2 days in Jakarta

Day by day

1. Day 1: National Monument (Monas) and Istiqlal Mosque

   National Monument (Monas), Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta Cathedral and National Museum of Indonesia, then M Bloc Space in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Monument (Monas)

      A diorama museum in the base tells Indonesia's history, and a lift climbs to an observation platform overlooking the city.

   2. Late morning

      Istiqlal Mosque

      Volunteers lead free tours for visitors outside prayer times.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Soto Betawi

      Long-established soto stalls and Betawi restaurants across the city, especially in Central and South Jakarta.

   4. Afternoon

      Jakarta Cathedral

      Its upstairs museum displays colonial-era religious objects.

   5. Late afternoon

      National Museum of Indonesia

      It reopened in 2024 after restoration work.

   6. Evening

      M Bloc Space

      Come after dark, when the courtyard fills with young Jakartans and music venues open.

2. Day 2: Fatahillah Square and Jakarta History Museum and Wayang Museum

   Fatahillah Square and Jakarta History Museum, Wayang Museum, Sunda Kelapa harbour and Glodok and Petak Sembilan, then SCBD and Senopati in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Fatahillah Square and Jakarta History Museum

      Vendors rent brightly painted bicycles with matching hats for rides around the square.

   2. Late morning

      Wayang Museum

      Puppet performances are held on some weekends.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Kerak telor

      Street vendors at Kota Tua, Setu Babakan, Monas and the annual Jakarta Fair.

   4. Afternoon

      Sunda Kelapa harbour

      Nearby, the Maritime Museum occupies Dutch East India Company warehouses, and the old Syahbandar watchtower once controlled ship traffic.

   5. Late afternoon

      Glodok and Petak Sembilan

      Vihara Dharma Bhakti, founded in 1650 and restored after a fire, is among the oldest Chinese temples in the city, and Gang Gloria is a narrow alley of old-style food stalls.

   6. Evening

      SCBD and Senopati

      Cocktail bars, rooftop lounges and the city's best-known clubs.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Museum MACAN (West Jakarta): Check the exhibition calendar before going, and book a timed slot for the children's space at weekends.
• Swap in Textile Museum (West Jakarta): Book a batik workshop to try the wax-resist technique and take your piece home.
• Swap in National Gallery of Indonesia (Merdeka Square): Combine it with Istiqlal and the Cathedral, both a short walk north.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–15 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.8 hours in May to 12.5 hours in December.

Getting between stops: Metro. The MRT North–South line runs from Lebak Bulus in the south through Blok M, Senayan and Sudirman to Bundaran HI, with clean, air-conditioned trains; the LRT Jabodebek and KRL commuter trains serve other routes, including Jakarta Kota station for the old town.

More or fewer days

• One day in Jakarta
• 3 days in Jakarta

Questions travellers ask