| Indonesia, a Country of thousands of | | | | puppets from other Countries like Cambodia, |
| beautiful and exotic Islands, that spark off | | | | China and India. |
| your imagination with thoughts of fine sandy | | | | |
| beaches, huge temple complexes, great diving | | | | This building was formerly the museum of old |
| and the giant dragons of Komodo. The islands | | | | Batavia and was built in 1912 on the site of |
| of Indonesia are spread over a vast expanse | | | | the former Dutch church which was demolished |
| of ocean and technically speaking is divided | | | | in 1808 as the Dutchman 'Daendel's' plan to |
| by two Continents. | | | | rid the City of its unhealthy areas. In the |
| | | | downstairs courtyard, there are memorials to |
| Some parts of the Country can be as different | | | | previous governors who were buried on site. |
| from each other as black is from white. The | | | | Open, 9am till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday. |
| hustle and bustle of the modern capital | | | | Admission: 1,000Rp |
| Jakarta is like another planet when compared | | | | |
| to the traditional Papuan tribes of the | | | | Fine Arts Museum - Built in the 1860's, the |
| Baliem Valley. | | | | palace of Justice building is now the Fine |
| | | | arts museum. It has a nice collection of |
| Jakarta - Not only is it the largest City in | | | | contemporary paintings from prominent |
| the Country, Jakarta is also the heartbeat. | | | | artists. They also have some ceramics on show |
| Indonesian's from all over the archipelago | | | | from Chinese items to Majapahit offerings. |
| come to the City to try and find their | | | | Open, 9am till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday. |
| fortune or just to survive. The face of the | | | | Admission: 1,000Rp |
| City is constantly changing due to the | | | | |
| construction of new skyscrapers, shopping | | | | Gereja Sion - This church was built in 1695, |
| malls and hotels. | | | | and is the oldest Church in Jakarta. It is on |
| | | | Jl Pangeran Jayakarta near the Kota train |
| Jakarta is mainly a business and political | | | | station. The exterior of the Church is |
| City and not really a tourist destination, | | | | actually pretty plain but inside copper |
| but the older colonial parts of the City are | | | | chandeliers, the original organ and the |
| very interesting and the museums have a lot | | | | baroque pulpit makes it very appealing. |
| of fascinating exhibits. | | | | Though thousands of people have been buried |
| | | | here there are very few tombs left remaining. |
| Jakarta, like you would expect, is the most | | | | |
| expensive place in Indonesia, as well as the | | | | Sunda Kelapa - Just a 10 minute walk from the |
| most polluted and most congested. It can be | | | | Taman Fatahillah, the old City port of Sunda |
| very hard to cope with all of the hustle, | | | | Kelapa is full of wonderful Macassar |
| dirt, crime and cost, but if you can you will | | | | schooners and the brightly coloured sails of |
| find an exciting City with plenty to offer. | | | | these boats make for great viewing. The ships |
| | | | are still a vital means of transporting goods |
| Kota - This is the old Town of Batavia, which | | | | to outlying Islands. |
| was the capital of the Dutch East Indies and | | | | |
| the best example of the colonial era in | | | | Guides hang around the docks and for a few |
| Indonesia. Though much of the old town has | | | | thousand rupiah will show you around and tell |
| been destroyed or demolished over the years, | | | | you some insightful stories. You can also |
| some of the old Colonial buildings are still | | | | take a ride out to the offshore fish market |
| in active use, and the area has a definite | | | | for around 5,000Rp. Admission, 250Rp to the |
| Dutch feel to it. | | | | dock area. |
| | | | |
| The centre of the old Town is the pebble | | | | Maritime Museum - This is an old VOC |
| stone square known as Taman Fatahillah and | | | | warehouse that was built in 1645 and is by |
| this is the key to being able to orientate | | | | the entrance to the Sunda Kelapa. It has |
| yourself around the sights of the old Town. | | | | examples of Indonesian crafts from around the |
| The canal of Kali Besar is one block to the | | | | ages and has photos of the voyages from |
| west of the square and runs alongside the | | | | Europe to Jakarta. The building itself is |
| Ciliwung River. This was a very prosperous | | | | well worth the visit and the lookout posts |
| area and on the west bank are some of the | | | | are part of the old City wall. |
| high class homes that date from the | | | | |
| eighteenth Century. | | | | Just before the entrance to the museum |
| | | | proper, is the old watchtower that was built |
| The Chicken market bridge is the last | | | | in 1839, it has brilliant views over the |
| remaining drawbridge from the Dutch era, it | | | | harbour. Opening hours are hit and miss, so |
| is at the north end of the Kali Besar. Buses | | | | try to find the caretaker. |
| always come by on their routes and the city | | | | |
| train also has a stop here. | | | | National Museum - This museum, constructed in |
| | | | 1862, is considered the paramount museum in |
| Jakarta History Museum - This museum is | | | | Indonesia, and one of the finest in South |
| housed in the old town hall of Batavia, which | | | | East Asia. It has a huge ethnic and relief |
| is on the south side of Taman Fatahillah. It | | | | maps of Indonesia on which you can track your |
| is a well built building, which was | | | | travels. The museum has a variety of |
| originally constructed in 1627 and added to | | | | different cultural displays that show a |
| in the early 1700's. It was from here that | | | | diverse collection of clothing, instruments, |
| the Dutch administered their colony, and the | | | | model houses and religious items. In addition |
| cities law courts were also here as well as | | | | the museum has a fine collection of Chinese |
| their main prison compound. | | | | ceramics that even date back to the Han |
| | | | dynasty of the third Century. |
| It contains plenty of heavy, carved furniture | | | | |
| from the colonial, as well as other | | | | The museum is sometimes known as the Elephant |
| memorabilia from the Dutch period. Open, 9am | | | | house due to the giant bronze elephant that |
| till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission: | | | | was a gift from the King of Thailand, and |
| 1,000Rp | | | | that now stands outside. Open, 8.30am till |
| | | | 2.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission: 750Rp. |
| Wayang Museum - This museum is also on the | | | | Guides are around who can conduct tours in |
| Taman Fatahillah, and has a great assortment | | | | various different languages. |
| of Wayang puppets. It also has examples of | | | | |