Home & Away with Robert Walshe
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Holiday Hotspot – Shangri-La Jakarta Indonesia
Jakarta is a diverse and enchanting city in South-East Asia and seat of government for an estimated 17,508 islands. At first glance, the Indonesian capitals is hectic, noisy, sprawling and infuriating, but take time to get under its skin and you’re sure to find that Far Eastern excitement will captivate you. Jakarta is a difficult city to navigate through
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and as it lacks a coherent city centre, attractions are spread far apart. For this reason walking is not really an option when sightseeing. Travel across Jakarta often requires a combination of many forms of transport so be sure to arrange a tour or local taxi through your hotel concierge before or on your arrival. If you are interested in history, don’t miss the Kota district, the old city centre, and its many buildings left over from the time of Dutch colonial rule. Also make sure you visit Merdeka Square, an oasis of greenery surrounded by the Istana Merdeka (Presidential Palace), the National Museum and Immanuel Church. This is also the location of Masjid Istiqlal, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. Between the ministries on the west side is the National Museum, a great place to learn about Indonesian history. The collection of 240,000 objects is divided into various categories, including prehistory, religion and ethnology. Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, gold bowls from the Ramayana, a crown belonging to the Sultan from 1700 and porcelain from the Yuan Dynasty. The four floors of the newest museum wing are devoted entirely to the people. Of particular interest here is the section on the Flores Man, a prehistoric human who lived on Flores who was no
taller than one metre. Sunda Kelapa harbour another popular attraction was the centre of a trading empire that once stretched from Java right through to Malaysia. This sea-faring heritage lives on in the ranks of elegant Bugis schooners and in the Maritime Museum that occupies an old Dutch gedung warehouse. And if you fancy a day of action, you’ll love the Ancol Dreamland amusement park and Waterbom water park. Great shopping and delicious Indonesian food is also on the menu in the city so be sure to explore. Shangri-La Jakarta is one of the city’s finest hotels. Views from suites above the 20th floor offer bird’s-eye views, and the exclusive Horizon Club on the 26th floor provides complimentary afternoon tea, buffet and cocktails to guests. Satoo Restaurant is all about a culinary exploration of Asian and international cuisines. Chic and modern are the first impressions one gets upon entering the casual cafe area and seeing the dessert station featuring a chocolate fountain and an irresistible display of cakes, pastries, soufflés, ice creams and jajanan pasar (traditional Indonesian snacks). There are 12 interactive open kitchen stations featuring various types of cuisines and dishes, including Indian, Western, and Chinese, Indonesian, salad, sushi, sashimi,
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barbecue, noodles, pasta, desserts, fruits and jamu (traditional Indonesian herbal combinations). Chi Spa at Shangri-La is a place of peace and tranquility offering luxurious spa treatments including massage, facials, body therapies and the indulgent Floral Bath and the Cleopatra Milk Bath rituals. The hotel is in the business district, a short drive from Merdeka Square and the old town; it can arrange limo transfers to/from the airport. Visit www.shangri-la. com Turkish airlines fly daily from Dublin to Jakarta via Istanbul. Their business class service is by far the most impressive of the Middle East-
ern carriers departing Ireland. Rather than just serving a “restaurant service”, “Flying Chefs” make you feel like a star with “Turkish Hospitality” above the clouds. In fact all business class meals are served in porcelain dishes on flights. For great fares visit www. turkishairlines.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q a network of seven radio stations across all of Northern Ireland. He is also Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles on the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com