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solomonsolomon — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:38:24 +0000

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Monas Tower, an icon of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia

solomonsolomon — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:00:00 +0000

Around Jakarta

solomonsolomon — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 23:00:00 +0000

Jakarta – Indonesia’s bustling capital and home to over 8 million people (although estimates do vary greatly) – dates back to the fifth century AD. The first confirmed record of inhabitants in the area comes from a Tugu inspection which refers to a community of the Tarumanegara kingdom living along the coast near what later became known as Sunda Kelapa. The city was officially founded in 1527, when the harbour town of Sunda Kelapa was renamed Jayakarta (meaning great victory) by the conquering prince Fatahillah. Less than a hundred years later the Dutch East Indies Company began to establish trading operations in the area with the permission of Fatahillah. Building warehouses and forts, the Dutch consolidated their position until war broke out between Britain and Holland. On may 30, 1619, Dutch forces mustering at Onrust island in the Jakarta Bay, launched an all-out attack on the port. Consequently, Jayakarta was completely destroyed, taken over and renamed Batavia. Dutch colonial control continued until World War II when Japanese occupying forces took over. At the end of the war with the Indonesian declaration of Merdeka or Independence, the city’s name was finally changed to Jakarta.

Today Jakarta is a modern metropolitan melting pot of old and new and reflects its vast history and diverse influences in its people, cultures and architecture – hailing from the far-flung corners of the archipelago. Jakartans comprise 300 different ethnic groups speaking at least 200 different languages, not to mention influences from other ethnic groups, such as Arab, Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch among others. From the Stadhuis and other Dutch colonial buildings in the old district of Kota, to Chinese temples in the maze of back alleys and markets around Glodok, to the soaring dome of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque, Istiqlal, and the skyscraping towers in the central business district, Jakarta’s skyline is as varied as it is fascinating.

For tourists, Jakarta offers a treasure trove of attractions, shopping, museums, golf, fine dining and nightlife that have made it one of Southeast Asia’s best-kept secrets. An economic boom in the mid-nineties led to the construction of dozens of first-class hotels, some of which are rated as the best in the region – good news for business travelers to the capital who can have their pick of Jakarta’s 20,000 hotel rooms at cut rates rates.

Another highlight of any trip to Jakarta is the food. The city offers a fantastic range of restaurants with every type of cuisine from Brazilian to Turkish to Korean, and everything in between. Some of the finest restaurants are to be found in the city’s superlative hotels, with a sprinkling of excellent independent restaurants. For seekers of fine dinning a good place to start is the area of Kemang in South Jakarta which boast the highest density of restaurants and cafes in the city. However great restaurants can be found just about anywhere. With the aid of a dining guide such as “Jakarta Dining”, the city is your oyster.

Source:
GARUDA, The Inflight Magazine of Garuda Indonesia

Special thanks to:
Garuda Indonesia (http://www.garuda-indonesia.com)

solomon | solomon

Hello world!

Monas Tower, an icon of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia

Around Jakarta