Jakarta Travel Guide
Life in Jakarta moves at a frenetic pace and the city won't appeal to everyone's taste. However, Indonesia's vibrant capital proves that the right kind of chaos can be charming.
Visitors must plunge into the jarring juxtaposition of conspicuous poverty and ostentatious wealth. High-rises, relentless concrete, garish nightclubs, slums and smog are all part of the experience, as are Jakarta's good-natured locals, and its world-class food and coffee scene. The city's vim and colour are intoxicating.
Travelling far in Jarkata is laborious, though, as heavy traffic and haywire street grids cover this dense metropolis. Yet despite or, possibly, because of its reputation as a difficult city, little visited areas and unique attractions feel like personal discoveries. Jakarta is a melting pot of everything Indonesian, giving visitors a quick synopsis of the country's incredibly diverse cultures, architectures, foods, languages and religions. Travellers should note that the city has one of the most lively art scenes in the region as well. It includes museums, galleries, and even pop-up exhibitions and private collections.
For its variety, optimism and palpable industriousness, Jakarta is certainly one of the great destinations in Southeast Asia.