Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia is a large and exciting tropical metropolis filled with exotic charms. While a busy, hot, and chaotic city, Jakarta is also home to plenty of museums, historic sites, and monuments, as well as popular amusement parks and some of the best shopping and nightlife opportunities in Southeast Asia.
Indonesian capital located on the northwestern part of the island of Java, Jakarta has a reputation of being plagued by political unrest, natural disasters, poverty, and crime, but it is also the economic, political, and cultural center of the vast Indonesia with cosmopolitan culture to explore and loads to see and buy.
Central Jakarta hosts the National Monument called Monas, the National Museum, as well as many shopping centers and hotels in Jakarta. Many other museums, as well as the interesting Chinatown and most of the city’s vibrant nightlife are situated in the West side of Jakarta. Shopping in Jakarta is of great value for many foreign visitors. The eastern part of the city is home to the beautiful Indonesia Miniature park, which is considered as synopsis of the Indonesian culture.
Tours & entertainment. As many of the sights in Jakarta are situated relatively far from each other, they can be best visited on sightseeing tours in Jakarta. The city also has several performance centers with cultural & dance performances and traditional music. The North coast of Jakarta hosts recreational parks such as Ancol Water Park and Fantasy World amusement park. There is also an aquarium called Sea World and a small archipelago outside Jakarta called the Thousand Islands where excursions can be done by boat, as well as many good-quality golf courses near Jakarta.
Indonesian capital located on the northwestern part of the island of Java, Jakarta has a reputation of being plagued by political unrest, natural disasters, poverty, and crime, but it is also the economic, political, and cultural center of the vast Indonesia with cosmopolitan culture to explore and loads to see and buy.
Sights and activities in Jakarta: historical attractions, shopping and amusement parks
Jakarta is a city of big contrasts where you can find skyscrapers and designer boutiques as well as slums and beggars. There is plenty to do in the city, from historic attractions and theme parks to shopping and nightlife in Jakarta. The northern part of the city includes the historical old town as well as a charming old harbor and a view tower, plus several museums.Central Jakarta hosts the National Monument called Monas, the National Museum, as well as many shopping centers and hotels in Jakarta. Many other museums, as well as the interesting Chinatown and most of the city’s vibrant nightlife are situated in the West side of Jakarta. Shopping in Jakarta is of great value for many foreign visitors. The eastern part of the city is home to the beautiful Indonesia Miniature park, which is considered as synopsis of the Indonesian culture.
Tours & entertainment. As many of the sights in Jakarta are situated relatively far from each other, they can be best visited on sightseeing tours in Jakarta. The city also has several performance centers with cultural & dance performances and traditional music. The North coast of Jakarta hosts recreational parks such as Ancol Water Park and Fantasy World amusement park. There is also an aquarium called Sea World and a small archipelago outside Jakarta called the Thousand Islands where excursions can be done by boat, as well as many good-quality golf courses near Jakarta.
Jakarta travel tips and practical information
The climate in Jakarta is tropically hot and humid. The wintertime wet season rainfall peak is in January, and summertime dry season low point in August. The weather in Jakarta is still humid and warm throughout the year.
Photo: hellochris, used under Creative Commons License (By SA 2.0)
There has been severe flooding in the low-lying Jakarta during the wet season.
Traveling to Jakarta is easy as the city has an international airport with many flights to Jakarta from Asian and European countries. You can also travel to Jakarta by ferry, train or bus from elsewhere in Indonesia.
Local transport. Jakarta is a hard city to get around as it has major transportation problems. As one of the most populous cities in the world, with often congested traffic, Jakarta is impossible to get around quickly. The city still has a good bus network. Besides buses, transportation in Jakarta is also available in form of taxis and motorized rickshaws. Car rental in Jakarta is also available, although driving in the city is neither fast nor very safe.
Visitor services. There are very nice hotels in Jakarta targeted mainly for business visitors, as well as many cheaper accommodation options. The great number of restaurants in Jakarta serve cuisine from all over Indonesia and elsewhere in Asia, and you can also find many nightclubs, cultural attractions and several golf courses around Jakarta. Many educated inhabitants in Jakarta speak English.
Safety. Jakarta has some problems with pollution and petty crime such as theft and robbery. Fortunately, violent crime is still uncommon, and although there have been terrorist bomb attacks in the recent years, Jakarta is still not considered a dangerous city, especially if you exercise some caution in crowded places and at night.
