Jakarta Tourism 2025: Jakarta Independent Travel Chronicle
Flying from Bali, it took about two hours to arrive in Jakarta. The first visual impact that caught my eye was the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. The modern, nature-loving, and ethnically styled airport left a good impression.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Over the next nine days, I stayed in hotels in the central and northern areas of Jakarta, seeing both the modern beauty of Jakarta and the lagging old city districts. It was a strong visual contrast experience.
Book hotels through domestic travel apps or Agoda. I stayed at Redstar Hotel and Ghurfati Hotel Wedana. Both are budget hotels. The former includes breakfast and costs over 150 RMB per night, with a not-so-good experience. The latter doesn’t include breakfast, costs over 100 RMB per night, and was clean, hygienic, and provided a good experience.
The accommodation was relatively close to the target attractions. Transportation options included walking or using Grab for taxis. Other public transportation requires a travel card, which I didn’t get as it’s troublesome for short-term travel.
There are many street food options in the neighborhood, including rice with various fried foods (fried tofu cubes, potato cubes, banana pieces, chicken pieces, fish pieces, and fried shrimp chips), curry-flavored dishes or chicken. There are also fried rice, fried noodles, and chicken or beef rice noodles. Larger restaurants offer more options like stir-fried dishes with rice, Chinese and Japanese cuisine, but at higher prices. Regular meals generally cost between 30K-100K, which is quite affordable. Common local food preferences include fried, curry-flavored, and mildly sweet dishes. Beverages are typically cold drinks or coffee, with black tea also available.
Attractions I visited include:
Jakarta Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, completed in 1901, is in Neo-Gothic style with three main spires – two at 60 meters and one at 45 meters. The tops of the spires have ancient clocks and church bells. The building is tall and magnificent. Free admission.
Saint Mary of the Assumption Cathedral in Jakarta
Istqlal Mosque in Jakarta, built in 1984 to commemorate Indonesia’s independence. The central prayer hall of the main building is covered by a large white dome with a diameter of 45 meters, making it very eye-catching from the outside. Surrounding the hall are 5 floors of auxiliary buildings, all paved with marble, which can accommodate 120,000 people. It complements the Jakarta Catholic Cathedral across the street, showcasing the scene of multicultural coexistence in Indonesia. Free admission, but you must first register at the gate office, wear the provided robes, and tour under the guidance of the staff.
Jakarta Istiqlal Mosque
Istiqlal Mosque dome
Jakarta National Monument, also known as the Indonesian National Independence Monument, was completed in 1968. It stands 137 meters high with a gilded flame sculpture at the top. Visitors can take an elevator to the top, and there is a memorial museum at the base of the tower. It is located in the center of the park, surrounded by sculptures, fountains, and forest gardens. The park is free to enter. The entrance fee to the top of the tower is 24K per person, while the entrance fee without going to the top is 8K per person.
Indonesian National Monument
Indonesia National Monument Park
The National Museum of Indonesia, first built in 1862, is a European-style building. Because the King of Siam gifted an elephant sculpture, it is also known as the Elephant Museum. It is the largest comprehensive museum in Indonesia. There are many precious ancient artifacts worth visiting. Ticket price is 50K/person.
Indonesian National Museum
Indonesian National Museum
Jakarta’s Dutch Village, the location of the governor’s office of the Dutch East India Company. Named Batavia in 1619, it features Dutch red-tiled and white-walled architecture, with museums, train stations, and century-old cafes. Located in the old town area of North Jakarta. Free admission. Museums charge an entrance fee.
Jakarta Dutch Village
Jakarta Chinatown. When traveling abroad, I always want to visit Chinatowns, where you can find various Chinese restaurants to satisfy your taste buds, communicate with overseas Chinese, visit Buddhist temples, and feel a special sense of familiarity.
Chinese Buddhist temple
Jakarta Chinatown
Indonesia Square, surrounded by tall buildings, the US and Japanese embassies, shopping centers like Plaza, sculptures and fountains, trees and gardens, all showcasing the modern urban scenery of Jakarta, Indonesia.
Indonesia Square
Faunaland Ancol Park, covering five hectares, combines Asian and Australian elements, showcasing the beauty of unique flora, fauna, and cultural arts. Admission is 38K per person. A bit tired, did not visit.
Faunaland Ancol Park
Old Town Jakarta, with its rich historical heritage, is a concrete manifestation of the wealth gap and also reflects shortcomings in urban development. It is densely populated with narrow and crowded roads, yet it is diverse and inclusive.
Old City Market in Jakarta
Jakarta, Indonesia, is the second-largest economy in ASEAN with significant economic development achievements. It has both beautiful new urban areas and relatively lagging old districts. Islamic civilization is prominent, with diversity and inclusivity. The people are peaceful, friendly, and enterprising, enriching the tourism experience.
From Jakarta, take a flight and transit through Ho Chi Minh City to return to Xi’an. Passing through Jakarta customs, you can self-scan your passport without fingerprinting, making the clearance process simple, convenient, and uncrowded. Water can be brought through airport security, but no free drinking water was seen at the airport.
Interior view of Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport
This time, the 46-day independent trip to ten cities in Vietnam and Indonesia has successfully concluded. I’ll rest at home for a while before choosing the next destination.
If reprinted, please indicate the source:https://bali123.com/travel-blogs/jakarta-tourism-2025-jakarta-independent-travel-chronicle/
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