Fancy a trip to Southeast Asia? Here’s Indonesia and its capital, with a presentation of Jakarta’s sleeping quarters!
The capital of Indonesia, located on the northwest coast of the island of Java, Jakarta is a major economic center in Asia, and a city open to the world thanks to its airport, the third largest in Asia. The international headquarters of ASEAN, it is also a city of global importance, particularly for international relations. Despite an equatorial climate characterized by constant humid heat, there’s plenty to do in Jakarta, so much so that its historical and cultural heritage cannot be ignored. Indeed, Jakarta offers a historic blend of cultures (Javanese, Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian, European) that have influenced its architecture, language, cuisine and traditions. A former Dutch colony, the historic center is littered with colonial buildings. With its metropolis of 10 million inhabitants, Jakarta is one of Asia’s fastest-growing cities, where tradition meets modernity.
As is often the case in Asia and Indonesia, accommodation in Jakarta will be affordable for a French tourist: the cost of living here is much lower than in Europe. Where to sleep in Jakarta? To help you plan your trip, we’ve tried to list the best places to stay in Jakarta.
Kota Tua
Photo credit: Flickr – Roland
Kota Tua means Jakarta’s old town. It’s also known as Oud Batavia or Benedenstad, the Dutch names for the city center. This district also includes the Chinese quarter, Glodok. Kota Tua was the first Dutch colonial fortified city in the Jakarta region, in the 17th century. There are many historic buildings to see and visit, including the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics, the Gereja Sion Church, the Kota Intan drawbridge, the Luar Batang mosque, the Pasar Ikan fish market and the Vihara Dharma Bhakti, Jakarta’s oldest Buddhist temple.Lodging in Kota Tua offers the chance to enjoy a lively area with access to many must-see tourist attractions.
Ancol
Photo credit: Flickr – Ya, saya inBaliTimur
Located northeast of the modern city center, the Ancol district is another prime location for accommodation in Jakarta. It’s home to a vast waterfront leisure park: Ancol Dreamland. This area boasts a giant oceanarium, a large water park, a lagoon for fishing and canoeing, a congress hall and hotels, a theme park called « Dunia Fantasi » (World of Fantasies) and rides such as Tornado and Hysteria, which will appeal to all children. For bigger kids, don’t miss Pasar Seni, a vast arts market housing a collection of Indonesian handicrafts, where you can see the artists at work live. Marina Ancol is a popular area for the wealthy, who dock here with luxury yachts, motorboats and sailboats: it’s a port of departure for the « Thousand Islands ».
Around Jaksa Jalan
Photo credit: Youtube screenshot
The neighborhoods around Jaksa Jalan are the most touristy, with numerous hotels – of course – and guest-houses (or backpacker hostels): you won’t have to look long for a place to stay in Jakarta. To find a place to stay, head for Jalan Jaksa, the backpackers’ street. This is also one of Jakarta’s most touristy areas. You’ll find a myriad of bars and food stalls in a row, especially on Jalan Sabang, south of the National Monument Park. Jaksa Jalan is just one street, yet it’s where you’ll find the vast majority of the city’s guesthouses: so expect to see hordes of tourists from all over the world, here to party the night away (the Indonesian government tolerates the consumption of alcohol by non-Muslims).