TAMAN SAFARI - A Must For Nature Lovers
Just over an hour away from busy Jakarta, nestling in the mountainous region of Cisarua lies Taman Safari, a nature park that allows visitors to observe animals at close quarters. A more beautiful and fitting setting could not have been chosen for the park. The toll road to Cisarua is flanked on either side by wildly flowering bougainvillea, that gives way to the spectacular Javanese countryside, generously dotted with coconut palms. Paddy fields stretch out to the horizon, and as one gets closer to the mountains, the impressive silhouette of Mount Gede can seen standing sentinel over the lush green landscape. (more details)

PULAU SERIBU (Thousand Islands)
Pulau Seribu means "Thousand Islands" and refer to the 140 or so small islands situated in Jakarta Bay just north of the city - the islands are actually part of the Jakarta municipality. These tiny islands can best be seen from a plane just after takeoff from Jakarta's Soekarno -Hatta Airport. Some islands are located as far north as the Java Sea. Only seven of the islands are populated, the rest are covered with coconut palms, shrubs, historic ruins, and such beautiful beaches of white sand that it's difficult to believe that Jakarta is only a short boat ride away. As early as the 17th century, this popular island group was connected to Batavia by daily ferries, and is still a sought-after destination for both recreational and historical reasons. (more details)

PELABUHAN RATU
Don't try to rent room number 308 at the Samudra Beach Hotel in Pelabuhan Ratu. A guest has already been in residence there for years. Her name is Princess Nyi Loro Kidul - and she's dead. (more details)

REVOLUTIONARY AND PATRIOTIC SITES

NATIONAL AWAKENING MUSEUM
On Jalan Abdul Rahman Saleh. Also known as the Gedung Kebangkitan Nasional. On 20 May, 1908(now known as "National Awakening Day"), students of the Stovia Medical School founded the first modern national independence movement. Budi Utomo, here. A fine example of tropical Jakarta architecture, it now houses a small historical museum and library. Open 09.00 - 14.00

ASRAMA PEMUDA INDONESIA
At Jalan Gedung Joang 45, the revolutionary youth of Jakarta planned the Proclamation of Independence here in 1945 after the Japanese surrender. It's now a museum.

YOUTH OATH BUILDING
At Jalan Kramat Raya 106. Also called Gedung Sumpah Pemuda. On 28 October, 1928, students first pledged "One Country, One People, One Language" here. This famous oath ignited the desire for freedom in the populace of Java and it became an underground battle cry.

GEDUNG JOANG '45
Interesting historical artifacts and papers and an extensive collection of photographs from the independence era. A visit to the back of the museum will reveal a collection of cars from the 1930s and 40s that were used to usher around VIPs, including Soekarno, Indonesia's first president. Jalan Menteng Raya 31. Open daily 09.00 - 14.00 expect Monday and Friday.

GEDUNG PERINTIS KEMERDEKAAN
The proclamation of Independence was first read in the garden of this site on 17 August, 1945 by soon-to-be President Soekarno at the urging of students who had kidnapped himat gun-point. The original building, now destroyed, was lived in by Soekarno during the Japanese occupation. A large memorial stone (Batu Peringatan Proklamasi) and statues of Soekarno and Hatta now commemorate the event. On Jalan Proklamasi 56. Open daily 08.00-16.00.

LUBANG BUAYA
Lubang Buaya means "Crocodile Hole". This massive monument commemorates the seven Indonesian Officers who were tortured and killed on 30 September 1965 during the alleged communist coup d'etat, their multilated bodies ignominiously stuffed down a well (lubang). The official name is Pancasila Sakti. Replicas of the murdered officers stand on top of a wall. The Lubang Buaya itself is built upon a pendopo; - remember to take your shoes off as if you entering a masque. In front of the monument is a parade field where military ceremonies take place, in memory of the ghastly event.