If you are planning to visit Jakarta, you can do a one day visit to Jakarta’s historic sites. On your very first day, you will fly to the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, in the Soekarno Hatta International Airport. Nicknamed the Big Durian, this sprawling megalopolis covers over 290 square miles in the western part of Java. Once you have checked into your hotel, in either Central Jakarta or in North Jakarta, budget travelers will love the inexpensive and plentiful spending budget hotels in Jakarta, your Big Durian visit can begin. Jakarta’s reputation as a cluttered, traffic city has, unfortunately, it, but nobody should miss the opportunity to tour this unique city.
Jakarta is a fascinating study in Indonesia’s modern history because it used to be the center of the Dutch colonial presence in the East Indies, as Indonesia was known as at that time, and entered the postwar years under the sway of the charismatic, but doomed President Sukarno. The Dutch colonizers and the strongman that replaced them shaped Jakarta’s most famous landmarks. Visitors should begin with a visit to Fatahillah Square at the north of the city, the crumbling former Dutch colonial capital. The vast sq used to be a place for public executions, while the old statehouse behind it’s now a museum devoted to Indonesia’s colonial history.
Next, move south to Central Jakarta, and you travel in time from the 19th to the twentieth century, in which Indonesia’s first president Sukarno solidified his place in Indonesia’s history with numerous prominent buildings. The Monas towers over Central Jakarta, the navel of a plaza that’s itself encompassed by government buildings and the presidential palace. Book an excursion to the very top of the Monas to get a bird’s eye view of Central Jakarta. Then, only a short distance off, you may visit Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia whose dimensions is very suitable for the biggest Islam nation in the region. Make a detour into Jalan Surabaya Antique Market, where one can look past a treasure trove of Indonesian antiquities, ancient shadow puppets, salvaged ship parts, used bag, and vinyl LPs. Before finishing off your day, visit a Padang restaurant, where you can try a wide range of Indonesian dishes served on small bowls, along with all the rice you can eat.
