Indonesia – Jakarta

Jakarta, Indonesia

The one big thing that stands out for me about Jakarta is unfortunately the traffic – permanent jams even at non rush hour. Crossing the roads was a near impossibility, so they have overhead pedestrian bridges at intervals  – but not enough of them. The historical area in the megapolis is quite small and so very convenient to visit (also semi pedestrianised). Getting to it by train was very cheap and easy from my out-of-town hotel. Visit one of the biggest Mosque in the world and the Cathedral opposite, if you can get across the road ! It took me 10 mins for a break in traffic and then I had to run across it!. The art and history museums are in the main square along with a fab colonial style café that you must not miss.  Just out of the centre is a great little contemporary Art Gallery that was an interesting find. Huge Park near the centre is great for the shade but you will not see it all, as its so big. So pick your area to relax in and people-watch in the shade .

Jakarta and my SE Asia tour

I visited Jakarta in Indonesia during my month-long tour of South East Asia.

On this trip I also spent time in Singapore, Brunei, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia. It was an amazing time of differing cultures, sights, sounds and smells and remains my most magical long-stay venture so far.

Read how you can combine several of these countries into a easy tour and get the most of the region while there.

Click below for my trip and reviews of these places.

Singapore

Indonesia: Bali

Brunei: Bandar Seri Begawan

Philippines: Manila

Vietnam: Ho Chi Min City

Vietnam: My To and Ben Tri

Vietnam: HCMC to PPen by bus

Cambodia: Phnom Pen

Cambodia: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by Bus

Cambodia: Siem Reap

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia: KL to S’pore by train

Jakarta, a backwater city

Jakarta has a heck of a lot going for it statistically so why does it seem to be a relatively unvisited city?

It is the capital and largest city in Indonesia – a country of over 17,000 islands. Yes, you read that right, 17,00 of them. The city holds a population of over 14 million – yes you read that correctly too, (second most populous city in the world). The country’s population is over 267 million, ie the 4th most populous country in the world. The island Jakarta sits on is the most populated island in the world.

That’s a lot of people in what is actually the most populous Islamic country in the world too. Saudi Arabia with only 34 million and Iran with 82 million people seem to grab the world’s attention, so why does this country of 267 million barely ever makes any headlines.

The only thing I really knew about Indonesia before I visited it was its Dutch colonial past, its fame for paradise islands – Bali was visited just before I arrived in Jakarta – its history of volcanoes and Borneo’s jungles. I had seen pics of the famous Hindu lake Temple in Bali but that actually was it.

So, Jakarta was going to be a big adventure and I wanted to learn so much more about this backwater city – and I did !

Where to stay in Jakarta

When I looked for hotels here I was surprised at how inexpensive even up market hotels were. I guess there is not a huge business demand, which usually drives up prices. I found so many 4 star and even a few 5 star hotels that were so much cheaper than I had been paying elsewhere in the world so my choice for comfort, style and even some luxury was impressive.

I worked out that many sites I wanted to see are spread all over this megapolis of a city that is so wide and in every direction. I would have to concentrate on a few sites if I was to see the most of Jakarta.

I definitely advise you to check out where you want to stay in relation to what you want to do. Traffic is the worst I have seen anywhere in the world – it’s a permanent road jam even at 10pm and taxis get caught up in it. No Metro so trains are your only link or walk a lot, as I did.

Since my visit however I have seen that they have opened the first line in their new overground Metro system. It will be so good to re-visit and use this to get around

I had planned only two days here as my research had shown me I would see it all in that time – albeit not everything but I was becoming all museum-outed by too many gallery etc visits already.

I needed to be near the action as Jakarta has no Metro (at the time of my visit), a limited and busy train system and an horrendous traffic problem (forget taxis!)

So there is the old colonial area around Kota train station and port that dates from the Dutch settlement period in the 16th Century and now dominated by the whitewashed colonial buildings of the 1920-1949’s. There is also the area around the National Monument park that has several worthwhile places to visit.

I chose the area by the park as this also was near the local train station straight into the second most important visitor area of Kota. It was a fabulous choice.

Aryaduta Hotel, Jakarta

I eventually chose my hotel because the price was incredibly inexpensive, was labelled as 4 or 5 star depending which agency you went with, had lots of great reviews and the photos looked stunning. It was an 8 min walk to the station and they arranged a cheap (but lovely car) transfer from the airport to the hotel and back, which believe me you will need here.

The hotel has strong security with a gated entrance that is patrolled and doormen for security at the door. From the outside it looked a bit too concrete plain for my liking but that belied the marbles and beautiful interior, rooms and public areas of the bar and restaurant.

As I am a very light sleeper I requested in advance a room on a higher floor so as to be away from any traffic or ground noise and away from the lifts/amenities. They gave me this with no hesitation and I was delighted to get a high floor with views over the city towards the sea in the very far distance.

The room was very elegant and so comfortable with not only a desk/office area but a small lounge area with TV. I even got a table with four chairs for dining there and it was so spacious … and this was just a deluxe room, one grade up from basic!

The city views are nothing special as Jakarta does not have a pretty skyline but I got great views down the local river and the locals houses nearby with their terracotta tiled roofs. I could see distant high rise blocks but Jakarta doesn’t seem to have much of a town planning system so it can seem jumbled and unplanned in many areas.

Outside my room the floor had big floor to ceiling windows that face the opposite way to my bedroom. I could see the well maintained Taman Tugu Tani plaza below bedecked in flowers (and the continuous stream of traffic).  It houses a bronze statue of a peasant & his mother representing those who fought for Indonesia’s independence.

Wifi and air con were great – both essential for me. The restaurant was great, service impeccable and not expensive. The breakfast had a huge choice in very elegant surroundings and design. The manager even arranged a packed breakfast for me for the next day as I would be up and gone on an extremely early flight to Brunei the next day before breakfast started.

Never got to use the Spa and gym but am sure it would have been equally impressive.

Didn’t realise this until I arrived and looked out and saw the wonderful pool on the ground floor at the back of the hotel.

After a long, hot and sticky day sightseeing this was one heck of a delight to jump into, in the late afternoon. It was refreshingly cool and the deck loungers around the pool and parasols just made for the perfect lazy ending to the day. The bar was open and you could get any drink there brought over to your sun lounger ….. bliss.

Just to say I would defo recommend this hotel and would love to stay here again

What to see and do in Jakarta

I had planned my first day here well and the first place to visit was literally round the corner. I said the hotel was ideally placed and this was so easy to get to.

However, when I stepped out of the air conditioned atmosphere of the hotel, the outside heat hit me hard! I had read that Jakarta was under a heatwave and even locals were being advised to take it easy but this was something else. I kinda struggled to breathe at first as I could feel that I was breathing in warm air !

I then realised also that the traffic on the four lane highways that go around a lot of the city was very, very, heavy, slow moving and hellishly polluting. There was a hazy smog in the still air and after 20 minutes or so I could feel the car fume pollution in my lungs. It was not pleasant!

Traffic here is a nightmare, never ending and relentless in its volume. I couldn’t cross many roads because it was non stop and too busy. Often the black/white striped pedestrian crossings were ignored by drivers and I had to take my life into my own hands to get across.

I walked on, glad of having put on sunscreen and wearing sunglasses. I noted a few restaurants as I passed by on the way, commenting to myself that these may be good for later. There was a KFC on the corner of the street and every youth and his scooter was in it! Obviously very popular with the kids here.

It’s clearly a hip, young people gathering place and I had to chuckle to myself at how they had adopted this place – just across the way from the American Embassy !

National Gallery of Indonesia

I had read that Indonesia wasn’t always the most advent-garde and liberal minded of countries so was expecting some self constraint in its art works and Galleries. I was heading for the National Gallery of Indonesia, literally round the corner from the hotel but boy was I in for a surprise!.

The Gallery is also known as the Elephant Building due to the bronze elephant statue in its forecourt. It was first built by the Dutch during the colonial era, and reflects some European architectural elements, with towering pillars and Greco-Romano columns and Portico..

I walked into the entrance area, seeing the small but grand white- washed building with its tiled terracotta roof and palm fringed forecourt and was surprised at its stylishness. I was expecting a modern building but this one was clearly from the Dutch colonial era and was in a renovated building opened in 1987

What amazed me, as I moved forward across the front courtyard, was that I had to suddenly stop and look in disbeleif what seemed a surreal sight. I massive hole in the ground ahead of me ! I then realised that this was an optical illusion painted onto the ground, as the lava flows it depicted were not moving. But impressed I certainly was at this artwork !

It was so well recreated and I just had to stand and stare in wonder . You need to stand in the perfect spot to get the full effect, but it is so creative and well thought through.

The complex has several building hosting ongoing roving or temporary exhibitions and some with statues  and models rather that paintings. Walking between the buildings you encounter outdoor artwork and yet again I was impressed at its diversity and out of the box designs. I just was not expecting creative works that I would put on a par with many famous galleries in eg Canada and Switzerland. To say I loved my visit here would be an understatement  and if this continues I knew I had found a backwater treat of a city.

The wall artworks inside the buildings were enchanting. It was just the type of modern, symbolic and abstract art that I adore. I even managed to see some Kandinsky and Delaunay in there so I was a happy bunny. The rooms were well lit and the art works well cared for in attractive settings.

Their website is here (galeri-nasional.or.id) so do check the opening times and latest exhibitions to avoid disappointment. They are closed Mondays but there is no entrance fee !

The bronze and sculpture compositions were thought provoking and they all came with descriptions in several languages so I could understand who they were from and their titles.

Some of the most prominent Indonesian artists had work displayed here but there were works from artists from all around the world.

Jakarta’s traffic nightmare

My next port of call was just a 15 -20 mins walk away …. or it should have been ! That little thing called traffic – which is a big thing in Jakarta, unfortunately made this a bit more difficult.

I have said that traffic is relentless in Jakarta, well its even worse when you are a pedestrian. I kept wondering why this city of 14 million people has so few people walking the streets. At times I was the only one I could see. Everyone seemed to be using cars or scooters in the city.

This meant that with the rarity of a pedestrian crossing – you know …… those crossings with white striped lines to allow walkers to cross the road – it was impossible to cross a road. The traffic was thick, constantly moving not at a fast speed but at one that definitely deterred anyone from stepping in front of it. Pedstrians were ignored – even on the few crossings I found and was even beeped at to get out of the way when I tried to use a crossing – scary !

I literally had to take my life into my own hands to get across a road that usually had no pedestrian crossing or lights to stop traffic. I often had to walk 5 mins in the wrong direction to use an overhead bridge crossing and walk 5 mins back the other way to get to where I wanted. I was beginning to get frustrated with Jakarta’s traffic nightmare.

Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta

This was at one time the biggest Mosque in the world – I have heard that said of many Mosque’s around the world – usually said by the guide – so who knows what criteria they use to judge that. It is today certainly the largest Mosque in S E Asia by capacity of worshippers it can hold. Consensus now seems to say it is the 4th biggest Mosque in the world

It’s called ‘Independence Mosque’ in Arabic. It is the national mosque of Indonesia (hence its size), and was built to commemorate Indonesian independence. The mosque was opened to the public in 1978 and retains quite the concrete plain style prevalent of that era.

When I first saw it, I was surprised. From the outside it reminded me more of a huge 70’s car park in new York or a rather plain massive Dept store. There were no Arabic arches, marble decoration or opulent gold, or otherwise, designs on the outside. It is a rather functional, plain concrete/stone edifice, only the roof-top dome gave away what it could be. No disrespect intended but I was not overwhelmed by its design.

I approached the entrance and saw the customary area for leaving shoes before entering and again the glass and concrete plain frontage made me think I was entering a simple 70’s shopping mall or Dept store.

There are visiting times available if you want to tour the Mosque but they are not frequent as apparently it is not a well visited place by foreign tourists.

The guide will take you around the building and show you the main prayer area from above. The Mosque actually has 5 storeys (including ground floor) of large balconies that overlook the main area.

Ok, a few little know facts about this mosque that are numbers based. Indonesia declared Independence from the Netherlands in August 1945 and thus began a 4 year internal struggle to achieve it.

So when they came to build the “Independence Mosque” they decided to reflect that date in its structure by having an entrance dome 8 metres wide (8 being the month number of August) and a central dome of 45 metres wide (the year of the declaration) – clever eh!

Additionally the building was to have 5 floors to represent the 5 pillars of Islam – now I understand why this is the only Mosque I have ever seen in the world that has floors to it like a …. well … Dept store.

The whole structure is supported by 12 stainless steel columns – again a first such material I’ve ever seen in a Mosques. It gives a strange futuristic style against what is a quite plush red carpet and gold illuminated dome.

Want more number facts? Well there are 7 gated entrances to the Mosque grounds – representing the seven “Heavens” in Islamic cosmology. The single Minaret (that represents the Oneness of God), again unusual to have one as four is more common, is 66.66 metres tall. This represents the 6666 claimed verses in the Quran.

All fascinating stuff and reasoning and to top it all it has a massive traditional drum used in the call to prayer.

This Mosque can hold 200,000 worshippers at full capacity if the main hall, side rooms, terraces, balconies and outside prayer areas were used in one go. On a tour of the outside area I was again struck by the absolute functionality and plainness of the buildings. It is so rare to see such simplicity in a Mosque which are usually quite ornate.

I have only ever seen this in the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur – coincidentally built around the same time as this one. The exterior walkways and out buildings again reminded me more of a mall plaza or a 70’s office block. The cooling breeze here however was more than welcome.

Jakarta traffic maelstrom again

My next visit was to be opposite the Mosque itself. The Cathedral was here before the Mosque. When the Mosque was built it was decided to build it on the other side of the road from the Cathedral. This was not an act of confrontation but as an act of Harmony and unity.

However getting to the Cathedral was another matter!

In front of me was a fast flowing continuous stream of heavy one way traffic in a circular motion round the building. The Cathedral is set on a large area in the middle of what is effectively a huge square. With the absence of any controlled pedestrian crossing through the traffic- those Jakarta drivers are no way going to stop to allow anyone to pass across its 4 lane highway – I had to work out how to cross the road.

I walked around the square to find a crossing, to no avail…… there was the cathedral in front of me but with heavy traffic encircling it from all four sides with no method to cross the road to its island. I waited for over 10 mins to see if any traffic slowed so I could at least run across …. no …. fast flowing all the time.

It got me wondering how people actually get to see the Cathedral if you can’t cross the roads around it. I then watched as several cars pulled up on the opposite curbs, let out people and then carried on. Several more cars and taxis were doing the same and then I realised how to do it.

People obviously come to the Cathedral in cars, get dropped of and then picked up. They do not cross the road to get here.

So, only one way to do this. I hailed a passing cab in the maelstrom of traffic, asked it to drive around the huge square route around the Cathedral and drop me off on the other side of the road. Crazy but true – this was the only way to cross the road!

Jakarta Roman Catholic Cathedral

Or to give it its full, official name The Church of Our Lady of Assumption, is a remodelled one built on the site of the original from 1829 that collapsed in 1890. It was consecrated in 1901 and built in a neo-gothic style under the colonial Dutch.

The front entrance is flanked above by twin spires 60 metres tall, both of a white colour that contrast with the beige stuccoed brickwork pattern of the walls stonework. A further 45 metre spire sits above the main cross intersection of the floorplan.

Interestingly the spires have iron frames and the roof, teak wood beams (unusual in a neo-gothic design), but this was done to help it withstand the vibrations in this earthquake zone of the world.

Two main feature to see here are the famous Rozeta Rosa Mystica, a round stained glass window and the Belgian made organ that was transported here from a village near Maastricht in the Netherlands and reassembled.

For me, the interior was quite plain and underwhelming. It really just felt like an average church I would see back home in many a town, even though this was officially a Cathedral. There were so few people as well  and the pews felt so cramped, that I just wanted to take a few shots and then leave, basically having ticketed it off the list and gotten my own judgement of the place.

It certainly felt weird to be in what felt like a home catholic church in the middle of the most populous Islamic country in the world. There is a small museum here too but again it did not excite me. The altar was about the most interesting feature as it was recently decorated with flowers and a few attendees were arranging more on the sides.

National Monument in Merdeka Park, Jakarta

There was one place left to see an my way now back to the hotel. It was beginning to darken as late afternoon approached and so this was to be a flying visit on the way. The National Monument in Merdeka Square (Independence Square) in the Park.

The square was originally just fields but was gradually made into an open public place in 1818. Then, under Dutch rule it held a massive fair every year here from 1906 to celebrate the Dutch Queen’s birthday.

Since then it changed its name from Kings Square to Independence Square in recognition of Indonesia’s 1945 independence from Dutch colonial rule.

The huge obelisk, completed in 1976, now stands in what is one of the biggest squares in the world. It commemorates Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch.

The park now also houses a large deer sanctuary park and is popular with locals to enjoy the space and traffic free areas of the 75 hectare public space.

Around the outside of the park stand some of Jakarta’s most important and prestigious buildings i.e. the Merdeka Presidential Palace, the National Museum, the National Library, Jakarta City Hall, Istiqlal Mosque, the Supreme Court and various governmental ministries.

The park is huge and I saw just one small part of it, as it would take a day to walk round it all and see the fountains and lawns. I didn’t have the time and the obelisk is so tall that it can be admired perfectly well from afar – that’s my excuse anyhow.

Day two in Jakarta.

My next day involved a trip further into town into what is effectively the old colonial main area of the city. The port was nearby but I was headed for the main square here in Kota and the numerous important buildings around it.

Train trip into Kota Tua (Old Jakarta)

I set off for the nearby railway station of Gondangdia. Crossing the roads was its usual hellish event. At least on this route were some traffic lights to stop the traffic while the area in front served as a pedestrian crossing.

Buying a ticket should be really easy as the guide books said to get a ticket from the machine – except the machine was broken!  I had to go to the counter and between my hand signals and them understanding my pronunciation of Kota station for a return ticket, I managed to get the correct ticket. Price was so, so cheap I couldn’t believe it .

I did get many stares of disbelief as I was the only white European on the fairly crowded basic train, full of local commuters. I love travelling as the locals do, to get their perspective on life and it also gives you the chance to seeing the buildings you pass, the living standards and type of dwellings they have.

The return back was similar but I got chatting to my neighbour seated next to me who spoke good English as he had worked on US cruise ships.

Kota Tua area of Jakarta

I got off at Kota station and realised that this area had seen better days. The station itself appears Colonial European in design and has some eateries and shops around it. There were so many old 1930’s and colonial era buildings, that had clearly needed some renovations, scattered around the area.

I did wander down many side streets and a few main ones and got the impression of small businesses and stores the size of living rooms. They were selling everything from wholesale foods, to repaired electrical goods, there were even mini offices with typewriters for those who needed …. well ….. something typed up I guess!

The walk from here to the square I was aiming for, was 5 mins and took me past a few museums that unfortunately held no interest for me but were clearly magnificent and imposing in their day.

Here is the Museum Bank Mandiri – a large museum with collections of antiques & supplies related to the history of national banking. It’s set in an imposing art nouvea 1930’s style building, white washed and maintained well, but again of little interest to me for its contents.

Also here is Museum Bank Indonesia another banking Museum set in a Dutch colonial style ediface- they seem to love their banking stuff here!

A walk further down a pedestrianised side road, past several old white washed buildings that have now been converted to large restaurants for tourists and visiting locals, brings you to the square I wanted.

These buildings in the past had been warehouses and storage edifices and still retained their solid look with large windows. A few still had open arches in to an interior courtyard.

Fatahillah Square

Finally I arrived at Fatahillah Square, what can today be called the bustling centre of old town Jakarta.

It is a bustling square but big enough to take the crowds so you do not feel overrun with people. Locals here were strolling with their families, kiddies running around enjoying the space, a few sellers selling hats and glasses.

What was interesting was that there was a vendor hiring out multi-coloured bikes for an hour or so and several kids were enjoying the bike exercise. There were surprisingly few European tourists but tourists there definitely were – but locals.

This square dates from 1627 and was called the New Marketplace after the Dutch who captured the town during their trading days in the area. It was remodelled in 1682 as part of the city’s defences.

Jakarta’s original name was Jayakarta, which literally means “prosperous city” and ruled over by the Demak Sultanate in the 1500’s. The Demaks kicked the Portuguese out of the area when they tried to colonise it but were in turn later taken over by the Dutch. The Dutch renamed the city to Batavia in 1627 – the name of the republic that was governing the Netherlands.

The name lasted until the Japanese Empire took it over in WW2 and renamed it Jakarta in reference to its original name. It temporarily reverted back to Batavia when the Dutch retook it back from the Japanese in 1945. The Indonesian separatists, who eventually gained Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch in the 1945-49 uprising, reverted it back to Jakarta officially. Its been called that ever since.

Jakarta History Museum

The Dutch built the city Hall here, first in 1627, then remodelled it in 1710 to the present one we see here today. It reopened I974 as Jakarta History Museum. It displays objects from the prehistory period of the city region, the founding of Jayakarta in 1527, and the Dutch colonization period from the 16th century until Indonesia’s Independence in 1945. Click here for museum info etc

I skipped this as the contents did not appeal to me but the exterior is magnificent. Like all the buildings on the beautiful square, it is classic in design, grand with white washed walls and terracotta tiled roofs. The square for me takes on a definite European look in its buildings but definitely a Mediterranean/classic/colonial look.

It actually reminds me more of many squares you can see in Portugal – just saying!

Some side buildings even have the typical Dutch gabled roofs and eaves – can you get more Dutch!

My main reason for coming here was to see a Museum that I thought I would enjoy more and it also received rave reviews from everyone.

The museum is set in what used to be the old Courts of Justice buildings. Redeveloped now into a museum it still retained its 1870’s heavy, classic, Roman style portico and façade columns, among green luscious gardens and palm trees.

Museum of Fine Art and Ceramics

This museum has around 400 fine arts on display that consist of many different art forms eg modern sculpture, paintings drawings, sketches, tribal and traditional wooden sculpture. The sculptures come from all over Indonesia and the ceramics from all over the world click here for museum info

The museum is somewhat dated in its maintenance and is not air-conditioned which can be a challenge. There are however lots of artwork in patios and courtyard area so you are not confined to a hot room.

The paintings were great as they were historical and tribal but for me it was the modern sculptures that really stood out. Quite bold in interpretation and size

Café Batavia

This is probably the most famous Café in Jakarta and in the past has even gained the award of “The World’s Best Bar” by Newsweek International in 1996. Its bar is actually called the Winston Churchill bar!

It is a two storeyed building dating from the 1830s and as such makes it the second oldest building in the square after the Old City Hall.

In the past it has been offices, a warehouse, a residence and a shop. It was converted in 1991 to its present form and today contains a bar, a performance stage, and a lounge area on the ground floor. A staircase of Javanese teakwood leads to the upper floor (its creaks badly as you step on each step!). Here is ‘Grand Salon’, the main dining hall which is able to hold 150 diners.

The Grand Salon, which is the gallery part of the building, is constructed of wood and features large shuttered windows, and overlooks the square – get a table by the windows for one of the best views in Jakarta. It has a strong 1930s theme with a definite colonial feel in its wicker and wood furniture and windows.

There are abundant arty photos around the building with a small gallery on the stairs and first floor. There are vintage photographs of 1930s celebrities and royalty decorating the main restaurant.

A drink here is a must and if you fancy a meal then head upstairs for the views, ambience and style. Prices are high for Jakarta but you are in one of the best known watering holes in Jakarta, so I should have expected it.

So, Jakarta done and dusted. It has been an interesting time and I am glad to have visited this city.

It has good points – the Old Town area is so picturesque, pedestrianised and walkable but actually quite small. The art galleries were stunning and probably the most pleasantly surprising aspect of the city. My hotel was fantastic and really made me luxuriate to compensate for all the long walking.

The negatives would be that the city is heavily polluted by traffic smog, is pedestrian unfriendly with no Metro or real rapid transit system. The recent consruction of Metro lines will probably now negate that comment! The trains were a bit outdated, were very cheap and safe, but limited in where I could get to with them.

If I had to chose 10 cities from the list of countries I have visited to do a revisit to them, this would probably not be one of them. Hard choice to make as I have never hated any city I have visited  -they all have positive and negative aspects.

Some are better and perhaps more magical or memorable for me and often hold a need to get back to see more of them. I feel I’ve done all I wanted to do in Jakarta however. But given the chance get along there, do go – the old town and the National gallery of Indonesia were amazing!

Oct 2017

Below are some related posts on nearby places to visit. Click on the pic to view.