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Jan

10

Jakarta Holiday & Sightseeing Guide

Filed Under Indonesia

A trip to Jakarta

One of the oldest cities in Indonesia, Jakarta is a cosmopolitan metropolis that is just beginning to emerge as a tourist destination. The city offers vacationers a number of historical sites and ruins, various shopping options and a pulsating nightlife. From several appealing museums and lovely botanical gardens to an old harbour, an amusement park and a bird sanctuary, Jakarta has something to offer everyone. However, the city remains a paradox, with shacks sitting next to lofty skyscrapers, and roadside food stalls just around the corner from upscale restaurants.

Flights to Jakarta
Soekarno-Hatta Airport is small but modern and efficient, and it has adequate passenger facilities. A great number of domestic, no-frills and international airlines operate here such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Garuda Airlines, EVA Air, AirAsia, Cathay Pacific and more. Merpati, Garuda and Bouraq airways link Jakarta to major destinations in Indonesia. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Jakarta try
Ebookers.

The airport lies about 20 miles west of central Jakarta and the fastest way to reach the city is by taxi, the journey taking between 40 minutes and one hour. A pricier alternative is the Damri bus which will drop you off either at Gambir Railway Station or at Blok M Mall in South Jakarta.

There are miscellaneous ways to get around the city including metros (city buses), becaks (trishaws), ojeks (motorcycle taxis), scooters and taxis. The latter can be confusing to use as there are all kinds of taxis in Jakarta, such as regular, privately run and illegal taxis. The best option is to hail one of the black sedans, which are more expensive but well worth it. Traffic in the city is mostly chaotic, so patience and some sense of humour are unconditionally necessary.

Jakarta

Sightseeing in Jakarta
The National Monument (Monas) is Jakarta’s most imposing monument, looming 132m above Merdeka square and capped by a sculpted flame. This landmark offers some fantastic vistas from its top. The ancient port of Sunda Kelapa is home to numerous wonderful Makassar schooners and provides one of the most stunning sights in Jakarta. For a glance of the former Dutch colonial influence, head to the Old Batavia district (Kota) which features a fortress on the waterfront as well as several museums and Indonesia’s last remaining Dutch drawbridge.

The previous Dutch hill station of Bogor boasts world famous botanical gardens. Covering around 80 hectares, this extremely beautifully redesigned garden presents over 15,000 species of plants and trees and an amazing orchid house. Another must-see is the 100-hectare Taman Mini Park which is located just over 10 miles from the city centre and houses a bird park, orchid garden, museums, theatres and restaurants.

Fun by night – eating, drinking and partying
Jakarta provides an enticing selection of regional and international cuisine. You will find Indonesian fare at small cafés (warungs), food stalls, hip eateries and upmarket restaurants throughout the city. The fine dining places are placed in the Golden Triangle area, while Jalan Jaksa is flanked by a diversity of restaurants, trendy cafés and bars.

Nightlife options are perhaps overabundant in this metropolis, and in several areas the fun doesn’t end before 05:00. Jalan Wahid Hasyim and Jalan Jaksa are ideal starting points, while English and Irish styled pubs are located at Blok M. Various discos are scattered across the city as well.

Fun by day – shopping and activities
Jakarta offers plentiful large and superb shopping malls such as Srinah Department Store and Plaza Indonesia, where everything can be acquired from imitations goods to designer labels.

As an enormous city, it could take you weeks to fully explore all that Jakarta has to offer. Aside from the city’s museums and monuments, there are plenty of cinemas to cool off in should the humidity get to you, while sporting fanatics are well catered for with golf, bowling and soccer.

Daytrips
The city of Bandung offers one of the most exciting daytrips from Jakarta. This destination was Java’s social capital during the 1920s and can best be reached by train. The spectacular train journey, which goes via thin bridges and crosses high gorges over layered rice fields, takes about four hours. In the city numerous Art Nouveau houses, built by the wealthy expatriates about 90 years ago, can be seen.

One of the must-see attractions located in the city’s immediate region is the tranquil fishing village of Pelabuhan Ratu. This delightful resort area about a three-hour drive from Jakarta is positioned in Java’s southern part. After sunset, eating in one of the restaurants here looking out over the ocean is a must. You’ll be mesmerised by the scene of numerous fishing ships bobbing out at sea.

The colourful Bogor Botanical Gardens can be reached within less than a 70-minute drive south from Jakarta. This vast park, which is rare in the country, houses a world-famous, extensive collection of interesting wild flora from all over the world. In the 19th century, many of the plant species were imported to the gardens by Sir Stamford Raffles.

Must-see attractions
The Bat Cave in Pelabuhan Ratu is one of Jakarta’s most spectacular sights. Millions of bats inhabit this enormous cave and each day at almost exactly 17:00 all of the nocturnal creatures awake and leave the cave looking for food.

A must-see attraction which is suitable for the entire family is offered by Fantasy World. This exciting amusement park offers hours of great entertainment by combining technology and art. Some of the enthralling attractions here include a giant wheel, a roller coaster and a turbo tour.

Some of the old colonial influence from the Dutch can still be absorbed by visiting Kota, which is the Old Batavia district. The area houses several outstanding museums, a waterfront fortress and the country’s last remaining Dutch drawbridge.

Best time to go
Jakarta is one of the world’s most humid and hottest capital cities. The climate is a principal consideration in deciding when to visit. Temperatures are always high and to some extent, humid. The rainy season takes place between October and February when at least some rainfall is experienced each day, usually in short torrential busts. There’s almost no rainfall during the rest of the year. The average daily temperatures in the city range from 25 to 31°C.

Rainy day suggestions
Jakarta offers plenty of things to do on wet days. Visitors always have the option to go shopping as the city boasts numerous huge and excellent shopping centres. Some of the most popular malls include the Plaza Indonesia and the Srinah Department Store, both of which offer goods ranging from expensive designer brands to cheap imitation labels.

Watching a movie at one of Jakarta’s numerous cinemas or visiting a quality museum are other popular activities to enjoy on a rainy day. If you have kids, the Puppet Museum is a worthwhile stop off.

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