Museum
Jakarta History Museum (Fatahillah Museum)
City Museum in the former Town Hall of Batavia on Fatahillah Square, center of the Old Town Kota Tua.
City
Jakarta
Jakarta, located on Java's north coast, is Indonesia's largest city and its economic and administrative hub.
Jakarta, located on Java's north coast, is Indonesia's largest city and its economic and administrative hub. The colonial old town of Kota Tua, the National Monument Monas, major museums, and a diverse food culture coexist with high-rises and chronic traffic.
Located on Java's northwest coast, Jakarta is Indonesia's largest city, with around eleven million inhabitants in its core urban area. The greater Jabodetabek area boasts many times that number. The city is loud, hot, and characterized by traffic, but rewards visitors with colonial history in Kota Tua, large museums, and one of the country's most diverse food scenes. Around Merdeka Square, home to the national monument Monas, the Istiqlal Mosque and Cathedral stand side-by-side. The MRT, TransJakarta buses, and commuter trains make getting around significantly easier than before.
For visitors, three areas are particularly interesting: Kota Tua and Glodok in the north, Central Jakarta around Merdeka Square and Menteng with restaurants, and the business districts in the south.
Sights in Jakarta
Discover the most important sights and attractions
Attraction
Monumen Nasional (Monas)
The National Monument for Independence in the center of Merdeka Square. An elevator goes to the observation deck, and a history museum is located in its base.
Church
The Cathedral of Jakarta
Neo-Gothic Catholic Cathedral from 1901 opposite the Istiqlal Mosque, with a small museum upstairs.
Masjid Istiqlal
Indonesia's National Mosque, opened in 1978, is Southeast Asia's largest and offers free guided tours for visitors outside prayer times.
Place of Worship
Vihara Dharma Bhakti
17th-century Chinese temple in Glodok, one of the city's oldest. Starting point for a stroll through the alleys of Petak Sembilan.
Museum
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
Cultural Park in the city's east with traditional houses from all provinces, museums, and gardens.
Restaurants in Jakarta
Restaurant and bar in a colonial building on Fatahillah Square, with Indonesian and international cuisine.
Old coffee house in a Glodok alley, known for iced coffee and Chinese-Indonesian noodle dishes.
Indonesian restaurant in a villa in Menteng, with dishes from various regions of the country.
Indonesian restaurant in Menteng with dishes from across the entire archipelago. Reservation recommended.
Jakarta restaurant chain branch for Sate and Indonesian home cooking.
Food and Drinks
In Jakarta, you'll find cuisines from all parts of Indonesia, plus street food stalls in every district.
Kerak Telor
Betawi Omelet with glutinous rice, egg, and toasted coconut, often at stalls in Kota Tua and Monas.
Soto Betawi
Beef soup with coconut milk or milk, a classic of Betawi cuisine.
Nasi Uduk
Rice cooked in coconut milk with sides, typical for breakfast.
Glodok
In Chinatown, there are coffee houses and street food stalls with Chinese-Indonesian cuisine.
Customs
The Dutch East India Company founded Batavia here in 1619, the center of its colonial empire. The old town hall on Fatahillah Square in Kota Tua commemorates this. The original inhabitants of the region are the Betawi, whose cuisine and art you can still find in the city. Glodok is one of Indonesia's oldest Chinese quarters. A 2022 law designates Nusantara on Borneo as the new capital. The move is gradual; Jakarta remains the seat of most authorities until then.
Getting There and Around
Getting ThereAirport: Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) is located west of the city. The airport train runs approximately every 30 minutes, reaching BNI City in about 48 minutes and Manggarai in about 56 minutes (reservation.kci.id).ConnectionsBandung: The Whoosh high-speed train departs from Halim approximately every 30 minutes, reaching Padalarang in about 30 minutes and Tegalluar in 35 to 47 minutes (ticket.kcic.co.id). The conventional Parahyangan train takes about 3 hours from Gambir, with 34 daily services.Bogor: The KRL commuter train takes about 62 minutes from Manggarai and about 85 minutes from Jakarta Kota.Yogyakarta and Solo: From Gambir, it takes about 6 hours to Yogyakarta (Taksaka) and about 7 hours to Solo (Argo Lawu). Tickets via booking.kai.id.Karimunjawa: By train to Semarang in about 5 hours 15, then about 2 hours by road to Jepara, and onwards by boat.In the CityThe MRT runs from the south to Bundaran HI in the city center. TransJakarta buses on dedicated lanes reach almost all districts, including Kota Tua. For short distances, use Grab or Gojek.
Day Trips
Kepulauan Seribu
Archipelago in the Bay of Jakarta, accessible by boat from Marina Ancol.
Bogor
City with the Botanical Garden Kebun Raya, just over an hour away by commuter train.
Bandung
Highland city with volcanoes nearby, a 45-minute high-speed train ride away.
Accommodations in Jakarta
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