1Sights
Kota
Despite its nooks of fun and culture, to the uninitiated Jakarta can feel overwhelming and its gifts inaccessible. Kota is where they're easy to find.
The old town of Batavia, now known as Kota, was the hub of Dutch colonial Indonesia. Today it’s a faded vision of a once-grand empire, replete with crumbling historic buildings and stinky canals where handicrafts and art are sold on the street. Some of the white washed Dutch colonial buildings have been turned into museums and cavernous cafes as elegant as they are lazy, often with good tunes on the stereo, but with so many fine old structures still vacant there remains loads of room for growth.
Taman Fatahillah, Kota’s central cobblestone square, surrounded by imposing colonial buildings including the former town hall, is where you can get your bearings. A block west of the square is Kali Besar, the great canal along Sungai Ciliwung (Ciliwung River), lined with once-grand homes of the wealthy, most built in the early 18th century. Check out the red-tiled facade of Toko Merah ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Kali Besar Barat, Red Shop), the former home of Governor General van Imhoff. At the northern end of Kali Besar is the last remaining Dutch drawbridge, the Chicken Market Bridge, which dates from the 17th century.
Walking along the canal to the restored drawbridge, you'll see real life unfold. Bemo (minibus) drivers getting massages, playing chess, and eating bakso (meatball soup) curbside before their shift. Laundry drying on the railings. Here are garbage dumps and florists, and all manner of cottage industries half-hidden behind courtyards of relics. This is Jakarta's subsistence poetry of struggle and will.
To reach Taman Fatahillah, take the busway Korridor I from Blok M or Jl Thamrin to Kota train station and walk. Trains from Gondangdia, near Jl Jaksa, also run here. A taxi will cost around 40,000Rp from Jl Thamrin.
Museum Bank IndonesiaMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pintu Besar Utara III; audio guides 50,000Rp; h8am-3.30pm Tue-Thu, 8-11.30am & 1-3.30pm Fri, 8am-4pm Sat & Sun)F
One of the nation's best, this museum is dedicated to the history of Indonesia from a loosely financial perspective, in a grand, expertly restored, neoclassical former bank headquarters that dates from the early 20th century. All the displays (including lots of zany audiovisuals) are slickly presented on flat-screens and engaging, with exhibits about the spice trade and the financial meltdown of 1997 (and subsequent riots) as well as a gallery dedicated to currency, with notes from virtually every country in the world.
Museum Sejarah JakartaMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Taman Fatahillah; admission 5000Rp; h9am-3pm Tue-Sun)
Also known as Museum Kesejarahan Jakarta, the Jakarta History Museum is housed in the old town hall of Batavia, a stately Dutch colonial structure that was once the epicentre of an empire. This bell-towered building, built in 1627, served the administration of the city and was also used by the city law courts. Today it’s a poorly presented museum of peeling plasterwork and lots of heavy, carved ebony and teak furniture from the Dutch period.
But you will find the odd exquisite piece, such as the stunning black granite sculpture of Kali, a Hindu goddess associated with death and destruction. There are long-standing plans to renovate the museum, but work had been delayed at the time of research.
Museum WayangMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-692 9560; Taman Fatahillah; admission 5000Rp; h9am-3pm Tue-Sun)
This puppet museum has one of the best collections of wayang puppets in Java and its dusty cabinets are full of a multitude of characters from across Indonesia, as well as China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia and Europe. The building itself dates from 1912. There are free wayang performances here on Sunday at 10am. Be warned: we have received reports of a scam involving freelance guides who pressure people into making exorbitant purchases after a tour of the exhibits.
Museum Bank MandiriMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pintu Besar Utara; h9am-3pm Tue-Sun)F
In complete contrast to the polish and modernity at the Museum Bank Indonesia next door, this banking museum is all but empty, with echoing corridors and deserted tills. Nevertheless, it's fascinating to explore the interior of this fine art deco structure, marvelling at the marble counters and vintage counting machines, abacuses and colossal cast-iron safes.
Balai Seni RupaMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Taman Fatahillah; admission 5000Rp; h9am-3pm Tue-Sun)
Built between 1866 and 1870, the former Palace of Justice building is now a fine arts museum. It houses contemporary paintings with works by prominent artists, including Affandi, Raden Saleh and Ida Bagus Made. Part of the building is also a ceramics museum, with Chinese ceramics and Majapahit terracottas.
Gereja SionCHURCH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pangeran Jayakarta)F
Dating from 1695, this is the oldest remaining church in Jakarta. Also known as Gereja Portugis (Portuguese Church), it was built just outside the old city walls for slaves captured from Portuguese trading ports. The exterior of the church is very plain, but inside there are copper chandeliers, a baroque pulpit and the original organ.
Kota & Sunda Kelapa
1Sights
1Balai Seni RupaC3
2Gereja SionC3
3Jin De YuanB4
4Museum BahariA1
5Museum Bank IndonesiaB3
6Museum Bank MandiriB3
7Museum Sejarah JakartaB3
8Museum WayangB3
9Petak Sembilan Street MarketB4
10Toko MerahB3
11WatchtowerA1
5Eating
12Café BataviaB3
13HistoriaB3
14Kedai Seni DjakartéB3
15Santong Kuo Tieh 68B4
Warung Kota TuaB3
6Drinking & Nightlife
Café BataviaB3
7Shopping
16Mangga Dua MallD3
Sunda Kelapa
A kilometre north of Taman Fatahillah, the old port of Sunda Kelapa (admission 2000Rp) is full of magnificent Makassar schooners (pinisi). The dock scene here has barely changed for centuries, with porters unloading cargo from sailing ships by hand and trolley, though it's far less busy today.
Sadly, the atmospheric Pasar Ikan (Fish Market) – always a tourist favourite – was destroyed by fire and relocated, but if you make your way to the Museum Bahari you will likely make the acquaintance of Pak Catur (%0852 1763 4281), who will offer a motorbike ride through the working harbour and into the nearby Muara Baru slum, as well as a buzz through Glodok that you won't soon forget. This is the real, manic, overpopulated Jakarta, bursting with humanity and pain. It's not for the fainthearted. As Pak Catur says, 'price depend on you'.
Museum BahariMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.museumbahari.org; admission 5000Rp; h9am-3pm Tue-Sun)
Near the entrance to Sunda Kelapa, several old VOC warehouses (dating back to 1652) have been converted into the Museum Bahari. This is a good place to learn about the city’s maritime history, and though the wonderful old buildings (some renovated) are echoingly empty, there are some good information panels (in English and Bahasa Indonesia).
Under the heavy wooden beams of the vast old storage premises are various random exhibits: a sextant (used for astronomical navigation), various traditional boats from around Indonesia, the shell of a giant clam, plenty of pickled fish and a lighthouse lamp or two. The sentry posts outside are part of the old city wall.
WatchtowerHISTORIC BUILDING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; admission 5000Rp)
Just before the entrance to the Museum Bahari is a watchtower, built in 1839 to sight and direct traffic to the port. There are good views over the harbour, but opening hours are haphazard – ask for the caretaker if it is closed.
Glodok
The neighbourhood of Glodok, the traditional enclave of the Chinese community, is an archetypal downtown district full of bustling lanes, street markets, a shabby mall or two and some of the world’s most decadent nightlife. It was also the site of the terrible r
iots of May and November 1998, which reduced huge swathes of the area to ash and rubble.
Most of the fun here is simply experiencing the (very) Chinese vibe of the place, eating some dumplings and browsing the myriad stalls and stores selling everything from traditional medicine to dodgy DVDs.
Jin De YuanBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(Dharma Bhakti Temple; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.jindeyuan.org; Jl Kemenangan III 13)F
This large Chinese Buddhist temple compound dates from 1755 and is one of the most important in the city. The main structure has an unusual roof crowned by two dragons eating pearls, while the interior is richly atmospheric: dense incense and candle smoke waft over Buddhist statues, ancient bells and drums, and some wonderful calligraphy. Unfortunately recent Chinese New Year celebrations – including fireworks – set fire to half of the original structure. It was undergoing reconstruction when we visited.
Petak Sembilan Street MarketMARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Be sure to wander down the impossibly narrow Petak Sembilan street market off Jl Pancoran, lined with crooked houses with red-tiled roofs. It’s a total assault on the senses, with skinned frogs and live bugs for sale next to an open sewer.
Central Jakarta
1Top Sights
1Museum NasionalA3
1Sights
2Emanuel ChurchC3
3Gedung PancasilaC3
4Gereja Katerdral JakartaC2
5Lapangan BantengC2
6Mahkamah AgungD2
7Mesjid IstiqlalC2
8Ministry of Finance BuildingD2
9MonasB3
10SDN Menteng 1 SchoolB7
4Sleeping
11Alila JakartaB1
12Gondia International GuesthouseC5
13Hotel Indonesia KempinskiA6
14Ibis Budget HotelD6
15Six DegreesD6
5Eating
16Lara DjonggrangC6
17Por Que NoB6
18VietopiaD5
19Warung DaunD6
6Drinking & Nightlife
20Bakoel KoffieD5
21Dua NyonyaD5
22Kunstkring PaleisC5
3Entertainment
23Taman Ismail MarzukiD5
7Shopping
24Flea MarketD7
25Grand IndonesiaA6
26Plaza IndonesiaA6
Central Jakarta
If a centre for this sprawling city had to be chosen, then Merdeka Square (Lapangan Merdeka) would be it. This huge grassy expanse is home to Sukarno’s monument to the nation, and is surrounded by a couple of museums and some fine colonial buildings.
oMuseum NasionalMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-381 1551; www.museumnasional.or.id; Jl Merdeka Barat 12; admission 10,000Rp; h8am-4pm Tue-Fri, 8am-5pm Sat-Sun)
The National Museum, built in 1862, is the best of its kind in Indonesia and an essential visit. The enormous collection begins around an open courtyard stacked with magnificent millennia-old statuary including a colossal 4.5m stone image of a Bhairawa king from Rambahan in Sumatra, who is shown trampling on human skulls. The ethnology section is superb, with Dayak puppets and wooden statues from Nias sporting beards (a sign of wisdom) plus some fascinating textiles.
Over in the spacious new wing there are four floors with sections devoted to the origin of mankind in Indonesia, including a model of the Flores ‘hobbit’. There’s also a superb display of gold treasures from Candi Brahu in Central Java: glittering necklaces, armbands and a bowl depicting scenes from the Ramayana.
The Indonesian Heritage Society organises free English tours of the National Museum, at 10.30am on Tuesdays, and on Thursdays at 10.30am and 1.30pm. Tours are also available in French, Japanese and Korean and at other times; consult the website for the latest schedule.
Lapangan BantengAREA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Banteng Sq)
Just east of Merdeka Sq, Lapangan Banteng has some of Jakarta’s best colonial architecture. The twin-spired Catholic cathedral ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Katedral 7B) was built in 1901. Directly opposite is Jakarta’s principal place of Muslim worship. The striking, modernist Mesjid Istiqlal ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Veteran I), highlighted by geometrically grated windows, was designed by Catholic architect Frederich Silaban and completed in 1978. The mosque has five levels, representing the five pillars of Islam; its dome is 45m across and its minaret tops 90m.
During Ramadan more than 200,000 worshippers can be accommodated here. Non-Muslim visitors are welcome. You have to sign in first and then you’ll be shown around by an English-speaking guide (who will expect a tip).
To the east of Lapangan Banteng is the Mahkamah Agung (Supreme Court; MAP GOOGLE MAP ), built in 1848, and next door is the colonial Ministry of Finance Building ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; off JI Dr Wahidin), formerly the Witte Huis (White House), which dates from 1809 and was the administrative centre for the Dutch.
To the southwest is Gedung Pancasila ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pejambon), which is an imposing neoclassical building built in 1830 as the Dutch army commander’s residence. It later became the meeting hall of the Volksraad (People’s Council), but is best known as the place where Sukarno made his famous Pancasila speech in 1945, laying the foundation for Indonesia’s constitution. Just west along Jl Pejambon from Gedung Pancasila is the Emanuel Church ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pejambon), another classic building dating from 1893.
MonasMONUMENT
(Monumen Nasional; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Merdeka Sq; museum entry 5,000Rp, to reach the top 10,000Rp; h8.30am-5pm, closed last Mon of month)
Ingloriously dubbed ‘Sukarno’s final erection’, this 132m-high National Monument, which rises into the shroud of smog and towers over Merdeka Sq, is both Jakarta’s principal landmark and the most famous architectural extravagance of the former president. Begun in 1961, Monas was not completed until 1975, when it was officially opened by Suharto. The monument is constructed from Italian marble, and is topped with a sculpted flame, gilded with 35kg of gold leaf.
Entrance to the monument is via an underground tunnel behind it as you approach from the park entrance.
Textile MuseumMUSEUM
( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-392 0331; www.museumtekstiljakarta.com; Jl Aipda K S Tubun 2-4; admission 10,000Rp; h9am-3pm Tue-Sun)
Very much a worthwhile visit if you've any interest in weavings and fabrics, this museum houses a collection of around 2000 precious textiles, including hundreds of batik pieces, both antique and contemporary, lots of looms and a garden containing plants used for natural dyes. It's about 2km southwest of Merdeka Sq, and not easily reached by public transport.
OBAMA IN JAKARTA
Barack Obama moved to Jakarta in 1967 following his mother's marriage to Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian geographer; the couple met while studying at the University of Hawaii. Obama lived for four years in the Indonesian capital, including a period in the exclusive central suburb of Menteng, where he attended the SDN Menteng 1 ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) government-run school. The school is still going strong and there’s a plaque at the front gate, as well as a Barry statue in the yard, commemorating its most famous alumnus.
A popular child, he was nicknamed ‘Barry’ by his fellow students. It’s been reported that he declared an ambition to become president while at this school. Obama lived close by on Jl Taman Amir Hamzah, in a handsome terracotta-tiled Dutch villa with art deco–style windows.
When asked if he missed anything from his time in the country, Obama, who speaks Bahasa Indonesia, said he dreamed of ‘bakso (meatball soup), nasi goreng (fried rice) and rambutan (a red fruit similar to lychee)’.
On his return to the city as president in 2010, he confessed, 'I barely recognise it. When I first came here in 1967, everyone rode on becaks' (bicycle-rickshaws).
2Activities
Massage
Jakarta has massage establishments that range from ultra-luxe spas to dodgy set-ups that are fronts for brothels. The hygienic and affordable massage and sauna facilities at Bersih Sehat ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-390 0204; www.
bersihsehat.com; Jl Wahid Hasyim 106; treatments from 70,000Rp; h10am-9pm) are highly recommended.
For a really memorable experience, head to Jamu Traditional Spa (%021-765 9691; www.jamutraditionalspa.com; Jl Cipete VIII/94B, Cipete; massage & treatments 95,000-1,000,000Rp; h8am-9pm) in south Jakarta, which uses jamu (Indonesian herbs with medicinal and restorative properties) for its treatments.
TTours
Numerous travel agencies offer daily tours of Jakarta. Bookings can be made through the tourist office and major hotels.
Hidden Jakarta ToursTOUR
(%0812 803 5297; www.realjakarta.blogspot.com; US$50 per person)
Want to see the other Jakarta, away from air-conditioned malls? Jakarta Hidden offers tours of the city's traditional kampung, the urban villages of the poor. These warts-and-all tours take you along trash-choked riverways, into cottage industry factories and allow you to take tea in residents' homes.
JAKARTA FOR CHILDREN
Ancol Luar BiasaAMUSEMENT PARK
( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-6471 0497; www.ancol.com; basic admission incl entry to Pasar Seni 25,000Rp; h24hr)
On Jakarta's bayfront, the people’s ‘Dreamland’ is a landscaped recreation complex popular with families. It has amusement rides and sporting and leisure facilities, including bowling, but gets extremely crowded on weekends. Prime attractions include the Pasar Seni (Art Market), which has sidewalk cafes, craft shops, cable-car rides, art exhibitions, and live jazz every Friday, and the Atlantis Water Adventure water-park complex, which costs an additional 150,000Rp to enjoy a wave pool, waterslides and a slide pool, plus artificial beaches.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 8