Sunda Kelapa

Sunda Kelapa

The picturesque and historic harbor of Sunda Kelapa, also known as Pasar Ikan (Fish Market), was built in the early 17th century (reconstructed and expanded in 1817) and today still serves as the port of call for perahu pinisi (sailing cargo vessels).

Sunda Kelapa is located in the far north corner of the city at the mouth of the Ciliwung river and is the historic location where the Portuguese traded with the Hindu Kingdom of Pajajaran in the early 16th century.

The normal everyday morning scene at the Sunda Kelapa includes auction of the fish catch of the day in the early morning at the old fish market. On the street leading to the fish market there are rows of shops selling all sort of shells, dehydrated turtles, lobsters and everything else the seafarer might need.

Sunda Kelapa with its strategic location was easily the nerve centre of Jakarta and hence the Dutch domination of Jakarta and the rest of Indonesia began from this area. Primarily Bugis and Makassarese traders navigated the quaint harbor of Sunda Kelapa, in their charming and colorful vessels form one of the world's few major commercial sailing fleets, transporting raw materials from Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

Tourists can still see the remnants of Kasteel Batavia, an old fort and trading post of the Dutch East Indies Company at the Sunda Kelapa. At present Sunda Kelapa is a fisherman's wharf and in inter-island port, where you can normally find sailors and workers loading and unloading goods manually without the help of any equipment. If you are good at striking conversation, the sailors might even invite you onboard.

The nearest airport to Sunda Kelapa Harbor is Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK). It is located in Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia, approximately 19 kilometers away.