balcony, hide the towel rack, and make sure you mop the floor before spreading the mat. Turn off all the lights, and use candles to illuminate the place. For food and beverages, just buy some simple snacks and drinks from the local supermarket. Play some music from inside the living room or take your laptop out with you.

If you are lucky, people from neighboring buildings will shoot off fireworks from their windows or balconies, giving you a festive New Year scene.

Live music. Want some live music at your party? Hire street musicians. You can look for them by jumping from one bus to another, or spend a few hours on the Jakarta-Bogor train. This way you have the chance to check out their sound and negotiate a price. If you are after local music, look for a traveling dangdut band — the groups of people wandering the streets of Jakarta pushing a cart filled with musical instruments and a sound system.

A friend of mine did this once for a Christmas party she themed “A Very Dangdut Christmas” and it was tremendous fun. The dangdut band played for two hours for Rp 1 million, though again, you can probably negotiate. If you hire a dangdut band, don’t forget to mention to guests that they are expected to bring money for nyawer . Nyawer refers to a tip given to singers, usually in a dangdut performance, that will later be shared between the band members. The size of your tip depends on how generous you are.

On the rooftop. A barbecue party on a roof top with a group 10 or so friends is always lots of fun — provided it doesn’t rain. Share the costs and ask everyone to bring something. Set up some chairs and a large table. Put some fresh flowers in the center of the table and use floating candles to create ambience. Music is a must, of course, and since the party is outside keep some mosquito repellent handy.

Local food festival at home. If you don’t want to prepare your own meal for the party, talk to a nearby food vendor or two a few days beforehand. Ask how much they make in a day and see if you can hire them to cook for your party. All you need to do then is to clear some space in your garage for them to park their carts.

One of the highlights of living in Bendungan Hilir, or Benhil, South Jakarta, for me is that this place is heaven for local food lovers. In the area around the market, just 10 meters from the busy Jalan Sudirman, is a tempting array of food carts that usually have offerings far tastier than in the nearby restaurants.

Some highlights are mie Aceh (Acehnese noodles), pisang aroma (fried banana rolled with chocolate in a thin flour wrap), steamed cakes, siomay (steamed fish dumpling) and batagor (fried fish dumpling).

A night in Ubud. If you happen to have tickets to Bali for New Year’s Eve, instead of going to clubs where loud music kills conversation, consider seeking out somewhere quieter. Located in the hills, Ubud is one of the nicest parts of Bali, and on Jalan Hanoman the streets are full of beautiful small shops and open-air restaurants.

One delicious eatery is Warung Little India. Owned by a former cook from an Indian restaurant, this place has a great selection of authentic Indian food, including samosas and lentil soup. Or if you want to eat local, try the Indonesian fare at Warung Mendez further down the road.