North Jakarta

Museum Bahari (Maritime Museum)

Nearby the Sunda Kelapa port, the Museum Bahari is a good look into the maritime past of Jakarta and Indonesia. The Museum is housed in old Dutch warehouses that once belonged to the United Dutch East India Company (VOC). Built in 1652, the warehouses once stored the produce of the Dutch empire, including spice, pepper, coffee, tea and cotton. In the old days the buildings were called the “West Bank Warehouse”. These days part of the compound has been transformed into the Museum holding old maps, boats, navigation equipment and other maritime pieces that are all labeled well in English. If you’re interested in the history of Jakarta, then this Museum is one place that you should definitely visit during your stay. Overlooking the Museum on the other side of the road, you’ll also find the Uitkijk, or watchtower, which was built around the same time as the warehouses to direct ships into the harbour. It’s a bit rundown now, but still stands watching over the area. Outside on the streets surrounding the Museum, you’ll also find the Pasar Ikan Fish Market. Traditionally this was the place where all the fish in old Batavia was sold. Today a larger fish market nearby has taken over as the main market, but you can still take a wander through the maze of streets at Pasar Ikan for a feel of what it was once like. Address: Jalan Pasar Ikan No.1, North Jakarta. Tel: (6221) 669 3406 Opening hours: 9am-2pm Tues-Thurs, 9am-11am Friday, 9am-1pm Saturday, 9am-3pm Sunday, Closed on Monday. Prices: Rp1000 per person (subject to change). (back to top)

Sunda Kelapa

For a look at something that has been part of Jakarta life for over 800 years – take a trip down to the Sunda Kelapa port. Established in the 14th century, Sunda Kelapa became the most important Indonesian port during the Dutch colonial rule. Today you can still see the same Pinisi boats that have traditionally carried Indonesian cargo. These boats have beautiful sweeping lines that make for some interesting photographs, while the port is also still operated manually without the use of cranes or machinery. This means you’ll also get some great photos of laborers carrying cargo on and off the boats by hand. Fishing boats also dock here, delivering the day’s catch to the local Pasar Ikan fish market that begins its day at 4am daily. Opening hours: 6am-6pm daily. Prices: Rp250 per person (subject to change). (back to top)

Jakarta History Museum

Situated on the Taman Fatahillah (Fatahillah Square), is one throwback to old Batavia that you shouldn’t miss – the Jakarta History Museum. The exhibits inside aren’t spectacular, but the building itself is worth the trip alone. Built in 1627, the building was the Batavia Town Hall as well as the headquarters for deaths and marriages, judicial and trade affairs as well as other government duties. The building is considered to be the oldest in Jakarta. It was also here that the Indonesian nationalist Prince Diponegoro was imprisoned before his exile to North Sulawesi in the late 1820s. After the proclamation of Indonesian independence the building became the military headquarters for District 0503 of Jakarta until the 1970s when the government classified it as a monument and established the Jakarta History Museum here in 1974. Inside, the museum’s exhibits are labeled in Indonesian making it hard to understand most things, but you will find a lot of the furniture upstairs that was used by the Dutch rulers of Batavia. One of the pieces upstairs is and 18th century teakwood table used by the Dutch government officials to decide prisoners punishments. Outside, in front of the building you will also find an old Portuguese cannon named Si Jagur. The Cannon was originally built by the Portuguese to defend Melaka, but was captured by the Dutch and brought back to Batavia as booty in 1641. The inscription on the cannon reads “Ex me ipsa renata sum”, which means, translated from Latin, “Out of Myself I am reborn”. The design of the cannon is also said to be filled with phallic imagery, including the clenched fist at the back, complete with the thumb poking between the fingers of the hand. Because of this, a lot of local childless women make their way to the cannon to touch it and offer flowers in the hope they will conceive. Address: Jalan Taman Fatahillah No. 1, West Jakarta. Tel: (6221) 692 9101 Opening hours: Tue-Thur and Sun 9am-3pm, Fri 9am-2pm, Sat 9am-1pm, Closed on Monday. Prices: Rp2000 per person (subject to change). (back to top)

Museum Wayang (Puppet Museum)

Across the road from the Jakarta History Museum, standing on the spot where the Dutch’s most important church once stood is the mansion which today houses the Museum Wayang. The Oude Hollandsche Kerk (Old Dutch Church), was built here in 1640, rebuilt in 1730 and renamed the Nieuwe Hollandsche Kerk (New Dutch Church) and then destroyed in an earthquake in 1808. In its time, the top brass of the Dutch rule all worshipped here and today you can even see a few of the church’s old gravestones inside the Museum, including that of Jan Pieterszoon Coen, the leader of the Dutch forces which captured Batavia in 1619. While the earthquake destroyed the church, a new building was built on the spot in 1912, which is the one you see today housing the Museum Wayang. Its first use was as a shop house owned by a Dutchman and then in 1939 it became the home to the Batavia Arts and Science Institute before finally becoming the Museum Wayang you see today. Inside, the exhibits show off Indonesia’s traditional Wayang puppet culture. The puppets are fascinating in their detail and show a range of cultures from all over the Indonesian archipelago. In fact, if you want to get a taste of how diverse Indonesia is, and you can’t get out of the city to Taman Mini, then the Museum Wayang will give you a good feel for it. If you’re here on a Sunday you can also get to see a Wayang puppet show and a demonstration on how the puppets are made (10am-2pm Sundays). Address: Jalan Pintu Besar Utara No. 27, West Jakarta. Tel: (6221) 692 9560 Opening hours: Tues-Thurs & Sun 9am-3pm, Fri 9am-2.30pm, Sat 9am-12.30pm, Closed on Mondays. Prices: Rp1000 per person (subject to change). (back to top)

Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics

This Museum stands across the road from the Jakarta History Museum on the opposite side of the Fatahillah Square from the Museum Wayang. Housed in the old Dutch Supreme Court, the building was built here in 1870. Today it houses the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics with a good collection of Indonesian art as well as some rare ceramics and porcelain. Especially look out for works from some of Indonesia’s most famous artists like Raden Saleh, Affandi, Zaini, Sudjojono and Dullah. Address: Jalan Taman Fatahillah No. 2, North Jakarta. Tel: (6221) 690 7062 Opening hours: Tues-Thurs & Sun 9am-3pm, Fri 9am-2pm, Sat 9am-1pm, Closed on Monday). Prices: Rp1000 per person (subject to change). (back to top)

Dreamland

One of the latest additions to Jakarta’s attractions is the huge theme park area called Ancol Dreamland. Inside you’ll find a range of activities including the Fantasy Land amusement park, the Sea World aquarium, the Ancol Arts Market, a beach, golf course and various other cultural attractions. The Ancol Marina is also the place where you can catch boats to the Thousand Islands. Tel: (6221) 640 6677 Prices: Rp10,000 per person, Rp8000 per car (subject to change).

Fantasy Land

This amusement park is Jakarta’s answer to Disneyland, complete with rollercoasters, a river raft ride, a simulator theatre, bumper cars, shooting gallery and much, much more. The park is divided up into areas named after parts of the world – America, Jakarta, Indonesia, Asia and Europe and each has a stage where various cultural shows are performed every day. In the Asia area you’ll see a show depicting Japan’s ethnic dances, in Indonesia you’ll see a puppet fairy tales show, while in the America section you can see a country music show and an Indian ethnic dance show – just to name a few. Of course the Loop-the-Loop Corkscrew Roller Coaster is the main attraction of Fantasy Land and a trip to the park wouldn’t be complete without a ride on it! Address: Jalan Lodan Timur No.7, Jakarta. Tel: (6221) 6471 2000 Prices: Rp60,000 per person (subject to change). Opening hours: 11am-8pm weekend, 11am-6pm weekdays.

Beach

The water isn't too clean, but the locals don't seem to mind as this area gets very crowded on the weekends as those that can’t get out to the Thousand Islands converge here to get close to the sea. Take a stroll down here and you’ll find the beach packed with swimmers, a small clothing market on the sand and various boats and jet-skis that you can hire for some fun out on the water. If you really want to visit a beach however, we'd recommend you catch a boat out to the Thousand Islands.

Sea World

This giant aquarium is one place where you can not only see all sorts of fish in the tanks, but there’s also a touch pool where you can get up close to the fish and handle them with supervision from the staff. Address: Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, Jalan Lodan Timur No. 7, Jakarta. Tel: (6221) 641 0080 Prices: Rp25,000 per person Opening hours: 9am-6pm

Ocean Arena

Right next to the Sea World complex, you can find the Ocean Arena where you can catch a dolphin show along with various other sea animal shows. Tel: (6221) 640 6677 Prices: Rp25,000 per person (subject to change). Opening hours: 9am-4pm (shows last 30 minutes each). (back to top)