Day 1 in Jakarta

Welcome to Jakarta! Upon arrival at the airport, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do!

We recommend you get acquainted with the city, take a leisurely stroll around the quaint cobblestone streets of Kota Tua, Jakarta`s Historic Old City, which dates back to the time of the Dutch occupation in the 1600s. Beautiful colonial buildings line the streets here, where the former town hall stands. This is a great location to get your bearings, you can rent a bike to cycle around, visit one of the many museums located here and sit down for a good meal.

Cafe Batavia is housed in a 200-year-old building with a unique prohibition era feel to it, decorated with old framed photographs on the walls with live music downstairs. Enjoy some lunch here with refreshments and take in the authentic atmosphere.

After lunch, check out the Jin De Yuan Temple located in Jakarta`s Chinatown, this large Buddhist temple dates back to 1650, it is the oldest Chinese Buddhist temple found in the city. Destroyed during the massacre of 1740 and rebuilt in 1755, the main building has an unusual roof crowned by two dragons eating pearls and the richly decorated interior features Buddha statues, ancient bells and drums, and some wonderful calligraphy.

Make your way to `Monas` the National Monument located in Freedom Square, this is the city`s signature landmark and a symbol of Indonesian independence and national pride. The 450-foot tall monument is made of Italian marble and stands in Merdeka Square, the largest city squares in the world, covering 185 acres.

Head up to the observation deck at the top of the tower which is a `flame` made from 110 lbs of fold foil, soak in the spectacular views across the city. Then visit the historical museum at the base of the monument with dioramas that portray the dramatic story of Indonesian history.

Check out the National Gallery of Indonesia, this art gallery and museum has existed as a cultural institution in the field of visual arts since May 8, 1999. The museum houses 1,770 artworks by Indonesian and foreign artists, some of the most notable being Raden Saleh, Affandi, Basuki Abdullah, Victor Vasarely, Sonia Delaunay, and Zao Wou Ki. There is an open-air cafe found in the 18th century Dutch building, sit down and enjoy a refreshment and snacks.

Do some shopping! Jakarta is a shopper 's paradise filled with over 150 malls and market places. Shop the magnificent glitzy malls for international brands and luxury labels or check out the bustling markets filled with shops and stalls selling anything and everything at budget prices.

As evening approaches you can you can make your way down to `Sunda Kelapa` the 500-year-old port of Jakarta. This is a great place to capture a sunset and see the traditional vibrantly painted wooden sailing shops.

Enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants found along the waterfront, there is a wide range of food options to be found in the city of Jakarta, including Chinese, Japanese and International cuisine. After dinner, check out one of the many unique bars and lounges found throughout Jakarta, there are some amazing rooftop bars that provide stunning sights over the city at night.

Day 2 in Jakarta

Head out for a hearty breakfast in the city before stopping to check out the magnificent Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art or MACAN. This is the first museum of its kind in Indonesia and was included in the `World`s 100 Greatest Places` in 2018 by Time Magazine. The museum houses Indonesian and International art spread throughout a 4,000 square meter space. It displays around 90 works of modern and contemporary art from a collection of over 800 pieces.

Next up check out the National Museum of Indonesia, which sits opposite the `Monas` monument in Merdeka Square. The building features a bronze elephant statues outside that was gifted by Siamese King Chulalongkorn in 1871. This museum is the pride of the city housing a vast collection of 109,342 objects covering the Prehistory, Archaeology, Geography, Ethnography and Historical Relics of Indonesia. Visit the small cafe located on the basement level for snacks and refreshments, then stop by the souvenir shop.

Grab some lunch at one of the many street food eateries found around Merdeka Square, you can grab something to go and sit in the vibrant park that surrounds the popular square.

The Merdeka Palace is one of six presidential palaces in Indonesia, set on the north side of Merdeka Square in the heart of Jakarta. This is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, the palace sits on 17 acres of land and includes the Presidential Palace Complex and several other buildings.

Walk around the neighborhoods surrounding Merdeka Square and see the beautiful Jakarta Cathedral, which dates back to 1901, made of thick red brick it features a neo-gothic style architecture and is easily recognizable by its twin ivory colored spires. Step inside and see the 196-foot long central aisle.

Check out the majestic Istiqlal Mosque, which is the largest mosque found in Southeast Asia, it is the national mosque of Indonesia that was built to commemorate Indonesian Independence. `Istiqlal` translates to `Independence` in Arabic. Visit the main prayer hall topped by a 147 foot tall central spherical dome supported by 12 round columns and 4 levels of balconies.

Head to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, which translates to `Beautiful Indonesia in Little Park` which consists of 26 exclusive replicas of traditional houses of chieftains that are found throughout the Indonesian archipelago. The park covers 100 hectares decorated with full-scale traditional houses and traditional handicrafts displays and clothing and a mini-scale Borobudur. The Museum of Indonesia, IMAX, the Bird Park, the Water Park, and accommodations are on site.

Visit the Jakarta Kite Museum, a family-friendly museum that houses a large collection of over 600 kites, the first of its kind in Indonesia. The museum is housed in a traditional Indonesian house featuring a courtyard, a colorful cozy place which gives visitors the opportunity to decorate and take home their own kite.

Head out for dinner at one of the many fine restaurants in the city and try some Indonesian cuisine such as sate (satay), Gado-Gado (mixed vegetable salad with rice and peanut sauce) and nasi goreng (fried rice).

After dinner, check out the nightlife in Jakarta with a variety of entertainment options such as bars, clubs, and karaoke. Plaza Senayan has an Arcadia annex that is filled with places to eat, drink and dance with several boutiques and shops.

Additional Days in Jakarta

If you are able to spend additional days in Jakarta take a day trip to the Thousand Islands that surround Jakarta, Pulau Seribu in Indonesia offers beautiful serene beaches, coves, and inlets which can be reached by a boat ride and island hop and enjoy the sights of paradise.

Jakarta is the host of many festivals throughout the year including the Jalan Jaksa Festival, an art festival to preserve Betawi arts with performances and art shows held at the many performing art centers in the city.

Jakarta International Film Festival, Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival, Jakarta Fashion Week, Jakarta Fashion and Food Festival and the Jakarta Fair are amongst some other fun festivals to check out in the city. The Jakarta Fair is an annual event in Kemayoran which celebrates Jakarta`s anniversary on June 22nd, there are 40 fun-filled days of entertainment, exhibitions and culinary feasts to experience.

Your Last Day in Jakarta

Depart from your hotel to the airport for your return flight home. We recommend that you purchase a private transfer to the airport if so the representative will meet you at your hotel with plenty of time to get you to the airport for your flight out.