Jakarta Attractions

Old Batavia

The old town of Batavia is the oldest and finest reminder of the Dutch presence in Jakarta. At one time, it contained a massive shoreline fortress and was surrounded by a sturdy wall and a moat. In the early 19th century much of the unhealthy city was destroyed by the government in a bid to freshen things up a bit, but there are still plenty of Dutch influences in this part of town.

A few of Batavia's old buildings are still in use - many were restored in the 1970s and are now museums. The centre of the area is a cobblestone square known as Taman Fatahillah, while to the west is the Kali Besar, the great canal that once marked out the high-class residential area of Batavia. On the west bank of the canal are the last of the big private homes dating from the early 18th century. Follow the canal north and you'll see a small 17th century Dutch drawbridge, the last in the city, called the Chicken Market Bridge. Old Batavia is directly north of the city centre at Kota train station.

Jakarta History Museum
This museum, housed in the old Batavia Town Hall, is probably the most solid reminder of Dutch rule anywhere in Indonesia. The large, bell-towered hall was built in 1627 and served the administration of the city, the law courts, and even housed Batavia's main prison compound. These days, it's the place to go if you're into heavy carved furniture and other memorabilia from the Dutch period. Among the more interesting exhibits is a series of gloomy portraits of all the Dutch governors-general and early pictures of Batavia. The Jakarta History Museum is inside Old Batavia, just south of the square.

Merdeka Square

Jakarta's monuments can best be described as 'inspired tastelessness' - among Soekarno's great legacies are his heroes-of-socialism structures, and the most impressive of these is the 132m (433ft) National Monument (Monas). Construction of the marble and gold project commenced in 1961 and took 14 years to complete. The phallic symbol topped by a glittering flame symbolises the nation's strength and independence, and towers above the otherwise-desolate Merdeka Square, literally the dead heart of Jakarta. In the base of the monument is the National History Museum with 48 dramatic dioramas presenting a selective, sometimes-overstated view of Indonesian history. A lift will take you to the top of the monument for dramatic - though rarely clear - views of Jakarta.

Sunda Kelapa

Just a 10-minute walk north from Taman Fatahillah in Old Batavia, the old port of Sunda Kelapa has more sailing ships - the magnificent Makassar schooners - than you ever thought existed. These brightly painted ships are an important means of transport and freight delivery between the capital and the outer islands. They also provide one of the most spectacular sights in Jakarta. For a fee, old men in row boats will take you out for a closer look at the ships. Don't hit your head on the mooring ropes or gangplanks, and don't be too surprised if you get hit from above by rubbish thrown from the decks. If you get out as far as the Palau Seribu (Thousand Islands) in the Bay of Jakarta, you'll probably see some of these majestic schooners under sail.