Sari Widiati
Cultural Imlek Celebrations and Destinations in Jakarta
What is Imlek? This auspicious day, locally known as ‘Imlek’, is enthusiastically celebrated by the majority of the ethnic Chinese community across Indonesia, with festivities spanning from vibrant decorations and culinary delights to cultural traditions. These celebrations draw people from diverse backgrounds, creating an atmosphere of joy and unity. In Jakarta, the jubilation extends to
Gran Melia Jakarta’s Tien Chao Reopens Serving Authentic Cantonese Food
Showcasing a new look, Gran Melia’s iconic Chinese restaurant Tien Chao welcomes guests to return to experience an exquisite journey through the flavours of authentic Cantonese cuisine, masterfully curated by their new highly skilled Chef hailing from China. The rejuvenated Tien Chao presents a timeless atmosphere, where selective renovations and furnishings showcase a modern design
Condet: A Surviving Betawi Village Amidst Changing Times
Exploring Condet in East Jakarta will allow you to see the roots of some important history. Condet today is, like other parts of Jakarta, experiencing the erosion of its Betawi identity, while being dense and chaotic, congested, and sadly also prone to flooding. Whereas in the 18th century, Condet was referred to by the Dutch,
Bir Pletok: Betawi’s Distinctive Herbal Drink
Despite the name bir (pronounced: beer), this drink contains no alcohol at all. It’s made from a mixture of spices and the Betawi people consider it a wellness drink, even though it was created under the influence of the Dutch culture of drinking alcohol during the colonial era. Bir Pletok is the star of Betawi
Mazaraat Cheese: A Story of an Indonesian Artisanal Cheese Producer
Unlike France, Italy, the Netherlands, or even England, Indonesia may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of cheese excellence. However, that perception is about to change, thanks to Mazaraat Cheese. Founded by the visionary duo of Muhammad Najmi and Nieta Pricilia Puspitasari, Mazaraat is making waves in the world of
Rode Winkel: The Transformation of Toko Merah
After a long period of closure, Toko Merah is now open with its new name Rode Winkel, providing a vibrant way to stroll through its rich history while savouring good drinks and sumptuous food. Since its construction in 1730, the historic building named Toko Merah has changed ownership several times, from the VOC, Chinese civilians,
Indonesian Jamu Officially Recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
On 6 December 2023, during the 18th Convention Committee of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Kasane, Botswana, ‘Indonesian Jamu Wellness Culture’ was officially recognised by as one of the world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. For Indonesia, Jamu is the 13th Intangible Cultural Heritage which was successfully inscribed into UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list. The news was
Indonesia Tourism Outlook 2024: Towards the Green Tourism, Challenges and How to Grab the Investments
Green tourism is becoming a trend and is predicted to be increasingly popular with travellers in 2024. Indonesia with its wide range of potential natural resources and cultural diversity has high potential in the development of green tourism, but to implement sustainable green tourism the country still has to do a lot of homeworks. The
Kampung Tugu: Portuguese Traces in North Jakarta
Jakarta is widely known as a multi-ethnic city. Yet, not many people know that on the east of Tanjung Priok harbour lies a village inhabited by people of Portuguese descent who still preserve their culture and heritage. It is from this old village where keroncong music and gado-gado originated. On my way to Rumah Tugu
Indonesia on a Plate
Sepiring Indonesia quite literally serves Indonesia on a plate. The vibrant, decorative crockery of this artistic brand brings the culture, colour and characters of the archipelago onto the dining room table. The dining ware ware caught the attention of the judges. The plates, bowls, and cups brought Jakarta’s festivities to life: abang none (Betawi man and
Celebrating 50 Years of the Jakarta Theatre Festival
Reaching its impressive half-century milestone, the Jakarta Theatre Festival (JTF) is the oldest theatre festival in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. To celebrate its golden anniversary this 2023, the festival presents Homo Theatricus: City, Subsistence and Imagination as their annual theme, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to experience theatre as part of everyday life, a
Whoosh: Inside Indonesia’s First Bullet Train
With the all-new high-speed train dubbed Whoosh, travellers from Jakarta can reach Bandung, West Java, in only 45 minutes, travelling speeds of up to 350 kilometres per hour, and featuring carriages with luxurious interiors. Indonesia now officially operates Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, launched on 2 October 2023, set to encourage and entice the public
Belanda Depok: The History of the ‘Depok Dutch’
‘Belanda Depok’ was once a pejorative, or mocking name, given to the old communities of Depok, a region found between Jakarta and Bogor, now best known as the home of The University of Indonesia. The origin of this term, meaning ‘Depok Dutch’, spans back to the early days of the Dutch colonisation of Indonesia and is an
