With kids · Jakarta · Indonesia
Jakarta with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Herryz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Jakarta's family appeal is mostly indoors and in big parks: theme parks at Ancol, Taman Mini's cultural pavilions, Ragunan Zoo and huge malls with play areas. Heat and traffic make it best to plan one major outing a day. Top picks: Ancol Dreamland, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and Ragunan Zoo. Families usually base themselves in Thamrin and Bundaran HI.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Thamrin and Bundaran HI
- Rainy-day options
- 2
Best things to do with kids
Theme park · Ancol
1.Ancol Dreamland
A seafront leisure complex in North Jakarta with the Dunia Fantasi (Dufan) amusement park, SeaWorld Ancol aquarium, a water park and promenades along the bay.
Visit on a weekday; public holidays and weekends bring very long queues.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
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Theme park · East Jakarta
2.Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
A large culture park with traditional houses representing Indonesia's provinces around a lake laid out as a map of the archipelago, plus museums, gardens, temples and a cable car. It was revitalised and reopened in 2023.
Rent a bicycle or use the shuttle buses; the park is far too big to walk in the heat.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- History
Zoo · South Jakarta
3.Ragunan Zoo
A large, shady zoo in South Jakarta with Indonesian wildlife including Komodo dragons and orangutans, and the Schmutzer Primate Centre for gorillas and other primates.
Go on a weekday morning; at weekends the zoo is very crowded with local families.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Landmark · Merdeka Square
4.National Monument (Monas)
The 132-metre obelisk topped by a gilded flame stands in the centre of Merdeka Square, a vast park of lawns and deer. A diorama museum in the base tells Indonesia's history, and a lift climbs to an observation platform overlooking the city.
Arrive early for the lift, which has limited capacity and long queues by late morning, and avoid the midday heat on the open square.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
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Historic site · Kota Tua and Glodok
5.Fatahillah Square and Jakarta History Museum
The cobbled square at the heart of old Batavia is framed by the 1710 city hall, now the Jakarta History Museum, with Dutch furniture, maps and the dungeons beneath. Vendors rent brightly painted bicycles with matching hats for rides around the square.
Come in the late afternoon when the heat eases and locals arrive, then eat at the colonial-era Café Batavia on the square.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Kids
Gallery · West Jakarta
6.Museum MACAN
Indonesia's first international museum of modern and contemporary art shows rotating exhibitions of Indonesian and international artists in a converted tower in Kebon Jeruk, with an interactive children's art space.
Check the exhibition calendar before going, and book a timed slot for the children's space at weekends.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Popular exhibitions sell timed tickets online; weekends can sell out.
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Wayang Museum — Ask at the entrance whether a performance is scheduled during your visit.
- Museum MACAN — Check the exhibition calendar before going, and book a timed slot for the children's space at weekends.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, luxury and families
Thamrin and Bundaran HI
Jalan Thamrin runs from Merdeka Square to the Bundaran HI roundabout, lined with international hotels and the Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia malls. The MRT's Bundaran HI terminus and TransJakarta corridor 1 make it the most practical base for first-time visitors, with the National Monument a 10-minute ride away.
- Good
- MRT and bus links to most sights; Large malls for heat and rain; Wide hotel choice
- Watch out
- Busy roads and limited street life; Traffic jams at rush hour
- Nearby
- Grand Indonesia, National Monument, National Museum of Indonesia, Selamat Datang Monument
Family travel tips
- Visit outdoor sights early in the morning to avoid the heat and afternoon storms.
- Malls such as Grand Indonesia have family rooms, play areas and food courts for breaks.
- Use Bluebird or ride-hailing cars rather than motorbike taxis with children.
- Avoid Ancol and Taman Mini on public holidays and school-holiday weekends.
- Pack insect repellent, especially in the wet season.
Day trips for families
- Bogor (About 1–1.5 hours by commuter train) — Bogor's Botanical Gardens, laid out in 1817, cover about 87 hectares of tropical collections, palms and orchids next to the Presidential Palace, whose lawns are home to herds of spotted deer.
- Thousand Islands (About 1–2.5 hours by boat) — A chain of small coral islands in the Java Sea north of the city.
- Taman Safari Indonesia (About 2–2.5 hours by car) — A drive-through safari park in Cisarua on the slopes of Mount Gede, where visitors see animals from their vehicle, plus animal shows and a walk-through section.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–September. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Jakarta good for kids?
Jakarta's family appeal is mostly indoors and in big parks: theme parks at Ancol, Taman Mini's cultural pavilions, Ragunan Zoo and huge malls with play areas. Heat and traffic make it best to plan one major outing a day.
+What can kids do in Jakarta?
Ancol Dreamland, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Ragunan Zoo, National Monument (Monas) and Fatahillah Square and Jakarta History Museum.
+Where should families stay in Jakarta?
Thamrin and Bundaran HI: Central hotels and malls around the Selamat Datang roundabout.