As the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta is not only famous for its skyscrapers and the title as one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world. There are many other unique things that Jakarta has to offer, one of them is the creative typical product of Betawi—the native people of Jakarta. As is known, Betawi tribe who inhabit Jakarta as well as parts of West Java and Banten have unique cultural products. For example, lenong. However, as time goes by, the existence of lenong is increasingly displaced and it is difficult to “live” in one’s own home. In the past, the art of lenong was victorious and appeared in almost every citizen’s celebration. Now, let alone the stage, the word lenong is starting to be rarely heard.

However, not all indigenous Betawi culture has faded and disappeared. There are still many people who care about and preserve Betawi culture. One of them, by creating and producing creative economic products (ekraf). Currently, some of these creative products are easy to find and can be purchased online.

Betawi Batik
Betawi batik has its own specialties that are not owned by other batik from other regions, both in terms of color, pattern, and motif. For matters of color, Betawi batik usually uses bright colors, such as green, red, and blue. Then, Betawi batik patterns are mostly inspired by cultural values found in the surrounding community. Betawi batik motifs are divided into two types, namely ancient and modern motifs. For ancient motifs, there are nusa coconut motifs, ciliwung, rasamala, salakanegara, bamboo shoots, and ondel-ondel. Unfortunately, these motifs are difficult to find nowadays.

Then, for modern motifs, Betawi batik presents Monas motifs, coconut flowers, and TransJakarta. If you are interested in having Betawi batik, you can buy it in several batik villages spread across Jakarta, such as the Terogong Betawi Batik Village and Palbatu Batik Village. In addition, a number of craftsmen also sell Betawi batik in the online marketplace.

Ondel Ondel
Most of the Jakarta people are already familiar with ondel-ondel. Ondel-ondel is a giant doll made of woven bamboo and decorated with Betawi clothing and accessories. Ondel-ondel was first made by farmers who inhabit the suburbs of Jakarta. Usually, farmers make ondel-ondel when the harvest season arrives. Over time, ondel-ondel is used as means of entertainment and accompaniment of big events. Now, ondel-ondel is not only large in size. Some craftsmen even make ondel-ondel for souvenirs and gifts in the form of dolls, masks, miniatures, and key chains.

Things That Make Tourists Surprised While on Vacation to Kepulauan Seribu

For Indonesians, the name of Kepulauan Seribu is already familiar. However, it is different from foreign tourists who rarely hear about the beauty of these islands. They do not think that there is a beautiful natural tourism that is not far from Jakarta. Want to know more details?

When boarding the ship to Seribu islands, foreign tourists find it difficult to communicate with the ship’s crew, because most of them do not speak English. This is because the crew in Kepulauan Seribu are mostly local people who do not speak foreign languages.

The journey only takes one hour via speedboat. However, some foreign tourists admitted that they were a little nauseous after arriving at the Thousand Islands. Whether the ship is not good or the waves of the sea make them a little nauseous.

If they come during the rainy season, they are disappointed because they are not exposed to the sun at all, even though the vibes are already very tropical. Some tourists who are not familiar with the rhythm of Indonesia’s weather sometimes take the wrong day to travel. Finally, some are disappointed if the day is cloudy.

Much different if you come during the dry season, the air feels very hot. For those who are rarely exposed to hot air, it will be difficult to adapt. Moreover, tourists who come from cold countries such as Scotland, Canada, Russia and others. They say that Indonesia is very hot in the dry season.

The price of food sold in Kepulauan Seribu is quite affordable. For one serving of delicious fried rice, it’s only around 25 thousand rupiah. Street food in Indonesia is very cheap. This has been confirmed by almost all tourists from all countries who travel to Indonesia.

In addition to fried rice, visitors can taste the seafood dishes that taste fresh, because the side dishes are directly taken from the sea. Seafood is a typical food of Kepulauan Seribu which is famous for its delicious and fresh.

Next is of course its extraordinary beauty with calm and serene atmosphere. The blue water looks clear that blends well with the white sand. In certain spots, foreign tourists can snorkel while enjoying the beauty of the underwater world. Various species of fish and coral can be found.

Istiqlal Mosque Becomes a Religious Tourism Destination

Istiqlal Mosque is one of the halal tourist destinations in Indonesia. The construction process in a number of areas of the largest mosque in Southeast Asia has been completed and has made it ready as a place of worship, study, as well as tourism. The Istiqlal Mosque has become an icon of Indonesia. Many tourists and national heads who visited Indonesia then saw the beauty of the Istiqlal Mosque.

If you enter to the mosque, with five floors and one ground floor, you will see the splendor of modern architecture with marble floors covered in geometric ornaments made of stainless steel, and 12 tall and sturdy pillars that support a large dome with a diameter of 45 meters. And if you look at the south side of the outside of the mosque, you will see a 96 meter high tower that rises to the Jakarta skyline. Istiqlal Mosque has a very strategic location because it is located to the northeast of Monas field.

The concept of tourism offered by the Istiqlal mosque is of course religious tourism. The modern architecture of the Istiqlal mosque is a strong magnet to attract tourists. In addition, this mosque holds the title of the largest mosque in Southeast Asia with a capacity of 200,000 people.

Public Transportation
The route to the Istiqlal mosque is very easy. Its location near the Monas monument makes it very easy for tourists who want to visit Istiqlal. For tourists who like to choose train transportation, they can go to Gambir station and walk to Istiqlal. For tourists who get off at the Kampung Rambutan terminal, they can access Busway corridor seven.

From Kampung Rambutan tourists take the busway to Kampung Melayu. Continue the journey by the busway to Ancol and get off at the Budi Utomo bus stop. Then walk to Istiqlal. Busway corridor seven will serve passengers every 10 minutes, with a travel time of one hour and 20 minutes.