Despite the reputation of the fruit, durian’s flavour will pull you in, such that once you have tried it you get hooked to it. The fruit is much like the capital of Jakarta, a city that keeps you once it draws you in, its beating heart full of vibrancy and passion. The city is compared to New York which is known as The Big Apple, and Indonesia’s equivalent of The Big Apple is known as The Big Durian. Let us look at what you can do in this vibrant city.

Jakarta - Image by Zulvan Kurniawan from Pixabay

Culturally the city of Jakarta is a melting pot of various cultures; the Javanese, Malaysians, Indians, Arabs, Chinese and so many more cultures can be seen in its cuisine and architectural background. With a population of over 10 million people living in the 700 km area, Jakarta is one of the most densely populated capitals in the world. It is a booming city that is filled with a multicultural appeal, heritage and charm. The ideal time to visit Jakarta is during the dry season from June to September. During this time the temperatures range from about 24 degrees Celsius to about 32 degrees Celsius with clear skies and warm weather as opposed to September to January when the weather is humid with heavy rains.

When choosing a place to stay in Jakarta there are a lot of places to select from. You should first decide on what type of place you would like to stay in depending on the activities you want to do and the location you want to stay in. There are hotels and resorts that offer luxurious stays and are perfect for business travellers. As a family, you have even more options such as staying in furnished apartments in Jakarta that are perfect for families who want to stay for an extended period of time. Oakwood Suites La Maison Jakarta is located in one of the best residential districts, Kebayoran Baru and has an unparalleled level of luxury and amenities across all of its apartments which have modern interiors with state-of-the-art appliances. There is easy access to the Gandaria City high-end shopping mall and convenient access to all forms of public transport which makes getting around the city very accessible.

Jakarta can be found on the far end of Western Java and being the capital city it has great accessibility from all modes of transport. Once you get into the city via plane, train or bus you will still have plenty of options to travel with. There are local buses that have a good network connecting all the major hubs throughout Jakarta. Ride-hailing and taxi applications make getting taxis relatively easy and affordable. Although the MRT is relatively new it makes travel quite easier as you can avoid the notoriously bad traffic jams that Jakarta is known for, with the same going for the LRT lines.

Jakarta is a booming city which is overflowing with multicultural appeal and island charm. There are many places that should make your list of sights to see such as the National Museum of Indonesia which is a great place to learn about the history of Indonesia and has many exhibits on the ethnic diversity and culture of Indonesia. The National Monument and Merdeka Square are beautiful sights to see, with a golden flame atop the white column the National Monument is a great place to see the entire city. Jakarta’s Chinatown area can be found in Glodok and is packed with vendors selling a variety of goods as well as having some great street food. The National Maritime Museum which is housed in the old spice warehouses of the Dutch East India Company make a visit to this museum worth a look at.