Yes — it's Jakarta's best-preserved colonial district, with Fatahillah Square, several museums, the old Sunda Kelapa harbour and Glodok's Chinatown all within easy walking distance of each other.
Discover Authentic Jakarta: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Jakarta, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as Acaraki Jamu, Kedai Seni Djakarte and Gado Gado Direksi, alongside our Mercure hotels.
Top 5 Things to Do in Jakarta
Fatahillah Square & Museum Sejarah Jakarta
The cobblestone heart of Kota Tua, ringed by Dutch colonial buildings and street performers in period costume. Rent one of the colourful old bicycles parked around the square and take a slow lap before the museums fill up.
Cafe Batavia
A colonial-era building right on Fatahillah Square, all dark wood, ceiling fans and black-and-white photos. Order a coffee and sit by the upstairs windows overlooking the square below.
Sunda Kelapa old harbour
Jakarta's original port, still working, still lined with wooden pinisi schooners loading cargo by hand the way they have for generations. It's raw and unpolished compared to the square nearby, which is exactly the point.
Glodok (Jakarta's Chinatown)
Narrow streets packed with incense smoke, temple courtyards and food stalls frying up whatever's in season. Pantjoran Chinatown Glodok is the easiest entry point, with lanterns strung overhead and vendors calling out their specials.
Ancol Beach City
Jakarta's waterfront playground, with a boardwalk, Sea World aquarium and the Dufan amusement park all in one stretch. It's a good half-day out if you want sea air without leaving the city.
Explore Jakarta's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Jakarta
We've mapped local spots in Jakarta, from herbal jamu to the city's most-loved street food. Hungry?
Cafés & culture
Acaraki Jamu
Jamu, Indonesia's centuries-old herbal drink, reinvented with coffee-brewing techniques – think jamu, tea and matcha-style drinks in a sunlit room full of wood and plants. Take home herbal powders and mix your own.
Jakarta · Herbal café · Perfect for a healthy break
Kedai Seni Djakarte
In a colonial building in the Old Town, art, culture and Betawi and Indonesian dishes meet – with a library of Indonesian history books and a stack of vintage cassettes. Settle in.
Old Town (Kota Tua) · Café · Made for culture and coffee
Good Folks
An inviting café of artisan coffee, pastries and fusion dishes. Bring a friend, or a book.
Café · Great for coffee
Fatahillah Museum
The Jakarta History Museum, in a 1710 Dutch colonial building in the Old Town, tells the city's story through more than 23,000 objects.
Kota Tua · Museum · Ideal for history
Jakarta Library & HB Jassin Center
Two linked institutions in one modern building, keeping Indonesia's literary heritage and manuscripts safe.
Cikini · Library · Perfect for book lovers
Galeri Nasional Indonesia
Jakarta's leading museum of modern and contemporary art, with more than 1,700 works by Indonesian and international artists.
Central Jakarta · Art museum · Great for art
Street food favourites
Gado Gado Direksi
Serving gado-gado in Glodok since 1967: vegetables, boiled egg and rice cakes under a peanut sauce made with peanuts from Tuban, East Java. Plastic stools, loyal regulars – pull one up.
Glodok · Local eatery · Made for gado-gado
Bakmi Roxy Sabang
A central Jakarta institution for Chinese-style noodles at friendly prices – mie yamin bakso is the star. Open late, so it's perfect for a midnight bowl.
Sabang, central Jakarta · Noodle house · Perfect for late-night food
Soto Banjar Bang Suhai
Soto Banjar: a South Kalimantan chicken soup spiced with cardamom, cloves and nutmeg, with glass noodles and boiled egg, served with rice or ketupat rice cakes in a casual, modern room.
Jakarta · Local eatery · Great for comfort food
Claypot Popo Sabang
Slow-cooked claypot dishes inspired by the owner's grandmother, in a homely setting. Order the claypot siram telur – rice, egg, chicken, vegetables and a rich broth.
Sabang, central Jakarta · Restaurant · Ideal for comfort food
Soto Betawi H. Ma'ruf
A family-run spot serving Betawi-style beef soup in coconut milk broth since 1940, with several branches around the city.
Several branches · Soup restaurant · Perfect for local food
Nasi Uduk Gondangdia
Nasi uduk – fragrant coconut rice with sides, born of Malay and Javanese traditions. A favourite way to start the day.
Gondangdia · Eatery · Made for breakfast
FAQ
On foot, mostly. The main sights cluster around Fatahillah Square, and rented bicycles are a popular way to cover the square itself. For anything further, Jakarta Kota train station and Transjakarta buses connect easily to the rest of the city.
Kerak telor, a traditional egg cake with glutinous rice and toasted coconut, cooked over charcoal by street vendors — it's a Betawi (native Jakartan) specialty you'll mostly find around Kota Tua and during city festivals.
Jamu is a traditional Indonesian herbal drink dating back centuries. Acaraki Jamu serves modern versions brewed with coffee techniques.
Gado Gado Direksi in Glodok has served gado-gado since 1967, with a peanut sauce made from East Javan peanuts.
Bakmi Roxy Sabang in central Jakarta serves noodles late into the night at friendly prices.
Where to Sleep in Jakarta
These Mercure hotels appear on our map:
- Mercure Jakarta Pantai Indah Kapuk
- Mercure Convention Center Ancol
- Mercure Jakarta Batavia
- Mercure Jakarta Kota
- Mercure Jakarta Sabang
- Mercure Jakarta Cikini
- Mercure Jakarta Gatot Subroto
- Mercure Jakarta Simatupang
- Mercure Tangerang BSD City
- Mercure Serpong Alam Sutera
- Mercure Tangerang Centre