South Jakarta maps

Bordering Central Jakarta along Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta is home to the city's Central Business District a.k.a. CBD or Golden Triangle. These widely used terms describe an area of the city which is clearly defined by the city's 3 busiest thoroughfares - Jl. Rasuna Said, Jl. Gatot Subroto and the ubiquitous Jl. Sudirman.

It is within these boundaries that a majority of Jakarta’s skyscrapers, five star hotels, banking institutions and luxury apartments are located. Easily the city's 'fast track' this area is an 'expat enclave' with many of Jakarta’s International Schools and other facilities geared towards an international community (i.e. upscale cafes, wine bars, ethnic restaurants and pubs) - making it home to 'power lunches' as well as a trendy place to for all to just 'chill' after a hard day's work.

Jakarta City

Kota or kotamadya (cities) of Jakarta

Map of the cities (kotamadya) of DKI Jakarta. Each city is divided into subdistricts (kecamatan).

Officially, Jakarta is not a city, but a province with special status as the capital of Indonesia. It has a governor (instead of a mayor), and is divided into several sub-regions with their own administrative systems. As a province, the official name of Jakarta is Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta ("Special Capital City District of Jakarta"), which in Indonesian is abbreviated to DKI Jakarta.

Jakarta is divided into five kota or kotamadya ("cities" - formerly municipalities), each headed by a mayor, and one regency (kabupaten) headed by a regent. In August 2007, Jakarta held its first ever election to choose a governor, whereas previously the city's governors were appointed by the local house of representatives. The poll is part of a country-wide decentralization drive, allowing for direct local elections in several areas.^[30]

The cities/municipalities of Jakarta are:

• Central Jakarta (Jakarta Pusat) is Jakarta's smallest city and home to most of Jakarta's administrative and political center. It is characterized by large parks and Dutch colonial buildings. Landmarks include the National Monument (Monas), the Istiqlal Mosque, the Jakarta Cathedral, and museums.^[31]
• West Jakarta (Jakarta Barat) has the highest concentration of small-scale industries in Jakarta. The area includes Jakarta's Chinatown and landmarks include the Chinese Langgam building and the Toko Merah building. West Jakarta contains part of the Jakarta Old Town.^[32]
• South Jakarta (Jakarta Selatan), originally planned as a satellite city, is now the location of large upscale shopping centres and affluent residential areas. Jakarta Selatan functions as Jakarta's ground water buffer,^[33] but recently the green belt areas are threatened by new developments. Much of the CBD area of Jakarta is concentrated in Setia Budi, South Jakarta, bordering the Tanah Abang/Sudirman area of Central Jakarta.
• East Jakarta (Jakarta Timur) territory is characterized by several industrial sectors erected in this city.^[34] There are also still some areas of swamps and rice fields in this city.^[34]
• North Jakarta (Jakarta Utara) is the only city in Jakarta that is bounded by the sea (Java Sea). It is the location of the Tanjung Priok Port. Big-scale and medium-scale industries are concentrated in North Jakarta. North Jakarta contains the location of Jakarta Old Town, formerly known as Batavia since the 17^th century, and was a centre of VOC trade activity in Dutch East Indies. Also located in North Jakarta is Ancol Dreamland (Taman Impian Jaya Ancol), currently the largest integrated tourism area in South East Asia.^[35]

The only regency (kabupaten) of Jakarta is:

• Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu), formerly a subdistrict of North Jakarta, is a collection of 105 small islands located on Java Sea. It has a high conservation value because of its unique and special ecosystems. Marine tourism, such as diving, water bicycle, and wind surfing, is the most important touristic activity in this territory. The main transportation between these islands are speed boat or small ferries.^[36]

Jakarta Indonesia

Whether you love it or hate it, there is no escaping Jakarta, Indonesia’s overweight capital. This ‘Big Durian’ is filled with all the good and bad of Indonesian life.

At first glance, this hot, smoggy city, which sprawls for miles over a featureless plain, feels like nothing more than a waiting lounge for the millions queuing up to make their fortune. Jakarta’s infamous macet chokes its freeways, town planning is anathema and all attempts to forge a central focal point for the city have stuttered and ultimately failed. The first – or only – thought on most travellers’ minds is how quickly the city and its polluted streets can be left behind.

Beneath the veneer of glass fascias, concrete slabs and shabby slums, however, this is a city of surprises and a city of many faces. From the steamy, richly scented streets of Chinatown to the city’s thumping, decadent nightlife, Jakarta is a Pandora’s box, filled with unexpected gems. Here it’s possible to rub shoulders with Indonesia’s future leaders, artists, thinkers, movers and shakers, and to see first hand the deep-seated desire so many Indonesians have to rise above the poverty they were born into. Populated by Bataks from Sumatra, Ambonese from Maluku, Balinese, Madurese and Timorese, Jakarta is also a vast cultural melting pot in which the larger Indones­ian identity is forged; it is Indonesia in a nutshell.

Jakarta certainly isn’t a primary tourist destination, but parts of the old city (Kota) offer an interesting insight into the capital’s long history, and there are a handful of good museums scattered about. But if you want to get under the skin of Indonesia, a visit to this mammoth city is an absolute must.