BOGOR, Indonesia — In a shocking display of gridlock, travelers in the mountainous region of Puncak, West Java, faced what many are calling the “worst” traffic jam in history, enduring a staggering 14 hours of standstill during a holiday rush.

The incident unfolded over the long weekend commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, which saw throngs of holidaymakers flocking to Puncak, famous for its lush tea plantations and refreshing climate. Eyewitness accounts and photos flooding social media portrayed a scene of utter disarray, with vehicles trapped for hours, and weary drivers forced to exit their cars to stretch, eat, and even sleep alongside the road.

Local resident Ade shared his ordeal with Detik, stating, “We are accustomed to Puncak traffic jams, but typically they ease within hours. This time, I have been stuck for about 14 hours from yesterday afternoon until this morning.” Similarly, first-time holiday-goer Yuli documented her frustration in a viral TikTok post that captured the attention of over two million viewers. Stuck in gridlock since 10 AM on September 15 while en route to Taman Safari zoo, she lamented, “At 2 AM, still not moving... at 3 AM,” before ultimately canceling her long-awaited outing.

The Indonesian police reported an overwhelming surge of vehicles—140,000—crossing the Puncak region, double the road capacity. Situated merely 70 kilometers from Jakarta, Puncak typically experiences manageable traffic delays of two to three hours during peak weekends, but this incident showcased an alarming breach of norms.

The winding 22-kilometer stretch from Bogor to Cianjur, lined with over 3,500 hotels and 4,200 villas, was clogged as impatient motorcyclists contributed to the chaos by ignoring traffic rules, exacerbating the situation to a complete standstill. Alongside the distressing hours spent in traffic, tragedy struck as a 56-year-old woman from East Jakarta tragically passed away after being stuck for nearly nine hours. Although authorities attributed her death to underlying health issues rather than the traffic itself, the incident highlighted the real-life stakes of such congestion.

In response to escalating congestion issues that have persisted since the establishment of a one-way traffic system in 1986, the government is exploring various solutions. A proposed 51.8-kilometer toll road connecting Bogor to Cianjur, estimated at a staggering cost of 25 trillion rupiah (approximately US$1.6 billion), aims to alleviate traffic woes by 2030. Additionally, the Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Sandiaga Uno, has suggested constructing a cable car system as a means of transportation and tourism enhancement.

While the future solutions are promising, the people of Puncak and its visitors wait in anticipation for a practical resolution to this unprecedented and recurring nightmare. Will these efforts change the landscape of travel in this beautiful region, or will more holiday horror stories await? Only time will tell!