Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia, located on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is a huge, heavily populated city divided into five districts. The traffic is continually in gridlock making it difficult to get around.

Jakarta is one of Asia's most exciting cities. There is plenty to do, from cosmopolitan shopping at Plaza Senayan to one of the hippest nightlife scenes in Southeast Asia. Attractions include the National Monument towers 140m (450ft) above the Merdeka Square, the Central Museum and the Portuguese Church. The modern Istiqlal Mosque in the city center is one of the largest in the world. There is also an antiques market on Jalan Surabaya and batik factories in the Karet. Throughout the island, puppet shows are staged in which traditional wayang golak and wayang kulit marionettes act out stories based on well-known legends; performances can sometimes last all night.

Things to see and do

* Istiqlal Mosque
* Taman Mini Indonesia Indah - Park Life
* Merdeka Square
* Jarkarta History Museum
* Old port of Sunda Kelapa

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - Rupiah (Rp)
Language - Balinese, Indonesian
Land Area - 662.3 sq km's
Population - 9,600,000
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT plus seven hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 62

Port Location - Tanjung Priok port is located north of the city of Jakarta.

Transport Links - International and nearly all domestic flights land at Soekarno Hatta International Airport at Tangerang, Banten, 20 km (12 miles) to the northwest of the city. Several international airlines, including Garuda, Qantas, KLM, Lufthansa and Air New Zealand, fly into Jakarta, as do several domestic airlines.

Boat is also a popular way of getting around once in Indonesia; many services run from Jakarta to destinations throughout Indonesia.

Jakarta has an excellent bus network, or you can get around in a taxis of Bajaj (motorised rickshaw).