5 Scenic Spots in Jakarta Perfect for a Breath of Fresh Air– Looking for a change of scenery from your daily routine? Here are some of the famous scenic spots in Jakarta. Some places not only provide you with different architecture that you can’t find in any other places in Jakarta, but also included other attractive entertainment such as museums, amusement parks, and others.
National Monument (MONAS)
National Monument, or MONAS for short, is a 132-meter obelisk monument located right in the centre of Merdeka Square. This monument symbolizes Indonesia’s fight for independence. The construction started in 1961 under the direct supervision of President Soekarno and opened to the public 14 years later due to construction problems.
Located on the base of the monument is the National History Museum. Here, there are 51 dioramas displaying scenes throughout Indonesia’s history from Prehistoric Indonesia, the construction of Borobudur, Sriwijaya, and Majapahit eras up to the events and uprising against the European colonization eras.
The Hall of Independence is located on top of the monument. The recording of Sukarno reading the text of the Proclamation can be heard along with the Sang Saka Merah Putih, the sacred Indonesian flag that was raised on August 17, 1945. There’s an observation deck by which you can view Central Jakarta.
Topping the monument is the Flames of Independence, which is a 14.5-ton bronze coated with 50 kg of gold foil. There, you can view Central Jakarta from a height too.
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
Located in East Jakarta, TMII is a culture-based recreational park. The concept was first suggested by Siti Hartinah, the wife of President Suharto. Different venues displaying houses, cultures, and traditional costumes of some of the Indonesian provinces can be viewed here. Also, you can walk through more than ten gardens, and religious buildings such as Pangeran Diponegoro Mosque, Santa Catharina Catholic church, Haleluya Protestant Church, and others.
You can also visit their bird park and freshwater aquarium too! In fact, Dunia Air Tawar aquarium is the second largest freshwater aquarium in Asia. Recreational facilities are also available such as Istana Anak-Anak Indonesia (Indonesian Children Castle), Snowbay Waterpark, Warna Alam outbound camp and Telaga Mina fishing pond. You can also rent bicycles in the park too.
Feeling like a day won’t be enough to explore TMII? There are two hostels you can stay in which are Desa Wisata hostel and Graha Wisata Remaja youth hostel.
Sunda Kelapa
Sunda Kelapa is an old port of Jakarta located in Ciliwung River. Here, the first thing you’ll notice is the brightly coloured traditional boats lined up on the river. In fact, Sunda Kelapa acts as the main port in Sunda Kingdom. It serves as one of Jakarta’s historical sites where you can see buildings built by the Dutch and some cultural spots too. There are three different museums you can visit when you’re in the area, which are the Fatahillah Museum, Bahari Museum and Wayang Museum.
Ancol Dreamland
There are a lot of fun activities that you can enjoy in Ancol Dreamland. From having a blast and getting that adrenaline rush from different attraction rides in Dufan, having fun at Atlantis Water Adventure, to looking through different species of fishes in SeaWorld. Do note that SeaWorld Jakarta is not affiliated with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment in the US.
If you’re not up for all of that, you can stroll around the Ecopark or window shopping at Pasar Seni. You can also ride the Gondola to see the beautiful view of Jakarta City Bay and Ancol Dreamland. Overall, you’ll feel like the day has gone by so fast when you are in Ancol Dreamland.
Kota Tua
Not far from Sunda Kelapa, is Kota Tua or Old Town. Kota Tua used to be the downtown area of Jakarta when it was known as Batavia. Most architecture is built during the 17th century, thus why it’s mostly built Dutch-styled. It also served as the Asian headquarter of VOC during the spice trading eras too.
Now, Kota Tua served as a historical spot with several museums you can visit for free. While you’re here, try out Café Batavia for some authentic Indonesian cuisines and snacks too. Sometimes, night markets are available around the area so be sure not to miss out on Jakarta’s nightlife!
Curious about more destinations around Jakarta you can try on? Click here to look through other Jakarta guides available to go next to fill up your weekend. Happy exploring!
