Indonesia: Top Things to Do and See in Jakarta

A few weeks back there was a competition on Twitter organised by Indohoy (the duo from the famous Indonesian travel blog of the same name) to commemorate the anniversary of Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta. Tweeps were asked to tweet recommendations on what to do when one is in Jakarta using the hashtag '#JKTbday'. Having just been to Jakarta (and Indonesia) for the first time EVER just over a couple of months prior to the competition, I simply jumped in and participated with my own recommendations. I tweeted not just one tweet, like most others did, but a series of tweets instead because obviously one cannot cover on things to do in Jakarta in just 140 characters, which is the character limit of a tweet.

And so, here are my (tweets on) Top Things to Do and See in Jakarta:

1.   Monumen Nasional (MONAS) (National Monument)

Start your morning from the top of MONAS, the National Monument tower, to get an overview of the city.

[ Wikipedia: Monumen Nasional ]

Tips: The Tower is beautifully lit up in the evening so if you have the time, do visit it in the evening as well.

---

2.   Museum Nasional (National Museum)

After MONAS, head over to the nearby National Museum, locally known as Museum Gajah (Elephant Museum), for a taste of history and culture of Indonesia.

[ Official website: Museum Nasional | Wikipedia: Museum Nasional ]

Tips: Among the most interesting exhibits here include a femur and skull of a Flores man which are estimated to be 500,000 years old and which are thought to be the link between homo erectus and homo sapiens.

---

3.   Masjid Istiqlal (Istiqlal Mosque) and Jakarta Cathedral

From the museum, cross MONAS Square and go to Istiqlal Mosque and the old Jakarta Cathedral which are located across the road from each other.

[ Official website: Masjid Istiqlal | Jakarta Cathedral | Wikipedia: Masjid Istiqlal | Jakarta Cathedral ]

Tips: These first three sights above are located close to each other with MONAS Square being in the middle. It is therefore better to combine all three sights in just one trip.

---

4.   Kota Tua (Old City/ Old Fort)

Take a busway or bajaj to Kota Tua (literally Old City/ Fort) to see old buildings, port, footbridge and museums.

A busway ticket would cost just around US$0.30 per trip.

Kota Tua is a heaven for photographers, by the way.

[ Wikipedia: Kota Tua ]

Tips: You can rent a sampan to explore the area around the port. If you want to cover the old port area as well, make sure you head there first in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the blazing sun. You can then spend your afternoon in one of the many air-conditioned museums that surround the main square in Kota Tua.

---

5.   Street Food on Sabang Street

In the evening, head over to Sabang Street for some delicious local street food, followed maybe with a local movie.

Tips: If you have highly sensitive stomach, make sure you order food which is prepared and cooked to order.

---

6.   Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park)

The next day, take a busway or a bajaj to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah for a feast for your eyes. Indonesian architecture and culture at their best!

[ Official website: Taman Mini Indonesia Indah | Wikipedia: Taman Mini Indonesia Indah ]

Tips: This park is huge so do allocate at least half a day if you plan to explore it. Despite the name, the houses are not miniatures :-D If you go there on a weekend, you can expect to see some wedding receptions at some of the houses, which could be the highlight of your trip.

---

7. Taman Impian Jaya Ancol (Ancol Dreamland)

Later in the afternoon, you can head to Ancol for some fun time or just to enjoy the sunset by the seaside.

[ Official website: Taman Impian Jaya Ancol | Wikipedia: Taman Impian Jaya Ancol ]

---

8. Kepulauan Seribu (One Thousand Islands)

You may also want to head over to Kepulauan Seribu if you’re in a group (cheaper) for some swimming and diving around some beautiful islands.

[ Wikipedia: Kepulauan Seribu ]

---

What do you think of the list? Care to share with us your thoughts on the above places? And if you have been to Jakarta before, what other sights do you think are also a must see?

Are you on Pinterest? Use this photo to bookmark and/or share this blog post ;)

P.S. By the way, believe it or not, a few days after participating in this Twitter contest, I found out that I was the winner of the contest! Wha hae! Not bad for a first timer to the city! ;-) For this, I owe three of my friends from Indonesia, Fahmi Anhar, Febry Fawzi & Helga Indra, all of whom patiently (heh heh!) guided this old guy through their capital city either via online or in person when I was there. So terima kasih, guys! :-)

Going to Jakarta, Indonesia? Do check out these Jakarta hotels for your accommodation requirements there. For other www.RambleAndWander.com blog entries on Indonesia, click here.  For other www.RambleAndWander.com travel blog series on "Top Things to Do and See in...", click here.