TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN JAKARTA

Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, has been called a study in contrasts: traditional and modern, rich and poor, spiritual and wordly stand side by side in this bustling metropolis. This hot and smoggy city feels like nothing more than a waiting lounge for the millions residents queuing up to make their fortune where dreams are made, deals are won and lost and political alliances are forged and broken  and among the twelve million people who call Jakarta home, you will find representatives of the many diverse ethnic and cultural groups    Photo: Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta

which shape Indonesia, a reminder of the nation's motto: 'Unity and Diversity'. Jakarta as Indonesia's ibukota (mother city) is home to representatives of all of Indonesia's children and the tourist attractions in Jakarta are definitely not to be missed.

You may have to search high and low in this multi-cultural collage to find one of the proud ethnic Jakartans, also known as 'orang Betawi'. Their language, the Betawi Malay, has two variation, conventional Betawi Malay, spoken by older people born and bred in Jakarta, and the modern Jakarta Malay, a slang form spoken by the younger generation and migrants.

Jakarta is the port of entry for many tourists and business people. It is home to a dynamic contrast between Western-style skyscrapers, modern urban lifestyles and traditional Indonesian culture. Its rapid growth into a metropolitan city reflects the economic, political, social and industrial development of the nation. In recent years, Jakarta has expanded its facilities for visitor with luxury hotel, outstanding restaurants, lively nightlife, over 30 golf courses and modern shopping Photo: National Monument   centers. From the steamy streets of Chinatown to the city's decadent nightclubs, Jakarta is a Pandora's box, filled with all the good and bad of Indonesian life whereby all the famous places of interest in Jakarta make this famous city in Indonesia a tourists' haven.

Although Jakarta is primarily a city of government and business, it has many tourist attractions such as Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful 'Indonesia in Miniature' Park), restored colonial period buildings, island resort in the Pulau Seribu (Thousand Islands) and an extension beach recreation complex called Ancol. The famous central landmark of Soekarno's national monument (Monas) in Lapangan Merdeka (Freedom Square) will surely be a good tourist area in Jakarta to take a photo or two.

As the country's capital, Jakarta has a remarkable history as a trading center started as a small harbor town called Sunda Kelapa, but its actual founding dates back to the year 1527, when it was named Jayakarta by Fatahilah of the neighboring Sultanate of Banten. The name Jayakarta means City of Great Victory. During the 17th century it served as the capital of Dutch East Indies with the name Batavia. Reminders of this period can still be seen today in the architecture of some of the northern parts of the city. When Indonesian independence was finally secured it was renamed Jakarta, and served today as the centre of government, business and industry, spreading over an area of more than 650 square         Photo: Jakarta Museum of History

kilometers (410 square miles).

Jakarta's architecture reflects the history of outside influences which came and left their mark on this vital seaport city. The Taman Fatahillah Restoration Project, begun in the early 1970's, has restored one of the oldest section of Jakarta, known as Old Batavia or Kota, to one of the most picturesque areas of the entire city. An old Portuguese Church and warehouse have been reincarnated as living museum. The old Supreme Court building is now the National Museum of fine Arts and houses part of superb Chinese porcelain collection of former Vice-President Adam Malik. The old Town Hall has become the Jakarta Museum, displaying such rare items as old Indonesia in historical documents and Dutch period furniture. Even the city's tower clock was returned to England to be repaired under its life time guarantee, a lifetime which has now stretched over hundred of years.

As Indonesia's main gateway, Jakarta Soekarno Hatta International Airport is the central transportation hub of Indonesia. It serves a growing number of international airlines and is the nexus point for domestic flights across the vast expanse of the archipelago. Local transport of all form within the city is readily available. When in Jakarta, another place to visit is the main north-south street of the new city with wide boulevard along Jalan (Jl) Thamrin  which has Jakarta's big hotels, banks and the Sarinah department store and making Jakarta your holiday destination can be a richly rewarding experience.