Visit Jakarta

Pinisi schooners moored in the old port, a Dutch colonial square, a giant mosque facing a neo-Gothic cathedral, then glass towers and shopping malls as far as the eye can see: Jakarta unsettles before it wins you over. Two well-organised days cover the essentials, three with the Thousand Islands.

Is Jakarta worth a stop in Indonesia?

Jakarta is Indonesia's largest city and the country's main air hub, with over 10 million inhabitants and more than 30 million in the metropolitan area. It remains the capital pending the gradual transfer of institutions to Nusantara, on Borneo. One or two days are enough to see Kota Tua, Monas, Istiqlal Mosque and the National Museum before heading on to Java or Bali.

Jakarta's must-sees

Colonial heritage, independence monuments and neighbourhood life: nine visits to get to grips with the megacity.

Fatahillah Square

The former city hall square of Batavia, surrounded by Dutch facades and museums, now enlivened by colourful bicycles and street musicians.

Monas

The independence obelisk topped with a golden flame, with an observation deck at the summit and a diorama museum on Indonesian history in its base.

Istiqlal Mosque

The largest mosque in Southeast Asia, inaugurated in 1978, with a vast white dome and galleries able to hold tens of thousands of worshippers.

Jakarta Cathedral

A neo-Gothic church completed in 1901, facing Istiqlal, with openwork spires, stained glass and a small museum on the archipelago's Catholic history.

National Museum

Nicknamed the Elephant Museum after the statue at its entrance, it gathers Hindu and Buddhist sculpture, textiles and objects from every culture of the archipelago.

Bahari Museum

A maritime museum set in former spice warehouses of the Dutch East India Company, near the old port of Sunda Kelapa.

Jin De Yuan temple

The city's oldest Chinese temple, in the heart of Glodok, with constant incense and gilded altars, restored after the fire that damaged it in 2015.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

A large cultural park displaying traditional houses, costumes and museums from each province, for a quick overview of the archipelago's diversity.

Blok M market

A southern shopping district mixing underground arcades, record shops, small Japanese canteens and the metro terminus, very lively in the evening.

What to see in Jakarta, district by district?

Kota Tua, old Batavia

The colonial heart of Batavia, founded by the Dutch East India Company in the early 17th century, centres on Fatahillah Square. The former 1710 city hall houses the Jakarta History Museum, flanked by the Puppet and Ceramics museums. Colourful bicycles can be rented on the spot to ride around the square. Come on a weekday before 10 am: at weekends, crowds and heat make the visit tiring. Jakarta Kota station, terminus of the commuter lines, is five minutes' walk away.

Sunda Kelapa harbour

About 1.5 km north of Kota Tua, the old port of Sunda Kelapa still welcomes dozens of pinisi, wooden schooners from Sulawesi and Kalimantan loading timber and cement by hand. It is one of the few ports in the world where this traditional sailing remains a daily affair. The Bahari Museum, housed in 18th-century Company warehouses, tells the maritime history of the archipelago. Allow two hours, ideally early in the morning, and take care on the cluttered quays.

Glodok and Petak Sembilan

The Chinatown of Glodok lies just south of Kota Tua. In the Petak Sembilan lane, sellers of herbs, dried fish and ritual objects lead to Jin De Yuan temple, founded in the mid-17th century and restored after a fire in 2015. The Santa Maria de Fatima church occupies a former Chinese mansion close by. The district is especially lively during Chinese New Year, between January and February. A morning is enough to explore it on foot, combined with Kota Tua.

Merdeka and the monumental centre

Around vast Merdeka Square stand the symbols of the Republic: Monas, a 132 m obelisk topped with a golden flame, the presidential palace and the National Museum. To the northeast, Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, faces the neo-Gothic Jakarta Cathedral, a pairing intended as a symbol of religious tolerance. Istiqlal can be visited free of charge with a volunteer guide, outside prayer times, in covering clothes. Allow a full day for the area, and do Monas early in the morning: the lift queue grows quickly.

Menteng, the garden city

Designed in the 1910s as a garden city for the colonial administration, Menteng lines up Art Deco villas, shady avenues and small parks. Barack Obama spent part of his childhood here, and the house where the 1945 declaration of independence was read stood in the district. Jalan Jaksa, the old haunt of budget travellers, and the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural centre, with its art cinema and exhibitions, are also here. Allow two to three hours of strolling in the late afternoon, when the heat eases.

Sudirman, SCBD and the trendy south

The Thamrin-Sudirman axis and the SCBD business district concentrate office towers, hotels and huge shopping malls, linked by the first metro line opened in 2019. Further south, Kemang and Blok M bring together cafés, bars and a music scene, and Blok M market is known for its vinyl records and Japanese eateries. This is often where visitors stay to use the metro and avoid traffic jams heading north. Evenings start late, rarely before 9 pm, and many venues close during Ramadan.

The Thousand Islands and trips out of town

Off the bay, the Seribu archipelago numbers around a hundred islands. Speedboats leave from Ancol marina and reach the nearest islands in about an hour, the furthest in two hours or more. The water clears beyond the first islands, with snorkelling and small beaches. To the southeast, the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah park showcases the architecture of every province in half a day. Next, the Whoosh high-speed train reaches Bandung in under an hour, a gateway to the rest of the Indonesian archipelago.

Frequently asked questions about Jakarta

Is Jakarta still Indonesia's capital now that Nusantara exists?
The move of the capital to Nusantara, on the island of Borneo, was voted in 2022, but it is happening gradually. In practice, ministries, embassies and the main international airport remain in Jakarta, which is still the main arrival point for most travellers.
How do you get from Sudirman to Kota Tua without a car?
The simplest way is the KRL commuter train, linking several central stations to Jakarta Kota, the terminus a short walk from Fatahillah Square. TransJakarta corridor 1 buses also follow the Sudirman-Thamrin axis to Kota. Avoid cars in the late afternoon.
Can non-Muslims visit Istiqlal Mosque?
Yes. Visitors are welcomed by volunteer guides who show the galleries and explain the architecture, outside prayer times. Clothing covering arms and legs is required, women cover their hair, and garments are lent at the entrance.
Which Thousand Islands island should you choose for a day trip?
For a day, choose islands with direct connections and packages including meals and snorkelling from Ancol marina. Nearby islands such as Bidadari or Onrust, with its colonial ruins, are under an hour away, but the water is less clear than in the northern islands.
Should you go up Monas?
Yes if the sky is clear: the deck offers a view over the whole centre, from the sea to the Sudirman towers. The lift has limited capacity and queues are long at weekends. Arrive at opening time and check closing days before you go.
Is the Whoosh train to Bandung worth it?
This high-speed train, running since 2023, links Halim station to Bandung in under an hour, compared with three hours or more by road. It is ideal for a getaway to the volcanoes and tea plantations of West Java. Check the connection between the arrival station and central Bandung.
Which district to stay in for a first visit to Jakarta?
The Thamrin-Sudirman area is the most practical: metro, airport train and quick access to Monas and Kota Tua. Menteng offers a calmer, greener setting. Kemang suits nights out, but it is poorly served by public transport.
Is Jakarta bearable during the rainy season?
Yes, if you adapt your plans. From December to February, downpours are violent and some streets can flood, paralysing traffic. Schedule museums and malls in the afternoon, outdoor visits in the morning, and leave a margin before a flight.

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