Top Rated Attractions in Jakarta

Jakarta is known for its shining, sky-high skyscrapers, vibrant nightlife and great food and coffee. However, like most developing cities in the world, it also faces issues related to poverty. Ronny Poluan, a social activist and documentary filmmaker, organizes tours through the slums that exist within the bustling and rich landscape of the city. His aim is to bring awareness among the locals and tourists alike of the hardships faced by the slum dwellers and do his bit in raising funds for their food, housing, and children's education. Most of the tour fees are diverted towards this cause. Five tours are available, namely, Minima, Social Humanity, Ciliwung, Kampong, and Maxima. Each begins at a meeting place mentioned on the website, and takes you through the different slums where you can understand local history, present issues as well as interact directly with the residents.

They say the best way to experience any city is to take a walk through its streets, talk to its people, and soak in its culture. With the same aim, Walkindies Travel Co organizes walking and private tours through different cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta. The tours are operational from Monday to Saturday and cover various parts of the city either completely on foot or via coach. Whether you are interested in the history or culture of the city or are the adventurous or leisure type, you will like the well-organized tours. The walking tours include A Walk in Batavia, Harmony in Weltevreden, and City Outside The Wall. Royal Garden Buitenzorg, Jakarta Sightseeing Tours, and Teawalk & Safari are featured in the private coach tours.

Adventure Indonesia conducts private tours throughout Indonesia that introduce you to the culture, natural beauty, wildlife, and adventure spots abundantly found in the country. They have five offices in the country with the flagship one based out of Jakarta. The tours are well-organized with the help of local people and businesses. A detailed introduction and itinerary of the tours can be found on their website. Some of the tours you can venture on with their team are Indonesia Discovery 27 days, Asmat Tribe, Raja Ampat Diving, Mountain & Volcano Trek, Flores Island Tour, Sumba Village Tour and Sumatra Orangutan Tour.

Situated on 120 hectares of land in the east of Jakarta, this unique complex offers visitors the opportunity to see all of Indonesia's 27 provinces in an afternoon! The complex features life-sized replicas of traditional architecture from each province, a miniature version of the Indonesian archipelago, a series of museums and a number of well-maintained parks and gardens. The park's centerpiece is a beautiful artificial lake. The complex was the brainchild of Madam Tien Soeharto, the late Indonesian first lady.

After the bloody massacre of 1740, the Chinese community was confined to ghettos in an area outside the city walls now known as Glodok. Today, shop houses, traditional markets, hawker stalls and temples dot the enclave, retaining a familiar Chinese atmosphere. Pockets of shopping opportunities lying in the area include Glodok Market (a cluster of buildings selling information-technology products, electronic goods, hardware and general department-store merchandise) and an interesting shopping bridge linking Jalan Hayam Wuruk and Jalan Gajah. Sightseers should pay a visit to the two old Buddhist temples Vihara Dharma Bhakti and Da Shi Miao--at Jalan Kemenangan.

This island's position as an idyllic holiday destination and home of the Bidadari Island Resort could not be in greater contrast to its gloomy past. Also known as Pulau Sakit, or Disease Island, this was once the isolated asylum of lepers. A large cemetery on the island has been moved to the neighboring Kelor Island. Memories of the Dutch colonial period linger in the remains of a large fort and a gunpowder cellar. Departure Point: Ancol Marina.