One Day in Jakarta: How to Make the Most of a Quick Trip
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Post updated April 4, 2025
Jakarta is a big and complex city. As someone who spent a year living here and has visited numerous times, I understand that it can be a daunting place to navigate. And that’s especially true if you only have one day in Jakarta.
But if you’re only planning on spending a short time in Indonesia’s capital city, that’s okay. It’s entirely possible to tick off most of the best things to see and do in Jakarta in one day. This itinerary is based on a day I spent exploring Jakarta’s top sites when I lived in the city.
Most of these attractions are located in Central Jakarta and are within walking distance of each other or a very short taxi ride. So you might want to consider getting a hotel in this part of town. I’ve also included a couple other attractions that are located a short drive away, if you don’t mind hopping in a taxi to get from place to place.
READ MORE:
- Helpful Things to Know Before Traveling to Jakarta
- 9 Fun Things to Do in Jakarta for First-Timers
- A Girl’s Survival Guide to Traveling Solo in Jakarta
Quick Jakarta Travel Tips
Get an eSIM: I suggest getting an Airalo eSIM so you can be connected the moment you land in Jakarta. They have plenty of different options for Indonesia, so you can find the best one for your trip.
Airport Pickup: If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting a taxi at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, you can easily arrange for a private driver to pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel (rates starting at $20).
Use Blue Bird Taxi: When it comes to getting around Jakarta, Blue Bird taxis are always the safest bet. You can download the app on your phone for free, order a taxi from anywhere and track your journey.
Where to stay in Central Jakarta: For the purposes of this Jakarta itinerary, I suggest basing yourself in Central Jakarta. My go-to hotel there is ARTOTEL Thamrin Jakarta, which is near most of the attractions in this guide.
How to make the most of your one day in Jakarta
Start your day at Monas
I suggest starting out at Jakarta’s number one tourist attraction, Monas. Monas is another name for the National Monument. This iconic structure is located in Merdeka Square in the heart of Central Jakarta. The 132-meter (433-foot) monument was finished in 1975 and serves as an important symbol of Jakarta’s independence from the Dutch in 1945.
When I visited, I had grand plans to go to the top of the monument to check out the view, but after seeing how long the wait was, I opted not to. If you’re visiting during the weekend, like I did, you should be prepared for exceptionally long lines. That being said, if you’re willing to wait, the price is only Rp 15,000 and the views are supposed to be incredible.
Regardless, you can always admire Monas from the ground, visit the on-site National Museum and wander around Merdeka Square. The enormous square is actually one of the city’s few public spaces (a sad reality in Jakarta). So it’s a popular place for locals to gather outdoors. In this regard, it’s really fun visiting during the weekend because it is a great place to do some people-watching and see performers and musicians.
Although the lack of shade can make it incredibly hot!
Walk to Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral
The impressive Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral are both a mere five-minute walk away from Monas. From Monas and Merdeka Square, you’ll visit the mosque first.
Istiqlal Mosque is actually the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. It’s so big it can accommodate a whopping 200,000 people. Istiqlal Mosque opened in 1978 and is another symbol of the country’s independence (the word istiqlal actually means independence).
The Jakarta Cathedral was built in 1901 and is located directly across the street from Istiqlal Mosque. The architecture of this neo-Gothic Catholic Church is exceptionally cool, and it is definitely a must-see during your one day in Jakarta. I mean just look at it!
Have lunch at Pasar Baru
Next on the agenda is Pasar Baru, which is just a short and easy stroll from the Jakarta Cathedral. This is one of the oldest markets in Jakarta. I honestly didn’t know too much about what to expect when I first visited, but I kind of fell in love with Pasar Baru!
It is probably one of the most diverse areas of Jakarta. The Chinese, Javanese and Indian populations all have a rich history in this city and many of them still either live in or operate businesses in Pasar Baru.
Pasar Baru dates back to 1820 and used to be the place where average Indonesians would go to shop before shopping malls took over the city. Despite the fact that there are now nearly 200 malls in Jakarta, Pasar Baru is still a popular place for everyday Indonesians to go to shop for clothes, textiles, food and more.
The first thing I noticed is that Pasar Baru has a very Indian vibe. The stores sell colorful sarees and there are a bunch of Indian restaurants. If you love Indian food, I suggest popping into one of the Indian restaurants for lunch if you’re feeling peckish.
Considering my obsession with Indian food, I couldn’t resist lunching at the first Indian restaurant I came across. But don’t worry if you’re not in the mood for Indian because there’s plenty to eat at Pasar Baru.
What I absolutely love about Pasar Baru is that it’s a quintessential Southeast Asian market. It’s a lot like Chinatown in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur except it’s not at all tourist oriented. It’s simply an authentic and chaotic Indonesian marketplace.
A word to the wise, do not eat before visiting Pasar Baru. Aside from an abundance of Indian food this place is also street food central. Expect all sorts of fried treats, skewers of chicken satay and some downright bizarre fruits. If I hadn’t been so full from my Indian lunch I probably would have just snacked on all of the amazing street food in Pasar Baru.
Take a Taxi to Kota Tua (Old Town)
After ticking off the four major tourist attractions in Central Jakarta, I suggest taking a taxi uptown to the colonial district of Kota Tua, Jakarta’s Old Town. Aside from Monas, Kota Tua is probably the biggest tourist attraction in Jakarta. This is the part of town where Indonesia’s former Dutch colonists really left their mark.
I was fascinated by the area because it offers a glimpse into Jakarta’s tragic history. There are still some impeccably preserved Dutch-colonial buildings, many of which line the city’s once pristine canals. However, many of Kota Tua’s buildings are in disrepair either from age or from the riots in 1998.
Walking around I noticed just how many of these once beautiful structures had been reduced to burned out shells. And it goes to show just how many of the city’s buildings were destroyed during that tumultuous time.
History aside, the scene at Kota Tua is really fun, especially if you visit during a weekend. During the weekends, you can expect lots of local visitors and performers to gather in Fatahillah Square, the main square.
You’ll see local artisans selling their wares, musician playing tunes, and people riding Kota Tua’s colorful bikes around the square and wearing matching wide-brimmed hats. Kota Tua is a great place to wander around, people-watch and eat lots and lots of street food.
There’s actually a ton to keep you busy in Kota Tua, including an impressive amount of museums like the Jakarta History Museum, Bank of Indonesia Museum and Puppet Museum. And if you’re in need of a refresher or a meal, Café Batavia is located in a beautifully restored colonial building on Fatahillah Square.
This should keep you busy for the day but if you’re looking for more things to do, make sure to check out my post: 9 Fun & Weird Things to do In Jakarta.
Hotel Recommendation
If you only have one day in Jakarta and you’re looking to see all of the main sights, I suggest staying in Central Jakarta, near Monas. I highly recommend the ARTOTEL Thamrin Jakarta. This is where I stay whenever I return to the city and it never disappoints.
It’s located 1.5 kilometers (a 20-minute walk or quick drive) from Monas and surrounded by all sorts of bars and restaurants. You’ll also have easy access to the Sarinah Mall across the street, which has a great grocery store where you can pick up water and food.
I love that each room is decorated by one of Indonesia’s street artists. The rooms are modern and clean and only cost roughly $45 a night on Booking.com. For me, this is a steal for Jakarta and it is definitely a nice, clean and safe option for travelers.
Another perk is the rooftop bar, BART. I actually used to hang out at this bar all the time when I used to live in the city. It’s the perfect place to end your visit to Jakarta with a nightcap!
I would love to wander around Pasar Baru – I miss the chaos of Southeast Asian markets.. and the food! That street food looks SO good.
I was so surprised by Pasar Baru. Jakarta is a strange Southeast Asian city because it’s one that doesn’t attract a lot of foreign tourists. Pasar Baru is one of the bigger tourist attractions in Jakarta but there were very few tourists there. And that was really refreshing! The other thing about Jakarta (and Indonesia) is that the street food is AMAZING!
Wow, I can’t believe you have so little time left in Jakarta!! Crazy! I’m glad you’ve been able to enjoy it though and are taking advantage of your last few weeks. Looks like you did some cool stuff! All the Indian food and street food are pretty much all the convincing I need to visit Jakarta…yum!
One week from now I’ll be en route to the Philippines! It’s so crazy. But yes, I’ve really been enjoying Jakarta lately and I’ve found some really cool parts of the city. I knew Jakarta had a pretty sizable Indian population, but I didn’t know that Pasar Baru had so many vegetarian Indian restaurants. And I had no clue there were so many mock meat places. If only I had known sooner!!
Looked like you had fun! It is good that you managed to get to these places before you leave. I liked walking around Kota Tua too but I visited on a public holiday and there were so many street vendors and people around the square. Did you go into their museum there? I was sad about the state of their museum there too. Anyway, hope you enjoy your remaining time there and good luck for the move!! 🙂
I had so much fun! Kota Tua was actually really fun to walk around. I have a thing for old, decaying buildings so it was my kind of place. I was there on a Sunday and there were so many people! I didn’t expect that. There was also tons of street food which really surprised my considering it’s Ramadan…
Haha, the food is probably for break fast perhaps? We have bazaars here in Singapore too during the fasting month and plenty of food around as well…:)
I suppose that makes sense! I had this image that the streets would be devoid of all food during the day. Clearly I was wrong 😉
Hey Justine,
I love your blog! I had never really considered Jakarta as a possible destination, but you convinced me otherwise. Great pictures, and the food looks awesome 🙂
http://www.adventurousappetite.com
I love your blog too Jennifer 🙂 Jakarta has been a tough city for me to figure out, but it really is well worth a visit. I don’t think a lot of visitors realize how seriously good Indonesian food is, but I assure you it’s awesome!
We only spent one evening in Jakarta before catching an early flight out of the city, so we hardly saw anything. The area we stayed in didn’t really have much going on (we picked it due to its close proximity to the place where we would catch our bus to the airport…) so we left Jakarta without forming much of an impression. Your photos have definitely convinced me that if we should find ourselves there again in the future, it’s definitely worth it to spend some time actually exploring!
(Also, I totally feel you on the cramming all of your travel into the last few weeks of a stay somewhere: We leave Morelia on Wednesday, and what do you think we’re spending the next few days doing? 😉 )
I think most people do exactly what you did. When I first traveled to Jakarta, Aaron and I were both sick and we were literally holed up in a hotel room for five days eating Pizza Hut. Once we got better we hopped on a train without seeing anything. Whoops!
Ha, I have always been a procrastinator…in school, at work and apparently as an expat. But it’s been really fun seeing all of Jakarta’s touristy thing lately. It’s made me realize how many things there are to see here and how fascinating this city’s history really is. I absolutely love outdoor markets and street food and Jakarta is a great place for these things. Who knew? 😉 Have fun in Morelia. Please eat a taco for me!
As you know, I kind of liked Jakarta. It gets a bad rap for some reason. We did not make it to Pasar Baru, so I’ll be adding that to the list if we get to visit again! The street food has me drooling. We didn’t get to see as much of the city as I would have liked, since we stayed a little further out in Benhil and it takes FOREVER to get anywhere. Which I’m sure you’re well aware of 😉
You are totally the reason I’ve kept pushing and kept trying to love Jakarta. It really did take me many months to understand what it is you liked so much but I totally get it! A lot of people don’t think of Indonesia as a food destination but the food is amazing. I can only imagine all the eating I would have done if I weren’t a vegetarian. Regardless, I’ve sampled some incredible dishes. And the street food is SO GOOD and super vegetarian friendly! As for the traffic…let’s just say I will not miss it 😉
A cool post again! I never thought Jakarta was so vibrant. I think you are doing a great job of bringing out the best of these places.
Thanks Renuka 🙂 I’ve been really pleasantly surprised by Jakarta the past few months. There really are some great places to visit in this city. And some great Indian food too!!