Escapes around Jakarta

Traveling is one of the perks of studying in a foreign country. As a Zimbabwean student who has been staying for over two years, Indonesia already feels like a second home. However, at the same time, I always get to visit new places and still feel like a foreign tourist. In this article, I’d like to share some of the places that I have visited and some that I wish to visit during weekends here around Jakarta.

As a student, imagine being at the end of the semester: projects are lining up and deadlines coming. You feel overwhelmed, anxious and exhausted. What do you do after finishing up your final project? It is normal to want something rewarding after all of the hard work. Or imagine being in the middle of the semester, you’ve tried your best to stay focused but you just can’t, you’re too exhausted. If that’s the case then you need to take a break and come back after your mind is clearer. Either way, here are some places recommendations you can visit over the weekend around Jakarta that will help freshen up your mind and come back feeling better.

Thousand Islands

Photo: Flickr/David Fletcher

If you are a fan of white sandy beaches, it is probably the best place to go around Jakarta. The reason why it’s called “Thousand Islands” is because it’s comprised of many small islands. You can do a lot of water activities ranging from snorkeling, boat cruises, island hopping, or other kinds of water sports if you like.

Bogor Botanical Garden

Photo: Pixabay/sendywulandh

The Bogor Botanical Garden is located surrounding the Bogor presidential palace (Istana Bogor). It is home to thousands of different species of trees and plants from different countries. The place is perfect if you just want to quickly pass by. The botanical garden is very spacious, you can decide to go on a tour, walk around on foot, or even ride bicycles. If you are lucky enough you’ll be able to see some of the adorable deers in the area.

Ragunan Zoo

Photo: Flickr/raider 8086

Located right in Jakarta, Ragunan is one of the biggest zoos in Indonesia with up to 3,122 different species. The zoo covers a lot of areas filled with many trees and animals. It’s a nice place to have a real break from the fast life in the CBD. Right in the center of the zoo is a relaxation park where you can exercise or just relax and completely be free. Ticket prices can be found on their website but you can pay on the spot as well.

Puncak Bogor

If you want a quick escape from the busy life of a student in Jakarta, then Puncak is the best place to go. As the name suggests, “Puncak” literally translates to “the top”, therefore it is indeed a place on top of the mountains. There are plenty of things to do but the highlight is definitely hiking. Aside from that, you can explore the waterfalls or go on a safari adventure in Bogor if you’re a fan of wildlife.

Ancol

Photo: flickr/Joy Robert

If you want to explore the bay area not far from Jakarta, I suggest visiting Ancol. There are a lot of activities that you can do that are relatively affordable as well. Despite being in a bay area, the water at the beach is not clean and it’s unsafe to go swimming. Alternatively, you can choose to visit a theme park, water park, or aquarium if you like. Tickets and activity information can be found on their website.

Anyer Beach

Photo: Pixabay/mkdigital

Located not so far from Jakarta is Anyer beach. Unlike the one in Ancol, this beach is clean and that makes it a fun place to go for a weekend stay. There are many resorts and hotels near the beach and fun activities to do as well, including snorkeling, diving, and water sports. The beaches are mostly public but there are private ones. To enter the private one an entrance fee is required depending on the location.

I hope you enjoy visiting these places as I did! Cheers.