Jakarta : Vibrant Multi Cultural Metropolis in 10 Hours

A flight between Mumbai and Jakarta on Srilankan Airlines with a layover of almost eight hours that too spending entire night on a chair in airport the waiting lounge was was painful one. But once I reached Jakarta ,south-east Asia’s most culturally-diverse capital I simply forgotten layover pain.


Jakarta is similar to Bombay in many ways. It is landlocked due to sea, only possibility of growth is vertical , heavy peak hours congestion, sometime your 14 km drive may takes two hours ! In the recent years the government suddenly woken up and like New Bombay it has developed Tangrang , an organized, planned and vibrant township having good hotels, Malls, shopping complexes, IT Hub. Some 10 million people live in Jakarta, but almost everyone has roots elsewhere, resulting in an exuberant blend of Javanese, Balinese, Chinese, European and numerous other cultures.


I had 10 hours at my disposal in Jakarta. My hotel Nunia Inn is located in Areopolis which is a part of Tangrang. In fact this place is almost facing to airport but you have to take long U turn and drive for 30 minutes from Sokarneo Hatta International Airport. After check-in, I hired a taxi to take me to length and breadth of metropolis. The cab belongs to app based taxi hiring service. The driver could barely understood a word of English but he was my constant companion everywhere. He was so sincere that wherever I visited he accompanied me and worked as a shadow ! Due to his dedicated support, I could be able to visit all the important landmarks of city.



Jakarta is the capital of the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, but Hinduism, Christianity, and Confucianism co-exist. Tolerance rules, exemplified by lively restaurants serving spicy meals washed down with cold beer, and an on-the-pulse clubbing scene that pounds until the wee hours.


Gridlocked traffic is a real frustration, but for a new comer like me slow speed of cab gave me an opportunity to enjoy the pulse of city and its people. Our first stop was Sunda Kelapa, the harbor area. It is a reminder of Dutch colonial times. The area is better known as Pasar Ikan (meaning fish market) is located at the mouth of the Ciliwung River. The fish catch of the day was auctioned in the early morning at the old fish market. The street leading to it was lined with shops selling all sorts of shells, dehydrated turtles, lobsters and mostly everything the seafarer might need. The harbor area is almost 500 years old , it had been a vital link to markets of the outside world for the 15th century kingdom of Pajajaran. The Portuguese traded with the Hindu Kingdom of Pajajaran in the early 16th century. Thereafter the port was captured by the portuguese and later by Dutch.Dutch domination of Jakarta and the rest of Indonesia began from this area, whereas the remnants of Kasteel Batavia, an old fort and trading post of the Dutch East Indies Company can still be seen now. But skyline of Jakarta is changing fast. While the hip hotels and glass skyscrapers of Menteng spin you back to the 21st century.


Mall Capital

Jakarta boast to have as many as 160 Shopping Malls !  Taman Anggrek Mall is considered Jakarta’s largest, (‘MTA’ for short) spans 360,000sqm, with over 500 shops spread throughout seven levels. Snugly surrounded by eight residential towers, MTA is where you can find Indonesia’s largest indoor ice skating arena, Sky Rink, as well as 10 exhibition areas and a vast central atrium where events and concerts are held. The mall also holds the world record for its longest LED display, which you can admire upon approaching the building along Jalan Letjen S. Parman.



Grand Indonesia Shopping Town was my next Mall destination. This is right in the city centre and houses a good selection of shops of high-end brands and entertainment outlets. There’s a supermarket, department store, home improvement depots, health and beauty centres, a supporting facilities ensuring convenience for shoppers. You’ll need to cross between the two wings - east and west - in order to browse through its vast collection. It also houses Blitzmegaplex, Indonesia’s largest cinema, on its ground level. Kids will love its play land and game arcade, as well as the mall’s iconic Dancing Fountain Show, which presents an hourly spectacle of multicolour-lit spouts dancing to symphony.

My companion took me to Jakarta Skye Tower which is 56 floors high. Its high-speed lifts whiz up 56-storey in 10 dizzying seconds feels like a fairground ride. On 56 floor terrace, Skye is one of the most popular dining and lounge destinations in the city. Occupying the entire 56th floor rooftop of the Tower at Grand Indonesia Mall in the heart of the city it is a multifaceted venue combining indoor and outdoor spaces to offer guests dining and lounge options that include contemporary international cuisine in the spacious restaurant, and an expansive outdoor bistro and lounge. Floor to ceiling glass walls in the restaurant, and the completely open-sky outdoor terrace, provide spectacular unobstructed 360 degree views across the sprawling metropolis from virtually every table and seat.


Taken a quick hike


During three centuries of colonial rule, Batavia on the south eastern fringe of Jakarta Bay, also now known variously as Kota or ‘Old Jakarta’, was the commercial hub of Dutch Indonesia. Get a taste of this era with its trappings of imperial power by starting in the Taman Fatahillah square flanked by stately structures such as the Jakarta History Musuem in the old Stag Huis or town hall, built by the Dutch in the year 1710.


Follow the Kasar Besar Canal bordered by crumbling European-style mansions, up to the photogenic 16th-century wooden Kota Intan drawbridge . Continue down the canal to the Bahari Maritime Museum in an old Dutch East India Company warehouse.


Then climb the Syahbandar Watchtower for commanding views over the port.


Lunch on the run


The northern edge of Kota district spills into a warren of cobbled alleys where burning incense wafts from Taoist temples and markets buzz with busy food stalls. This is “Glodok”, traditionally the enclave of the Chinese community and the place to graze a bewildering array of street treats. You’ll find crispy roast duck wings on wooden skewers and steamed dumplings stuffed with ground beef or water chestnuts, all wrapped in banana leaf. More exotically, Jalan Pancoran street specialises in Rujak Shanghai Encim, a concoction of cuttlefish, spinach and peanuts drenched in tangy red sambal sauce. Or if your craving is for pig’s intestines stewed in a sweetish pulp, sekpa is the stuff to sniff out.


Also taken a ride


Hop on a commuter train to Gambir Station , the city’s main railway hub on the east side of Merdeka Square, to reach Jakarta’s two wonders of sacred architecture. Istiqlal Mosque is made of gleaming Javanese marble and is the largest place of worship in south-east Asia with a capacity of 120,000. The triple-spired neo-Gothic Jakarta Catholic Cathedral faces the mosque across a canal, a couple of minutes’ walk away. The proximity of the pair is a source of pride to many Indonesians, presented as symbols of peaceful religious and cultural co-existence.


Cultural afternoon

The National Museum on the west side of Merdeka Square soars to cultural heights on a par with the National Monument’s physical stature. Beyond having an unparalleled collection of treasures devoted to the history, ethnology and geology of the Indonesian archipelago, this is a museum which celebrates the country’s cultural diversity. Over four floors discover the origins, as well as the present manifestations, of civilization on islands as diverse as Java, Sumatra, Bali, Flores, Sulawesi, Borneo and Papua.



Food So Diversified


Savour a rich brew of Java coffee with pastries or traditional Indonesian nasi goreng (fried rice) at Waris 13B café on Taman Amir Hamzah in the fashionable Menteng district. The street is lined with terracotta-tiled houses including one where a young Barack Obama lived with his mother and stepfather after they moved to Jakarta in 1967. Round the corner is his old school, Sekolah Dasar Negeri Menteng ; outside, a cute statue of “Barry” (as he was known) stands atop a plinth where an inscription quotes the President’s proclamation: “The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams.”


A walk in the park


Part paved, part grassy expanse, Merdeka Square is the city centre. It covers more than a square kilometre and is claimed as the world’s largest city square. At its heart is the soaring National Monument ( a 132m obelisk topped with a golden-leaf “flame”, raised to celebrate Indonesia’s independence from The Netherlands in 1949. Chances are there will be some sort of activity going on as you stroll through. A military parade, perhaps, or a demonstration. If not, you might find nets strung up on the grass for games of volleyball or badminton.