Welcome to one of the most paced up and packed up area in Jakarta. The Mangga Dua district has a lot to offer if you show that you’re really up to it. Beneath its dusty air and ferocious traffic, there are many hidden treasures to find.

One irrepracable treasure of mankind is history, and many precious facts lurk in Mangga Dua. A famous site for the battle between Prince Jayakarta and Governor JP Coen in 1619, the area is home to the Sion Church which granted freedom for Portugese Slaves and the tragically abandoned cemetery of Souw Beng Kong, the first Chinese Captain in Jakarta, who is also a spokesman for the Chinese community in his time. In fact, by exploring the Jayakarta Street nearby or taking the ‘Wisata Kampung Tua’ (Old Town Tour) regularly held by the Jakarta Historical Museum, you can gain valuable historical knowledge.

Yet, the first thing that comes to any red-blooded Jakarta citizen’s head when they hear about Mangga Dua is ‘shopping’! Therefore, shopping it is.

You have to be specific when talking about ‘shopping in Mangga Dua’. Because the person you are talking to would ask, ‘which part of Mangga Dua?’ When you step into the area you will understand the nature of the question. The Mangga Dua area is suffocating in shopping centers. There are six large shopping centers in one area, all ridiculously near, sometimes even connected to, each other that you wonder why can’t they just turn it into one gigantic supermall and save the confusion. The six giants to conquer are: the Mangga Dua Mall which is connected via a bridge to The Harco Mas Mangga Dua, the Mangga Dua WTC, the ITC Mangga Dua-there are two of them! The ITC Mangga Dua I and the ITC Mangga II, the Dusit Mangga Dua and the Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua.

Two main targets aimed by the shoppers in Mangga Dua are clothes and electronics. For clothes the good choice to go is the ITC Mangga Dua and the Pasar Pagi mangga Dua. Fashion lovers will be amazed with what they can buy there with minimum budget. Forget about luxurious boutiques for a while and go rummage the hectic shops. Electronics with astonishing price tags are available at the Dusit and Harco Mas. Let out extra bargaining powers and the prices can drop even lower. WTC Mangga Dua is a complete shopping and entertainment center with a food court, swimming pool, hypermart and even an apartment.

There are several Hotels available in Mangga Dua. The Le Grandeur Orion Mangga Dua, formerly called The Dusit Mangga Dua, promises an even more majestic service after its renovation. Inside the Hotel is one of the most famed discotheques in the area and the renowned Ah Yat Abalone Restaurant. Other options are the Novotel Mangga Dua and the wonderful three-star Ibis Mangga Dua.

Nightclubs in the area mostly follow the vibe offered in the Kota area, playing house or techno music. Some options to enjoy the nightlife in Mangga Dua are the Lido Palace inside the Harco Mangga Dua Plaza and the Antik Discotheque at the Pangeran Jayakarta Street.

Since food courts are abundant inside the shopping centers, there are not too many special restaurants in the area. You can give your tongue an adventure by visiting the Sarang Kepiting in front of the WTC Mangga Dua. The restaurant serves various dishes of crab. If you prefer eating in the food court, try eating dim sums at the Taipan in ITC Mangga Dua, many people dare swear that those are the best dim sums in the area.