Indonesia, a Country of
thousands of beautiful and exotic Islands, that spark off your imagination with
thoughts of fine sandy beaches, huge temple complexes, great diving and the
giant dragons of Komodo. The islands of Indonesia are spread over a vast
expanse of ocean and technically speaking is divided by two Continents.
Some parts of the Country can be as different from
each other as black is from white. The hustle and bustle of the modern capital
Jakarta is like another planet when compared to the traditional Papuan tribes
of the Baliem Valley.
Jakarta -
Not only is it the largest City in the Country, Jakarta is also the heartbeat.
Indonesian's from all over the archipelago come to the City to try and find
their fortune or just to survive. The face of the City is constantly changing
due to the construction of new skyscrapers, shopping malls and hotels.
Jakarta is mainly a business and
political City and not really a tourist destination, but the older colonial
parts of the City are very interesting and the museums have a lot of
fascinating exhibits.
Jakarta, like you would expect, is
the most expensive place in Indonesia, as well as the most polluted and most
congested. It can be very hard to cope with all of the hustle, dirt, crime and
cost, but if you can you will find an exciting City with plenty to offer.
Kota - This is the old Town of
Batavia, which was the capital of the Dutch East Indies and the best example of
the colonial era in Indonesia. Though much of the old town has been destroyed
or demolished over the years, some of the old Colonial buildings are still in
active use, and the area has a definite Dutch feel to it.
The centre of the old Town is the pebble
stone square known as Taman Fatahillah and this is the key to being able to
orientate yourself around the sights of the old Town. The canal of Kali Besar
is one block to the west of the square and runs alongside the Ciliwung River.
This was a very prosperous area and on the west bank are some of the high class
homes that date from the eighteenth Century.
The Chicken market bridge is the
last remaining drawbridge from the Dutch era, it is at the north end of the
Kali Besar. Buses always come by on their routes and the city train also has a
stop here.
Jakarta History Museum - This museum
is housed in the old town hall of Batavia, which is on the south side of Taman
Fatahillah. It is a well built building, which was originally constructed in
1627 and added to in the early 1700's. It was from here that the Dutch
administered their colony, and the cities law courts were also here as well as
their main prison compound.
It contains plenty of heavy, carved furniture from the
colonial, as well as other memorabilia from the Dutch period. Open, 9am till
3pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission: 1,000Rp
Wayang Museum - This museum is also on the Taman
Fatahillah, and has a great assortment of
Wayang puppets. It also has examples of puppets from other Countries like Cambodia, China and India.
Wayang puppets. It also has examples of puppets from other Countries like Cambodia, China and India.
This building was formerly the museum of old Batavia
and was built in 1912 on the site of the former Dutch church which was
demolished in 1808 as the Dutchman 'Daendel's' plan to rid the City of its
unhealthy areas. In the downstairs courtyard, there are memorials to previous
governors who were buried on site. Open, 9am till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
Admission: 1,000Rp
Fine Arts Museum - Built in the 1860's, the palace of
Justice building is now the Fine arts museum. It has a nice collection of
contemporary paintings from prominent artists. They also have some ceramics on
show from Chinese items to Majapahit offerings. Open, 9am till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
Admission: 1,000Rp
Gereja Sion - This church was built in 1695, and is
the oldest Church in Jakarta. It is on Jl Pangeran Jayakarta near the Kota
train station. The exterior of the Church is actually pretty plain but inside
copper chandeliers, the original organ and the baroque pulpit makes it very
appealing. Though thousands of people have been buried here there are very few
tombs left remaining.
Sunda Kelapa - Just a 10 minute walk from the Taman
Fatahillah, the old City port of Sunda Kelapa is full of wonderful Macassar
schooners and the brightly coloured sails of these boats make for great
viewing. The ships are still a vital means of transporting goods to outlying
Islands.
Guides hang around the docks and for a few thousand
rupiah will show you around and tell you some insightful stories. You can also
take a ride out to the offshore fish market for around 5,000Rp.
Admission, 250Rp to the dock area.
Admission, 250Rp to the dock area.
Maritime Museum - This is an old VOC warehouse that
was built in 1645 and is by the entrance
to the Sunda Kelapa. It has examples of Indonesian crafts from around the ages and has photos of the voyages from Europe to Jakarta. The building itself is well worth the visit and the lookout posts are part of the old City wall.
to the Sunda Kelapa. It has examples of Indonesian crafts from around the ages and has photos of the voyages from Europe to Jakarta. The building itself is well worth the visit and the lookout posts are part of the old City wall.
Just before the entrance to the museum proper, is the
old watchtower that was built in 1839, it has brilliant views over the harbour.
Opening hours are hit and miss, so try to find the caretaker.
National Museum - This museum, constructed in 1862, is
considered the paramount museum in
Indonesia, and one of the finest in South East Asia. It has a huge ethnic and relief maps of Indonesia on which you can track your travels. The museum has a variety of different cultural displays that show a diverse collection of clothing, instruments, model houses and religious items. In addition the museum has a fine collection of Chinese ceramics that even date back to the Han dynasty of the third Century.
Indonesia, and one of the finest in South East Asia. It has a huge ethnic and relief maps of Indonesia on which you can track your travels. The museum has a variety of different cultural displays that show a diverse collection of clothing, instruments, model houses and religious items. In addition the museum has a fine collection of Chinese ceramics that even date back to the Han dynasty of the third Century.
The museum is sometimes known as the Elephant house
due to the giant bronze elephant that was a gift from the King of Thailand, and
that now stands outside. Open, 8.30am till 2.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
Admission: 750Rp. Guides are around who can conduct tours in various different
languages.
National Monument - This 130 metres high monument
stands over Merdeka square and is Jakarta's chief landmark. The construction
was started in 1961 but was not finished until 1975, when it was officially
opened by President Soeharto. At the base is the National History Museum which
tells the story of the Indonesian struggle for independence. On national
holidays and at the weekends the queues can be long. Open, 9am till 5pm, daily.
Admission: 600Rp or 3,100Rp which includes a ride to the top.
Lapangan Banteng - Just east of Merdeka square is this
nineteenth century colonial square. It has some of the best examples of Dutch
colonial architecture in the whole of Jakarta. The Catholic Cathedral was built
at the turn of the twentieth Century, and is opposite the principal place of
worship for Jakarta's Muslim community, the Istiqlal Mosque. To the east of the
square is the Supreme Court that was built, along with the Ministry of finance,
in 1809 by that man 'Daendel' to replace those buildings torn down.
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