Places to Visit in Jakarta

The largest national museum in South East Asia, Monumen Nasional or National Monument of Indonesia is massive tower located at the center of Merdeka Square. It will take you through the evolution of Indonesia's culture since its pre-historic times, with many artefacts from each era. The outer yard houses reliefs from the Japanese occupation during World War II and the Proclamation of Independence in 1945.

Mesjid Istiqlal is a famous mosque in Jakarta. The mosque is so huge that it can accommodate as many as 120,000 people making it the biggest mosque in South East Asia. The mosque is an architectural delight, and resonates peace when one goes inside. It serves as the praying place for the Muslims of the country, but it is visited by everyone from all walks of life.

Museum Nasional, or the National Museum of Indonesia, is one of the premier locations to discover and understand Indonesian culture and history. With a collection that beautifully preserves nearly two hundred years of Indonesian Heritage, it is considered as one of the most comprehensive museums in the Southeast Asian region. It is popularly known as Gedung Gajah or Elephant building due to the large elephant statue at the entrance.

Ancol Luar Biasa is Indonesians' "Dreamland." Loaded with amusement rides, it is a recreational complex consisting of many sporting and leisure activites for children and adults alike. Beautiful views of the area can be enjoyed through the cable rides. Nearby is an Art market known as Pasar Seni where you'll find cafes, craft shops and art works for prices that are negotiable.

As one of the largest public squares in the world, Merdeka Square is considered a must-visit attraction in Jakarta. Boasting of open green spaces shaded by a tree cover, well-paved roads winding all around, and Indonesia’s National Monument at its centre, it’s certainly a leisure destination for those looking to spend a quiet day exploring Jakarta City. One merely needs to visit Merdeka Square to get a glimpse into Jakarta and Indonesia’s rich history, with plenty of attractions within walking distance.

Situated off the northern coast of the city of Jakarta, Kepulauan Seribu stretches over a distance of 45 km, and comprise of a total of 342 islands. Also popular as the Thousand Islands, only 36 of its islands are authorized by the government to be used for recreational purposes. Unfortunately, out of these 36 islands, you will only be able to visit 13 islands which are open for public visit, with two islands been established as a National Park.

Sprawling over an area of around 250 acres, the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, literally translated to Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park, is an Indonesian cultural theme park situated in East Jakarta. Depicting some iconic places of Indonesia, the TMII gives the visitors a glimpse into the cultural heritage of the country in the form of architectural displays, flora and fauna, textiles, costumes, etc. Taman Mini is best described as a condensed version of Indonesia itself!

Galeri Nasional is a hub of Indonesian modern art as well as art from the rest of the world. In this museum, you will find the evolution of Indonesia through art. It has temporary and permanent museums, containing more than 1700 artworks. There is also an open air cafe where you can sit back and relax after viewing these masterpieces.

If you want to understand how the Indonesian banking system works, the Museum Bank Indonesia is just the right place. Situated at the Old Town, this colonial style museum contains a large collection of historical currencies of Indonesia along with the rest of the world. The museum is quite comfortable and well arranged especially for children who want to learn about banking.

Sea World Ancol, also known as Sea World Jakarta, is a marine aquarium that aims to provide entertainment, conservation and education in the marine domain. It comprises of 1 Main Tank, 1 Shark Tank and several small tanks. The Main Tank is the biggest aquarium in South East Asia. The owner company plans to turn this facility into the world’s largest sea park.

St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, locally known as Gereja Katerdal Jakarta, is an elegant Roman Catholic church that stands 60m tall opposite Istiqlal Mosque which signifies Indonesia's secularism. Its metal spires can be well seen from several kilometers. This beautiful church is neo-gothic in its architectural style which the visitors find most attractive. The two storeyed church is reminiscent of the Dutch period which can be seen in the religious museum.

Long before the nation of Indonesia came into being, a Chinatown of Jakarta, previously known as Chinatown of Batavia, existed as an enclave of Chinese settlers in Dutch occupied Indonesia. Today, the remnants of the past Chinese settlement still exist with old Chinese temples designed with distinct elegant architecture still residing on these streets. Now known as Glodok, the place is famous for its market where visitors will find many beautiful antiques for souvenirs as well as electronic stores.

A former circular court designed to control the traffic in area, Taman Suropati is now a park where the citizens come to relax and walk their dogs. Indonesians escape from the daily humdrum of the city to be in the presence of mother nature in this area. On Sundays, you can soothe your ears with the musical lessons being played by an oopen air orchestra.

Kota Kasablanka is a typical mall in Jakarta that houses some of the well-known international brands.The upper levels of the mall consists of various restaurants and the area is known as Food Zone that has options ranging from fine dining to fast food chains. There are also several entertainment options, the most well-known being the terrific Cinema XXI that screens both national and international movies.

Believed to be the 10th largest building in the world, Central Park Mall in Jakarta includes shopping spaces, an office tower, apartment buildings, and even a hotel. It draws its name from the iconic park in New York City and covers over 70,00,000 square feet in Grogol Petamburan district, West Jakarta. It has top local and international brands, a great food court with a variety of fast-food restaurants, a ten-screen cinema, and beautiful garden spaces to complement the shopping experience here.

Long before Jakarta turned into a modern metropolis with skyscrapers, it was colonized by the Dutch in the 15th century. The Jakarta Old Town or Kota Tua Jakarta bears reminisce of the Dutch era, with its colonial architecture and historical references. The streets of the Old Town boasts of buildings and structures that date back to the colonial times, most of which are converted into museums today.

Grand Indonesia Mall is a one-stop-shop for everything one needs after a tiring week. The place is a hub for entertainment, food, recreational and fun activities. Other than a variety of international brands that one can find here, the mall also represents the rich culture of Indonesia and its contemporary forms which are becoming quite popular nowadays. Visiting Grand Indonesia Mall on a spare evening while exploring Jakarta is recommended to tourists.

Timings : 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Taman Anggrek Mall translates to "Orchid Garden Mall" which is named so because there used be a huge orchid garden at the site of the mall before it was built. It is the largest mall in Indonesia till date and it attracts a huge crowd on a daily basis. It is highly reccommended to visit the ice-skating rink, Southeast Asia's first indoor ice-rink.

Timings : 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Waterbom Jakarta is a waterpark for children and adults. A perfect place to visit on a hot day, the waterpark is equipped with high-quality rides for children. There are some extreme rides with high slopes and great lengths for the teenagers and adults as well, giving visitors a rush of adrenaline with its thrilling water sports and activities.

Setu Babakan is located in the Southern end of Jakarta and is very well-known amongst tourists for its cultural heritage. Also known as Situ Babakan this village is centred on a manmade lake and is dedicated to the preservation of the Betawi culture. In fact, the village is named after one such lake.

Dunia Fantasi literally means Fantasy World and it is as exciting as it sounds. It borrows the theme from Disneyland and offers rollercoasters and rides especially for those who love getting adrenaline rush. The themepark is quite huge in area, inclusive of beaches, water parks along with adventurous water sports. It is an enjoyable place for children and adults alike.

Gambir Train Station is an old station built by the Dutch government. Being one of the major stations in Jakarta, it acts a major transit points for trains heading towards other big cities around Java. The station is meant for the use of executive class trains only. With a three-storeyed structure, you can find a range of services including prayer rooms, restaurants, markets, and waiting rooms.

Pondok Indah Mall is a posh shopping complex located in the suburbs of Pondok Indah. The complex has two malls that are connected by a bridge over a busy road. An endless number of clothing brands, both expensive and more affordable options, and a range of cuisines await visitors to this grand complex. One of the finest and largest malls of Jakarta, Pondok Indah Mall is located in South Jakarta. Also referred to as PIM the Pondok Indah Mall complex is a massive undertaking comprising of 3 malls all interconnected with skywalks and walkways.

Lined with lush green trees and well-maintained gardens, the Jakarta War Cemetery is the resting place for soldiers lost their lives fighting for Indonesia against the Japanese during their World War II. Tourists visit this place to pay their respects to the brave soldiers. There is a separate resting place nearby for soldiers from British India, who died preserving the British empire.