Things to see in Jakarta

South East Asia’s lucrative spice trade made Jakarta’s ports what they are today. Though it was the Portuguese who first forayed into the archipelago in the early 16th century, the Dutch conquest of Java swelled the coffers of the Dutch East India Company as the islands’ bounty of spice was exploited. Much of this history was left forgotten, but the Maritime Museum offers a sore glimpse into Indonesia’s dark colonial past. Located near the entrance of Sunda Kelapa, the Maritime Museum may appear to be empty, but there is a lot information to take in, including several perplexing nautical instruments and many traditional Indonesian vessels.

Wayangkulit (shadow puppetry) is one of the oldest storytelling traditions in the world whose evolution could be attributed to Javanese animism, Islamic teachings and Hindu mythology. Sitting on the western flank of Fatahillah Square in Kota, is Jakarta’s very own Wayang Museum. Though once a place of Christian worship for Dutch settlers, the old building now offers visitors the chance to marvel one of Indonesia’s greatest cultural commodities. Upon entering, you’ll see old and dusty puppet cases and labels without English translations, before the second floor displays an international mix of puppets, from countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Poland. Enquire at the front desk about the museum’s occasional puppet shows.

Its slogan ‘Indonesian Charm’ befits one of Jakarta’s most enjoyable haunts - The Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park (Taman Mini Indonesia Indah). Opened in 1975 on a 100-hectare (247-acre) plot of land, the park was designed to be a microcosm of the entire archipelago, with each of Indonesia’s original 27 provinces (plus an extra six since 1999) represented by its own pavilion bearing traditional architecture. Inside each pavilion are crafts, clothing and many other cultural tidbits. Water parks, museums and bird sanctuaries are also scattered across mini-Indonesia. Some pavilions offer traditional local cuisine and dance performances from selected provinces. Though it may not shed light on each of Indonesia’s 700 languages spoken by 300 ethnic groups, it does serve as an adequate crash course on what to expect should you choose to use Jakarta as a jumping-off point for other Indonesian destinations.

Not far from Merdeka Square is Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in South East Asia. Opened in 1978 during Soeharto’s reign, the mosque is noted for having four balconies overlooking a large rectangular prayer hall, held up by 12 round columns. Its dome is conspicuous at a great distance and the central sahn (courtyard) can hold a mind-bending 120,000 worshippers. As in every other mosque in the world, shoes must be taken off at the main entrance and ladies must enter with their heads covered. Unless worshipping, arrive outside ofsalat (prayer) hours as it can get pretty busy. Non-Muslims are refrained from entering certain areas.