Indonesian thrill-seekers dine in the sky

INDONESIANS are heading out to eat again as the COVID-19 pandemic's grip on the country loosens, and some thrill-seekers in Jakarta are celebrating by having dinner while dangling 50 meters in the air.

The Lounge in the Sky opened to the public this week in the capital of Muslim-majority Indonesia.

Spots were snapped up months in advance: it is fully booked in the evenings for the month of Ramadan, when Muslims gather at the end of the day to break their fast.

The restaurant serves meals -- priced between 1.6 and 3.7 million rupiah ($110-260) -- to as many as 32 customers at a time on a platform that is lifted as high as 50 meters (164 feet) by a crane.

Diners are strapped into their seats, while the chefs and servers wear security harnesses.

Some customers were seen cheering as the platform rose during a visit by AFP.

"At first, it was not easy. I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to swallow the food," said Yuni, a 29-year-old doctor.

"But after some time I could... eat. It was thrilling."

The restaurant said it follows strict safety standards, but the experience does not come without precautions: its website recommends customers go to the bathroom before taking their seats to avoid the need to lower the platform during the meal.

Two Belgian entrepreneurs developed the "Dinner in the Sky" concept. Since 2006 it has expanded to dozens of countries.