Story and History of JAKARTA

Colossal chaos under a blanket of pollution. That is the common perception of Jakarta. But much like its nickname ‘The Big Durian’, this bustling Southeast Asian metropolis may turn your nose at first, buts its rich culture, tremendously friendly residents and historical charm are so full of flavor, they soon become addictive. Let me take you on a fruitful journey into the heart of this fabulous, bewildering city.

If you’re interesting to travel to Indonesia, Jakarta is simply too massive to explore without fragmenting your experience into specific things to do. Here is our suggestion list:

• Be seen in the trendy suburb of Kemang. With its selection of boutiques, fine dining and drinking lounges, this is the place to see and be seen.

• Visit the phallic-shaped, flame-lit national monument (MONAS) otherwise known as Suharto’s “last erection”.

• Sojourn into the Thousand Islands. The further you venture away from the city, the more pristine the water and vibrant the wildlife. Check out Pulau Sepa, Pantara and Pelangi for the best diving and snorkeling, or if you can, make friends with a billionaire who owns one of the islands!

• Shop at Plaza Senayan (Pondok Indah) SEA’s second largest shopping mall

• Traipse around Old Jakarta and see the Museum Wayang (puppet museum)

• Stay in absolute style at the Mandarin Oriental or designer hotel Kemang Icon

• Go clubbing at the upscale Dragon Fly and the internationally famous, 24 hour pumpin’, Stadium

• Munch at restaurants with local cuisine to die for, such as Dapur Babah, Pendoka Kemang or Lara Djonggrang

• Dream on at Jalan Taman Impian Jaya Ancol themepark

Follow these trip advices, and your holidays in Jakarta could be a delightful vacation after all.

Aiming to be Different

The new hi-tech player in Jakarta’s English language education sector.

By David Keating.

Jakarta, May 5th 2007

Both learning and using the English language have now become a major part of the lives of many Indonesians. From a young age children begin learning English at schools, meaning the majority of Indonesians who complete formal school education have at least a basic grasp of the fundamentals of the language.

Increasingly, families are recognizing that children who take language education one step further are getting a ‘head start’ on their peers when it comes to higher education and the employment market. From an early age, some modern Indonesian families (especially those in the big cities) incorporate English into the daily lives of their children through family conversation and after-school language classes. The result of this upsurge in demand for language education has been an increasing number of language schools, and nowhere can this trend better be seen than in Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta.

A bewildering variety of English language courses are on offer for Jakarta’s youth, from ‘private’ classes with individual teachers to the array of different types of programs offered by the multitude of commercial language schools in the city. There are now English courses aimed at people from all walks of life, and for an array of different purposes:

Academic English, Business English, IELTS preparation, General English, Conversation, TOEFL preparation, writing classes, business communication, ESP(English for specific purposes)… the list goes on…

2 questions will be addressed here:

1.What are students looking for in a Jakarta language school
2.Where can all of their needs be met?

What are students looking for in a Jakarta language school?

Formal market research, combined with extensive personal investigation, has shown that the 5 highest ranking factors in choosing a language school in Jakarta are as follows (1=most important, 5=least important):

1.Experienced, fun teachers.
2.Range of support services and facilities
3.Comfortable learning environment
4.Reasonable price
5.Close to home/office

Where can all of the students’ needs be met?
With so many schools and so many teachers, Jakarta already caters for each of the above mentioned factors. However, very few institutions are able to offer them all and more besides. The new player on the language school scene in Jakarta is ‘Aim for English’, a small Manggarai-based centre offering ‘the personal touch’, as well as courses, services and facilities currently unparalleled in Indonesia.

Innovative language solutions
1.Experienced, fun teachers.

Aim for English (Aim) has teachers from Indonesia and from English-speaking countries. They all have several things in common: - Internationally recognized qualifications, years of experience of teaching English to Indonesians, and genuine passion for the English language and teaching. Unlike some less reputable language schools, Aim’s native-speakers are ‘here to stay’ (they’re not glorified backpackers with a job).

Teacher training and development is a continual process at Aim, and all staff strive for perfection.

1.Range of support services and facilities & 3. Comfortable learning environment
Aim’s facilities really help it stand out from the crowd. Their approach is to go ‘hi-tech’, implementing ‘Smart’ touch-screen white boards in classrooms and MP3-based listening activities. Gone are the days of cassettes and chalk boards; listening activities are now controlled by the white board and piped out via 5.1 digital surround-sound speakers.

Aim’s custom-designed interior creates a modern, bright stimulating place to relax or study. Walk through the door off Jalan Padang into an air-conditioned lounge-café, featuring a computer section, a library, and plenty of places to sit in comfort and read a newspaper with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Once enrolled, students have access to Aim’s free wireless internet service, providing a hi-speed broadband connection in all communal areas and class rooms.

Also worthy of note is Aim’s one-of-a-kind ‘e-notice board’. The owners of Aim have done away with the traditional cork pin-boards, and now have a giant projector-screen display on the café wall. This is a portal for all of the latest news, special events, offers, schedules and messages. This innovative solution is part of Aim’s drive to save paper. Other strategies are: emailing homework to students, reusing paper, and recycling used paper. This environmentally-friendly policy helps to keep students’ fees as reasonable as possible.

2.Close to home/office
Geographically, Aim really is at the heart of the city. You only have to look as far as ‘Google! Earth’ Aim is right under the marker for ‘Jakarta’!

There’s convenient access for the residential areas of Jakarta, as well as the main central office districts of Sudirman and Kuningan.
Aim’s classes are small (usually 6-8 students), so students receive plenty of personal attention. Out of class, students can contact teachers via email or sms 7 days per week, and teachers make themselves available for casual conversation in the café as often as possible.

Aim also features an impartial ‘Overseas Study Information Centre’, where students can find out about overseas study, get help with applications, and receive advice on the complicated enrollment and student visa process

So finally it seems like people looking for a quality language course which delivers ‘the personal touch’ (while embracing the future) can find what they’re looking for in the heart of Jakarta. www.aimjakarta.com has details of staff, courses, facilities and current special offers.
Look for the forum too; it’s a chance for anyone to get free online

advice from the English language experts.

Contact: info@aimjakarta.com for more information.

The capital of Indonesia, Jakarta has many theme parks to satisfy the tourists that arrive in this sprawling metropolis each year. People from many countries all come here to Jakarta to visit many of the city’s destinations. Jakarta Amusement Parks are one way tourists spend their time in Indonesia. Adults and children alike seem to enjoy the many thrills and spills in these amusement parks. The Ancol Dreamland was established in 1966. The Dreamland entertainment zone is home to a theme park called Fantasy World (Dufan Dunia or Fantasi). The Ancol Dreamland comprises of over forty primary attractions and rides. These forty attractions and rides can de categorized as follows Eropa (Europe), Balada Kera (Monkey Parody) Asia, Indonesia, Jakarta, Amerika (America), Yunani (Greece), and Hikayat (Fantasy). To mention few of the popular rides featured at the Park are the Niagara flume ride, Perang Bintang (Star Wars), Kicir-Kicir (Power Surge), Halilintar twisted roller coaster ride, Meteor Attack and Tornado. The Dreamland has many other popular sites, one such site is the Atlantis Water Adventure. The Atlantis Water Adventure is based upon the mythical metropolis of Atlantis. There is also a flowing river pool, a wave pool, a rainbow ball pool and children have two pools of their own to enjoy. Sea World was constructed in the year 1996. At the time, it was the largest aquarium in South East Asia and is considerably larger than Singapore’s Underwater World. At the SeaWorld one can get to catch a glimpse of the popular the alligator pool, antinessa tunnel, main pool, shark pool and sea friends’ pool. Jakarta provides a rich source of entertainment for all walks of life, with the theme parks catered to provide quality entertainment and a sense of adventure. When in Jakarta make sure to stay at a Jakarta serviced apartment that offers the convenience of being centrally located and provides quality service. Jakarta serviced apartments are available at the Somerset Berlian that are suitable for long or short stay accommodation.

Jakarta is the capital as well as the largest city of the Republic of Indonesia. Once a typical harbor town and earlier known by different names such as Sunda Kalapa, Jayakarta, and Batavia - Jakarta has now transformed into an advanced metropolitan city and one of the most popular tourist destinations in South-East Asia.

Situated on the Java Island's northwest coast, Jakarta is credited to be the world's 11th largest city as well as the fifth metropolitan area. The city is made up of five districts such as Central Jakarta, West Jakarta, South Jakarta, East Jakarta, and North Jakarta, each of them with its own significance. From interesting museums and historical monuments to beautiful parks and gardens, Jakarta presents a feast of attractions for people touring this incredible destination.

Few among many of the attractions that set apart Jakarta from other destinations in South-East Asia are the National Monument - a Russian built landmark located in the Medan Merdeka; Museum of Gadjah (the National Museum of Indonesia), exhibiting more than 80,000 Indonesian arts and artifacts such as a unique selection of Oriental ceramics and sacred traditional swords.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, a tour to which is a great way to explore the whole of the country in a day, as it is a park featuring miniature of all the country's provinces; Jakarta Art Center (Taman Mini Indonesia Indah), where a variety of cultural performances are conducted; Sunda Kelapa Port, one of the busiest areas in the city; Pasar Ikan, a bustling area whose focal point is the Maritime Museum housed within a restored Dutch warehouse which date back to the period of Dutch East Indies.

Fatahillah Square, with some interesting museums of the city; Masjid Istiqlal, which holds the distinction of being the largest mosque in South-East Asia; Sea World, an amusement park with a rich as well as rare variety of marine animals; Pasar Seni, a vibrant open market located within Ancol Amusement Park; Chinatown, which is regarded as the commercial hub of the city; and Kebun Binatang Ragunan, a 185-acre zoo with a rare species of animals and birds.

With these scores of attractions, it is not a wonder why the city is visited by holidaymakers from every nook and corner of the world. Hence, Jakarta has wonderful accommodation options to cater to every taste and pocket.

For vacationers who want to explore the city in style, some excellent options are available in the form three-star and five-star hotels and resorts. Mostly, these hotels are located within easy reach of the major transport systems such as the Soekarno-Hatta international airport and Gambir railway station, apart from many of the top attractions and shopping facilities in the city. When comes to comforts, rooms mostly feature all amenities that are required to make your stay comfortable as well as enjoyable.

In most cases, high-end accommodations also feature facilities such as car rental, currency exchange facilities, laundry service, outdoor swimming pools, transportation service, concierge, valet parking, onsite complimentary parking, and public outdoor parking.

For business travelers, these hotels provide some superb facilities such as business centers and meeting rooms complete with state of the art equipments. There are also some upscale hotels in the city that offer a continuum of leisure facilities such as golf course, superb spa facilities providing rejuvenating massage, sauna and steam room. Apart from these, many of the top-end hotels are attached with one or more restaurants, serving an array of delicacies from local dishes to multi-cuisines.

Above all, some hotels provide excellent packages inclusive of accommodation, dining, transportation for sightseeing in the city, and facilities to enjoy a number of activities. Even some packages cover facilities to not only explore the city sights and landmarks but also to explore the attractions outside or nearby the city such as Bogor Botanical Garden, about 50 kilometers south of the city, and Prambanan, which is much famed for its Hindu shrines that were built during the ninth century. Additionally, since many of the hotels have their own websites with options for online booking, it allows people to book an accommodation choice according to their taste and budget and that too in advance.