A safe destination that you should be thinking of visiting in the Asian continent is Indonesia Jakarta.
Jakarta is the massive capital city of the Republic of Indonesia. Jakarta is a huge, sprawling metropolis, home to over 10 million people with diverse ethnic group backgrounds from all over Indonesia. During the day, the number increases with commuters making their way to work in the city and flock out again in the evenings.
The city of Jakarta is situated on the northwest coast of Java Island, the province of DKI Jakarta has rapidly expanded through the years, absorbing many villages in the process. In fact, Jakarta is a conglomeration of villages known as kampung, now crossed by main roads and superhighways.
Jakarta is not only the seat of the national government and the provincial government, but it is also Indonesia’s political center. Moreover, Jakarta is the hub of Indonesia’s national finance and trade. It is no wonder, that you will find Jakarta as a dynamic city, with activities taking place around-the-clock throughout its populated areas.
This city is divided into 5 districts, namely Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta Utara, Jakarta Barat, Jakarta Timur, and Jakarta Selatan. The term ‘Jabodetabek’ refers to Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Tangerang-Bekasi – the Greater Jakarta area consists of mega cities surrounding the capital.
A memorable experience is that you may drive down one wide avenue one minute then suddenly find yourself squeezed into a small street together with scores of cars and motorbikes. With its many suburbs, Jakarta has become a Megapolitan city. Therefore, when you visit Jakarta it is best to invest in a good map or rely on GPS to navigate around.
Is Jakarta Good for tourists? What is Jakarta famous for?
Being the massive capital of Indonesia that welcomes lots of travelers and visitors all the time, the attractions that makes the city of Jakarta good for tourism are the following sites;
Recommended reading.. 21 Best Tourist Attractions in Indonesia
- Grand Indonesia Mall
An attraction in Jakarta to most travelers is the Grand Indonesia Mall. It is an integrated multipurpose complex at Thamrin Road in Central Jakarta, Indonesia. The 640,000 m² complex consists of a huge Shopping Mall, office tower Menara BCA, high end serviced residential tower Kempinski Residences and the five-star all-suite Hotel Indonesia Kempinski.
Grand Indonesia Mall is a successful premium mall that offers an International shopping experience and wide range of fashion apparels, restaurants and entertainment choices. Grand Indonesia consists of East Mall and West Mall linked by the Skybridge with total area of 263.226 square meters and + 140.000 leasable floor space.
- Istiqlal Mosque
Located at Jalan Taman Wijaya Kusuma in Central Jakarta, on the north eastern corner of the Merdeka Square, the Istiqlal Mosque stands almost right across the old Catholic Church at the corner of Jalan Lapangan Banteng which is a landmarks representing the nation’s acceptance of religious diversity.
The mosque is the largest mosque in Southeast of Asia in terms of structure and a capacity of 120,000 people. The Istiqlal Mosque was designed in 1954 by Frederich Silaban, a Christian architect from North Sumatra. To build the mosque, it took 17 years. Built under Sukarno’s administration, the construction was personally supervised by the president himself.
Jakarta’s remarkable building that beautifies central city scape, the Istiqlal Mosque which inspires with its enormity and contemporary design. The building of the mosque covers approximately nine hectares (22 acres) and has five levels in total. Much of the structure is clad in marble from East Java.
- Ancol Dreamland
Ancol Dreamland also known as Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, is an integral part of Ancol Bay City, a resort destination located along Jakarta’s waterfront in Ancol, Pademangan, Indonesia. It is owned by PT. Pembangunan Jaya Ancol Tbk, a subsidiary of Pembangunan Jaya Group.
Ancol Dreamland has become an integral part of Ancol Bay City and offers numerous stunning objects, knowledge, arts, and cultures. No wonder, local families are always seen there regardless of the time. These people want to spend a memorable family recreation and vacation with their family members, after all.
Tourists can explore famous places including the Ocean Dream Samudra, Sea World Ancol, art market, Festival Beach, Carnival Beach, and much more!
- National Monument (MONAS)
Another tourist attraction of Indonesia’s Jakarta is the National Monument. It is a 132 m obelisk in the centre of Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta, symbolizing the fight for Indonesia. It is the national monument of the Republic of Indonesia, built to commemorate the struggle for Indonesian independence. Construction began in 1961 under the direction of President Sukarno.
The National monument is built with the top made of 14.5 ton bronze Flame of Independence containing the lift engine. The base of the flame, in the shape of a goblet, is 3 metres high. The bronze flame structure measures 14 metres in height and 6 metres in diameter consisting of 77 sections that is an impressive attractive spot of Jakarta.
- Thousand Islands
A favorite destination in Indonesia is the Thousand Islands in Jakarta. Paradiso, containing four island’s Kahyangan (formerly known as Cipir), Bidadari (used to be called Sakit), Onrust and Kelor offer spectacular views of the forest and the sea. The name Paradiso indeed comes from Paradise, for ‘Kahyangan’ in Indonesian means ‘Heaven’ in English, and ‘Bidadari’ means ‘Angel’.
Dotted throughout Jakarta Bay are 120 tropical islands and coral atolls known, rather misleadingly, as the Thousand Islands. This group of islands in the Jakarta Bay offers a heaven away from the bustle of city life. There are golden beaches fringed with coconut palms. The surrounding waters are a paradise for skin divers. They are filled with a myriad of tropical fish, which live among the multicolored corals.
The islands can be reached from Tanjung Priok or Pasar Ikan (Sunda Kelapa) by ferry or by chartered boat. Some of the islands in this group developed for tourism are Pulau Bidadari, Pulau Anyer, Pulau Laki and Pulau Putri. Pulau Tanjung near Putri has an airstrip. There are cabins for hire, having fresh water on Pulau Air and Pulau Bidadari only. The Pulau Putri Paradise Co. has developed Pulau Putri, Pulau Melintang, Pulau Petondan and Pulau Papa Theo as a holiday resort with cottages, restaurants, diving and sailing facilities.
With a total population of only 13,000 people, the bay contains a sprinkling of the ‘virgin islands’, although the majorities are inhabited. Many are privately owned. The departure point to this cluster of individual paradises is the Ancol Marina, where further information on travel arrangements can be found. Daliy boats to most islands, departing at 08.00 and 09.00.
This chain of several dozen islets immediately north of the city is administratively part of Jakarta and usually an oasis of quiet. Speedboats take visitors to basic but comfortable hotels an hour or so from the city, where one can snorkel, dive or just lie on a white sand beach with a friendly turtle.
- National Museum
The National Museum of Indonesia, is an archeological, historical, ethnological, and geographical museum located in Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, right on the west side of Merdeka Square.
Popularly known as the Elephant Museum, the museum contains statues and stone inscriptions discovered on sites throughout the archipelago starting from the first century AD, a complete collection of batik cloths and woven textiles produced through the years in the different islands. While on the top floor one finds displayed the collection of gold and silver ornaments and jewelry once owned by the rajahs and sultans of the archipelago.
- Museum Bank Indonesia
Bank Indonesia Museum is a cultural heritage located in Kota Tua, Jakarta. Initially this building was owned by Dutch East Indies and was named De Javasche Bank. This bank was then used as the central bank at that time. In 1953, after Indonesia’s independence, De Javasche Bank was later nationalized to become Bank Indonesia. This museum has a function to provide information, both visually and audio, about various banking activities in Indonesia, starting from the Dutch colonial era until now.
At present Bank Indonesia Museum has turned into a Cyber Museum because of various sophisticated equipment available here, such as LCDs, touch screens, static panels, dioramas, plasma televisions and parabolic speakers. This museum also often holds various events, such as seminars or talk shows. Usually the event is related to current issues related to banking or history.
- Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park
Located about 7 kms away from Swiss-Belresidences Kalibata, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) also known as “Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park” is a culture-based recreational area in East Jakarta, Indonesia. It has an area of about 250 acres (1.0 km2).
The park is a synopsis of Indonesian culture, with virtually all aspects of daily life in Indonesia’s 26 (in 1975) provinces encapsulated in separate pavilions with the collections of rumah adat as the example of Indonesian vernacular architecture, clothing, dances and traditions are all depicted impeccably.
Apart from that, there is a lake with a miniature of the archipelago in the middle of it, cable cars, museums, Keong Emas Imax cinema, a theater called the Theatre of My Homeland (Theater Tanah Airku) and other recreational facilities which make TMII one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.
- Jakarta Old Town
Jakarta old town is an ancient town of Indonesia which holds numerous historic structures, which were used during the colonialism era. The fact is Jakarta (Batavia) was once considered a strategic spot to trade during the 16th century. Today, the site becomes tourists’ favorite destination to hang out and feel the old atmosphere of the city.
Some parts of the old buildings are used by local vendors to promote their items, as well as foods, accessories, etc. The main charm of Old Town is the formation of old museums, which are scattered near to each other. These include Bank Mandiri, Bank Indonesia, Arts & Ceramics, and Wayang Museum. Each of them offers distinct beauty so tourists should visit them all.
The unique attraction in Jakarta Old Town is the presence of local artists, those who dress like a statue, soldiers, Dutch lady, and much more. They move around the area and often become an object for photography. Visitors are even allowed to take pictures with them, in fact. At the end of the adventure, tourists should enjoy local snacks called Kerak Telor. It is both crispy and tasty!
- Central Park
Central Park in Jakarta, Indonesia is a mixed-use complex including a shopping mall, an office tower, three apartment buildings, and a hotel covering an area of about 655,000 m² located in the district of Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta
- Gambir Train Station
Gambir Train Station is an old station built by the Dutch government. Being one of the major stations in Jakarta, it acts a major transit points for trains heading towards other big cities around Java. The station is meant for the use of executive class trains only. With a three storey structure, you can find a range of services including prayer rooms, restaurants, markets, and waiting rooms.
- Kota Kasablanka
Kota Kasablanka is a mixed-development covering an area of 11.5 hectares at Tebet in Jakarta, Indonesia, which consists of office tower, serviced office suites, shopping center, convention hall and condominium towers.
This is another spot where you can shop for all ranging from food, arts, clothes and what have you?
- Gandaria City Mall
Gandaria City is a mixed-use complex including a shopping mall, an office tower, apartment towers, and a hotel at Kebayoran Lama, Jakarta, Indonesia developed by Pakuwon Group. The shopping mall, Sheraton Grand Gandaria City hotel, apartment towers and office tower are all directly connected. https://www.gandariacity.co.id/
- Pondok Indah Mall
Pondok Indah Mall or PIM is a large shopping complex located in the Pondok Indah suburb of South Jakarta, Indonesia. The Pondok Indah Mall complex comprises three large buildings, the older 3-storey PIM1 and the 5-storey PIM2, and the newest building of Indonesia’s Jakarta.
- Jakarta Cathedral
Jakarta Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Jakarta, Indonesia, which is also the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Jakarta, currently Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo.
Jakarta Cathedral is located within walking distance of the Monas in central Jakarta. Visiting Jakarta Cathedral is one of the top things to do in the city.
- Thamrin City Trade Mall
The TM Thamrin City shopping center is equipped with several zones which are divided into the Nusantara Batik Center zone, Muslim Clothing Center, Weaving Center, Hajj & Umrah Equipment Center as well as several big tenants such as Hypermart, Gold Gym, Banking and F&B tenants located at Thamrin Terrace.
- Ragunan Zoo
Ragunan Zoo located in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, Indonesia. Ragunan Zoo is a 147 hectares park and home for 2.000 specimen and are covered more than 50.000 trees those become environment are cool and comfort. The lands are designed and are built and some are still developing on lead to a modern zoo as identity of Jakarta city.
The zoo has an aviary and a primate centre, and employs over 450 people. Many of the animals in the zoo are endangered and threatened from all parts of Indonesia and the rest of the world.
- Ocean Ecopark Ancol
With a green lifestyle approach, Ocean Ecopark is an open space for visitors of Ancol Taman Impian to explore botanical knowledge and outbound recreation. Ecopark is divided into different functions and facilities, such as Eco Care, Eco Nature, Eco Art, Eco Island and Eco Energy zones.
There are coastal vegetation’s throughout the zones to support the environment. It is ideal for jogging or cycling and kids love playing, exploring, and strolling too.
- Sea World
Sea World Jakarta or also known Sea World Ancol is a marine aquarium suited in North Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. It consists of an Main tank, an shark tank, and several other tanks, including an turtle exhibit. The Main tank of SeaWorld Ancol is one of the biggest aquarium in Southeast Asia.
Explore the wonders of under the sea in the middle of busy Jakarta at the SeaWorld Ancol. As the name suggests, you can experience the beauty of life.
See accommodation information at Sea World
- Jakarta Aquarium & Safari
JAQS is the largest indoor living planet in Indonesia, a signature of Taman Safari Indonesia in collaboration with Aquaria KLCC, Malaysia.
In about a hectare conservation area, they have aquatic and non-aquatic animals with more than 3500 species. Touch them and feed them! You can feel the intimate interaction with the sea animals.
Guided by experienced animal keepers, you and your family at all ages will get exciting information about Giant Grouper, Humboldt Penguin, Sea Dragon, and many more!
- Fatahillah Square
Fatahillah Square is the historical center of the old Batavia. The square is located at the center of Jakarta Old Town. Today the square is a tourist area home to the Jakarta History Museum, Wayang Museum and Fine Art and Ceramics Museum in Kota, Jakarta.
Staying near Fatahillah Square, Get accommodation information here.
- Plaza Indonesia
Plaza Indonesia is a shopping mall located at Jalan M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, Indonesia. The mall is part of the Plaza Indonesia Complex which is a mixed development complex often referred to as “PI”. Plaza Indonesia opened in 1990.
Accommodations near Plaza Indonesia
- Sunda Kelapa Harbour
Sunda Kelapa is the old port of Jakarta located on the estuarine of Ciliwung River. “Sunda Kalapa” (Sundanese: “Coconut of Sunda”) is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated in Penjaringan sub-district, of North Jakarta, Indonesia.
Today the old port only accommodate pinisi, a traditional two masted wooden sailing ship serving inter-island freight service in the archipelago. Although it is now only a minor port, Jakarta has its origins in Sunda Kelapa and it played a significant role in the city’s development. The port is currently operated by the state-owned Indonesia Port Corporations.
See where to stay at Sunda Kelapa Harbour
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