Top 5 Fun Things To Do In & Around Jakarta, Indonesia

things to do in jakarta
Tejo
Tejo 
Updated
| 5 min read

Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city, is a big, vibrant metropolitan city with lots of choices of entertainment and there are surely many fun activities to do, both in Jakarta, and places around Jakarta Province (the city of Jakarta is a part of Jakarta Province).

Going to malls sounds too ordinary, but venturing to Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) by a speedboat, enjoying the nature at Bogor Botanical Garden, visiting a safari park in Bogor, the mini Disneyland ‘Dufan’, and Taman National Indonesia Indah (TMII), a huge park that displays the culture of each ethnic group in Indonesia, are the cool activities you and your family can do while in the Jakarta area.

1. See Indonesia at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII)

things to do in jakarta | see indonesia at taman mini indonesia indah (tmii)

Indonesia is the world’s 5th most populous country, and it is one of the countries with the most diverse ethnic groups in the world. If you are lucky enough to be in Jakarta, to be able to learn more about these tribes, you don’t need to go to various places in the country, as the traditions, clothing and architecture of all Indonesia’s tribes from 33 provinces are represented in separate areas of ‘Taman Mini Indonesia Indah’ (TMII, Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park, or The Mini Garden of Beautiful Indonesia).

The feathery clothing of the Dayak tribe in Kalimantan, the pointed roof tips of tribal houses from Sumatra and the lively dance of Asmat tribe in Papua are just a few of the hundreds of cultural things you can see in TMII! Don’t miss viewing the miniature of the Indonesian archipelago from above, from inside a cable car. It’s like seeing a giant map of Indonesia with real land and water!

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2. Have fun at the fantasy world, ‘Dunia Fantasi’

things to do in jakarta | have fun at the fantasy world, ‘dunia fantasi’

Is there a Disneyland-like amusement park in Jakarta? If Hong Kong and Tokyo have Disneyland, in Jakarta you’ll find an amusement park called Dufan (it stands for Dunia Fantasi, meaning the fantasy world), which always has new attractions every year. Every amusement park typically has roller coasters and other adrenaline-pumping attractions, but each theme park always has attractions that others don’t have.

In Dufan, you will find different attractions from other amusement parks such as the ride called ‘Ice Age Sid’s Arctic Tour’ (such a ride can also be found only in Germany!). On this ride, you will have a bumpy ride through a cave with a river and walls of ice, and see some scenes taken from the Ice Age movies, an animation film talking about the danger of global warming, played by animated animal characters.

Also, don’t miss the newest ride ‘Dragon Slide’, where you will travel down through a 142-meter-long (465.88 feet) winding tube from the height of 14.8 meters (48.56 feet) into the pool below (be prepared to get wet!).

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3. Cruise, snorkel, and trek around Thousand Islands

things to do in jakarta | cruise, snorkel, and trek around thousand islands

Thousand Islands isn’t just the name of a popular sweet and sour, orange salad dressing, but it’s also the name of a cluster of more than 1,000 inhabited and uninhabited islands north of Jakarta (isn’t it surprising to find uninhabited islands near a big metropolitan city like Jakarta?).

What can we do around these islands? Well, lots of things! From fishing, diving and taking a sunset cruise on the sea, to trekking, seeing a Dutch fortresses and the underwater aquarium, and staying in a resort on 1 of the islands, these are unimaginable activities – especially if you haven’t heard about these islands.

Surely, there are certain islands tourists can go, such as Ayer and Princess Islands, but where can we rent the boat? Well, you don’t need to worry about it as there are many travel organizers in Jakarta that provides many different packages for you to choose.

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4. Go to a safari park

things to do in jakarta | go to a safari park

Where do most of the Jakartans spend their holidays, you ask? There is an undisputable answer for that, it’s Bogor! This isn’t too surprising as Bogor is the only city near Jakarta (about less than an hour’s drive) that has cooler weather and many attractions. In Bogor, you’ll find activities like the Safari Park in Bogor’s Cisarua District (called Taman Safari), where you and your kids will be refreshed.

When you are in Jakarta, the Taman Safari park is the place to go for a safari park, as Indonesia’s other 2 safari parks are in East Java and Bali. Taman Safari has collections of more than 2000 animal species, including komodo dragons and Australian kangaroos!

The highlight is viewing the free-roaming wild animals from inside your car (or a shuttle bus). You can also feed some of the herbivores with carrots you bought before entering the park from one of the hawkers. There is also an animal circus (e.g. elephant and dolphin shows), night safari, amusement park (e.g. roller coaster, haunted house etc.) and the baby zoo, where you can hold a baby tiger and have your photos taken with it.

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Jakarta Tour Guide

Emir Yamin

Emir Yamin

<p>When it comes to travel, the journey isn&#39;t just about reaching a destination; it&#39;s about the experiences you gather along the way. While big group tours might be the conventional choice, opting for a local guide can elevate your travel adventure to new heights. That&#39;s why I&#39;ve decided to become a tour guide.</p><p>During my tenure as the Chief of Media Relations, I had the opportunity to travel extensively and host numerous visitors from Indonesia. This experience not only fueled my passion for exploration but also equipped me with in-depth knowledge about Indonesia, inspiring me to contribute to the tourism sector.</p><p>My expertise in tourism is rooted in my genuine interests. I have a deep love for trying new foods, leading me to discover amazing places with incredible culinary delights. Beyond gastronomy, I am passionate about nightlife, exploring the unique offerings each city has after dark. Additionally, I find joy in driving around, immersing myself in new cultures, and savoring new culinary experiences.</p><p>These experiences have left an indelible mark on me, and I am eager to share the richness of each city&#39;s culture, food, and nightlife with all of you. Join me on a journey where every tour is not just a trip; it&#39;s a collection of unforgettable moments.</p>

Tours by Emir

Jakarta Tour Guide

Dori Januhari

Dori Januhari

I am a legal and licensed tourist guide from Indonesia. I have been guiding for 20 years. I live in Jakarta, Indonesia, but I have traveled to many places in the country. My guiding areas are Java, Bali, and Lombok Island. I obtained my license from the Indonesia Tourism Ministry. On days when there is no tour, I work as an English and German private teacher, teaching mathematics and science physics. I'll be happy to guide and ready to show you the magnificent places in Indonesia.

Tours by Dori

Jakarta Tour Guide

toni kenpachi

Toni Kenpachi

Hello my name is Toni and I live in Jakarta- Indonesia, I've been working as a Tour Guide since 2008, I have licensed from Jakarta City Government Tourism Office, I choose to be a Tourist guide due to my background education because I graduated from Tourism Academy, I'll be glad to assist your trip in Indonesia especially in Jakarta and surrounding areas also if you would like to do overland tour from Jakarta to Bali I'll be glad to assist your trip too, there will be more interesting places to visit and I'll glad taking you to see those places, please do not hesitate to contact me.

5. Relax and learn some flora at Bogor Botanical Gardens

relax and learn some flora at bogor botanical gardens

Another interesting destination in Bogor is the Bogor Botanical Gardens, located in the center of the city. It doesn’t cost much to enter this garden (25,000 IDR or 1.90 USD), but for that amount of money you’ll get to enjoy some peace, fresh air, and you will also learn the classifications of many plants. In the safari park you can find many kinds of animals, in here you will find more than 10,000 kinds of tropical plants.

This garden was founded by a Dutch governor in 1817 and it is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Asia. Plants are clustered according to their classification or origin (e.g. orchid garden, Mexican garden etc.) and all these plants are free to photograph!

From inside the compound, you can also see a white building with Dutch architecture (e.g. tall pillars, tall roof, big doors and windows etc.) named the Presidential Palace, or Istana Presiden in Indonesian. This is the place where the president of Indonesia occasionally stays for recreational purposes. You will also get to see many deer roaming around the palace, and you know what? Although you can’t enter the palace, you can feed these lovely animals from outside the palace’s fence with carrots!

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Shop for some skincare at Sociolla

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

Source: Shierly Octaviana

The year 2019 marks the first time I saw Sociolla in Lippo Mall Puri, yet, we can trace Sociolla’s history as Indonesia’s most trusted leading beauty platform since 2015. Since then, it has committed itself to providing the best beauty products, such as skincare, makeup, tools, feminine hygiene products, and others, to its customers. Moreover, it has been empowering Indonesian SMEs by emphasizing that their products are Sociolla’s main focus.

Here, you will find several beauty brands such as ESQA and Jacquelle, as well as international brands such as Kose, Cocoon Dak Lak Coffee Series, and Skintific, which is also my favorite brand here. Depending on your skin needs, you can always consult the beauty advisors dressed in pink for the best products.

Sociolla is a decent Indonesian-made beauty shop with considerable features you might never find in your city. Some of these are:

  1. The store's impression from the outside is like a large pink capsule floating inside the shopping mall, which aligns with their role as the "Galaxy Angel" to tourists wishing to beautify themselves during their stay in Jakarta.
  2. You can play games to earn a voucher that will be deducted from your total payment! All you need to do is download the SOCO App from the Play Store and verify your account. You can also earn points when you write reviews about your purchased beauty products, as well as help them save the environment by bringing your beauty product empties to nearby stores!

Unwind in the green areas of Central Park Mall

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

Source: Shierly Octaviana

Jakarta is well-known for its developed shopping malls and buildings, and Central Park Mall in the West Jakarta area is one of them. Many visitors struggle to get out of the shopping mall after entering the building. As for me, I enter through the bus stop’s connecting bridge to the shopping mall and exit through Neo Soho, another shopping mall steps away from Central Park Mall. Although the entry and exit can be a little challenging to find, the “go-green” areas are worth your time and effort!

Here are some interesting facts on Central Park Mall’s greenest areas:

  1. It's a bicycle-friendly zone! Look at the bicycle parking and the colorful worm-shaped "Save The Water" themed areas for the bicycle.
  2. If you're tired of Jakarta's hustle-bustle and the city's private transportation, you'll get some relief at the mall's indoor forests and green areas at the front.
  3. The mall is decorated with "go-green" forests and it's very calming to view them from the top.
  4. The Zen koi pond with peaceful-looking wooden blocks for the bridge is another point of interest in this shopping mall. You can see the koi swimming peacefully amid the stunning-looking algae and surrounded by houseplants. This spot is located just below Kitchenette and Pizza e Birra, two restaurants by Ismaya Group combined into one building made from bricks to intensify the rustic and earthy feel. Note that these are the only restaurants in this area.

Most event organizers love to book these areas as it encourages crowds, including international tourists, to come and see how green the shopping mall is compared to the malls in other cities. You will also see many pedestrians with kids around this area in Central Park Mall! The more you walk through these spots, the more healthy and energized you will feel.

Grab spoonfuls of alcoholic ice cream at Tipsy Cream

Contributed by Trip101 Local Expert, Shierly Octaviana

Source: Shierly Octaviana

Are you in the mood for spoonfuls of alcoholic ice cream while you stay in Jakarta? Then, visit the nearest shopping mall and try Tipsy Cream! It comes in various flavors, including Yakult Lychee Soju, Strawberry Pink Gin, and B52 Cocktail. By soju, gin, and cocktail, I mean the actual cocktail! Also, if your hotel room has a fridge, you can purchase the ice cream jars for your night-time guilty pleasure.

One cup of ice cream with one flavor is priced at IDR 49,500. By the way, it’s a cashless branch.

Going to Bandung is a good idea too

The activities mentioned above are just a few of the things you can do in and around Jakarta. If you want to go further south, there is another big city named Bandung, the capital city of the neighboring West Java Province with many very nice attractions such as the crater of Mount Tangkuban Perahu and Trans Studio theme park.

Although it doesn’t belong to the same province, it takes only about 2 hours to get there from Jakarta by car. So whether you have one or three days in Jakarta, there are many fun activities for you to do, both in and around the city.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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A versatile individual, Tejos nutures a passion for travel, writing, translation, and teaching. With expertise in crafting articles spanning diverse subjects, he specializes in travel, business,...Read more

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