I Went to Jakarta’s Old Town... And I Cried

In this episode, I spent the day exploring Kota Tua, Jakarta’s Old Town, from its historic streets and busy square to the food stalls tucked around the area. Along the way, I met some memorable characters, tried local snacks, and discovered that the sambal with my chicken was far hotter than I expected. I’ve got a ton of Indonesia vlogs, so if you want more, check out my Indonesia travel series! ▶️ Watch the full Indonesia travel series:    • Indonesia   #Jakarta #BuleDiIndonesia #KotaTuaJakarta Shot on: December 6, 2025 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Don’t forget to subscribe!    / @travellordonloc   Chapters for this Kota Tua Jakarta Vlog: 00:00 The Old Town Sambal Gets Me Crying 00:27 My First Visit to Kota Tua, Jakarta 01:41 Touring Old Jakarta by Horse Cart 03:34 Trying Street Snacks in Kota Tua 08:29 Café Batavia and the Sunda Kelapa Cocktail 13:41 Finding Jembatan Kota Intan, Jakarta’s Old Drawbridge 15:23 Exploring the Streets and Fatahillah Square 19:21 Trying Pecel Ayam and Spicy Sambal 23:30 Was Kota Tua Worth Visiting? How to support my channel: Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/travellordonloc PayPal: https://bit.ly/459arqw More Travel Lord On Location: Instagram:   / travellordonloc   Facebook:   / travellordonloc   TikTok:   / travellordonloc   Twitter:   / travellordonloc   2ND Channel:    / @travellordclips   About Jakarta’s Old Town: Kota Tua is the historic heart of Jakarta, where the city’s past as a trading port and colonial capital remains visible in its streets and buildings. The area grew around Sunda Kelapa, a harbor connected to trade across the region. In the seventeenth century, the Dutch East India Company built Batavia here, with canals, warehouses, administrative offices, and a central square. Today, Fatahillah Square is the best-known gathering place in Kota Tua. The former Batavia city hall overlooking it houses the Jakarta History Museum, which traces the city’s development through different periods. Nearby museums focus on subjects including puppetry, fine art, ceramics, and maritime history. Beyond the museum doors, the neighborhood has a livelier side: visitors cross the square on colorful bicycles, watch street performers, and stop at cafés and food stalls. Kota Tua is especially interesting because its buildings serve as a backdrop to everyday life. Walking a few blocks can reveal traces of old canals and trade routes alongside the movement of modern Jakarta. The district offers a compact introduction to the many layers behind the city’s present-day identity. Kota Tua menyimpan jejak perubahan Jakarta dari kawasan pelabuhan menjadi pusat pemerintahan dan perdagangan. Sebelum dikenal sebagai Batavia, wilayah di sekitar pelabuhan Sunda Kelapa merupakan bagian penting dari jalur niaga. Pada masa VOC, kawasan ini berkembang dengan balai kota, kantor dagang, gudang, serta kanal yang membentuk wajah kota kolonial. Taman Fatahillah kini menjadi titik pertemuan pengunjung dari berbagai penjuru Jakarta. Di salah satu sisinya berdiri bekas Balai Kota Batavia yang digunakan sebagai Museum Sejarah Jakarta. Tidak jauh dari sana terdapat Museum Wayang serta Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik. Koleksi museum-museum tersebut memberi kesempatan untuk mengenal perjalanan kota melalui benda bersejarah, kesenian, dan budaya. Namun, kehidupan Kota Tua tidak hanya berlangsung di dalam bangunan tua. Di ruang terbuka, pengunjung bisa melihat pertunjukan jalanan, menyewa sepeda, berfoto, atau menikmati makanan di sekitar kawasan. Suasana ini membuat Taman Fatahillah tetap menjadi tempat berkumpul, bukan sekadar peninggalan masa lalu. Saat menyusuri jalan-jalan di sekitarnya, pengunjung juga dapat melihat bagaimana bangunan lama terus berdampingan dengan aktivitas warga dan perubahan kota. Kota Tua menunjukkan bahwa sejarah Jakarta masih hadir dalam ruang yang digunakan orang setiap hari. #KotaTua #BuleJalanJalan #WisataJakarta #JalanJalanJakarta #JakartaOldTown #ExploreJakarta #IndonesiaTravel #KulinerJakarta #TravelLordOnLocation