Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta is located on the northwest coast of one of the largest islands of Java. After the country's independence in 1949, Jakarta became the capital of Indonesia. It has a population of about 9.5 million and is the largest city in the country. The country is considered to have the largest Muslim population in the world. Jakarta has some interesting sights. The old port of Sunda Kelapa is where the Dutch built their trading colony in the 16th century. Wooden schooners can still be seen here today.

The area called Old Batavia has been restored and is interesting to explore. Batavia was the name of the town during the Dutch domination. An interesting attraction in Jakarta is the outdoor museum Taman Mini Indonesia Indih or Indonesia in Miniatures. Here are presented scale models of traditional houses from different parts of the country.

St. Mary's Cathedral is a Catholic church with imposing towers built in the 19th century. Nearby is one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia, Istiklal. Another landmark of Jakarta is the National Monument, erected in the center of Merdeka Square. Attending a performance of gamelan music is a unique experience. The performers are usually men and women, dressed in traditional costumes, and the instruments and melodies are typical of the country's folklore.

Interesting in Jakarta are the outdoor markets, where the tourist can buy a souvenir beautiful fabric or something else from this remarkable city. An interesting attraction on the streets of Jakarta are velorikshi or bechak. Now they are rare, but in 1966 there were about 160,000 of them.