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Sunda Kelapa, Jakarta

Sunda Kelapa tips and photos posted by real travelers and Jakarta locals.
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Sunda Kelapa: A little piece of Holland...
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  • belgianchocolate
  • By belgianchocolate on February 8, 2004
  • Jakarta Page by belgianchocolate
  • The old Holland Bridge - Jakarta
    The old Holland Bridge
    by belgianchocolate
    De oude Hollandse ophaalbrug
    It is really weird to see this bridge in Jakarta. I know this bridges from our neighbouring country the Netherlands. In Jakarta you can still see one over the canal Kali Besar

    This canal is also a remain of the Dutch colonisation. They where thinking to do something good. Jakarta , or better the old Batavia was located in a wet area. So just like they did in Holland they digged channels. But because there is no tide refreshing these waters it has become a smelly open drain.

    The bridge is good preserved (that is odd in Jakarta) and is a protected monument now. No traffic goes over it anymore.

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  • Directions: Over 'Kali Besar' between Fatahillah square and the harbor , Sunda Kelapa...
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    Sunda Kelapa: Wood , sea , boats...
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  • belgianchocolate
  • By belgianchocolate on February 8, 2004
  • Jakarta Page by belgianchocolate
  • Sunda Kelapa - Jakarta
    Sunda Kelapa
    by belgianchocolate
    This is a special place in Jakarta.
    Time stopped here. Between all those high glass offices , traffic jam , noise you will find the harbor , SUNDA KELAPA , almost a quit spot.

    Large wooden ships enter here to release their cargo. These ships look much older then they are... Decades ago they used to bring spices from the other islands to ship to Europe , mainly the Netherlands.
    Nowadays these ships contain wood. Tropical wood to make expensive furniture, teak , meranti

    Watch the men walking the small unstable gangway with a lot of wood on their sholders.
    Ofcourse it is a harbor..sailors have been on their way for -4 , four days- from Kalimantan of Sumatra. Sitting on the back of a bike you will see a prostitute passing by.
    (Ofcourse she was not from Java , they are always from another island , and she was extremaly young)

    The longshoremen used to receive a pice of string arround their arm everytime they walkded up and down and where paid for their prestations equal to the amount of strings. That time is over..these days they make about 3-11euro , depending for who they work and the sort of cargo.

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  • Address: Jalan raya Baruna 2
  • Directions: Close to the 'holland Bridge' , Batavia café
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    Sunda Kelapa: Pelabuhan Sunda Kelapa
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  • black_mimi99
  • Updated By black_mimi99 on October 2, 2006
  • Jakarta Page by black_mimi99
  • mi's - Jakarta
    mi's
    by black_mimi99
    Sunda Kelapa, Jakarta’s old port, is perpetually thronged by an armada of Buginese schooners. These ships have a glorious past, but an certain future. The name of the port refers to the coconut plams, or “kelapa”, which thrive in the fertile soil of the alluvial plains on Java’s north coast. The term “Sunda” indicates that this area was originally inhabited by the sundanese people, natives of the western region of Java.

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  • Address: Kota
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    Sunda Kelapa: Walk on the boats
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  • kokoryko
  • By kokoryko on April 8, 2009
  • Jakarta Page by kokoryko
  • Gangplanks - Jakarta
    Gangplanks
    by kokoryko, 4 more photos
    If you do not suffer vertigo, or just are not afraid to fall from the narrow and steep gangplanks (picture 1), it is possible to visit the boats, when a sailor is there and invites you to have a look on the deck; from there you can see the harbour and the boats from a unusual perspective, see the back of the boats, a bit the living quarters, feel a bit like a sailor; these are private areas, so be respectful, be sure you do not disturb people, or just go on places where you are not welcome; but generally, the sailors welcome you on their boats.

  • Directions: North Jakarta, one kilometre north of old Batavia; easy to find and taxis or ojeks know.
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    Sunda Kelapa: A harbour for dreaming. . .
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  • kokoryko
  • By kokoryko on April 8, 2009
  • Jakarta Page by kokoryko
  • They are. . . .  ahhhh I have no words! - Jakarta
    They are. . . . ahhhh I have
    no words!
    by kokoryko, 4 more photos
    Sunda Kelapa is the old harbour of Jakarta, at the mouth of the Ciliwung River; here is a bit of the flavour of old Batavia, the old city where the spices were shipped to Europe, where the boats arrived from the islands before leaving on the Java sea and pass the Sunda Strait. . . . . Today, we do not see anymore schooners, Dutch three masters, heavy barges. . . the only ships here, are beautiful dhows, big “fat” dhows, with a big belly carrying goods from Jakarta to Kalimantan, Sulawesi, mainly in Java Sea; they have masts for a sail, but also a Diesel engine. Whatever, walking on the one kilometre long quay in Sunda Kelapa, you will see tens and tens of these boats (first picture), lots of activity on working days, . . . . meet sailors and dockworkers. . . If you like travels, you will dream, as I do, every time I visit this place; bows and masts silhouettes in the sky, the sailors standing proudly in front. . . . And the minaret (picture 5) reminding you should not be surprised when you hear the muezzin calling for prayer. . . . . It is just nice to spend a few hours here. . . . and dream. . . .

  • Directions: North Jakarta, one kilometre north of old Batavia; easy to find and taxis or ojeks know.
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    Sunda Kelapa: Working on Sunday
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  • kokoryko
  • By kokoryko on April 8, 2009
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  • Painting - Jakarta
    Painting
    by kokoryko, 4 more photos
    It was Sunday and it was quiet in the harbour, few boats were active loading or unloading. . . . So, some take advantage of quiet time to do some painting work on their dhows; not only for the nice colours but also because the salted Java sea is very corrosive, and the sailors love their boats. Other give a call (picture 2), who knows where. . . in the past, sailors were really far from their beloved ones. . . other kill time, looking at the few tourists passing by, sitting on the gangplank (picture 3); some dockworkers work however, unloading cement sacks from the deep belly of the dhows, and their rest for a while, with a cigarette is really deserved (picture 4). But in general, the harbour is quiet on Sundays. . . . (picture 5); walking along the harbour is really enjoyable, this gives travel ideas, makes dream, and sailors are nice people.

  • Directions: North Jakarta, one kilometre north of old Batavia; easy to find and taxis or ojeks know.
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    Sunda Kelapa: Special sailors
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  • kokoryko
  • By kokoryko on April 8, 2009
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  • Captain cat - Jakarta
    Captain cat
    by kokoryko, 4 more photos
    Muslim in general and Indonesian in particular love cats, and you may see a few cats on the boats or not far from there; does this help against rats? Well, I like these animals here, sorts of real cats, not apartment pussies or stupid degenerated animals sleeping with their masters/mistresses, independent animals, not relying on the canned food they receive in porcelain plates. . . etc. . You understand, I do not like when animals are like toys or replace children. . . . . Here, these are real cats, independent, slim, meagre, like real travellers. . . . . Their life is hard, but it is real life, not degenerating in some apartment, on bed sheets. . . .
    This sailor on the first picture looks very proud! Three colours (picture 2) (female! Of course!) looking around, in the shade of the cranes.
    Picture 3: I have to go to ground, like the sailors, I use the gangplank! (Ah most Indonesian cats have short tails. . . , it is not an accident)
    In Pasar Ikan, next to the harbour, the young generation (picture 4) experiences hard life before embarking may be one day. . . . Aaaah! I feel so small here with the terrestrial human, I want to go on a boat one day. . . . (picture 5).

  • Directions: Sunda Kelapa and Pasar Ikan
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    Sunda Kelapa: Trip to Pasar Ikan
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  • kokoryko
  • By kokoryko on April 8, 2009
  • Jakarta Page by kokoryko
  • Pasar Ikan is on the other side - Jakarta
    Pasar Ikan is on the other
    side
    by kokoryko, 4 more photos
    Pasar Ikan: Fish Market; there is a fish market close to the harbour which gives its name to a district and reaching it with a small boat starting from Sunda Kelapa takes you for a trip in the very populous area of this district. The high minaret (first picture) dominating the district looks more Turkish than Indonesian, but the wooden houses on stilts, covered by plastic sheets or corrugated iron are typical here; these are not slums! It is not rich, but not miserable for Indonesian standards, just a very popular place. This man (picture 2) took me on the other side of the harbour, and we soon reached Pasar Ikan, where the kids are not afraid to swim and play in the . . . not exactly clean waters (picture 3). The arrival of the foreigner is well noticed and watched. . . . (picture 4). Boats, houses, small mosque on stilts, and in the background, old Dutch warehouses from the VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, Dutch East Indies Company), you are almost 100 years ago here. . . (picture 5); but you notice also, a few flags, with different colours. . . . democracy is making its way in the deep heart of Jakarta. . . . (separate tip).

  • Directions: North Jakarta, one kilometre north of old Batavia; easy to find and taxis or ojeks know.
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    Sunda Kelapa: Trip to pasar Ikan (2)
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  • kokoryko
  • Updated By kokoryko on April 8, 2009
  • Jakarta Page by kokoryko
  • I feel a bit an intruder on the pontoons. . . - Jakarta
    I feel a bit an intruder on
    the pontoons. . .
    by kokoryko, 4 more photos
    When you walk on the pontoons, in the small alleys between the houses, you are very close to people, and even being in a public place, I did not feel fully comfortable, having the feeling to be an intruder here. (picture 1); you are very close to people, and people live very close, (picture 2), you walk by the dining room (picture 3). . . . It is a bit strange to walk there, but people here are either interested or welcoming the foreigner, and at the worst, they just did not notice me. I could walk a while, before reaching firm ground and Pasar Ikan itself, passing by the small mosque and a few bridges. . . .

  • Directions: North Jakarta, one kilometre north of old Batavia; easy to find and taxis or ojeks know.
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    Sunda Kelapa: Pasar Ikan
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  • kokoryko
  • By kokoryko on April 8, 2009
  • Jakarta Page by kokoryko
  • Beautiful fruits. - Jakarta
    Beautiful fruits.
    by kokoryko, 4 more photos
    Literally, it is the fish market, but to visit the market when it is busy, you have to come in the morning; in the hot afternoon, there are not anymore fishes on the stalls (there is no ice as well, . . . . . . :) But the area around the big hall is busy all day and you can find in the shops, stalls, around the old colonial buildings everything you find elsewhere in Indonesian markets; lots of fruits, of course (picture 1), with here in the foreground the salak fruits, (zalacca palm fruit, with its typical snake skin), more modest stalls with the rambutan (picture 2), you can buy in small bunches and eat on the spot; they are wonderful, juicy, kill the thirst, easy to peel and eat while walking. On the market are also nice bright smiling vendors (picture 3). On picture 4 is a more general view of the busy streets around the market and on picture 5, just the busy street next to an old VOC warehouse, and in the background, the watchtower above the harbour, we will visit soon.

  • Directions: North Jakarta, Jalan Pasar Ikan, next to the maritime museum.
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