Green Spaces in Jakarta #1 - Taman Suropati
Taman Suropati (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Green. I feel relaxed just thinking about it! How does green make you feel and what do we associate with this colour? The colour green is known to sooth and relax both mentally and physically. It is also known to alleviate nervousness and anxiety. But perhaps most importantly, especially in such a busy city as Jakarta, green offers a sense of renewal and harmony; states of being that can sometimes seem difficult to achieve.
Although Jakarta has a lot of tropical foliage, finding an open green space where you can stretch your legs, sit under a tree (or on a park bench) and just wile away time can be a little more allusive.
It is for this reason that we have made it our mission to find the best green spaces in Jakarta and share them with you on a regular basis. Here we present our first green space, Taman Suropati.
Take a deep breath and enjoy!
Park Name: Taman* Suropati
Location: Jl. Teuku Umar, Menteng (a subdistrict of Central Jakarta)
Travel time: approximately 45+ minutes from Jakarta Selatan (traffic dependent)
About Menteng: Developed in the 1910s, Menteng became a residential area for both Dutch residents in Jakarta as well as High Officials. At the time of its development, Menteng was the first planned garden subdistrict of colonial Batavia. Hence it is here you will find many grand homes and Government buildings, well-maintained spaces and wide roads.
Badan Perancanaan Pembangunan Nasional (BAPPENAS) is the home of the Ministry of National Planning and Development and is one of the many stately official government buildings in the Menteng area
St. Paul's Protestant Church (Gereja Paulus) in Menteng, was constructed in 1936 and is located in close proximity to Taman Suropati
What will you find at Taman Suropati? Here you will discover beautiful, manicured gardens and lovely established trees. (Stop press: We did not see a single piece of rubbish!) The garden also includes at least six significant sculptures (see our Gallery below) and for those who really need wifi, it is available.
Taman Suropati (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Central Fountain (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Central Fountain (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Who is Taman Suropati suitable for? Pretty much everyone! When we visited (midweek), we found a variety of people using the space for different purposes, including:
Exercising- there’s a continuous, well-paved footpath around the perimeter of the park which is suitable for jogging and pushing prams. Likewise, numerous people were practising yoga under the shade of the trees
Practising music - weekends you will find many young, budding musicians learning to play a variety of instruments. You will also meet more accomplished musicians
Feeding the birds - quite a few parents (Mums and Dads) take their infants to Taman Suropati and enjoy feeding the pigeons
Beautiful gardens to admire including Costus Woodsonii (Indian Head Ginger) in bloom (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Simply chilling out - sitting under a tree and reading a book, or catching up with friends - Basically indulging in the sense of calm that one feels when surrounded by nature
Who we met whilst at Taman Suropati? Whilst strolling around ourselves, we got chatting to a few different people. Firstly, we met a couple of gardeners who were enjoying a rest under the shade of one of the parks' sculptures.
Continuing on our walk, we met local violinist, Evelyne, who uses the parks' relaxed vibe to practise her instrument.
Local musician, Evelyne. (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Feeding the birds, we encountered a couple of expat mums and their toddlers, who explained to us that they frequent the park on a regular basis allowing their children to play outdoors in a well-maintained and inspiring green space. (Note: Taman Suropati does not have play equipment for children, but the open green space allows for lots of running and free play)
Expat mums and their children enjoying some outdoor time (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
(Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Verdict: We love Taman Suropati! It is definitely a park to visit if you want to enjoy a tranquil and well-maintained space. Pack a picnic, bring the kids' scooters and enjoy a couple of hours just chilling out in one of the oldest and most beautiful parts of Jakarta.
If you are a keen jogger, you can easily run multiple laps of the perimeter track (but just keep an eye out for food vendors, who share the same path).It is also important to note that Taman Suropati is sufficiently level for wheelchair access both within the park and around its perimeter.
If you want to check out what the locals get up to when the work week is done, then we suggest you visit on the weekend. You will find musicians rehearsing, groups practising yoga and more...
Stretching our legs and loving all the green! (Image by Nita Strudwick Photography)
Oh...and how can we forget the coffee! We discovered a fabulous coffee shop, Giyanti Coffee Roastery, in nearby Jl. Surabaya where we sipped a fantastic brew made with their own single origin, in-house roasted beans. So if you need that coffee fix after your park visit, that too can be satisfied.
Cafe Latte and a slice of Bolu Pandan cake (Wow, this story really is all about 'green'!)
*Taman: park
Words: Jo Stevens Photography: a journey bespoke and Nita Strudwick Photography
