Jakarta is one of the more fascinating cities in Southeast Asia. With definite influences from both its local culture and the western hemisphere, it’s a lively place where almost every spot has a history. Check out these top tourist attractions in Jakarta to know more!
Featured Photo: National Museum of Indonesia | Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas
Top Tourist Attractions in Jakarta
National Museum of Indonesia
This museum contains some of Indonesia’s best archaeological and cultural treasures. Known as one of the best in Southeast Asia, this expansive building with the distinctive elephant up front officially opened in 1868. The museum has various rooms that specialize in collections from sculptures and gold works to those relating to religious and cultural lineages.
National Monument
Locally known as the “Monas”, the monument is an obelisk-like tower in Merdeka Square. This symbolizes the national struggle for independence. The monument, with a golden flame at the top, was officially opened in 1975 and is open seven days a week.
Merdeka Square
Speaking of Merdeka Square, this is also one of the top tourist attractions in Jakarta. This square measures one square kilometer, and is surrounded by various fields and green spaces. If those are included in the measure, then Merdeka Square is among the largest squares in the world! Aside from the sights, don’t miss the place with the deer over in the southeast. If you come here on a weekend, you would see a lot of locals playing various outdoor sports.
Jakarta Cathedral
Officially the St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, this stately church is the center of Catholic worship in Jakarta. Consecrated in 1901, it is located near Merdeka Square so don’t miss it when in town. The building is just as magnificent indoors as outdoors, with its neo-Gothic design standing out in the locale (even though it’s a fairly common style for cathedrals).
Istiqlal Mosque
Perhaps the coolest thing about this attraction and the previous one is that both are found just across each other! The Istiqlal Mosque is the largest in Southeast Asia, and is the national mosque of India. Like Monas, it was built to commemorate the country’s independence. In fact, the word “Istiqlal” translates to “independence”. Even the dome is 45 meters in diameter — the country was liberated in 1945.
Taman Mini Indonesia Park
Indonesia is a vast archipelago with 26 provinces, so it is a great achievement that this 250-acre park captures them all. Walk through this and it’s like taking a tour of all of Indonesia’s culture, with various attractions such as different museums, rides, and even an IMAX Theater. This is a great place if you have kids or family, but also a good educational experience on your own.
Ancol Dreamland
Originally a swampy region, this is a part of the waterfront resort city (Ancol Bay City) that is also one of the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. It has various elite-level attractions such as a golf course, but there are also various activities such as a theme park. There are also hotels here you could consider for your Jakarta stay, though they can get quite pricey.
Jakarta is a great tourist place with kind people and awesome places. These top tourist attractions in Jakarta are just starters, but there’s a lot more to see when you’re in town!
