The capital of Indonesia and the country’s most populous city, Jakarta is an exotic destination with an urban touch. Mostly famous for its incredibly rich nature, Jakarta has numerous landmarks that would take you between a week and a month to visit. However, the landmarks are not the most important aspect about this picturesque city. The reason why travelers would need to spend more time in this fascinating place is because Jakarta is very different from most destinations. With a population mostly formed by Muslims and containing some of the most spectacular views in Indonesia, one would have to take his time in order to really understand the people’s culture and the mesmerizing way in which they interact with the nature that surrounds them.
One of the most exciting landmarks, especially if you are travelling with kids, is definitely the Ragunan Zoo, a huge zoo featuring an impressive collection of 3,600 species of wild animals from Indonesia. Unlike other zoos, Ragunan offers its visitors the chance to spot some unique species that can only be found in this country; the so called Komodo dragon is a good example of a one of a kind species that can be spotted here. As the prices are pretty low in Indonesia, you don’t have to be surprised to know that the fee for the Ragunan Zoo is only 0, 5 USD.
As the name strongly suggests, the Ancol Dream Park looks more like being part of a fantasy, rather than real life. The park is divided into several smaller themed parks, all having different fees and offering a variety of entertainment activities. You would say that the park is targeting the little ones, but fortunately, the Ancol Dream Park is usually visited by children and adults as well. The Park is divided into the Atlantis Water Adventure, Dunia Fantasi, Seaworld, Fantastic Multimedia and Gelanggang Samudra. Ancol Dream Park is one of the biggest parks of this kind in the whole Asia and it is must-see for all the tourists who visit Jakarta.
The Mecca of good quality, handmade products, Pasar Baru is an old market that used to serve as a trading centre for the locals. This busy, little place is filled with people of all ages, especially on Saturdays and Sundays. Provided you don’t let yourself carried away by the myriad of traders trying to sell you something, you might have the luck to find interesting and useful articles of all kinds, at very affordable prices.
One of the most notable cultural and historic landmarks in Jakarta, Museum Nasional dates back to the 1860s. An edifying sight, Museum Nasional is home to the largest collection of Hindu Javanese art and Southeast Asian ceramics. Moreover, the museum houses an extensive range of ethnographic, prehistoric and archeological artifacts that are definitely worth visiting if you want to have a grasp of the Indonesian culture and more.
Although these are the most important attractions in Jakarta, there are a lot more things to do and see in this exotic, beautiful city, so take your time and enjoy the magnificent sceneries!