One of the most popular places to visit in Jakarta is the National Monument. Located right in the center of the city, it’s impossible to miss. Every visitor to Jakarta must pass by it at least once, as Merdeka Square, where Monas Jakarta is located, is a major intersection and roundabout. This also makes it easy to access, as all public transport serves it. In this complete guide to Monas Jakarta, I will tell you everything you need to know and more about visiting, and getting the most out of the National Monument.
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Table of Contents
- What is Monas?
- Where is Monas?
- How to get to Monas?
- Monas Opening Hours and Ticket Prices
- What to expect
- Monas tips and hints
- Summary
What is Monas?
Monas Jakarta, or the National Monument, was constructed in 1961 by President Sukarno. Opened to the public in 1975, it has been a major tourism drawcard in the city, particularly for domestic visitors.
Monas is an obelisk, and stands 132 meters tall. It was constructed to commemorate the Indonesian struggle for Independence, and therefore has been an immense source of pride for all Indonesians for the past 50 years. This is noticeable by any first time visitor to Jakarta, when every taxi driver, restaurant waiter or person in the street will immediately ask, “Have you been to the National Monument yet?”
Where is Monas?
Monas Jakarta is located right in the center of the city, at Merdeka Square. This is an incredible 75 hectares, it is considered one of the largest city squares in the world. Consisting mostly of garden and parkland, Monas holds pride of place in the middle of the square, and can be seen for miles around.
As Merdeka Square is right in the heart of the city, it is also surrounded by several other important buildings, such as the Merdeka Palace, Istiqlal Mosque, the National Museum and the Supreme Court of Jakarta.
How to get to Monas?
To get to Monas is easy, as it is in the very heart of the city and nearly all public transport serves it. There are a few things to be aware of though, to make it easier for you on the day.
- By bus – Several buses run past Monas Jakarta, but the number 1 bus for Blok M is the most convenient as it runs directly up the main road and right past Merdeka Square. Be aware though that the main entrance to Monas that you will have to enter via, is at Balai Kota bus stop, so you may have to walk around the corner or change to another bus for one stop. This bus stop is right opposite the National Library of Jakarta. Check THIS LINK for transjakarta routes.
- Free Bus – The free bus that runs to many of the major points in Jakarta (a double decker bus) stops right outside the main entry for Monas Jakarta.
- Train – If catching the train, you will get off at Gambir Station which is directly adjacent to the monument and beside Merdeka Square.
- Taxi and ride sharing – This is a given, and probably the easiest way to get to Monas Jakarta.
- Private vehicle – Be aware there are restrictions around the Merdeka Square area. Firstly for scooters. Keep an eye on signs and park somewhere that you can walk into the area. Secondly, for vehicles there is an odds and evens system in Central Jakarta which limits the amount of vehicles allowed in the area. So depending upon your number plate, you may have to choose carefully the day you come to Monas. Make certain to talk to your car rental place about this.
Monas Opening Hours and Ticket Prices
Monas Jakarta is open from 8am to 10pm from Tuesday to Sunday. It is closed on Mondays
Entry prices vary, as they do all over Indonesia, depending if you are a local or a visitor. Locals are able to access the entire facility for 5,000Rp.
For a visitor it will cost 15,000Rp. You will also have to get a Jakarta Card, or Jakcard, which is basically your ticket, and will cost an extra 25,000Rp. Unless you already have one, of course.
Tickets are purchased at the main ticket office, which isn’t exactly easy to find. See further details below.
What to expect
When you arrive at Monas, you will enter via the main gate, which is the only way you can actually enter Monas Jakarta. This isn’t always readily apparent to visitors, as the bus stop for Monas is NOT near the main gate. As mentioned above, you will have to walk or catch another bus around the corner.
Enter through the car parking entrance, and over to your left there are a thousand warungs. This is where the main gate is located. A word of warning here though – you may have your work cut out for you actually FINDING the main gate. It is not well signposted, and seems like the warungs are set up as some machiavelian maze to trap you and never allow you to actually find the gate!
The gate is just a small hut at the fence which you enter through. Head straight through as there are no tickets to purchase yet.
Monas Ticket Office
The first problem you will have is finding the ticket office for Monas Jakarta. One would expect to walk up to the monument and find the ticket office somewhere around the base.
Wrong!
The monument is a good walk away from the gate, as Merdeka Square is huge. If the days isn’t too hot, you can opt to walk and enjoy the gardens and scenery. If the heat is soaring, as it often is in Jakarta, you can also take a small shuttle “train” that runs from the main gate to the ticket office. The added bonus of this is that you will actually be able to FIND the ticket office.
This is because the office is located behind and across the road from the monument itself. If you walk, keep an eye on where others go, and expect to walk a little further than you thought you would be.
Once you reach the office, you will go up a short flight of stairs, and then be directed down another set of stairs and underground, where the ticket office is located. Check above for information on the pricing.
Tunnel and bottom level of Monas
From the ticket office you will be directed into a tunnel. This will take you to the bottom floor of the monument. It seems really funny entering the National Monument this way, but on a really hot day it’s nice to get out of the sun.
The tunnel will emerge via a set of stairs into the daylight again, and you will walk up and into the bottom level of Monas. Here, there is a large, not so well air conditioned room that has a wonderful diorama of the history of the area. There are over 30 displays, and its good to take the time to walk past them all and check them out, as they tell a very interesting story.
Once you are finished, head to the staircase in the middle of the room and follow it up until you emerge into the sunlight once again.
The top of Monas Jakarta
Now you will find yourself at the base of the actual tower. For tourists there is a bit of confusion, as there will most likely be a lot of people sitting around on the ground chatting and waiting.
This is because there is only ONE LIFT to the top of the monument, that is very slow and only holds about 4 or 5 good sized adults. Considering one of those adults is the attendant that pushes the buttons, it makes for a very slow moving line to get to the top viewing platform. One can only assume that the elevator was installed in 1961 and has never been upgraded.
When you bought your ticket you were given a number. This number is what you will use now to know when you can head to the elevator. Check what they are up to (you may have to ask) and then sit on the ground and wait until your number is called.
Once you get into the line, it could take up to half an hour or longer to actually get into the elevator.
The views from the top are pretty amazing, especially if you get it on a rare, clear day in Jakarta. Check out the buildings in the distance, and the absolutely immense size of the city. Also interesting to see are all the government buildings that surround Merdeka Square.
When you are ready to leave, line up for the elevator again, and head back down. It will drop you at the top level of the base, where all there is to do is to check out the view which is nowhere near as good as the view from the top. Then you will have to walk down several flights of stairs to reach the exit, and back out into Merdeka Square.
Monas tips and hints
As with all attractions, there are several tips and hints that are good to know. Most have been covered above, but here are the main points again plus a couple of others.
- Monas Jakarta is not equipped for the mobility impaired. There are stairs everywhere, and no other options. If you have a wheelchair, you will have to leave it near the main ticket office.
- Hold onto the number you are given at the start, as you will need it later.
- If catching the bus, make sure you go to the right bus stop near the entry.
- On a hot day, take a hat, water and sunscreen, and possibly something to sit on as you may have a long wait for the elevator.
- Get there early! This can’t be stressed enough as by about 10am there is a BIG line, especially on weekends and public holidays.
Summary
Monas Jakarta is a great place to visit, and one of the most popular attractions in the city. Many locals believe that you haven’t actually been to Jakarta unless you have visited the National Monument!
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