The foremost tourist attractions are situated in the heart of the city. There are numerous touring trips that arise from here and then advance to the historic waterfront and the Kota district, and lastly weave their way inland headed for the Gambir and Menteng districts. You are guaranteed to leave the country with no complaints at all.
Kota: The tourist hub of Jakarta and the center of old Batavia, the Kota district. The main action is focused in the historic Taman Fatahillah, a cobbled square that appears to fit to another era. Visit Sunda Kelapa, the old port area, and you can appreciate the schooners recurring from the high seas to trade their exotic spices, an image immortalized in Joseph Conrad reminiscent portrayals. The luminously painted sailing ships are Jakarta’s most unforeseen attractions.
Taman Fatahillah: This lovely Old Dutch quarter is home to some old and ancient monuments. This is a famous place to view some imposing colonial architecture. The chief fascinations here are the oldest church in Jakarta, the Gereja Sion and Si Jagur, the cannon which represented fertility.
Maritime Museum: Situated in Sunda Kelapa, this museum which was until the 19th century a warehouse for the Dutch, is currently home to the maritime museum. Model boats and faded sepia photos bring to life the numerous adventures at sea counting the voyage to Jakarta from Europe via Aden. You can take in the spectacular views of the surroundings from the old watchtower.
Puppet Museum:The museum is a treasure house of puppets from Indonesia and Southeast Asia. You can appreciate an interesting collection of traditional Indonesian puppets like wayang kulit and wayang golek and delight in puppets shows, which are a consistent feature of the museum.
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah: This extensive 100-hectare park in Jakarta is an interesting alteration. You can learn Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage. There are pavilions for each of Indonesia’s provinces with shows of regional handicrafts and clothing. There is a big ‘lagoon’ where you can row around the islands of this archipelago or take in a bird’s eye view from the cable cars. As well, there are museums, theatres, restaurants and a bird park with a walk-in aviary. Inquire the people of Jakarta and they will tell you that if you visit the park then there is no need for you to go to any other part of the country. For them the park ‘is whole of Indonesia under one roof.’ You can walk, drive your own car, or take a free shuttle to go around the park just be careful with scams.
National Museum: No hoax but this is reflected to be the Jakarta’s most striking museum; the National Museum offers interesting insights into the history of the city and Indonesia. Exhibits here consist of early Chinese ceramics, pieces culled from Java’s myriad temples and a bronze elephant that was gifted to the museum by the King of Thailand.
