Jakarta has been called a study in contrasts: traditional and modern; rich and poor; spiritual and wordly stand side by side in this bustling metropolis. Among the 8 million people who call Jakarta home, one find representatives of the many diverse ethnic and cultural groups which shape Indonesia, a reminder of the nation’s motto: ‘Unity in Diverse’.

You may have to search high and low in this multi-cultural collage to find one of the proud ethnic Jakartans, called "Orang Betawi".


Their language.Betawi Malay, has two variations, conventional Betawi Malay, spoken by elder people and bred in Jakarta, and modern Jakarta Malay, a slang form spoken by the younger generation and migrants.

Jakarta is the port of entry for many tourists and business people. It is home to a dynamic contrast between Western-style skyscrapers, modern urban life-styles and traditional Indonesian culture. It’s rapid growth into a metropolitan city reflects the economic, political, social and industrial development of the nation. In recent years, Jakarta has expanded its facilities for visitors with luxury hotels, fine restaurants, exciting nightlife and modern shopping centers. It contains many tourists attractions such as Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful ‘Indonesia in Miniature’ Park), restored colonial period buildings, island resorts in the Pula Seribu (Thousand Island), and an extensive beach recreation complex called Ancol.

Accommodatioin

The capital city has a wide choice of fine hotels which are managed by well known international chains. These include the Jakarta Hilton, The Mandarin Oriental, Sahid Jaya Hotel, Hotel Borobudur Inter-Continenetal, Aryaduta, Grand Hyatt, Hotel Sari Pan Pacific, Hotel Indonesia, President Hotel and independent hotels like Hotel Horison, Jayakarta Tower and Hotel Kartika Chandara. The first five are rated five-star and the remainder four-star. All three and two-star hotels, in Jakarta have air-conditioned rooms, restaurants, bar, room service and laundry with a few exceptions. Most of those in the three-star, category have swimming pools, nightclubs and shopping arcades. Most of the one-star hotels have conditioned rooms, with attached bathrooms telephones and restaurants.

Attractions


Located on the west side of Merdeka square, the National Museum in Indonesia, if not South-east Asia. Established in 1778 by U.M.C. Rademacher under the auspices of the Batavia Association of Arts and Sciences, it offers historicals, prehistorical, archaelogical and ethnographic aspects of Indonesia through its extensive collection of artifacts and relics which date as far back as to the Stone Age. It has one of the most complete collections of bronzes and ceramics dating back to the Han, Tang and Ming Dynasties.

Jakarta : General Information | Attractions | Entertainment | Food & Eat Out