Jakarta Travel Guide

Day Trips

Bogor Botanical Gardens: about an hour’s drive south of Jakarta lies the hill station of Bogor and its world famous botanical gardens. The extensive beautifully landscaped garden is brimming with lotus ponds, streams and over 15,000 species of trees and plants. The orchid house is amazing as it houses more than 3,000 orchid varieties. The garden was officially opened in 1817. Interesting sites to visit within the park include ancient statues and the Presidential Palace.

Batutulis: the 700 year old Prasasti Batutulis (Prasasti Inscribed Stone) was discovered in a shrine. The stone is inscribed in an ancient Palawa script. Batutulis and the Prasasti Batutulis was the scene of controversy in 2002 when a Cabinet Minister, without permission from the proper authorities, instructed the villagers to dig out the stones. Apparently, a psychic had told the Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agiel Munawar that treasures, enough to pay off Indonesia’s foreign debt, was buried under one of the stones. The whole affair turned into a scandal and caused some embarrassment to the minister and the government.

Pulau Dua Bird Sanctuary: visitors can reach the island of Pulau Dua by boat, which is a 30 minute journey from Banten. It is also possible to walk across the mud walls of fish ponds which connect to the small island. The sanctuary is home to over 50 species of fish eating birds including herons, storks and cormorants. March and July are the best times to visit the island as migratory birds from parts of Africa, Asia and Australia flock here for the breeding season.

Pelababuhan Ratu Beach: holiday makers from Jakarta and Bandung favour this charming seaside resort because of its white sandy beaches that are fringed by tropical forests and gentle hills. Once a small fishing village, it has now developed into a little town with many hotels and restaurants.