My Jakarta Journey: Liburan
I mentioned that Jakarta is not to be skipped altogether whenever you are making your travel around the country and this piece of journey will explain. While it may not be a walking city (meaning that you can't necessary walk from one place to another), it does have places worth visiting apart from the malls. Granted the opportunity of time while in Jakarta, i managed to travel slightly further from the central region and join in the fun with what locals do on weekends.
My personal favourite is the Kota Tua area. It consists of the original downtown area, is rich in history and steeped in culture. The picturesque Fatahillah Square with colourful bicycles adorning the surrounding, gets crowded in the evening when the sun is less striking. There is a water well fountain in the middle of the square which was once the main water supply. I saw few groups of local students approached foreign tourists and because of my experience, i am usually skeptical. I read from other websites that they are genuinely friendly and makes you feel like a celebrity for the moment, but i will not know. It is easy to get there by Transjakarta.
There are many museums in Jakarta and the admission fees are cheap. I entered the Wayang Museum and was quickly amused by the puppetry art and its variation. The museum was in an old building, lending a somewhat eerie feel as i walked along the hallways with the displays staring at me.
The more obvious museum here is the Fatahillah Museum or Jakarta History Museum, the centerpiece of the square. Housing this museum is a historic building itself, the Stadhuis, the City Hall of Batavia.
It is not difficult to spot Cafe Batavia in this square. I went in for lunch and it was busy. The lower floor was a drinking area with stage for live band and the upper floor was where i sat. The cafe was beautifully decorated with photographs and antique items, but the toilet intrigued me tremendously. Instead of the usual urinals, a huge mirror is where you pee at when the water falls to blur your reflection. Once the water stops, there you stand, in full glory!
There are other food options around Kota Tua, ranging from refurbished building cafes to local food courts and street food snacks.
On foot, i searched for the Jembatan Kota Intan near the square. The route to the bridge was quiet and when i found it, it was smaller and less grand than i thought.
The MONAS or National Monument of Indonesia is an icon of this city and can be found on most souvenir items. This monument was built to commemorate the fight for Indonesian independence. Walking to the monument itself can be quite tiring as the square is large with limited gates to enter or exit. I had to walk around the outside before stepping into the compound. I bought my ticket for the monument but skipped the entry to the gold foil, flamed top because the queue was at least two hours long. My friend told me that the night view is pretty as well, but i didn't have the chance to visit during dark.
The gallery below the monument was interesting and well done. Once can easily follow the timeline history of the country and the 3-D or diorama displays make it easier to imagine.
Near MONAS is the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in South East Asia. 'Istiqlal' stands for independence in Arabic, where this mosque was built to commemorate Indonesian independence. A guided tour for foreign tourists is provided by paying a minimum amount and filling in the guestbook. Without a local, you cannot enter the mosque alone anyway. The tour was brief and short but enough to highlight the mosque's uniqueness.
Opposite the main entrance of the mosque is the Jakarta Cathedral, which was rather surprising for me to see especially its proximity. The cathedral is beautifully crafted on the outside and it reminded me of those in Paris. However, there was a wedding on the day of my visit so i could not enter.
Also near MONAS is the National Museum of Indonesia. This colonial looking museum has many artifact with various sections. Foreign tourists are expected to pay twice the price of a local, but it is still cheap. This museum is dubbed the Elephant building because of the elephant statue at its forecourt.
The Kota Tua and MONAS areas are sufficient to occupy you with one full day in Jakarta- and if that's the amount of time you have, you should plan to visit these. It may already be ambitious to complete these two areas in one day, taking note of the transportation time as well as the weather, but do-able. Remember to keep hydrated when it gets hot and have an umbrella in your bag in case if it rains unexpectedly.
Two gardens in the central caught my attention. I went to Taman Menteng and it is an active park with locals playing futsal and basketball. Some were seen skating too. Another reason i was there was to try the Nasi Goreng Gila (literally translated as crazy fried rice) as it was featured on TV, but it was closed and i didn't want to wait til it opens at night. I walked to my second park and i was more interested in Taman Suropati. This park is smaller than Taman Menteng but it has sculptures from neighbouring countries. What i like more was that on Sundays, there are violin classes and families bring their children to learn music. For visitors, it's free music in the park.
The Sunday Car Free Day or CFD is quite a thing to do and is quite a happening event. The main road from Grand Indonesia to MONAS is closed for pedestrians, every Sunday from 6am to 11am. When i was there, there were many drink and snack stalls, runners or fitness enthusiasts, groups parading the road and a club for animals. It felt festive. The busway still runs as usual to get to the place, so car-free it was, but not vehicle-free.
One of the attractions in Ancol, north of Jakarta is the DuFan Theme Park. It is an old theme park but the facilities were well maintained (except some rides could do with some repainting). The roller coaster was fun but my favourite was the Tornado. My friends said that it used to be crowded during the weekends but on my visit, it was not. Having said that, some rides still took us about half an hour in queue. The Ancol area is a big place with other attractions like the ecopark, aquarium and the beach. However, i was pressed for time so that will be for next time.
On my last weekend in Jakarta, i decided to bid hello to the animals in the Ragunan Zoo. This rainforest zoo is huge and extremely crowded. Some locals could be seen having picnic in the shades. The highlight of this zoo (and the one worth visiting) is the Schmutzer Primate Center. An additional fee is required for this. The gorilla enclosure and the cave-like primate structure make for interesting experience. Take note of the gorilla feeding time.
'Liburan' is vacation in Bahasa Indonesia. There are places to visit in Jakarta. Don't set the expectations too high, instead, sit back, enjoy the history and culture of its people, and you'll find more to like about this Big Durian.
My Jakarta Journey: From Jagung to Big Durian
My Jakarta Journey: Coffee, Shop
My Jakarta Journey: Liburan
My personal favourite is the Kota Tua area. It consists of the original downtown area, is rich in history and steeped in culture. The picturesque Fatahillah Square with colourful bicycles adorning the surrounding, gets crowded in the evening when the sun is less striking. There is a water well fountain in the middle of the square which was once the main water supply. I saw few groups of local students approached foreign tourists and because of my experience, i am usually skeptical. I read from other websites that they are genuinely friendly and makes you feel like a celebrity for the moment, but i will not know. It is easy to get there by Transjakarta.
The vibrant square.
A canon structure.
Greeted at the entrance by two large puppets.
This gave me a scare.
Some of the displays in case.
This art is used to tell stories or folklore.
Free wayang kulit show at the mini theater near the exit/entrance. Take note on the schedule as it is changed regularly.
The more obvious museum here is the Fatahillah Museum or Jakarta History Museum, the centerpiece of the square. Housing this museum is a historic building itself, the Stadhuis, the City Hall of Batavia.
Art with story.
Can you spot the water well fountain? This is a view of the square from the inside of the museum.
Below this building/museum was once a holding place for prisoners.
It is not difficult to spot Cafe Batavia in this square. I went in for lunch and it was busy. The lower floor was a drinking area with stage for live band and the upper floor was where i sat. The cafe was beautifully decorated with photographs and antique items, but the toilet intrigued me tremendously. Instead of the usual urinals, a huge mirror is where you pee at when the water falls to blur your reflection. Once the water stops, there you stand, in full glory!
Eye catchy exterior.
My lunch with a local specialty drink. Alas, i wasn't fond of the drink.
There are other food options around Kota Tua, ranging from refurbished building cafes to local food courts and street food snacks.
Out in the open...
... or in the shelter, there's crowd everywhere.
On foot, i searched for the Jembatan Kota Intan near the square. The route to the bridge was quiet and when i found it, it was smaller and less grand than i thought.
The bridge.
The MONAS or National Monument of Indonesia is an icon of this city and can be found on most souvenir items. This monument was built to commemorate the fight for Indonesian independence. Walking to the monument itself can be quite tiring as the square is large with limited gates to enter or exit. I had to walk around the outside before stepping into the compound. I bought my ticket for the monument but skipped the entry to the gold foil, flamed top because the queue was at least two hours long. My friend told me that the night view is pretty as well, but i didn't have the chance to visit during dark.
Trying to be in symmetry.
Decorated walls around MONAS.
The gallery below the monument was interesting and well done. Once can easily follow the timeline history of the country and the 3-D or diorama displays make it easier to imagine.
Near MONAS is the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in South East Asia. 'Istiqlal' stands for independence in Arabic, where this mosque was built to commemorate Indonesian independence. A guided tour for foreign tourists is provided by paying a minimum amount and filling in the guestbook. Without a local, you cannot enter the mosque alone anyway. The tour was brief and short but enough to highlight the mosque's uniqueness.
Main hall with the columns.
Beautiful ceiling dome above.
The mosque from the outside. Each squared tile is to fit one person, especially on a prayer day. It is said to have a capacity of 120, 000.
Opposite the main entrance of the mosque is the Jakarta Cathedral, which was rather surprising for me to see especially its proximity. The cathedral is beautifully crafted on the outside and it reminded me of those in Paris. However, there was a wedding on the day of my visit so i could not enter.
The front.
The side.
Also near MONAS is the National Museum of Indonesia. This colonial looking museum has many artifact with various sections. Foreign tourists are expected to pay twice the price of a local, but it is still cheap. This museum is dubbed the Elephant building because of the elephant statue at its forecourt.
Main court with sculptures.
Long wooden boat.
Interesting.
Local music art.
At the entrance of the museum. Notice the elephant?
The Kota Tua and MONAS areas are sufficient to occupy you with one full day in Jakarta- and if that's the amount of time you have, you should plan to visit these. It may already be ambitious to complete these two areas in one day, taking note of the transportation time as well as the weather, but do-able. Remember to keep hydrated when it gets hot and have an umbrella in your bag in case if it rains unexpectedly.
Two gardens in the central caught my attention. I went to Taman Menteng and it is an active park with locals playing futsal and basketball. Some were seen skating too. Another reason i was there was to try the Nasi Goreng Gila (literally translated as crazy fried rice) as it was featured on TV, but it was closed and i didn't want to wait til it opens at night. I walked to my second park and i was more interested in Taman Suropati. This park is smaller than Taman Menteng but it has sculptures from neighbouring countries. What i like more was that on Sundays, there are violin classes and families bring their children to learn music. For visitors, it's free music in the park.
Working water fountain.
A sculpture around the park.
Music to the eyes and ears.
The Sunday Car Free Day or CFD is quite a thing to do and is quite a happening event. The main road from Grand Indonesia to MONAS is closed for pedestrians, every Sunday from 6am to 11am. When i was there, there were many drink and snack stalls, runners or fitness enthusiasts, groups parading the road and a club for animals. It felt festive. The busway still runs as usual to get to the place, so car-free it was, but not vehicle-free.
Pedestrians rule the road.
This is a brave kid.
"No cars, right? I'm not a car."
One of the attractions in Ancol, north of Jakarta is the DuFan Theme Park. It is an old theme park but the facilities were well maintained (except some rides could do with some repainting). The roller coaster was fun but my favourite was the Tornado. My friends said that it used to be crowded during the weekends but on my visit, it was not. Having said that, some rides still took us about half an hour in queue. The Ancol area is a big place with other attractions like the ecopark, aquarium and the beach. However, i was pressed for time so that will be for next time.
A loop then a corkscrew.
Watch the Treasureland: Temple of Fire. However, the show was in Bahasa Indonesia.
With the DuFan mascot.
On my last weekend in Jakarta, i decided to bid hello to the animals in the Ragunan Zoo. This rainforest zoo is huge and extremely crowded. Some locals could be seen having picnic in the shades. The highlight of this zoo (and the one worth visiting) is the Schmutzer Primate Center. An additional fee is required for this. The gorilla enclosure and the cave-like primate structure make for interesting experience. Take note of the gorilla feeding time.
Picnic!
Spot the gorilla.
There!
Just resting today.
Tiger strolling around.
'Liburan' is vacation in Bahasa Indonesia. There are places to visit in Jakarta. Don't set the expectations too high, instead, sit back, enjoy the history and culture of its people, and you'll find more to like about this Big Durian.
My Jakarta Journey: From Jagung to Big Durian
My Jakarta Journey: Coffee, Shop
My Jakarta Journey: Liburan
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