"Big Sweltering City" Jakarta by Ramonq

The island of Java, then known as part of the the Spice Islands, has long fascinated explorers for its exotic spices and sultry languid climes. The renaissance Europeans and Arabs were willing to travel half way around the world in creaky galleons to trade with the Javanese who possessed the much-coveted spices which the local islanders took for granted. Such was the great importance of the spices to the Dutch, that they conquered the vast archipelago of Indonesia and called it the Dutch East Indies, establishing Batavia as the capital, the former name of Jakarta. Batavia thus became a hub of the spice trade between Amsterdam and the Moluccas, and it's stature from a small village into a 17th century global trading centre has firmly entrenched the importance of the port. Even until now, present-day Jakarta is the powerhouse of the Indonesian Republic, one of the most populated country in the world. Jakarta, Southeast Asia's largest metropolis is the political nerve centre where the President resides as well as the headquarters of the country's largest companies.

I walked up and down the main artery of Jakarta, along Jalan Thamrin , the city's showcase, and one cannot miss the big progress that this place has undergone. Around Bunderan circle which has the iconic Welcome monument and fountain, are luxurious 5-star hotels and massive high-end shopping malls (all delightfully air-conditioned that is necessary in this sweltering city whose average temperature is around 33 degrees Centigrade!). Just like in Manila or Kuala Lumpur, I must say that I spent a lot of my time cooling myself down in the malls as they offer excellent respite from the chaotic sidewalks along the side streets of Jakarta. Plenty of food and there are pubs in this predominantly Muslim city.

Bunderan Circle

So how does one explore this vast city? Unless you want to see all the kampungs in town, fortunately most of the tourist attractions lie in a couple of corridors. In Jakarta, the main roads are called "Korridor" where the dedicated TransJakarta busway system travel along. For independent tourists, try taking the busway along Korridor 1 which will transport you from the colonial Dutch section which was once called "Batavia" through to the independence era of the socialist Sukarno years, near the Monumen Nasional (Monas), and through the globalised era of towering skyscrapers at the Golden Triangle. Jakarta is not the most pleasant city to stroll around because of the sweltering heat, the ubiquitous motorbikes like the ones in Cotonou, the street vendors and uneven footpaths, but the city has pleasantly landscaped the central Jakarta neighbourhood with lush trees and bushes, thus offering some shade to the hapless tourist, as well wonderful city roundabouts decorated with fountains and monuments, much like the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. Well, there are malls to hang around too and they are great places to watch people. Jakarta is exhausting but it's absorbing to observe this modern Southeasian city in full action.

Old Batavia

For me, Jakarta is about its people and their activities. The gritty port of Sunda Kelapa in the north of the city with the hundreds of ancient-looking wooden Makassar boats is so far removed from the ultra chic Plaza Indonesia Mall. The satay vendors fanning their skewered chicken causing the smoke to mix with those from the vehicular traffic fumes of office workers heading home to the kampungs. The legions of motorbikes zigzagging amongst the pedestrians and pedicabs. The call to prayer of the mosques being drowned by Indonesian rock music where women in pious hijabs are being outnumbered by those in Western garbs. Jakarta is in a state of flux as this modernizing city hurtles itself towards a new direction. Jakarta's nightlife can be quite hedonistic but some traditions stll remain.

• Pros:Fancy hotels and malls
• Cons:Too hot and stifling traffic
• In a nutshell:Old town of Batavia