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 Local Jakarta: What to Do Around Mercure Jakarta Batavia
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?
Jakarta in 5 picks
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.
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.
Where to sleep
See Mercure hotels in Jakarta, all within reach of these picks.