You can see traditional boats here preparing to transport goods all over Indonesia. Coming to this place you can understand why Indonesian song writer wrote the song "my great grandfather is a sailor - nenek moyang ku orang pelaut". Unfortunately, the surrounding here is not well-developed to make it become a great tourist attraction.

I actually love the place, but it's just too dirty. If only people care more about throwing their trash in the bins to say the least, it would've been a whole lot more enjoyable

Sunda Kelapa is pretty much the type of place upper-middle class tourists are afraid of. It is a gritty dirty place without any refined café’s, bright lights or cute young shop assistants around, where the work is tough & the people rough. Sunda Kelapa isn’t a tourist attraction but a rewarding destination. It’s a working port for its transport fleet... More

It only takes half an hour to take a look at the beautiful old style ships lined up along the working wharf here. Marvel at the way many of them are loaded by guys running along gangplanks shouldering bags of cement, etc. Then get the hell out and get an icecream down the road.

The cradle of Jakarta, this old part of Batavia, renamed Sunda Kelapa ("coconut of Sunda") after independence, is a forgotten chapter in Indonesia’s history, hardly a tourist attraction in its own right. When we went there to watch the sun rise over magnificent Makassar pinisis (traditional sailing ships from Sulawesi), we were the only foreigners and the “tourist information” booth... More

Sunda Kelapa by itself is pretty underwhelming; the same place with the assitance of a guide takes on a whole different view. It's a working port and there's basically no tourist infrastructure; but with a local explaining what is going on (and doing things like taking you onto the ships, and leading you through the surrounding shanty town) you get... More

Upon arriving at the dock - we began to wander aimlessly - until offered a guided tour. We declined at first but then, after negotiating a price, accepted the offer. And it was worth every penny. There is no way we, on our own, could have wandered amongst and onto working boats, been taken down stream into the fisherman's area,... More

If you are the type of visitor that enjoys Calcutta slums or perhaps, a rejuvenating stop into the comforting streets of Bed-stuy, Brooklyn, then, this is the hidden gem for you. If a fetish for destitute poverty is your motivation, Sunda Kelapa is a must-see! Firstly, you can not miss this harbor, as the trash burning flames guide your way!... More

This extraordinarily photogenic harbour, Sunda Kelapa, has been a working port for more than 900 years. We just loved the interaction and chit chat with the men working these docks. We loved the opportunity to glimpse the lifestyle and realities of life on the sea as it always has been. Most of the action is around shipping goods to and... More