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Jakarta Heritage of Old Batavia Private City Tour
4.9
108 Ratings
Jakarta
Discover the rich heritage and culture of Jakarta’s Old Batavia on a private tour with an expert guide. Explore museums, Chinatown, the old town, and more, and experience the city’s history through local experiences like riding a Tuk Tuk and a wooden boat.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Istiqlal Mosque - Upon arriving at the mosque, we can take pictures outside before entering with other travelers on a guided tour. Inside, we will be provided with appropriate clothing and will need to remove our shoes as per regulations. Known as the Independence Mosque, Istiqlal is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and the 9th largest in the world by capacity. After the visit, we will cross the street to visit the old church.
- Jakarta Cathedral - Once we arrive at the church, we will take some photos outside and then go inside. The cathedral, located almost opposite the mosque, symbolizes peace and religious tolerance. It is one of the oldest churches, predating the mosque, and has a rich history dating back to the Dutch era. This neo-gothic church, consecrated in 1901, stands near Merdeka Square, the presidential palace, and directly across from Istiqlal Mosque. After our visit, we will continue sightseeing and stop for photos at the monument.
- National Monument (MONAS) - After visiting the cathedral, we will proceed to Chinatown, passing by the presidential palace and stopping for photos at the monument. The National Monument, a 132-meter obelisk in the center of Merdeka Square, symbolizes Indonesia’s fight for independence and serves as a landmark of the capital. After our stop, we can either spend time eating or head to Chinatown, which is 15 minutes away.
- Jakarta - Lunch will be provided with local food, or you can choose to dine at Batavia Cafe, a recommended restaurant, at your own expense.
- Glodok Chinatown - Visiting Chinatown, which dates back to 1650, is a bustling and fascinating experience. It is the largest Chinatown in the country, featuring a big market and a temple dedicated to Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. The area is rich in history and heritage. Our guide will explore the area with us, and we may take a Tuk Tuk to the Old Town, depending on our preference and the driver’s availability.
- Jakarta Old Town - Upon arriving in the Old Town, either by Tuk Tuk or car, our guide will explain the history of Batavia, also known as “Kota Tua.” The area is a reminder of centuries of Indonesian history dominated by Europeans, with many buildings reflecting European and Chinese architectural styles. Built in the 17th century, the town hall and square date back to the Dutch VOC colonial era. We will also visit the Puppet or Wayang studio.
- Fatahillah Square - This special site offers a historical exploration of the Old Town with our expert guide. We will walk through the area, visiting ruins, archaeological sites, and the first buildings of Jayakarta, including castles, bastions, and spice houses.
- Makutharama Puppet Studio - Still within the Old Town, some colonial-era buildings now serve as museums, studios, and cafes. One such building houses the Makutharama Puppet Studio, where we can see how puppets are made and enjoy a 9-minute show if time permits. It’s also a great place to find souvenirs.
- Kota Intan Bridge - On our way to the harbor, we will pass by Kota Intan Bridge. Originally called Engelse Brug or “English Bridge,” it was renamed “Chicken Market Bridge” or Hoenderpasarbrug after a nearby chicken market. The bridge has been rebuilt several times since its initial construction in the early 17th century.
- Sunda Kelapa Harbour - Our final stop is Sunda Kelapa Harbour, not far from the Old Town. This historic harbor, dating back to the 15th century, was a major trading and colonization point for Asian and later European traders. It remains active today for logistic trading with traditional Phinisi boats. After our visit, we will return to the hotel, a journey of 45 minutes to 1 hour.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- All Entry Ticket
- Tuktuk Chinatown to Batavia
- Licensed Guide
- Donation of Religion site
- Walking tour with expert
- Pick up and drop off Service Within Jakarta area and Port
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Guide and driver tip
- Wooden boat
Additional Information
This tour comes highly recommended, featuring an expert and friendly guide who will immerse you in the rich history and culture of the area’s heritage.
Highlights:
The Old City of Jakarta, also known as Old Batavia, was named by European sailors and traders in the 16th century for its beauty, reminiscent of Amsterdam. The area is characterized by European and Chinese architectural styles.
On this heritage trip, the guide will take you on a historical journey, offering a local perspective of the city:
- Glodok Chinatown
- Old Town and Puppet Studio
- Old Harbour
- Istiqlal Mosque
- Cathedral Church, passing by the Presidential Palace and Kota Intan Bridge
- Photo stop at the Monument and passing by the Presidential Palace
Best Experiences Include:
- Tuk Tuk rides
- Walking tours and visits to historical sites with an archaeologist
Duration, lunch, and additional experiences can be selected based on the chosen package. This is a comprehensive program with various options available.
- The price selection based on the experience setting
- If you are archaeologist and historical person, it sets for you
- Istiqlal Mosque closed every Friday
- The tour program is very flexible for whom travel change within area
- Duration of tour is flexible based on the program option and traffic
- This experience accepting sightseeing tour with low price without lunch option or other program provided
- Pick up and Drop off FREE Jakarta Area, There is supplement pay on the spot 15$/Booking from airport
- PICK UP and DROP OFF FREE from Tanjung Priok Port
- Exploring historical free
- recommended to all
Location
Istiqlal Mosque
Jl. Taman Wijaya Kusuma, Central Jakarta
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(108 Ratings)
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Donald_d
Aug 26, 2024
Jakarta in a day and loving it! - What a wonderful way to see Jakarta! Our guide Enok was great! She was very flexible with our tour since we had a hobbled participant. We learned and saw so much in the time we were given. Our driver, Mr Indra navigated the very busy streets with skill and ease. The tuk-tuk ride was a hoot! I enjoyed that very much. We all have a better appreciation of Jakarta and that was due to the obvious love that Enok has for her city and country. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone, especially if you do it with Enok!
Review provided by Viator
Laura_s
Aug 24, 2024
Vist to Jakarta - Ferdy was flexible and fun. Our driver, Rizky, was great too! The puppet show was a must see. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Syedtauqueer_f
Aug 18, 2024
Exciting your of the city of Jakarta which would be history soon. - It was a nice day tour of the city of Jakarta. The 'Welcome Monument' was an eye-opener. The visit to the Istaqlal mosque and cathedral was exciting. Later we were blown away by the lunch spread. The visit to the China Town and old Batavia was interesting. Special mention for Saleh, our your guide for the day. He made the tour interesting with his in-depth knowledge about the Indonesian history and the monuments. Overall a nice way to spend the day.
Review provided by Viator
F7411knjeremys
Aug 6, 2024
No regrets! We got to see it all, our way! - Ferdy was great! He and his driver picked us up right on time at our hotel and safely navigated the infamous no-rules traffic while we relaxed in air conditioning. We got to do everything we set out to do and spend time where we wanted. Our favorite highlights were China Town, the Tuktuk ride to old Batavia, the intimate and friendly hosted puppet studio, the fresh Jamu stop and lunch at Cafe Batavia. Ferdy made sure to get us a table by the windows overlooking the plaza so we could absorb the scenery and people watch. It was the best orientation to Jakarta we could have expected.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daisyw95
Aug 6, 2024
Best tour of Jakarta - Fantastic tour guide, very friendly and knowledgeable. We had a great day, and had some delicious food. Would highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leeha_a
Aug 3, 2024
Good Job and 5 Stars - Good experience in jakarta, I booked the tour in last minute. It looks eye out with the program. Very well organized with thsi provider. Thanks to ferdy was giving the good time with Budi as my guide. It is good collaburation team.
Review provided by Viator
Elsa_w
Aug 3, 2024
Thumbs up! - Agung did his job with wonderful day in Jakarta, I learned a lot of culture and history about Indonesia and Jakarta with the heritage site. Visit the museum is fascinating, I did explore the city with recommended tour guide, Agung is the lecturer of history with best English and knowledgeable. I booked this tour and many good commenters.
Review provided by Viator
Ianconnexion
Jul 11, 2024
Ferdy, a first rate guide! - Ferdy is an exceptional local guide in Jakarta. He is friendly, engaging and knows his local history. If your time in Jakarta is short, this full-day tour encompasses all the must see landmarks: Barack Obama’s old school, the catholic cathedral, Istiqlal mosque (the third largest in the world!), the national monument, a Confucian Chinese temple, the Dutch colonial centre of Jakarta (Cafe Batavia is a must) and the old port of Sunda Kalapa with its Pinisi boats.
I thoroughly recommend this tour and Ferdy is a delight. His English is excellent, he has a relaxed manner and is happy to accommodate anything you particularly want to see. A first rate experience.
Thank you Ferdy for a wonderful day exploring Jakarta and learning about Javanese culture and history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T911zhluisb
Aug 18, 2024
visit experience in Jakarta - the city tour was nice, very illustrative about Jakarta. based on the History and today's activities we feel well-guided to know about the city
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Freda_y
Jun 30, 2024
A good introduction of the history of Jakarta - Overall, it’s a valuable experience for first-time visitors who are willing to see a bit more of Jakarta beyond the most modern and central part of the city. The tour of the old China Town is quite enjoyable, and to be honest it’s probably something I wouldn’t do without a local guide. The tuk tuk ride is also eye opening, as the driving style is usually rather aggressive! Time management could have been better, but given the situation of Jakarta’s traffic, it’s understandable. The visit to the puppet workshop is probably the only put-off in the itinerary. The owner of the place was not interested in introducing the tradition of Indonesian puppet play, but rather selling something to the tourist.
Review provided by Viator
