Once you pass MONAS and the Presidential Palace you enter the part of the city known as North Jakarta (Kota or Glodok by the locals and Chinatown by the expats). At one point in time this was THE CITY (Batavia). Because of it’s location close to the harbour, it’s all business, as in trading, in this part of town. If you live in Jakarta and you want to buy a TV, stereo, household appliance, handphone, pirated CD’s, table saw, generator or anything else this is where you come.

The oldest historical sites in Jakarta are located here as well as many of the cities best known amusement parks and nightlife. When the sun sets there are diversions of every sort from karoke, massive 3 storey discos, (Raja Mas, the notorious Stadium, Sydney 2000 etc), 'dangdut' bars and intimate 'amusement centres'. Whilst a day trip to this part of town can be educational and entertaining a late night trip can be compared to a trip through several layers of Dante’s inferno. The genuinely curious can often read about someone else's misadventures in Kota in a Sunday edition of the Jakarta Post.