☰Kota Tua (Old Batavia)

The old city district centred on Fatahillah Square is Jakarta at its most atmospheric. The Dutch colonial buildings — town hall, courthouse, warehouses and traders' houses — have been restored and repurposed as museums, cafes and galleries. Chinatown (Glodok) begins a short walk to the south, its narrow lanes packed with temples, spice traders and some of the city's best street food. The area is best explored in the morning before the heat builds.