Things to do in  West Java

The Indonesia National Monument (Monas) towers 433 feet (132 meters) above Jakarta’s geographical center, topped with a gilded flame. Designed by Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, it houses a museum of dioramas and an observation platform.

Jakarta’s old port, Sunda Kelapa is a popular stop on any tour of historic Jakarta (or Batavia, as it once was). Wooden 2-masted pinisi sailing ships still moor here, while porters move goods to and fro as they have since the 13th century. Converted warehouses hold the Maritime Museum, and a watchtower and lighthouses stand guard over the bustling harbor.

In the town of Ciater, north of Bandung, West Java, warm steamy waters rise from the earth, heated by the Tangkuban Perahu volcano nearby. A number of resorts and spas channel these hot springs into natural bathing pools, some with attractions such as waterfalls, and all offer admission to guests who would like to spend the day lounging.

Jakarta Chinatown, better known to locals as Glodok, was born after the massacre of 5,000 Chinese in 1740, when the remaining population were moved to a separate settlement outside the city walls. Today it’s a bustling hub where Chinese eateries, temples, street markets, and medicine shops nudge up against electronics stores.

Opened in 1868, in a grand building on Merdeka Square, Indonesia’s National Museum is one of Jakarta’s most fascinating attractions. A rich collection spanning hundreds of thousands of years covers everything from early hominids to the archipelago’s spectacular range of textiles, along with gold, statuary, and architectural models.

A charming escape from downtown Jakarta, the Bogor Botanical Gardens (Kebun Raya) are some of southeast Asia’s oldest educational gardens, officially opening in 1817. More than 15,000 species of plants, including hundreds of palm species, deck 215 acres (87 hectares) of lush green grounds amid the cool, rainy highlands of West Java.

In East Jakarta, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia Mini Park) showcases the sheer diversity of this archipelago of approximately 18,000 islands. The 247-acre (100-hectare) space houses full-scale replicas of homes from different cultures, plus museums, theaters, gardens, a waterpark, an aviary, an IMAX cinema, a cable car, and more.

Once a cool hill-station escape from Jakarta, today Bogor feels more like a suburb of its sister city. Best known for the Bogor Botanical Gardens, which date back over 200 years, it also offers some splendid colonial-era architecture and makes a great jumping-off point for the lush greenery and tea plantations of West Java’s Puncak Highlands.

South of Bandung in West Java, eerie mists cloud dead trees around the pallid waters of an acid crater lake: Kawah Putih (White Crater). More pale turquoise than technically white, Kawah Putih fills the caldera of an extinct volcano. The water is far too acid for swimming, but you can walk out onto a jetty to photograph the unusual site.

Fatahillah Square (Taman Fatahillah) is the heart of the Jakarta Old Town (Kota Tua) with a cobbled square with historic colonial buildings. Notable landmarks include the Cafe Batavia restaurant and bar, Wayang Museum of puppetry, and Jakarta History Museum, housed in the old town hall.

Home to animals from pandas to Komodo dragons, Taman Safari Bogor (Bogor Safari Park) is one of West Java’s most popular animal attractions. It offers safaris, live performances, a range of adventurous theme-park rides, and animal-photo opportunities. Conservation and animal-welfare standards are better here than at many Indonesian zoos.

In a historic building on Fatahillah Square, at the heart of Jakarta’s Old Town, the Wayang Museum is devoted to Indonesia’s rich tradition of puppetry. Puppets are on display from across the archipelago, as well as Asia and Europe, and include shadow puppets, giant costume-style puppets, and rod puppets more similar to those found in the West.

Jakarta’s best-known street market, Jalan Surabaya Flea Market (Pasar Jalan Surabaya) offers a cornucopia of choice, from factory-made junk and (generally) fake antiques to vintage finds. Head here for everything from textiles to jewelry, furniture, old coins, ship salvage, rare vinyls, old typewriters, and ancient cameras.

Jakarta’s middle classes love a good mall as much as any southeast Asian cosmopolitans, and South Jakarta’s Pejaten Village contains many key elements. A medium-size mall, Pejaten Village has junk food by the gallon, popular Indonesian mall brands such as Matahari department stores, and a smattering of international brand names too.

Famous for its lush countryside and strawberry orchards, the Bandung region of Ciwidey provides a respite from West Java’s humid lowlands with its cool climate. Its biggest claim to fame is the White Crater (Kawah Putih), a crater lake filled with turquoise water and surrounded by tree-covered cliffs.