Where to stroll in a city where ‘nobody wants to walk’ – Lifestyle

However, in recent years, urban walking has gained traction in the capital, with groups such as Rami Rami Jakarta, Jalan Gembera, and Gang Gang highlighting how some aspects of the city can be fully appreciated only on foot.

Meanwhile, groups like Kwalesi Biglan Kaki (Pedestrian Alliance) are lobbying local administrations to make the country’s cities more walkable by installing better sidewalks and enhancing public transportation.

Far from its crowded streets, Jakarta’s neighborhoods and districts are filled with sights and sounds: generation-old restaurants, small parks, and the odd historical landmark waiting to be discovered by wandering aimlessly, alone or with a few friends, talking to fellow passers-by. in the streets.

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite places to vacation in Jakarta, although we don’t suggest you walk nyeker (Barefoot), as Coldplay’s Chris Martin apparently did.

1. Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta

First developed in 1820, Paro Bazaar was once an upscale shopping area. It is known for its large Chinese and Indian ethnic communities, and is arguably one of the best places you can go for a weekend outing.

Here, you can find the winding alleys that lead to one of the oldest alleys in Jakarta Clinting (Chinese Temple), Sin Teak Pyo, which is believed to have been built in 1698 and retains its original features.

Make your way through the area’s streets and covered markets to Jl. Pintu Air Raya and enter what looks like a private apartment complex to find Toko Kopi Maru, a café located in the family home of Tio Tek Hong, founder of Indonesia’s first record label.

Across the street is the Istana Mall, mostly empty except for a selection of batiks and, somewhat in contrast, shops stocked with air rifles and self-defense equipment. Make your way to the rooftop car park for a postcard-like view of the city, looking over the top of the Istiqlal Mosque all the way to the National Monument (Monas).

There’s something peaceful about Pasar Baru: the boxes of fresh fruit stacked in the alleys off the main street, the drifting incense, the cats lounging in rectangles of sunlight. And when you’re done walking, just drag your weary body to Pasar Jaya Market to sip on an ice-cold orange juice while enjoying the delightful coolness of its air-conditioned facility.

Pedestrian X-ing: A man crosses a road intersection on October 2, 2023, in Gundangdia, Central Jakarta. (Courtesy of Harriet Crisp)

2. Sikini to Gundangdia, Central Jakarta

Depending on the time of year, you may find yourself wandering the streets of Gundangdia dangling with bougainvillea bushes in full bloom, bringing color to the areas beneath the elevated train tracks where children play basketball and men tend small vegetable gardens.

Gondangdia and the neighboring Cikini area need no introduction. It has already been cemented in popular culture through Duo Anggrek’s song “Cikini Gondangdia” and with arts and culture fans thronging key local spots like Taman Ismail Marzuki and the Metropole XXI movie theater, sticking to the main path from Cikini to Gondangdia is enough to keep you entertained.

Notice the abandoned train tracks off Jl. Sikini Karamat, a relic of the opium trade past and a Michael Jackson impersonator in J.J. Bigangsan Barat. If the hustle and bustle becomes too much, you can wander down some of the quieter side streets dotted with classic houses, restaurants and small art galleries like Ruhe.

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Modest Hangout: Customer lounge on September 4, 2022 at Kongsi, a creative hub located in Jatingara, East Jakarta. (Courtesy of Harriet Crisp)

3. Jatingara, East Jakarta

An unlikely place to consider walking For most people, Jatingara may seem a bit intimidating. The vast market area is bustling and full of traders, shoppers and mats furnished with all sorts of items from classic vases to pigeons.

Buzzing all over the streets kereta kelinci (Children’s train ride), transporting mothers and their children as the streets fill with the explosion of dangdut.

But it’s the sensory overload in the area that makes getting around even better.

Formerly known as Meister Cornelis, Jatinegara was an important Dutch colonial center with dedicated spaces for the city’s Arab community and a large Christian population, as is evident in the number of Dutch-era churches that still exist there.

Today, Jatinjara is putting itself back on the map with local youth and arts movements, and many travel to the market area to head to Kongsi8, a modest creative hub, restaurant and shop that holds various events and sessions throughout the week.

4. Glodok, West Jakarta

Jakarta’s Chinatown, one of the largest in the world, is a maze of alleys filled with a mix of traditional shops, jengki (Post-colonial Indonesian style) Modern buildings and architecture.

Primarily known for its culinary and electronics offerings, Glodok is a great place for walking, as it is steeped in many of Jakarta’s historical milestones. From the pre-Batavia coastal settlement to the Chinese kampong established by the Dutch colonial administration in the 1700s and its current revival, it all makes itself felt as you make your way through the streets of the area.

A personal favorite is the path between Kuta Station and the legendary Pantjoran Tea House in Glodok, down a small covered path next to the new MRT project. Along this quiet row of shops are huge murals, trees piercing a rundown building, men selling mystery rings and cartoons, and a small park, complete with water features and a variety of animals..

Sometimes, the things you encounter while walking don’t come with an explanation.

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STRETCHING ALLEY: Colorful clothes are hung to dry on April 15, 2023, through ornamental plants decorating the fence along a small alley in Tebet, South Jakarta. (Courtesy of Harriet Crisp)

5. Tebet, East Jakarta

Rightly praised for the rejuvenated Tebet Eco Park, Tebet offers pedestrians much more than just the park that won the 2023 President’s Design Award from the Singapore Design Council.

Its recent development means that spacious, tree-lined sidewalks provide welcome shade all the way to Tippet Station and Jl Street. Gatot Subroto, where pedestrians can find the Eco Park bus stop.

Perhaps the best time to stroll around Tibet is in the early evening, when the park is still open and frequented by only a few runners, and its famous bridge casts atmospheric light above the trees. At this time the roads are quiet, after the worst traffic, and you can wander the narrow residential streets of western Tibet.

Here among the tightly packed houses are leafy squares. Complete with badminton courts or jungle gyms for kids, these green spaces add character to each building and, more importantly, provide a moment of respite for the urban stroller.

After so much time spent wandering around, petting neighborhood cats and nodding to groups of animated men playing chess pos ronda (Neighborhood Watch Post), You can find yourself at one of the food stalls in front of the West Tibet Market, where you can congratulate yourself on your number of feet with a satisfying serving of… com.pecel lele (fried catfish) that hits the spot.

Read also: 5 things electric car owners want you to know before replacing gas with a batteryThis article is part of The Weekender, which will appear in the Saturday issue of the magazine Jakarta Post. It offers a variety of articles related to lifestyle and culture aimed at enriching your reading experience. Participate here To access the Saturday edition and all other premium content from mail.