Jakarta overview

The Indonesian capital of Jakarta in northwest Java is big. It has the world’s second largest metropolitan area and more people live here than in any other city in Southeast Asia. The cities massive population means that the roads are seriously congested. It is however possible to seek out quieter areas of temples and trees. In apparent ignorance of just how poor much of the population is, the government recently outlawed hawkers, buskers and beggars. Most appear not to have received the memo. A mixture of rampant modernisation and tradition the city motto is ‘Unity in Diversity’. Life here is colourful, vibrant, hot and sticky - it is the perfect place either to begin or end an Indonesian adventure