Jakarta is the Capital City of Indonesia, and it is the biggest port of entry to other parts of Indonesia. It is a metropolitan city which reflects the economic, political, social and industrial development of the nation. 

This enormous and vibrant city actually has quite humble roots, starting life as a small harbour town called Sunda Kelapa, which is located at the mouth of the Ciliwung River. Sunda Kelapa is still the name for the old port in the north of the city that hasn’t changed for centuries.

Jakarta was officially founded on June 22, 527 under the name of  Jayakarta, the city has undergone a number of name changes, invasions and improvements. Under Dutch control, it was called Batavia which later changed to Jakarta when the

Japanese came. Jakarta is the centre of government, business, industry, and fashion for some two hundred million people spread across the entire archipelago, as well as a new center of commerce, entertainment and culture.

Jakarta is home for 12 million people who come from different ethnic groups. It presents a mini Indonesia and the nation’s motto: “Unity in Diversity” for it complete and good combination of ethnics, languages and dialects, cultures and religion which live in the capital city.

To witness the uniqueness and the distinctive of Indonesia, one can visit Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in the southeast of the city. It is a great place to get a cultural and culinary taste of the country.

Jakarta is the city that never sleeps. It is an ideal place for shopping, enjoying culinary and trying a night life of the city. 

PLACES OF INTEREST:

THE NATIONAL MONUMENT (MONAS)

Monas is one of the many monuments built during President Soekarno era, the first President of Indonesia. The 137-metre tall table marble obelisk is topped with a flame coated with 35 kgs of gold, and represents the people’s determination to achieve freedom. It towers over Merdeka (Freedom) Square, and serve as Jakarta’s most prominent landmark. The monument is open to public and houses a historical museum and meditation hall. 

INDONESIAN MONUMENTS: Contesting History

In every country monument are known as historical buildings carrying ideologies; they reflect the thought and philosophy of the people. Similarly, monuments in Jakarta, from the largest like National Monument or Monas to the small ones like the Farmer’s Statue, bear their own history. The monuments/statues in Indonesia represent the struggles to overcome differences, the spirit to be independent, and the great passion to exist and be acknowledged as a nation by others, as well as reflect the dominant power in Indonesian political life. Lubang Buaya monument, for example, shows the supremacy of the Military especially during the New Order period; on the other hand, the Farmer’s Statue carries the spirit of the communist revolution.

TUGU SELAMAT DATANG

Tugu Selamat Datang or translated as Welcome Monument, located in the center of Jakarta’s busies roundabout which known as Buderan H.I (Hotel Indonesia).

There are many others monument which were built to acknowledge certain the historical moment.

MUSEUMS

One way to discover and understand Jakarta’s history and culture is to visit its museums. The museums have different characteristics; some of them even entice us closer to the past because they occupy historical buildings.

Jakarta is also known as a city of Museum, since many museums exist and keep many historical things.

Museum Fatahillah

Some interesting museums stated below are a must-visits museums, They are The National Museum, Fatahillah Square, The Wayang Museum, Jakarta Historical Museum, Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics, Textile Museum, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM ). Besides, some other museums can be considered as well, such as; Maritime Museum (Museum Bahari); Satria Mandala Museum; Museum Komodo; Museum Perangko and National Archives

Museum Sejarah

GUNUNG MAS TEA PLANTATION

Situated in the highland to the south of Jakarta, Puncak Pass is probably the most popular weekend destination for people of Jakarta. The vast area of Gunung Mas (Golden Mountain) is carpeted with thick green tea plants, and offers magnificent views of the landscape, as well as, fresh air. Wide ranging accommodation facilities are easy to find.  In addition to plenty of space to roam free, guided tours in the plantations are available which allow visitors to witness the way tea leaves are harvested and processed.

JAYA ANCOL DREAMLAND

This is Jakarta’s largest and most popular recreation park. Its extensive range of attractions includes sea and fresh-water aquariums, swimming pools, an artificial lagoon for sighing and boating, a bowling alley, as well as an assortment of nightclubs restaurants, and massage parlors. The Ancol Complex includes a Marina, Dunia Fantasi (Fantasi Land or Dreamland), a golf course, hotels and a drive-in theatre. The Pasar Seni or art market has a varied collection of Indonesia handicraft, paintings and souvenirs on sale. An open air theatre features live performances by local artist.

MARINA JAYA ANCOL

This is a special port for yachts, motor and sail boats to Pulau Seribu. This is also the Places for marine recreation: jet skis canoes, sail boats, wind surfers and fishing gear are all for hire here. Stalls along the beach serve drinks and snack while tents are available for sunbathers and sea-lovers.

TAMAN MINI INDONESIA INDAH

Taman Mini Indonesia represents Indonesia in miniature. It is not only show the Indonesian archipelago, but also the traditional characteristics of each province as well as the architectures. It has its own orchid garden in which hundreds of Indonesian orchids varieties are grown. There are also a bird park with a walkin aviary, a fauna museum and restaurants. Of special interest at Taman Mini is the Museum Indonesia. A richly decorated building in Balinese architecture, it houses contemporary arts crafts and traditional customes from different region of the country. Open 9.00 am to 4.00 pm daily.

KEPULAUAN SERIBU

This group of island scattered across the Java Sea to the north of Jakarta offers a haven away from the bustle of city life. Golden beaches fringed with coconut palms line the sea, surrounding waters are a paradise for snorkel lovers and scuba divers. The multi-colored coral reefs are home to a phenomenal variety of tropical fish. The islands can be reached from Tanjung Priok or Pasar Ikan (Sunda Kepala) by ferry or by chartered boat.

Some islands are developed for tourism, facilitated with bungalows, restaurants, diving and sailing facilities, such as; Pulau Bidadari, Pulau Ayer, Pulau Laki and Pulau Putri.

TAMAN ISMAIL MARZUKI (T.I.M) ART CENTRE

The focal point of cultural activities in Jakarta centred in Taman Ismail Marzuki, or TIM for short. It is said to be the largest of its kind in the Southeast Asia and consist of exhibition halls, theaters, an academy of arts, archives building and planetarium. There are performances almost every night; from traditional or modern dances, local and foreign films festivals, poetry readings and theatre, to any kind of music. TIM serves not only as the center of contemporary Indonesian art, but, in recent years, has become a central showcase for international performing arts in Indonesia. A monthly program of the events is published in the Jakarta Post.

RANGUNAN ZOO

Jakarta’s zoo, Rangunan, is situated in the suburb of in the southern part of the city. Indigenous animals, such as the Komodo Dragon, Tapir, Java Tiger, Wild Ox and brightly coloured birds are given ample room in a lush tropical setting. The zoo is open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

ORCHID GARDEN
Some of world’s most beautiful and exotic orchids come from Indonesia. Jakarta has several extensive commercial orchid gardens which are located in Slipi, Taman Mini and in the Rangunan Zoo.

JAKARTA HILTON CONVENTION CENTRE (JHCC)

Jakarta Hilton Convention Center can accommodate three business meetings and conferences simultaneously. It main hall has a seating capacity of 3300 and is equipped with a giant video-wall, and a hi-tech lighting and sound system. It has a VIP lounge, speaker’s waiting room, 3 board rooms, 3 meeting rooms, 10 translation booths and an administration office. The Exhibition Hall measures 6120 square meter with a 14-foot ceiling and 350 square meter lobby.  The ballroom can

seat 3000 or can be divided into 3 separate areas for 1000 persons each. There are 7 multi-function meeting rooms which can seat 220 people each. The main lobby can utilized as pre-cocktail area or for a coffee break for 3500 persons. The car park can accommodate 10000 cars.

THEATRE IMAX KEONG EMAS (Golden Snail Theatre)

Located in Taman Mini is the Imax theatre which presents “Beautiful Indonesia” on a gigantic screen using the latest Imax System. Business hour: 11.00 a.m. to 17.00 p.m.

SHOPPING

Jakarta is shopping paradise for everybody. Branded, locals and traditional made are easy to find in shopping malls  in Jakarta.

Shopping malls, boutique and street vendors are spread side by side out on the streets of Jakarta. From the cheapest products to the most expensive one, from the local to the international are easy to be found in Jakarta.

Jewelry, Babies’ and children wear, textiles with astoundingly diverse in design and form are an excellent representation of the rich cultural heritage of the country. Batik, is one of the famous handy-craft from Indonesia, easy to find and promising in price. Indonesia Batik has its own uniqueness, rich in design and has its own  characteristic  as Indonesian Batik and easy to be differentiated from other Batik craft of other part of the world.
For the antiques lovers, do not forget to visit Antiques Market at Jalan Surabaya, Menteng, which offers a lot of antique souvenirs with a bargaining price.

Kemang is another ‘must-visit’ street for the art  lovers and do not miss the Kemang Street Festival which is held annually every June. Also in the area of Kemang, can be found Art Galleries  which offer Batik Paintings.

Especially for the Batik lovers, do not forget to visit branded batik makers, such as Danar Hadi and Batik Keris. But for those who would like to find variety of batiks with cheap but bargaining price, locate your time to visit Batik Center  ITC Mangga Dua.

Dining
While tasting authentic Indonesian food in traditional stalls and vendors is an adventure, never forget that Jakarta is also a heaven of international cuisines. Food from different continents is served amid different atmospheres; some restaurants are chic and modern, the others are elegant and sophisticated

Jakarta is celebrated as the home of migrants from different parts of the archipelago. It is no wonder that the city has become affluent with cuisine from various cultures. Each cuisine reflects matchless characteristics.

With exceptions on Idul Fitri, Christmas, Chinese New Year, and New Year most shopping malls in Jakarta are open daily from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.

ENTERTAINMENT & RELAXING

Although Indonesia has the biggest Moslem population in the world, cafes and bars are in fact increasing, making Jakarta one of the best nightlife cities in the world.

Within the metropolis of Jakarta lie luxurious retreats for visitors and its residents to ease the strains of the city lifestyle. Spas located in the city offer relaxing escaped for your body, mind and spirit.

There are 43 golf courses within an hour drive from Jakarta. Each course offers a unique experience to golf enthusiasts.

Accommodation

The capital city has a wide choice of fine hotels which are managed by well-known international chains.

FLIGHT FROM KL TO JAKARTA

1. GARUDA INDONESIA
2. MALAYSIAN AIRLINES SYSTEM
3. LION AIR
4. AIR ASIA
5. KLM

All major cities in Indonesia have regular flights to Jakarta.