Things to do in Jakarta

Jakarta is a fun-filled capital city. In Jakarta there are bound to be places that might interest visitors. 

Things to do in Jakarta

1. Kota Tua
Kota Tua or Old Batavia is the place to go for rich Jakarta's history. Kota Tua is centered around Museum Fatahillah, a former Dutch municipal building which now stores collections of artifacts from pre-historic times and the colonial period. Across from Fathillah is the unmissable Cafe Batavia. While in Kota Tua, do visit Glodok or Chinatown and do not miss out on a bike ride with ojek sepeda onthel (Dutch style bicycle). From Sabda Guesthouse, you can take the train from Tebet Station (Stasiun Tebet) and it will take you directly to Kota Station (Stasiun Kota). 

2. Sunda Kelapa 
Not far from Kota Tua is Jakarta's Old Port, Sunda Kelapa, where dozen of Sulawesi schooners are lined up. There is a Maritime Museum or Museum Bahari nearby Sunda Kelapa Old Port. The Museum exhibits the celebrated schooners made by the Bugis people of South Sulawesi. 

3. Museum Nasional (National Museum)
National Museum , also called Museum Gajah (Elephant Museum) because of the statue located at the entrance,  is filled full of historical artifacts from all over the vast archipelago of Indonesia. The Museum is located in Jalan Merdeka Barat, the Center of Jakarta, across from Monas. 

4. Monas (National Monument) 
Monumen Nasional or Monas for short, stands to symbolize the struggle for an independent Indonesia and constructed under the direction of Indonesia's first President- Sukarno. From the top of Monas viewing deck visitors can see the skyline of Jakarta, Istiqlal mosque, the Presidential Palace. At the base of Monas there is a museum which highlights the history of Indonesia in gaining independence from the Dutch. 

5. Museum Wayang 
Museum wayang is a fun-filled museum that showcases the various types of wayang from all over the archipelago. There are also collection of masks from Bali, Cirebon and Central Java. The Museum is located not far from Fatahillah square. 

6. Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik 
Museum Seni Rupa dan Kermik or Fine Art and Ceramic Museum is dedicated to the display of Indonesian traditional handicraft and also paintings by Indonesian painters. The building was used as the Court of Justice and used to be known as Paleis van Justitie during the Dutch colonial era.

7. Museum Bank Mandiri 
The Museum hosts a collection of items related to banking activities during the Dutch colonial era, like coin collections, security documents. The building was the first headquarter of the Netherlands Trading Society. 

8. Museum Taman Prasasti 
Museum Taman Prasasti or Museum of Memorial Stone Park is the oldest cemetery in Indonesia that houses collections of tombstones. It is an eerie museum but is quite interesting and is an open air museum.  

9.   Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Arts Theatre) 
Built during the Dutch Colonial period, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta is a concert hall that has various arts program lined up, ranging from theater shows to musical performances. 

10. Muara Angke 
If you like fish smell and traditional market, this is the place to go. You can buy fish and other seafood caught by local fisherman and cooked however you like.  Not far from Muara Angke is a wildlife reservation. The reservation is the last remaining mangrove forest in Jakarta. 

11. Jatinegara Meester Cornelis 
 The historic town of Jatinegara lies in the eastern part of Jakarta, a short walk from Sabda Guesthouse. The area was developed by Meester (Master) Cornelis, a Dutchman from well-to-do family. Now the area is home to a local produce market, bazaar, Buddhist temple, several mosques, churches, residential kampungs ( Kampung Melayu and Rawamangun).

12. Masjid Istiqlal 
Masjid Istiqlal or Istiqlal mosque is the largest mosque in South-East Asia. The mosque is huge and is worth the visit. 

13. Gereja Sion 
Gereja Sion or Zion Church is the oldest church still standing in Jakarta. It was built in 1695. Another church that is worth the visit is the Jakarta Cathedral which is located across from Istiqlal mosque. 

14. Vihara Dharma Bhakti 
Vihara Dharma Bhakti is the largest and oldest Chinese temple in Indonesia.  The temple was built in 1650. 

15. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah 
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (or TMII) for short is a sprawling 250-acre park that displays 26 custom replicas of traditional houses in Indonesia. Taman Mini Indonesia displays the history, arts, crafts, and customs of each provinces in Indonesia. There is also a lake, theater, Imax theater, and other recreational facilities. 

16. Taman Impian Jaya Ancol 
Ancol is the most popular recreation park in the City. There are many attractions in Ancol- amusement park Dunia Fantasi (Fantasy world), Ocean Dream Samudra ( Pentas lumba) for animal shows, Atlantis Water Adventure, Sea world, golf course, bowling, Ocean eco park an eco park theme attraction, beaches,  and the most famous pasar seni or art market.  

17. Shopping 
Jakarta has at least 180 shopping malls, which makes Jakarta with the most shopping malls in the world. Even near Sabda Guesthouse, in Kuningan-Casablanca, there are a number of malls. The most popular being Kota Kasablanka, Mal Ambassador, Pasar Festival. If you want to shop for traditional clothes, handbags, souvenirs, the best place to go is Tanah Abang. Jakarta is not only famous for its malls but also markets. Jakartans visit the market early in the morning to buy the freshest ingredients. Near Sabda Guesthouse, Kampung Melayu market is busy every morning selling the freshest ingredients. Famous markets include Rawa Belong where it is one of the largest flower market in Indonesia and Jalan Surabaya Antique Market where the street is lined on one side by dozen of shops selling antiques.  

18. Distro 
Distro is the place to shop from young local designers like clothes, shoes, bags, and other accessories. Distro typically caters to the youth market as the products are cheap and trendy. Tebet Utara, 5 minutes walk from Sabda Guesthouse, houses a number of distros and cafes. The area is usually packed during weekends and public holidays. 

19. Kepulauan Seribu 
Kepulauan Seribu, literally Thousand Island, is right off the coast of Jakarta. Many Jakartans escape to Pulau Seribu for the weekend. There are different islands that you can visit by boat for a day trip like Bidadari island, Tidung island, Pramuka island. Many of the islands have villages so you'll be able to meet the locals and get a taste of their culture. To visit Pulau Seribu, you can take the public boat from Ancol or if you prefer a traditional cheaper boat you can take from Muara Angke. 


20. Bogor 
Bogor is a large town about one hour from Jakarta, you can take the train from Tebet Station to Bogor. The most popular attraction in Bogor is the Kebun Raya Bogor or Botanical Garden. The Garden contains more than 15,000 species of trees and plants. It is definitely a lovely place to spend the day. If you're lucky, you'll see the largest flower Rafflesia in bloom. 


21. Kebun Binatang Ragunan 
Ragunan Zoo is the biggest and most popular zoo in Indonesia. The zoo is located in South Jakarta and home to a number of animals (some are endangered) and species of flora. 

22. Kuningan-Kemang 
Kuningan and Jalan Sudirman make up Jakarta's main CBD, it is the place where you will find lots of restaurants, entertainment venues and skyscrapers. 

Kemang located south of Jakarta is a popular hotspot for expats. There are numerous cafes, restaurants bars,and pubs that cater to expats. The place is jammed pack especially on the weekends. 

23. Warung 
In Jakarta, you will find many street foods in every corner. In Warung, you can taste varieties of Indonesian food which normally you can not find in restaurants. But pay close attention to the hygine of the warung or you can ask us which warung is safe to eat.