Jakarta offers what many cities do not, a wealth of leisure and sightseeing that is truly world class. The city is especially great due to its mixed cultural background, with various influences from Asia, Java, Arabia and the Dutch. Jakarta is a world city that you should visit at some point and this article will talk more about the great things that you can do there.
Leisure
Companies like M88.com offer a lot of casinos and betting games online, so there really is no shortage of gaming options here. This can be a really fun way to pass the time and is the only possible way to gamble in Indonesia.
Food
A we talked about above Indonesia has a rich culture with many influences and food is no exception to this. Indonesian cuisine is full of intense flavour and the best dishes are perhaps Rendang, which is a beef curry and the simple but tasty satay, which is marinated meat cooked on a skewer and served with peanut sauce. There really is so much more to try in Indonesian cuisine, you just need to go there and experience it for yourself.
National Museum of Indonesia
This stately museum shows off historical, archeological and geographical elements. Like the many of the attractions in Jakarta it is located on the Merdeka Square, on the western side. The building is also known by locals as the “elephant building” due to the statue that lies in the forecourt of the museum.
The National Monument
This monument is also known as Monas and serenely juts out of the Jakarta skyline at around 130 metres high from the Merdeka Square. The monument has national significance, especially during the struggle with the Dutch Empire to gain independence.
Istiqlal Mosque
The word “istiqlal” actually means independence in Arabic and this huge mosque is the biggest in all of Indonesia, which is no easy feat for a country of 250 million. The mosque was built, like the Monas, to commemorate Indonesia’s independence and its own unique identity as a Muslim state. This mosque holds a very high population for the people who predominantly follow Islam and also provides amazing architecture that has become something of an icon in the city and the rest of Asia.
The Old Town
The old town is the original downtown part of Jakarta and is known as “Kota Tua”. The layout of the old town is much the same as it was originally and the architecture is like a time warp, especially with its mix between Javanese, Chinese, Dutch and other European influences.
