Pinisi ships
Traditional twin-masted wooden ships.
Pocsywe — CC0 · Adam Jones, Ph.D. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Peter van der Sluijs — CC BY-SA 3.0
The port from which Jakarta was born, at the mouth of the Ciliwung River, the main port of the old Sunda Kingdom before the Portuguese and then the Dutch arrived. Its name means coconut of Sunda, and from it grew the city that became Batavia and then Jakarta. Today only traditional wooden pinisi ships call here, with their twin masts and colourful hulls lined up along the quay, carrying freight between the islands of the archipelago as they have for centuries. It is a rare sight in a huge modern city: workers carrying sacks and timber along narrow planks between ship and quay. Walking the quay is usually free, sometimes with a token fee at the entrance, and some sailors offer short rides in small boats among the ships at an agreed price. Nearby are the Maritime Museum in old Dutch warehouses and the old lookout tower. Come in the morning, when activity peaks and the heat is gentler, and watch your step on the quay. Combine it with nearby Kota Tua in half a day.
Traditional twin-masted wooden ships.
The old Sunda Kingdom port.
In nearby Dutch warehouses.
Penjaringan, North Jakarta, near Kota Tua
Jakarta Maritime Museum (Museum Bahari)A museum in the old Dutch East India Company warehouses near Sunda Kelapa harbou12 minutes walk4.4
Kota Tua, Jakarta Old TownJakarta's historic heart, the town called Batavia when the Dutch East India Comp21 minutes walk4.5
Wayang Museum (Puppet Museum)A museum devoted to wayang, Java's traditional puppet theatre, listed by UNESCO 21 minutes walk4.6
Jakarta History Museum (Fatahillah Museum)The old city hall of Dutch Batavia, built in the early eighteenth century on Fat22 minutes walk4.7
Bank Indonesia MuseumA museum in the old Dutch bank building in the old town, with a grand classical 25 minutes walk4.6Yes by day, but it is a working port, so mind the workers, loads and narrow planks, and do not board ships without permission. With children, stay on the quay.